Read Online Memories of the Storm by Marcia Willett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marcia Willett
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related in some
way to Jonah's family would be mentioned. Some
of her notes were made from memory, others
from the diaries their mother had kept until her
death in the autumn of 1942. She transferred the
cryptic entries, making her own observations alongside.
1939
July 27th. All the boys home for the holidays and
Michael with them. Made a summer pudding.
(M's D)
September 1st. War has been declared. (M's D)
I remember that we all listened to the wireless
and I still recall the feeling of fear. I could see
that Mother felt the same way. Only the younger
boys were excited. Blaise and Edward were very
quiet.
1940
January 15th. A letter from Michael to tell us
that he is married. A small registry office affair.
Her name is Susan. Just like Michael's parents,
her father was killed in the Great War and her
mother died whilst she was still at school. So they
are both orphans. I can hardly take it in that
Michael is married and a soldier. (M's D)
I can remember her saying, 'Oh, how different
it is from everything we imagined for them,' and
she was very low for the rest of the day. Michael
sent a wedding photograph with a very sweet
note from Susan saying how much she was
looking forward to meeting Michael's 'family'. It
cheered Mother up no end. She was a musician –
the violin, I think – but she never managed the
journey to Bridge House.
1941
March 16th. Patricia and the children arriving
with Nanny for the duration. (M's D)
Her husband, Rob, was at sea and Plymouth
was being bombed. Mother was very relieved
because it meant that the house would now be too
full for us to take in evacuees.
March 21st. The first day of spring. Edward
bringing Eleanor to meet us. (M's D)
We were all nervous, I remember. Patricia was
afraid that Jack and Robin would be noisy and
play up.
April 18th. Edward and Eleanor are married. A
registry office wedding just like Michael's. Oh,
this war! (M's D)
Edward telephoned from Ludlow where he was
stationed and Mother spoke to them both. She
pretended to be thrilled, though disappointed
that it had happened so suddenly, but agreed
with them that the war changed everything.
Afterwards she was very quiet and we all felt
rather low. Michael, and now Edward, married
and with none of the fun and excitement that
we'd once visualized.
November 12th. Edward sent out to the Far East.
(M's D)
They'd been living in a hiring near Ludlow and
Mother offered Eleanor a home with us. She
replied that she would stay on for a little longer
with friends. I can remember how relieved we all
were!
December 17th. Eleanor arriving for Christmas.
(M's D)
I never knew quite why she came to us. Perhaps
she had nowhere else to go.
1942
February 15th. Singapore has surrendered to
the Japanese. (M's D)
Here her diaries end.
It seemed to Hester, as she worked, that her
mother's diaries were unlocking the past for her.
Other memories were triggered by these brief
entries and though she continued to document
them, her thoughts returned again and again to
one particular event: Eleanor's first visit to Bridge
House. Presently, she stopped writing and gave
herself up to remembering.
On this wild spring day in 1941, the wind is so
strong and gusts so fitfully that it seems to the
assembled family in the big square hall that Eleanor
is whirled in upon it, laughing helplessly, her hands
to her hair. Edward, tall and elegant at her side,
is clearly besotted by his companion and cannot
imagine even for a second that his family won't
adore her as he does. He takes her foolish little hat
from her hands and leads her forward to introduce
her. His face blazes with pride and he can barely
take his eyes from her.
In the first moment when Hester sees that look
on her eldest brother's face her heart sinks. From
her position on the fender beside the fire she
notes the confident look in Eleanor's eyes, the wide
smile on her vividly painted lips and the pretty
gestures with which she greets Edward's mother
and Patricia, the eldest of
way to Jonah's family would be mentioned. Some
of her notes were made from memory, others
from the diaries their mother had kept until her
death in the autumn of 1942. She transferred the
cryptic entries, making her own observations alongside.
1939
July 27th. All the boys home for the holidays and
Michael with them. Made a summer pudding.
(M's D)
September 1st. War has been declared. (M's D)
I remember that we all listened to the wireless
and I still recall the feeling of fear. I could see
that Mother felt the same way. Only the younger
boys were excited. Blaise and Edward were very
quiet.
1940
January 15th. A letter from Michael to tell us
that he is married. A small registry office affair.
Her name is Susan. Just like Michael's parents,
her father was killed in the Great War and her
mother died whilst she was still at school. So they
are both orphans. I can hardly take it in that
Michael is married and a soldier. (M's D)
I can remember her saying, 'Oh, how different
it is from everything we imagined for them,' and
she was very low for the rest of the day. Michael
sent a wedding photograph with a very sweet
note from Susan saying how much she was
looking forward to meeting Michael's 'family'. It
cheered Mother up no end. She was a musician –
the violin, I think – but she never managed the
journey to Bridge House.
1941
March 16th. Patricia and the children arriving
with Nanny for the duration. (M's D)
Her husband, Rob, was at sea and Plymouth
was being bombed. Mother was very relieved
because it meant that the house would now be too
full for us to take in evacuees.
March 21st. The first day of spring. Edward
bringing Eleanor to meet us. (M's D)
We were all nervous, I remember. Patricia was
afraid that Jack and Robin would be noisy and
play up.
April 18th. Edward and Eleanor are married. A
registry office wedding just like Michael's. Oh,
this war! (M's D)
Edward telephoned from Ludlow where he was
stationed and Mother spoke to them both. She
pretended to be thrilled, though disappointed
that it had happened so suddenly, but agreed
with them that the war changed everything.
Afterwards she was very quiet and we all felt
rather low. Michael, and now Edward, married
and with none of the fun and excitement that
we'd once visualized.
November 12th. Edward sent out to the Far East.
(M's D)
They'd been living in a hiring near Ludlow and
Mother offered Eleanor a home with us. She
replied that she would stay on for a little longer
with friends. I can remember how relieved we all
were!
December 17th. Eleanor arriving for Christmas.
(M's D)
I never knew quite why she came to us. Perhaps
she had nowhere else to go.
1942
February 15th. Singapore has surrendered to
the Japanese. (M's D)
Here her diaries end.
It seemed to Hester, as she worked, that her
mother's diaries were unlocking the past for her.
Other memories were triggered by these brief
entries and though she continued to document
them, her thoughts returned again and again to
one particular event: Eleanor's first visit to Bridge
House. Presently, she stopped writing and gave
herself up to remembering.
On this wild spring day in 1941, the wind is so
strong and gusts so fitfully that it seems to the
assembled family in the big square hall that Eleanor
is whirled in upon it, laughing helplessly, her hands
to her hair. Edward, tall and elegant at her side,
is clearly besotted by his companion and cannot
imagine even for a second that his family won't
adore her as he does. He takes her foolish little hat
from her hands and leads her forward to introduce
her. His face blazes with pride and he can barely
take his eyes from her.
In the first moment when Hester sees that look
on her eldest brother's face her heart sinks. From
her position on the fender beside the fire she
notes the confident look in Eleanor's eyes, the wide
smile on her vividly painted lips and the pretty
gestures with which she greets Edward's mother
and Patricia, the eldest of
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