Duty Calls at Goodwill House

Fenella J Miller

Description

The brand new instalment in Fenella J. Miller's bestselling Goodwill House series.

July 1940

With Hitler’s bombs getting closer, WAAF Diane Forsyth is determined to face the oncoming danger and do her duty to support the brave RAF pilots who risk their lives as they take to the skies.

And there’s one pilot in particular Di hopes remains safe - Squadron Leader Freddie Hanover. But with a romance between them growing, Di and Freddie know their duty must always come first. How can they dream of a future together whilst this terrible war continues?

Lady Joanna Harcourt understands Di’s vow of duty – she’s taken one herself. But Joanna also knows that life is terribly precious and that one must make the most of every single day…before it’s too late.

Don't miss the next heart-breaking instalment in Fenella J. Miller's beautiful Goodwill House series.

Praise for Fenella J. Miller:

'Curl up in a chair with Fenella J Miller's characters and lose yourself in another time and another place.' Lizzie Lane

'Engaging characters and setting which whisks you back to the home front of wartime Britain. A great start to what promises to be a fabulous series.' Jean Fullerton

Sujets

• Vie de famille
• Parentalité et Éducation des Enfants
• Mashups
• Feminist
• 20th Century
• Historical
• HISTORY
• Women
• Motherhood
• Adventure (Guyana)
• Segunda Guerra Mundial
• Military history
• Friendship
• Historical romance
• Dating
• General officer
• Military
• Parenting
• Historical fiction
• Woman
• World War II
• Feminism
• The Women
• General
• Adventure
• Sagas
• Family Life
• War
• Romance
• Fiction
• Seconde Guerre mondiale

Informations

• Publié par: Boldwood Books
• Date de parution: 26 juillet 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781801628464
• Langue: English

Extrait

DUTY CALLS AT GOODWILL HOUSE
GOODWILL HOUSE SERIES BOOK THREE


FENELLA J. MILLER
For Rachel Bevan and her daughters, Emma and Hannah. Your love and support are so important to me.
CONTENTS



Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26


Acknowledgement

Bibliography

More from Fenella J. Miller

About the Author

Sixpence Stories

About Boldwood Books
1
GOODWILL HOUSE, JULY 1940

Lady Joanna Harcourt was finding the house unpleasantly quiet without the constant chatter and bustle of the WAAF girls.
‘Elizabeth, shall we venture into Ramsgate on the bus today?’
Her mother-in-law, the other Lady Harcourt, looked up from the newspaper she was reading. ‘I did enjoy our excursion on the bus last week when we went to the memorial service for David and the other men who died at Dunkirk. So, my dear, yes, I should be delighted to accompany you. I think I’ll ask Jean to come as well.’
Jean – formerly known as Baxter – had been Elizabeth’s personal maid but was now seamstress for the family. In fact, the elderly spinster was a firm favourite with the twins, Liza and Joe, who referred to her as Auntie Jean.
‘There are several haberdashers in Ramsgate, which will be of interest to her,’ Joanna replied. ‘Joan and Val are busy upstairs spring cleaning the rooms ready for the next invasion of girls and I’m sure that they’ll be happy to answer the telephone should it ring in our absence.’
‘Those two ladies from the village have proved invaluable, and now Betty can concentrate on being our cook and not have to worry about housekeeping.’
‘She told me yesterday that we’re likely to get a contingent of land girls at the end of the summer,’ Joanna said. ‘I did so enjoy having girls living here, I thought I might put a card in the window of the newsagents in the village and take a couple to put in windows in Ramsgate…’
‘Good heavens, Joanna, that would be unconscionable,’ said her mother-in-law. ‘Having WAAFs or land girls living here is one thing, but having complete strangers lodging with us is not something I approve of.’
‘Very well, Elizabeth, I’ll bow to your wishes on this occasion. Would you object if I invited the twins to come with us as well? Liza and Joe are almost like family now.’
Spending time with the children helped to fill the gap that Joanna’s daughter, Sarah, had left in her life.
‘I should be delighted to have them with us, my dear. They are delightful young people. Joe has grown at least an inch recently, as has his sister. When will they be celebrating their fifteenth birthday?’
‘September – I intend to have a small party for them. Joe’s still determined to join the RAF, but I pray that this wretched war is over before he’s old enough to do so.’
Elizabeth nodded. ‘I think we’re going to have to monitor Liza’s movements, as she is turning into a very pretty girl. She’d be quite a catch for one of the local boys and I want her to marry well. Which reminds me, my dear, have you heard from Sarah recently?’
The conversation was interrupted by the bouncy arrival of Lazzy, the enormous puppy that Joanna had rescued from the unused Victorian wing of Goodwill House a few months earlier. The dog had more than doubled in size and was a gentle giant, loved by all.
‘No, bad boy, no jumping up. I’m very pleased to see you but neither of us want to be smothered by your kisses,’ Joanna said as she fondled his long grey ears.
‘Oh dear, he’s left muddy paw prints on your frock. I fear you’re going to have to change before we go out.’
‘Absolutely not – I’ll sponge them off. Excuse me, Elizabeth, I’m going to find the twins and see if they want to come. I also need to ask Betty when the next bus will pass by the end of the drive.’
She found all three of them, plus Jean Baxter, seated around the kitchen table drinking tea. Joe, Liza and Jean were eager to come with them on the trip to Ramsgate.
Betty finished her tea with a smile. ‘I’m finishing early today, remember, my lady. My Bert insists that I see the doctor.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t know you were feeling unwell.’
‘No, it’s the other trouble I’ve got.’
Joanna was puzzled for a moment and then realised that her housekeeper was talking about the lack of a baby in the family. ‘It’s none of my business, Betty, but I’m not sure there’s anything Dr Willoughby can do about that. I remember Sarah telling me, before she went to medical school in London, that the best time to conceive is in the middle of your monthly cycle.’
Betty laughed, as well she might. ‘Funny old conversation to be having with an unmarried girl, but Miss Sarah knew more about medicine and such than some doctors do.’
‘I’m so proud of her. She joined halfway through the first year and yet when I spoke to her recently, she told me she’d come top in her exams.’
‘I’m not surprised. Is her fiancé still based at Hornchurch?’
‘At the moment, his squadron is there, but he’s expecting to be moved at any time. Hitler’s preparing to invade, so I suppose it makes sense for all the fighter planes to remain in this part of the country in order to protect London.’
‘My Bert was complaining about the signposts being taken down. He doesn’t like change.’
‘If it makes it harder for the Germans when they land, then it makes sense to do it. At the last WVS and WI meetings, you’ll recall that it was suggested all children and mothers with young babies should be evacuated from the larger cities.’
They’d been lucky, as no bombs had been dropped on the base or on the surrounding villages so far. She was safe, but what about Sarah in London? The men were doing the actual fighting but the women and children had to be brave as well.
Betty snorted. ‘That won’t happen. I reckon the little ones are better off here with their own families than living with strangers. Are you catching the bus in half an hour?’
Joanna glanced at the clock ticking noisily on the French dresser. ‘As we’ve got only half an hour to get down to the bus stop, so I’d better round up the cavalry and put my hat on.’
Ten minutes later, the five of them were walking companionably down the short drive to the road where they would catch the omnibus to Ramsgate.
Joe pointed to the potato field. ‘You wouldn’t know a car had driven through there a couple of weeks ago, would you? I expect they’ll be harvested soon, as I can see flowers on some of the plants already.’
Joanna smiled proudly as she listened to him speaking. Unlike his sister, he was already beginning to sound like a Harcourt and not Joe Tims from the East End.
‘Betty dug up a few yesterday, but they aren’t quite ready. It’s a lot of extra work for one of my tenant farmers to come here as well as doing their own crops. The sooner we get some land girls, the better.’
Liza dropped back to walk beside them. ‘I reckon there’ll be bombs dropping on Manston any day now, so why would the RAF want Millie and Di and the WAAFs on the base when it’s going to be so dangerous? They’d have been better off staying with us.’
‘I agree – but they have to follow orders. Millie’s in charge of the other WAAFs now and Di is her second-in-command. The house seems empty without all of them, but the land girls will join us in a few weeks. Quickly, I can hear the bus coming and unless they can see us, they won’t wait,’ Joanna said as she encouraged Elizabeth to hurry.



* * *
Leading Aircraft Woman 356, Diane Forsyth, a member of the RAF motor pool, was designated to drive an unnamed officer from Manston to Hawkinge. She would then have to hang about at a base near Dover and drive him back.
Di parked outside the Officers’ Mess and got out of the car – today she was driving a smart black Hillman, so whoever it was must be someone senior. It was relatively quiet on the base and the kites had only been scrambled once earlier in the day. Thankfully, it had been a false alarm and all had returned safely half an hour later.
Freddie Hanover, recently promoted to squadron leader, had become a good friend; she wasn’t in love with him, but she certainly enjoyed his company. Who wouldn’t? He was slightly above average height, less than six feet, but taller than her. He had broad shoulders, sandy-coloured hair and green eyes. Definitely a winning combination in her humble opinion.
Millie, her best friend, had met and fallen in love with Flying Officer Ted Thorrington and had then married him within just a few weeks. Di couldn’t imagine herself doing anything so impulsive. Anyway, being in love with a fighter pilot, or any sort of pilot, for that matter, wasn’t a sensible thing to do, as their life expectancy was shockingly short.
She thought it would be best to be standing outside the vehicle, ready to open the door for the officer when he emerged. She checked the seams of her stockings were straight, her cap pinned on securely and gave her jacket a tug to make sure it was pulled down and unwrinkled.
‘Jolly good, I hoped it would be you – in fact, I knew it would be you, as I asked particularly that you’d be my driver today.’
‘Good heavens, Freddie, I thought it was going to be someone important.’
He laughed and didn’t take her comment seriously. ‘I’m not sitting in the back, so don’t bother to open the door for me. Have you been avoiding me? You’ve been conspicuous by your absence this past week.’
‘You can’t sit next to me, Freddie, it will look decidedly odd if you do. Officers and other ranks aren’t supposed to fraternise, as you very well know.’
‘I don’t give a damn about that. You’re not a bloody taxi driver and I can sit where I want.’
‘Yes, sir, of course. You must sit wherever you want.’ She politely held open the door on t