Read Online Beyond the Shadow of War by Diane Moody - Free Book Online
Authors: Diane Moody
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“I’m surprised,” Danny said, studying the building. “I would’ve expected something bigger and more elegant. But here it sits in a simple neighborhood.”
“Yes, but inside it’s ever so much larger than it looks. Actually three houses in one, if I remember correctly. More than a hundred rooms, plus a nice garden in the back. I’ve never been inside, but I’ve seen pictures and learned all about it when I was a schoolgirl.”
They passed the Horse Guards palace and Whitehall which housed the secret underground war headquarters, as well as the bunker where Churchill took his famous short naps. She walked them by the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, telling them its priceless works of art had been moved to a specially designed hidden cave in a Welsh mountain for safekeeping.
“I found it actually quite funny because they took the paintings but left all the empty frames in place here at the museum. Then Sir Kenneth Clark would select one work of art from the hidden collection and have it brought here to be shown as the ‘Picture of the Month.’ If you can believe it, long queues formed as people gathered, anxious to see what it might be.”
“Strange, in the middle of a war,” Danny said.
“But that was the point, don’t you see? An example of our tenacity to keep a stiff upper lip despite any enemy attacks. I visited the gallery several times during the war. You’d be surprised how inspirational it was to see a masterpiece, all by itself, lit up and framed in sheer isolation.”
At Danny’s suggestion, they stopped for a light lunch at an outdoor café where they shared a plate of cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, and crusty bread.
“We’d all hoped the end of the war would mean no more rationing and no more queuing at the markets, but if anything, it’s worse,” Sybil lamented. “I must say I feel a bit guilty, dining out twice in one day.”
“Please don’t.” Danny sliced a piece of bread for her. “It’s the least we can do for taking your time.”
“I must admit Jack spoiled me while he was here. He seemed to have wads of cash and happy to spend it. After living on rations for so long, it was lovely to have so many choices again.”
“What will you do while waiting to join your husband in America?” Anya asked.
“I suppose I’ll continue working at Rainbow Corner, though I don’t know how much longer they’ll stay open now that the war’s over.”
“That’s one of the American Red Cross clubs, right?” Danny asked.
“Yes, have you been there?”
“Just once, on that same leave I mentioned earlier. Some of the guys had gone dancing there before and wanted to go. We didn’t stay long because it was so crowded.”
“Fancy that, we might have danced if you had.”
Anya’s eyes widened. “That’s what you do there? Dance?”
“Yes! I love to dance, don’t you?”
“No. I mean, I’ve never danced.”
“You’ve never danced?”
Danny reached for Anya’s hand. “You have to remember it was much different in Holland during the Occupation. Anya worked for the Resistance, primarily shuttling Jewish children to safe homes. There weren’t many opportunities for things like dancing.”
“We heard of dances now and then,” Anya added. “Some were even held in bomb shelters. But there was never time for anything like that. If we weren’t watching over the children or transporting aircrews to safety, all we wanted to do was sleep.”
“You must think me so frivolous,” Sybil said, her face filled with sympathy. “While you were saving lives, I was busy jitterbugging with Yanks. I don’t suppose I’d ever thought of it like that.”
“Please don’t,” Anya said. “We all did what we had to do. I’m sure the Americans appreciated a chance to take their minds off the war, even for an hour or two.”
“Absolutely,” Danny added. “And if the Rainbow is like some of the others I’ve heard about, there was more to it than just
“I’m surprised,” Danny said, studying the building. “I would’ve expected something bigger and more elegant. But here it sits in a simple neighborhood.”
“Yes, but inside it’s ever so much larger than it looks. Actually three houses in one, if I remember correctly. More than a hundred rooms, plus a nice garden in the back. I’ve never been inside, but I’ve seen pictures and learned all about it when I was a schoolgirl.”
They passed the Horse Guards palace and Whitehall which housed the secret underground war headquarters, as well as the bunker where Churchill took his famous short naps. She walked them by the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, telling them its priceless works of art had been moved to a specially designed hidden cave in a Welsh mountain for safekeeping.
“I found it actually quite funny because they took the paintings but left all the empty frames in place here at the museum. Then Sir Kenneth Clark would select one work of art from the hidden collection and have it brought here to be shown as the ‘Picture of the Month.’ If you can believe it, long queues formed as people gathered, anxious to see what it might be.”
“Strange, in the middle of a war,” Danny said.
“But that was the point, don’t you see? An example of our tenacity to keep a stiff upper lip despite any enemy attacks. I visited the gallery several times during the war. You’d be surprised how inspirational it was to see a masterpiece, all by itself, lit up and framed in sheer isolation.”
At Danny’s suggestion, they stopped for a light lunch at an outdoor café where they shared a plate of cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, and crusty bread.
“We’d all hoped the end of the war would mean no more rationing and no more queuing at the markets, but if anything, it’s worse,” Sybil lamented. “I must say I feel a bit guilty, dining out twice in one day.”
“Please don’t.” Danny sliced a piece of bread for her. “It’s the least we can do for taking your time.”
“I must admit Jack spoiled me while he was here. He seemed to have wads of cash and happy to spend it. After living on rations for so long, it was lovely to have so many choices again.”
“What will you do while waiting to join your husband in America?” Anya asked.
“I suppose I’ll continue working at Rainbow Corner, though I don’t know how much longer they’ll stay open now that the war’s over.”
“That’s one of the American Red Cross clubs, right?” Danny asked.
“Yes, have you been there?”
“Just once, on that same leave I mentioned earlier. Some of the guys had gone dancing there before and wanted to go. We didn’t stay long because it was so crowded.”
“Fancy that, we might have danced if you had.”
Anya’s eyes widened. “That’s what you do there? Dance?”
“Yes! I love to dance, don’t you?”
“No. I mean, I’ve never danced.”
“You’ve never danced?”
Danny reached for Anya’s hand. “You have to remember it was much different in Holland during the Occupation. Anya worked for the Resistance, primarily shuttling Jewish children to safe homes. There weren’t many opportunities for things like dancing.”
“We heard of dances now and then,” Anya added. “Some were even held in bomb shelters. But there was never time for anything like that. If we weren’t watching over the children or transporting aircrews to safety, all we wanted to do was sleep.”
“You must think me so frivolous,” Sybil said, her face filled with sympathy. “While you were saving lives, I was busy jitterbugging with Yanks. I don’t suppose I’d ever thought of it like that.”
“Please don’t,” Anya said. “We all did what we had to do. I’m sure the Americans appreciated a chance to take their minds off the war, even for an hour or two.”
“Absolutely,” Danny added. “And if the Rainbow is like some of the others I’ve heard about, there was more to it than just
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