your home – will always be your home, even when you leave to start an independent life, as Anne is doing. So don’t you dare think otherwise.’
A spark of hope ignited. ‘You mean it?’
‘I never say things I don’t mean,’ she said, bristling. ‘Now, dry those eyes and sit down for a minute to catch your breath. A few bits of clothing can soon be replaced, so there’s no real harm done.’
‘But she took them – those – lovely shoes you gave me, and the sweater. I could never replace those.’
‘I’ve got a wardrobe full of Doris’s cast-off shoes, and I can always knit another sweater. Come on, Sally,’ she said with a soft smile, ‘cheer up, love. Worse things happen at sea, and at least she didn’t make off with all your sewing. Ron found that padlock in his shed, and the key’s quite safe.’
‘Oh, Peg, Ron and the others don’t know about her, do they?’
‘They didn’t need to know anything. We all love you and have absolute faith in your honesty, so why taint it with Florrie’s actions?’ She gave a little sigh. ‘You see, I heard you and Florrie last night, and saw you going downstairs with the things she’d filched. I so wanted to say something then, but it was clear you were already very upset, and I didn’t want to make things worse.’
Sally slipped her arm round her waist as they both sat on the bed. It was so good to know this lovely woman and her family really did care about her and Ernie. ‘How am I going to explain to Ernie that Florrie’s done a runner?’
‘Tell him the truth. I don’t think he’ll be too upset,’ said Peggy. ‘He’s hardly seen her since she arrived, and from the little he’s said, I think he rather wishes she hadn’t come at all.’
Sally nodded, accepting Peggy was right. ‘But where could she have gone? She got the sack today, so Solomon won’t take her in.’
‘She probably headed straight for the station and the first train out.’
‘But the trains aren’t running.’
‘Actually,’ said Peggy, ‘they are. I had a call from the Billeting Office this afternoon. You and the boys will be leaving the day after tomorrow.’
‘So soon?’ she whispered.
‘That’s why we thought we’d go to the pictures as a last treat for the boys. It turned into quite a family outing. Anne made it back from her interview in time, Cissy didn’t have a show tonight and Mrs Finch decided she didn’t want to be left behind. We even bumped into Pearl in the town and she joined us.’ She gave a soft chuckle. ‘Only Ron was absent. He decided to sit and watch Rosie Braithwaite instead of The Wizard of Oz.’
‘I wish I could have come too,’ she murmured.
‘We’ll all go when you come back home – and that’s a promise. Now, come on, Sally, wash your face and brush your hair. Everyone’s downstairs, and with only two nights left before this family is cast to the winds, we must make the best of them.’
It was a warm, happy evening, despite the knowledge it would be one of their last together for what could turn out to be a long time. The three false alarms which had them scurrying back and forth across the garden hadn’t helped much, but it wasn’t until Sally was getting Ernie ready for bed that he asked about Florrie.
‘She’s gorn, ain’t she?’ he said, as he grimly withstood the wet flannel that was being energetically scrubbed round his neck and ears.
‘Yes, love. She’s gone back to London.’
‘Didn’t she like it ’ere?’
‘Not really. I think she missed her mates back in Bow.’
‘She don’t like us, either, does she?’ Ernie’s brown eyes studied her closely. ‘Cos she never come to play with me. And I ’eard you and ’er ’aving a row last night.’
Sally was shocked he’d overheard and didn’t quite know how to answer him. ‘Families always have rows,’ she said, drying him off. ‘Me and Mum never really got on, but I’m sure she likes us really.’
‘Well I don’t like ’er,’ he said with a grimace. ‘She ain’t cuddly and nice smelling like Aunt Peg. I’m glad she’s gorn.’
Sally gave him a hug. She hadn’t been fooled by his brave words – he was bitterly disappointed in Florrie, and her leaving him again after such a fleeting and unsatisfactory return had been a bitter lesson for them both.
She put him to bed and read him a story. When he was