Page 84 of The Stranger in Room Six
‘Of course, I won’t, love. Your secret is safe with me. Now you go ahead and have that shut-eye. Wake me if you feel hungry.’
It was a long journey. The wind was strong and every now and then Mabel jolted awake as a branch struck the side of the train.
Suddenly, she was aware of a noise from outside and of Beryl coming away from the window.
‘Get down under the seat,’ she said quickly. ‘I can see a plane coming. From the markings, it’s one of theirs.’
It flew over. Then another. And another. They held their breath as they clung to each other, crouched under the seats. The train picked up pace.
Surely any minute now, they would be bombed to smithereens just like Mama and Annabel. Mabel placed her hands protectively over her stomach. She would die to protectAntonio’s baby. ‘Please, God,’ she found herself praying. ‘Save us both.’
‘They’ve gone,’ said Beryl, her breath coming out in a whoosh. ‘Looks like they’re on their way to Exeter.’ She crossed herself. ‘I hope to God they don’t kill too many. Those poor souls. They won’t know what’s coming to them.’
Thinking of Mama and Annabel, Mabel began to weep.
‘Come, come. You can’t worry about everything now. It’s all too big. Just think about what’s in front of you, like your bairn. Is the father waiting for you?’
‘He doesn’t know yet,’ whispered Mabel.
‘Well, however he reacts, you’ll be all right. I feel it in my bones. Us women are made of strong stuff. We cope with things that many men could not. That’s why God gave us the honour of having babies. I’m blessed with four children, each with little ones of their own now, although they live miles away.’ She rushed to the window again. ‘Goodness me, we’re nearly there.’
As she spoke, Mabel saw the sea running alongside the track. It was a different kind of sea from the one she’d just left. This was wider. It seemed to go on for ever.
‘Is this friend of yours meeting you off the train?’
Mabel flushed. ‘Actually, I don’t know her. It’s someone that my … that Lady Clarissa arranged for me to stay with during my confinement.’
Heavens! She’d almost said ‘my aunt’ then.
But when they got out, no one was there.
‘I’ll wait until she turns up,’ declared Beryl. ‘I’m not leaving an expectant girl alone.’
After an hour, still no one came.
‘Do you have an address?’
Mabel passed her the piece of paper that Cook had given her before leaving.
‘Let me make some inquiries.’
Mabel was left sitting on the platform, head bowed, wondering what was going to happen next. Would Cook have passed her message to Antonio? Would he escape to try and find her? If so, he would probably be arrested and sent to another camp. Or shot …
Eventually, Beryl came back. Her face was sombre. ‘Mabel, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. You must be very brave. You remember those planes we saw passing on the way to Exeter?’ Her lips tightened. ‘They dropped their bombs on Penzance too. There was a direct hit on the street where you were meant to be staying.’
Mabel put a hand to her mouth in horror.
‘I’m afraid there were no survivors. The whole road was wiped out.’
Mabel burst into tears. So Cook’s sister had been killed? How terrible! Then the realization came to her that she had nowhere to go. She couldn’t possibly return to the Old Rectory. Her aunt wouldn’t want her there.
‘You must come with me,’ said Beryl, as if she could read Mabel’s thoughts. ‘My sister’s the other side of town. We should be able to get there safely from here.’
‘But you don’t know me.’
‘It doesn’t matter. My sister will understand. It’s only a modest cottage but it’s right by the sea, in a small village called Mousehole. You can stay for as long as you like until your bairn is born.’
‘I have ten pounds I can give you for my board.’
