bottom of his heart heâd never encouraged Maggie to go in the first place. He admired her tremendously. She was a good nurse, one the patients responded to, and the kind of woman who coped, no matter what life happened to throw at her.
Most folk would have buckled under long since if faced with what Maggie had dealt with.
He picked up the paper and quickly scanned the front page. The evacuation was seen as a great triumph, a victory snatched from the jaws of adversity.
How could anyone believe that? A war wasnât won by a mass evacuation! This Dunkirk business was a retreat.
âWhen she gets back, youâll wonder what you were worrying over,â he told William, feeling again his inadequacy.
He was still pondering as he drove back for afternoon surgery. Ought he to be doing more? He was desperately needed at the hospital, where staffing levels were stretched to breaking point.
The sun was shining. Castle Maine was carrying on its normal routines, despite all that was going on across the Channel â perhaps even, stubbornly, because of it.
On impulse, Andrew pulled into Bradshawâs factory yard where he climbed from his car and headed towards the River Gardens.
He felt guilty taking even these few moments away from work, but he needed to stretch his legs.
Passing through the gates at the pavilion end, he foundhimself amongst a steady stream of other folk bent on the same purpose.
There were bright flowers in the borders, the trees were out, and somehow it made him feel better.
Heâd almost forgotten about spring, but here it was in spite of everything, and some of the tension of the last few days began to leave him.
He walked on, exchanging greetings.
âGood to see you out and about, too, Doctor â the fresh airâll do you a world of good!â
On one of the benches overlooking the river sat a young girl. She looked so self-absorbed, so withdrawn â his steps slowed, and he realised with a small slight start of surprise it was Holly Bates.
What was she doing here? She ought to be at school.
Â
Holly was still thinking furiously about what Gramps had come out with this morning. No wonder sheâd bunked off school.
The day had started quietly enough. Granddad Peter arrived as usual for breakfast, before dashing off to an LDV meeting. Since heâd retired from the mining office, heâd been desperate to do his bit, and had been first in the queue when the Local Defence Volunteers were announced in February.
It had given him a new lease of life, but this morning Gran had grumbled that he might as well have stayed home for his breakfast, for all she ever saw of him nowadays.
Sheâd gone upstairs to make the beds, and hearing the way she was banging about up there, Holly guessed she wasnât happy.
âSee you later!â Harry was like enough off to his mateâs house to crib his homework.
âYouâll be for it if Gran finds out!â Holly warned.
Too late â the back door slammed.Â
Gramps was sitting reading the paper, and getting agitated. He seemed so frail! Holly thought it must be horrible getting old.
âDonât worry about me mam.â She tried to put as much conviction into her voice as possible. How could she take his mind off things?
âFancy our granddad joining up!â she cried brightly. âHeâs been longing to do something to help, even though itâs only drilling with broomsticks for rifles.â
âHeâs a good lad.â
Holly was pleased to see him fold the paper and smooth it out on his knee, his mind miles away, as it so often was nowadays.
Then quite casually, almost incidentally, he dropped his bombshell. He rocked in his chair, drank his tea and spoke quietly to himself.
âPeter couldnât be a better father to our Maggie if he was really her dad.â
At first Holly hadnât understood. It didnât make sense! Gramps was always doing that nowadays,
Most folk would have buckled under long since if faced with what Maggie had dealt with.
He picked up the paper and quickly scanned the front page. The evacuation was seen as a great triumph, a victory snatched from the jaws of adversity.
How could anyone believe that? A war wasnât won by a mass evacuation! This Dunkirk business was a retreat.
âWhen she gets back, youâll wonder what you were worrying over,â he told William, feeling again his inadequacy.
He was still pondering as he drove back for afternoon surgery. Ought he to be doing more? He was desperately needed at the hospital, where staffing levels were stretched to breaking point.
The sun was shining. Castle Maine was carrying on its normal routines, despite all that was going on across the Channel â perhaps even, stubbornly, because of it.
On impulse, Andrew pulled into Bradshawâs factory yard where he climbed from his car and headed towards the River Gardens.
He felt guilty taking even these few moments away from work, but he needed to stretch his legs.
Passing through the gates at the pavilion end, he foundhimself amongst a steady stream of other folk bent on the same purpose.
There were bright flowers in the borders, the trees were out, and somehow it made him feel better.
Heâd almost forgotten about spring, but here it was in spite of everything, and some of the tension of the last few days began to leave him.
He walked on, exchanging greetings.
âGood to see you out and about, too, Doctor â the fresh airâll do you a world of good!â
On one of the benches overlooking the river sat a young girl. She looked so self-absorbed, so withdrawn â his steps slowed, and he realised with a small slight start of surprise it was Holly Bates.
What was she doing here? She ought to be at school.
Â
Holly was still thinking furiously about what Gramps had come out with this morning. No wonder sheâd bunked off school.
The day had started quietly enough. Granddad Peter arrived as usual for breakfast, before dashing off to an LDV meeting. Since heâd retired from the mining office, heâd been desperate to do his bit, and had been first in the queue when the Local Defence Volunteers were announced in February.
It had given him a new lease of life, but this morning Gran had grumbled that he might as well have stayed home for his breakfast, for all she ever saw of him nowadays.
Sheâd gone upstairs to make the beds, and hearing the way she was banging about up there, Holly guessed she wasnât happy.
âSee you later!â Harry was like enough off to his mateâs house to crib his homework.
âYouâll be for it if Gran finds out!â Holly warned.
Too late â the back door slammed.Â
Gramps was sitting reading the paper, and getting agitated. He seemed so frail! Holly thought it must be horrible getting old.
âDonât worry about me mam.â She tried to put as much conviction into her voice as possible. How could she take his mind off things?
âFancy our granddad joining up!â she cried brightly. âHeâs been longing to do something to help, even though itâs only drilling with broomsticks for rifles.â
âHeâs a good lad.â
Holly was pleased to see him fold the paper and smooth it out on his knee, his mind miles away, as it so often was nowadays.
Then quite casually, almost incidentally, he dropped his bombshell. He rocked in his chair, drank his tea and spoke quietly to himself.
âPeter couldnât be a better father to our Maggie if he was really her dad.â
At first Holly hadnât understood. It didnât make sense! Gramps was always doing that nowadays,
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