on the face of Julian’s friend. And then she thought again of the tall dark figure that had crossed the stone floor at Cuckmere and vanished upstairs with Lady Joan. And she remembered the sight of Mrs. Cage carrying the tray with its vase of delicate flowers. The current of anti-Semitism was running fast even through May’s small world. May said nothing.
But as if she was reading May’s mind Sarah brought the very subject up herself. “I don’t expect you have come across the rumours while you have been down in Sussex,” she began, “but Nat has been reading reports in the newspaper and talking to several tailors he works with and the word is that Mosley is planning a march through the East End any day now.”
Sarah returned her hand to rest on the swell of her stomach.
“If he comes I would like to be here with you,” May said.
“Oh good. Mum will be pleased. She says she is not worried but I know she is.” And with that Sarah and May moved back to the subject of motherhood and on to Lady Joan.
“She looks so old now,” May said. “Her hair is completely white and her skin is almost transparent.”
May and Sarah both struggled to imagine what it felt like to have more of one’s life behind one than in front, reaching a level of such closeness between them that May at last felt ready to talk to Sarah about her confused feelings for Julian.
At that moment Sam came flying in through the pub door. “I came straight home as soon as the ship docked.” His were eyes shining and he was so out of breath that he was close to unintelligible. “I’ve been looking for you two everywhere.”
“Oh, Sam, I am so happy you are here. When did you get back from the ship? Come and tell us everything.”
“I wanted to see you right away, of course. I had a wonderful time. There were some lads from Mum’s part of Scotland. They are really looking forward to meeting you, May. And we swam every day, and olives are my new favourite food. Oh and the king is cracky on someone! An American. She’s a friend of Miss Nettlefold.”
May looked at Sam, suddenly appalled.
“Shush, Sam. Keep your voice down. Have you already been to Oak Street?” she asked him quickly.
“Oh yes! Of course! I was looking for you.”
“And did you speak to Rachel at all?”
“Well, I sort of mentioned it, but only briefly,” Sam half apologised, sensing his sister’s caution. “She was really surprised! Actually a lot more surprised I might say than you seem to be,” he added a little reproachfully.
“Oh, Sam! What have you done? I must go and talk to Rachel at once.” May said, pausing to kiss a rather confused Sarah before dashing out of the pub without even stopping to put on her jacket. If Rachel knew the secret of the king’s love life, then the whole street would be buzzing with the news.
May was still talking to Rachel and Sarah, who had followed her home from the pub, when Nat returned unexpectedly at lunchtime. She was still doing her best to convince them that Sam was confused about the identity of the woman who had caught the king’s eye on board the Nahlin. May had it on impeccable authority from Miss Nettlefold, she assured them, that the king had been flirting with a member of the Greek royal family. Sam’s imagination must have been running away with itself. What would the king be doing with a married American lady? May did all she could to make the idea sound absurd. No. The king must have been giving the glad eye to a Greek princess. All those royals ended up marrying each other, didn’t they?
Rachel had humphed a bit and went to put the kettle on. “Strange things happen in love and war, May, I’m telling you,” was all she said, filling the kettle, scepticism evident in every line of her face.
Nat too had some urgent news. The voice at the end of workshop telephone that morning had been posher than any of those belonging to Nat’s regulars.
“So sorry to disturb you, Mr. Castor,” the man had said. “That is Mr. Castor, isn’t it? Oh good, good. Glad to reach you. Would you very kindly pass on a message to May?”
The man, Mr. Richardson, Julian Richardson, was in London for the day visiting his mother and wondered if he might call round to