Home Front Girls

Robert and Duncan in the direction of the kitchen. ‘But there’s something you should know before you see her. I’m afraid she is rather upset.’
    Once the two men were safely out of earshot, Miranda quickly explained about Miss Timms.
    ‘Poor Dotty,’ Robert exclaimed. ‘Fancy discovering who your mother is, only to lose her almost immediately. The poor love must be distraught.’
    ‘She is,’ Miranda said quietly. ‘But I hope she’ll perk up a bit when she sees you. She’s been so worried about you.’
    She then offered Robert’s friend a bed for the night and a proper meal, but he politely refused, it saying that he really had to get back to London as he was on fire watch. Robert then saw him on his way, and once he was back inside the house he asked, ‘May I go in to her now?’
    ‘Of course,’ Miranda answered. ‘And you can stay as long as you like, dear. We have plenty of bedrooms and I think Dotty would be glad of your company during the next few days whilst we organise the funeral. If you can spare the time, that is?’
    ‘I shall be here for as long as she needs me,’ he said grimly, and after taking a deep breath he tapped at the parlour door and entered.
    Dotty was sitting quietly staring off into space and he had to swallow his shock at first sight of her. The bruises and swelling were really coming out now and her face looked deformed.
    ‘Oh, Dotty . . .’ For now it was all he could say as he looked at the plaster on her arm and saw the state of her. But then she turned her head to look at him and his heart swelled as she tried to smile.
    She held her one good hand out to him and tried to get out of the chair to greet him, but he pressed her back down and awkwardly put his arms around her, trying his best not to hurt her.
    ‘Oh darling,’ he muttered into her sweet-smelling hair. ‘I can’t believe what you’ve been through. I’m so very sorry.’
    Tears began to trickle down her cheeks now. She didn’t care any more if he realised that she loved him. She was just grateful to have him there.
    ‘I . . . I found my mother,’ she whispered brokenly. ‘After all these years of not knowing who she was, I found her – and then on the very same night I lost her.’
    ‘I know.’ He held her a little tighter, feeling her pain. ‘Miranda just told me. But at least you know who she was now. And you know who you are too. And now we’re going to give her the very best funeral that money can buy.’
    ‘B-but I can’t afford a big affair,’ she sobbed. ‘Owen Owen was bombed so we’re all out of a job now and all I have left is my writing money.’
    ‘Don’t worry about that for now.’ He stroked her cheek as he smiled at her lovingly. ‘I shall see to the funeral.’
    ‘But I can’t let you do that,’ she objected.
    ‘Shush. We’ll worry about that later. For now I’m just grateful that you survived. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to you, Dotty. You see . . . I know it’s ridiculous because I’m so much older than you and you would never look at me. But the thing is . . . I have feelings for you, deep feelings that started to grow the very first time I ever set eyes on you.’
    Dotty blinked, convinced that she must be hearing things. ‘B-but I would look at you,’ she stammered. ‘I have feelings for you too. That’s why I’ve been holding you at arm’s length, because I didn’t ever think that you could care for someone as plain as me.’
    ‘You plain?’ he said incredulously, lifting her chin. ‘But Dotty, you’re one of the most beautiful girls I have ever met – both inside and out, may I add.’
    Since hearing the news about her long-lost mother, Dotty had been in a dark place, almost as if she was still buried in the cellar, but now suddenly there was light again and something in her heart stirred as Robert gently kissed her on the lips. And when he finally broke away, she smiled at him tremulously through her tears. Perhaps there was still something worth living for, after all.

Chapter Twenty-Nine
     
    On 16 November 1940, the people of Coventry’s spirits were lifted when King George VI visited the city to view for himself the devastation caused by the Blitz. He walked through the ruined city centre and there were those that said they saw tears in his eyes when confronted with the ruins of the once magnificent St Michael’s Cathedral.
    Along the way he stopped and spoke to many townspeople, offering his