Darkest Before Dawn Episode 03
Maud had scrubbed Sidney’s nails, but still there remained a stubborn rim of dirt round the edges. It would have to do.
“Ma!” Sidney squirmed when she started on his hair, trying to tame his ginger curls.
“Your father should have taken you to have this cut,” she complained.
“Maybe they’ll do it for you when you get where you’re going.”
She kept thinking about last night.
As she and Isobel had washed up after tea, Isobel had become quite upset talking about the children she’d seen coming off the ferry.
But it would be different for Sidney. He’d be able to write and let them know how he was doing.
“Ow!” Sidney squealed as she pulled a comb through his hair.
“Sit still,” Maud demanded.
She was glad he was playing up. Goodness knew how she’d cope if he came over all clingy.
She wasn’t even letting herself think about Edward and his plans to join up.
As for Tilly, Maud was sure it was a flash in the pan – a knee-jerk reaction by a young couple because the country was on the brink of the war.
She stepped back and watched as Sidney put on his shoes, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he fumbled with the laces.
“Let me do it,” Maud said, squatting in front of him.
“No,” Sidney replied, and the freckles across his nose seemed to darken as determination blazed in his eyes.
“You won’t be there to do it for me next time, so I’d better get used to it.”
Maud stifled a sob and stood up.
He was only nine! He shouldn’t have to be thinking like that.
“Hurry up,” she said. “We don’t want to be late.”
He picked up his bag and they hurried to the school, where all the children were gathered.
Mr Pickles was trying to organise everyone with his list of names and his pen.
Several children were upset. One little girl clung to her mother’s waist and wailed as if it were the end of the world, which was probably how it felt to the poor little thing.
Not Sidney. He waved to his mates, grinning all over his face, excited to be going on the train.
He was going away for his own safety, Maud reminded herself.
The port town would be a likely target in the event of a war, and there was the ever-present threat of invasion, which seemed to be Alf’s biggest worry.
“Make sure you eat properly,” Maud said, brushing imaginary fluff from Sidney’s shoulders.
She licked her fingers and tried to flatten his hair.
Her heart felt as if it was breaking into pieces.
“Sidney Pollard,” Mr Pickles called, looking over to where Maud and Sidney stood.
“You’ll be with Mrs Vincent. Say goodbye to your mother.”
Sidney turned to say goodbye, his face wreathed in smiles.
“Give your mother a hug,” Mr Pickles prompted. “It’ll be a long time before you see her again.”
This time Maud couldn’t stop the sob from escaping.
As Sidney went to hug her, she gripped him in her arms.
Other mothers turned to look their way and some of the children stopped crying.
She was making a spectacle of herself, but she didn’t care.
“Thank you, Mr Pickles, but he won’t be going,” she said when Sidney managed to squirm away. “Cross his name off your list.”
“What?” Sidney bellowed.
“I’ll be keeping him at home with me,” Maud said.
Her heart was hammering, but at least it didn’t feel as if it were breaking.
“I’d like to hear what Mr Pollard has to say about that.” Mr Pickles puffed himself up.
“Right now he’s at sea, so I’m making the decision. Come along, Sidney. We’re going home.”
She grabbed his hand and headed for home, with Sidney looking over his shoulder and outraged voices ringing in her ears.
“Why ain’t I going?” he demanded.
Maud didn’t correct his grammar.
“Because children belong with their mothers,” she said. “That’s an end to it.”
Alf would not be pleased, she knew. She’d never gone against him before.
Well, this decision was hers to make and she’d made it and was glad.