She smiled. ‘So I’m learning.’
‘We’ve had a rather jolly time, singing some old favourites. I found a book of music on the shelves at Moorside. How was your friend Mr Sykes?’
‘He was… helpful.’ Bobby kicked off her shoes and flexed her toes, which were still suffering from her hike of the night before. ‘Was there a reason you were both waiting up for me? I’d love to join the party but I’m dead on my feet, I’m afraid. I need to get to bed.’
‘Charlie’s heard some news,’ her dad said, nodding to him. ‘Of your Polish pal over at big house.’
Bobby was alert now. ‘Which? The pilot?’
Charlie nodded. ‘Topsy telephoned. It’s good news, Bobby. He isn’t out of the woods yet, but the surgery seems to have been a success. His fever’s subsided and the RAF doctors believe he might have turned a corner.’
‘Oh, thank goodness,’ she said with a sigh of relief. ‘And the other man – the gunner?’
‘He’s awake and able to hold a conversation, although he needs to rest frequently. Topsy visited with a basket of books and good food for the two of them, sort of a Red Cross parcel.’ He smiled. ‘I imagine she made a pest of herself for as long as it took to get that toff officer to let her visit the men. No one says no to Topsy.’
‘I’m so glad they’re going to be all right,’ Bobby said fervently. ‘If it had all been in vain, after everything we went through…’
‘I know.’
‘Was that all you wanted to tell me?’
‘No, I had some slightly less life-or-death good news from Reg as well. He says you might as well make a long weekend of it now you’ve had Friday off work and take tomorrow morning too. I think Mary made him feel that a single day off was a little stingy as a reward for the woman currently being hailed as Silverdale’s most heroic resident.’
‘Oh, thank goodness,’ she said with a sigh. ‘I feel like I’ll die if I don’t sleep for at least eight hours.’
‘Did you have to go to Bradford today?’ her dad asked.
She averted her eyes. ‘I needed to talk to Don. It… wasn’t something I felt I could put off.’
Charlie came over to peck her cheek. ‘I’d better go home so you two can get some sleep. You look exhausted, Bobby.’
Bobby glanced at her father to see if he was frowning at Charlie taking such a liberty as to kiss her in front of him, but his expression was more benevolent than disapproving this evening. It must be the effect of all that singing, she supposed. Her dad had always loved to sing when her mother was alive. Bobby remembered the two of them warbling Christmas carols together at the old family piano, she and Lilian sitting on the top clapping their little hands in time to the music. But that had been a long time ago.
‘I’ll see you to the farmhouse,’ she said to Charlie. ‘That’s if my dad doesn’t mind.’
Her dad gave her a magnanimous nod. ‘Don’t be out there too long, mind.’
‘I won’t. I’ll be back in a minute, Dad.’
She followed Charlie outside and closed the door behind them. It was dark, but she could just see his face illuminated by the chink of light that escaped from the broken plaster in one of the cottage’s window slits. Now they were alone, he looked rather sombre.
‘Thanks for sitting with Dad tonight,’ she said. ‘I can see he enjoyed himself with you.’
‘I thought he might be missing you. I was too.’
‘He loves to sing – or at least he used to. When my mam was still with us.’
‘He has a fine voice. Shame to hide it under a bushel.’
Charlie looked as though he was going to take her hand for a moment, then he seemed to think better of it.
‘That was good news about the airmen,’ Bobby said, casting about for another topic. The conversation felt strained and awkward now they were alone, as if the answer she still hadn’t given hung over them like the sword of Damocles.
‘Yes. Topsy was thrilled that “her pilot”, as she calls him, looks like he’s going to pull through after all.’
‘I’ll visit them myself next week if I can get that officer to let me in.’ She hesitated. ‘Look, Charlie—’
‘Don’t, Bobby.’ He sounded sad, but also sort of resigned. ‘Not now.’
