‘Well, I suppose so,’ Topsy said, somewhat doubtfully. ‘But it will be a tragedy if you have to miss the wedding. I almost feel being maid of honour isn’t good enough for you, and it ought to be you who marries us instead of the vicar. We’d never have found one another but for you, Birdy.’
Bobby smiled, appeased once more. It was hard to stay cross in the face of Topsy’s irrepressible good nature. ‘I sincerely hope I’ll be there, whether or not I apply for postponement. The officer who interviewed me did say a lot of women are being put on deferred service after enrolment while they find places for them, so I might not have to go immediately. If I do get posted, I’ll speak to whoever’s in charge about whether it would be possible to have a day’s leave. If I can be here, I swear nothing’s going to keep me away.’
Chapter 16
They were interrupted by the telephone ringing out in the hall, and Bobby once again noticed the sly glint that so often meant trouble appear in Topsy’s eye.
‘I wonder who that could be,’ Topsy said, with a rather affected nonchalance. ‘Birdy, would you be an angel and answer it? I’m far too comfortable to move.’
Bobby narrowed one eye. ‘What are you up to, Topsy?’
‘Nothing, I swear!’ Topsy said, her eyes wide with performative guilelessness. ‘Please, before it rings off.’
Teddy was grinning too, and even stern Mrs Hobbes seemed to have a smirk at one corner of her mouth. Casting them a suspicious look, Bobby went out to answer the telephone.
‘Hello?’
‘Is that the future Mrs Atherton?’ a familiar voice said.
Bobby clapped a hand to her mouth. ‘Oh my goodness! Charlie!’
‘I’d know that voice anywhere. The most beautiful girl in the world.’
Bobby laughed. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but you must have the wrong number.’
Topsy appeared in the hall now, looking exceptionally pleased with herself.
‘Isn’t it a lovely surprise?’ she said. ‘Charlie said in his last letter that he was being posted on the 7th and I knew you’d be ever so worried about him, so I wired to tell him that if he was able to get to a telephone, he could reach you here at seven p.m. The sewing was only an excuse.’
Bobby beamed at her. ‘Thank you, Topsy.’
It was such a rare treat to be able to speak to one another. Telephone calls for personal reasons were discouraged in wartime, and it wasn’t easy for either one of them to get to a phone under ordinary circumstances. Even the work phone at Moorside, which Reg could occasionally and very reluctantly be persuaded to allow Bobby to use for a personal call, had now been disconnected for cost reasons. Just hearing Charlie’s voice immediately cheered her spirits.
‘I haven’t got long,’ he said. ‘Bob, tell Topsy to make herself scarce and let me have you to myself.’
Topsy understood this without being told, however. She had already disappeared, closing the door behind her so they could have some privacy.
‘Oh, it’s so wonderful to hear your voice,’ Bobby said. ‘I’ve been thinking about you every minute, Charlie. How’s Binbrook?’
‘Pretty good so far. Getting used to the new routine. And I’ve a pal here already.’
‘Who is it?’
‘Young Bram. We’re in the same unit. Perhaps we might even be assigned to the same crew.’
‘I am glad.’ Knowing the young friend Charlie had made at Ryland Moor was with him didn’t make the danger any less, of course, but she at least knew he wasn’t alone among all those new faces.
‘Did you speak to your commanding officer yet?’ she asked.
Charlie laughed. ‘I hadn’t been here an hour before I was hounding our poor Wingco, determined to thrust my official written request into his hand personally. Once I’ve got his letter of approval, I just have to wait until they can spare me some marriage leave and I’ll be back to Silverdale before you can blink.’
‘Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer to wait, sweetheart?’ Bobby asked, somewhat hesitantly. ‘Things seem to be changing so quickly for us at the moment. In our lives, I mean.’
‘All the more reason to do it as soon as possible. Something to hold on to while we can’t be together.’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’
‘This isn’t the enthusiastic bride I was hoping for, I have to say.’ Charlie’s words were light but Bobby could sense the worry underpinning them. ‘Nothing’s changed, has it? You can tell me if it has.’
