"Morning, Joe!" " Morning." "Can't find her cap." "Laura, I need to go now!" "Laura!" " Sorry, Jack." "Every morning." "You didn't mind dropping by for a look at the cottage?" "Renewed my conviction it's the right decision." "I know it's small." " I just want you, alone, somewhere." "Any time either of you feels like giving me a hand, don't let wedded bliss stand in your way." "I look such a mess." " You're only sitting behind a desk all day." "I still need to look smart." "I had a thought about the box room." " Me, too." "You first." " No, you." "No, you." " No, you." "Oh, for crying out loud!" "Jack wants it for an office, Kate for a nursery." "What if I have it as an office..." "until we need it as a nursery?" "That may not be very long." "Fine by me." "Bye." "Number, please?" "Putting you through now." "So where could we place an air-raid shelter?" "How about near the village hall?" "Mm." "Or there's Purkiss's old barn." "Arguably, a direct hit by the Germans might smarten it up a bit." "Or there's the vicarage greenhouse." "A near miss might cause horrific glass injuries." "Fine." "When did you last hear from Adam?" "A month ago." "Try not to worry about him unduly." "He's older and wiser this time around." "But he won't come back the same." "We'll all be different." "We have no choice but to adjust." "You can't put an air-raid shelter anywhere near the village hall." "Joyce will have a fit." "And two pork chops, please." " Two pork chops for Mrs Cameron." "Busy morning?" " I'm only half way down my list and Mrs Barden's got me doing all sorts for the new air-raid shelter." "Dad's thinking of sticking a Morrison under the kitchen table and turning us into rabbits." "If the government says they do the job..." "A Morrison couldn't accommodate the entire village." "The village?" " Oh..." "The WI wants to provide a communal shelter for everyone who hasn't got one of their own." "Anything else, Mrs Cameron?" " No, thank you." "And where, may I ask, is the WI proposing to locate a shelter of sufficient size to accommodate everyone?" "I don't think they've found anywhere yet." "In the middle of everything makes sense." "Somewhere quick to get to." "Well, shelters can't be set up willy-nilly." "Official channels exist to supervise the common interest." "Good day, Mr Brindsley." " Mm." "Young lady." " Mrs Cameron." "...a stringer..." "Mr Beeks, I have been a stringer on the local paper for the past 18 months." "But the fact of the matter is..." "since I'm paid by the word I need to file more stories to make a living wage." "Living wage..." "A living." "Number, please?" "Hello, caller." "What number do you require?" "Hello, caller?" "Mrs Barden." "Mrs Barden." " Mm." "Mrs Barden." "Mrs Barden, I'm so sorry." "I think I've put my foot in it." " Oh?" "Which foot in what?" "I let it slip to Mrs Cameron, in Brindsley's, about the WI's plans for the village shelter." "Well, did you think it a secret?" "Oh..." " Claire." "You forgot the bacon." " Oh." "Go back." " Before you do, tell me..." "How did Mrs Cameron respond when you told her about the shelter?" "She said there were official channels for them." " I see." "Claire." " I'll go and get the bacon!" "No talking!" "But I can't just not speak." "You've never tried." "I'm going to have to deal with her, aren't I?" "Oh, she's just a harmless chatterbox." " Not Claire." "Joyce Cameron." "Morning, Pat." " Morning." "Two hours... three times a week... to shop and run errands." "How bloody stupid do you think I am?" "I know it sounds like a long time, but..." "rationing slows everything down." "The queues take longer." " Oh, I see." "So that means more time chatting with friends." "Exactly." "You know what women are like." "Yeah, I do." "Duplicitous... disloyal." "And they lie, don't they, Pat?" "They lie all the time and they take us men for fools." "Bob, what's happened?" "What's happened is..." "I went to telephone my editor this morning, to push him for more work." "I picked up the receiver and was stunned to hear my wife's voice at the end of the line." "I was only trying to help." " How do you think it makes me feel, knowing that the entire village is laughing at me behind my back because my wife has to get a little job to make ends meet?" "You'd feel even worse without the things that make your life just about bearable." "Cigarettes, tea, coffee." "That's where the extra earnings are going." "Not on myself." "Today was your last day." "But that makes no sense." "Today was your last day." "Yes?" "Spencer." "Why haven't you gone?" "Surely you should be assigned a regiment by now." "It's more complicated than you think." "I assumed it was quite straightforward." "I never assume anything." "Oh." "Mm." "So..." "Where are you going, all dressed up?" "You don't want to know." "Why else would I ask?" "Good day, Claire." "Still no ration book for David?" "I'm telephoning the Ministry, see if they can sort it out." "David has a right to a ration book, same as everyone else." "The boy needs to eat." "Wait." "It's possible I might have made a mistake filling out the form." "Mistake?" "Well, it's possible." "Possible... or probable?" "It's possible I forgot to put something down." "You know what buggers official forms can be." "Something about having a son?" "It'll finish me if he goes." "What you've done is illegal." "Not to mention completely against his wishes." "Bryn, please..." "Against whose wishes?" "I'm telephoning." "Before we get into serious trouble." "Telephoning who?" "Ma?" "You're my son." "Mine!" "Not theirs!" "I'm your mother." "You can't fight." "You can't." "I'm your mother!" "I wonder if I might have a quiet word." "Will was recently reading an article in one of his medical journals about the long-term effects caused by the kind of food poisoning Bob had." "What kind of effects?" "His whole body will have been weakened by it." "Oh, I see." "Well... yes, he has been weaker." "No question about that." "But a remedy's been produced that's showing very positive results and we wondered if you'd be interested in giving it to Bob to try out." "No, Bob doesn't like taking medicines as a rule." "It's less a medication than a tonic that promotes general wellbeing." "There's no label on it." " It's not yet being mass produced." "The dose is a teaspoon a day in food or drink." "Mm." "It seems to help people feel better within themselves." "Teaspoon a day?" "In food or drink." "In his tea?" " In his tea would be perfect." "I need to give you these." " Ah, yes." "Thank you." "Air-raid shelters?" "Interesting." "The WI wants to provide one for the village." "Published in 1938." "Shows how long the government's been preparing for this." "Where are they putting the shelter?" " Er... we don't know yet." "Well, don't leave it too long." "Why?" "What have you been told?" "Just... don't leave it too long." "Hello, Stan." "Heard you worked here now." "Mm-hm." "I'm the latest recruit." "What have you got there?" "Milk bill." "Let me speak to the Wing Commander." "Excuse me, sir." "It's the boy from the farm with the milk bill." "The Accounting Officer." "The Accounting Officer will deal with it." "I'll see she gets it." "Laura." "Could you come in here a moment?" "I'd best go." "These look beautiful." "What was that?" "A rat?" "Hazel, when was the last time you heard a rat close a heavy church door?" "Or open one, for that matter." "Hello?" "If somebody's there, will you kindly identify yourself." "What on earth are you doing?" "Uh, I was just looking at the vaults, to see if they're big enough." "For what?" " An air-raid shelter." "It's a good, solid floor, this." "Yes." "Yes, for praying on." "Furthermore, since my husband sits on the Planning Committee, no approval will be granted for any plans that interfere with the vaults of this church." "Yes, Mrs Cameron." "Goodbye." " Oh..." "Yes." "Yes, Mrs Cameron." "I'm glad I caught you, Mrs Scotlock." "I wouldn't want to leave these on your doorstep." "You have a lot of friends, Mr Hughes." "All keen to place their margins in your safe hands." "Does it not bother any of you that you're profiteering?" "Take these and spare me the lecture." "I refuse to do any more work for traitors." "I think you'll find that's not your choice to make." "I've made it." " If, God forbid, the authorities catch up with what I've been doing, then I'll explain to them that I am but one small businessman coping with complex new laws." "But you I'm afraid, to the trained eye, you look like you're running a well-oiled criminal enterprise, servicing many, many businesses with your special skills." "I'd probably get away with a slap on the wrist." "But they'll most likely throw the book at you." "We're almost certainly talking about a lengthy spell in prison." "No dogs allowed." "I'll collect them later in the week." "David." "I..." "I want to explain." " No need." "Oh..." "I need to." "I understand why you did it." "Do you?" "I was only trying to protect you." "I know." "Forgive me?" "Nothing to forgive." "Best get on." "While we've yet to decide on the location of the air-raid shelter, there's no reason why we couldn't begin stockpiling supplies now." "For how many occupants?" " I think between 40 and 50." "What kind of supplies?" " Well, I've grouped everything together." "So... can I have volunteers?" "Well, I'll take food and drink." "I could put together a first-aid kit and sort out some Tilley lamps." "The school has lots of spare books and art materials." "And we're always getting donations of old toys that we barely use." "Steph?" "Oh..." "Shovels and sand and a pickaxe." "They're not really required at school." "I could provide sand... and a couple of shovels, but we've not got a spare pickaxe." "Well, I'll see what Thumbs can dig out." "Pun intended." "Do you have an idea where the shelter might be located?" "Not yet." "But we're having a little fun establishing where it... won't be." "Sir?" "I'm just finishing up, sir, so unless there's anything else, I'll be off." "Well, instead of waiting in the cold for the bus why don't I drive you home?" "I don't believe you're going my way, sir." "There are some things..." "worth going out of my way for." "You're an exceptionally pretty young woman, Laura." "Thank you, sir." " Irresistibly so." "And call me Richard." "Though only in the office." "Thank you." "Good night." " Good night." "I was prepared to wait for the call up." "Like you asked." "Try not to be angry with her." "I can't stay a day longer." "You pack warm socks?" "Last time, we would have killed for warm socks." "Well, I'll be at sea, not in the trenches." "I don't know how I'll manage in the shop without you." "You will." "It's yours... when you come back, son." "You know that." "I love you." "Your mother..." "loves you." "And when this is finished, you come right back to this spot and we'll be waiting for you." "My boy." "Bryn?" "Mim..." "We have to get him before the bus comes." " No, it's too late." "He's gone." " You didn't stop him?" "I held my son and gave him a father's blessing." "You knew he was going to sneak away." " No." "I heard him leave." " Why didn't you wake me?" "Why do you think?" "He said he forgave me." "Oh, Mim." "No." "No, no." "Oh, no." "Oh, no." "Oh, no." "Ooh." "Thank you." "Mrs Barden." "Mrs Barden." "We were on our way to see you." "Really?" "How exciting." "To save you a great deal of time and trouble." "In what regard?" "Are you aware that an official village air-raid shelter is already being planned?" "I wasn't." ""Official" in what way?" "A local architect has been commissioned by my husband and the blueprints arrived this morning." "Thought you might like to see the difference between a professional and a cobbled-together, amateur affair." "Oh, this is very impressive." " Isn't it?" "It's just a shame we won't be needing it." " Why ever not?" "Because the WI shelter is not only planned, but well on its way to being up and ready." "Oh, the church is hardly suitable." "Not the church." "Whatever gave you that idea?" "No." "My cellar." "That's where we've decided." "Deep underground, ample space for all." "No planning permission required." "But these are... very pretty." "Good day, Mrs Cameron." "Mrs Flintham." "Tea!" "Pat." "Sugar." "You have a visitor." " I'm not expecting anyone." "Hello, Teresa." "You were bloody difficult to find, but I suppose that was the point of you disappearing the way you did." "Who would like a cup of tea?" " I wouldn't say no." "No." "No tea." "For either of us." "Thank you." "This is nice... if you like plants." "Why couldn't I stay for a brew?" "I'm parched." " Because I need to talk to you." "In private." "Your landlady seems nice." "A bit nosey." "Wanted to know who I was and how I knew you." "Don't worry." "I didn't reveal anything scandalous." "Why have you come, Connie?" "Why did you vanish without telling me where you'd gone?" "The Head didn't give me much of an alternative." "Shackleton?" " Someone had seen us together and I went to see him." "He asked me to deny it." "And when I refused to admit or deny anything, he gave me an ultimatum." "I could leave quietly, and he'd give me a glowing reference and let you stay on." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Because you'd have caused a huge commotion." "We'd have both been sacked, drummed out of the profession for good." "So you left a note and ran?" " I had so little time to decide." "I didn't know what else to do." "Spoken to me." "You should have spoken to me." "I thought that you loved me." "I did." "I do." "I always will." "But..." "I'm just not as strong as you are, Connie." "I don't want to spend the rest of my life being pursued from pillar to post." "Just once more." "From Liverpool to New York." "One way." "It's the best berth that my savings could buy but we'll get there." "The SS Alexis sails next Friday." "A new life in a new world." "The life that we always talked of living." "Open." "Without shame." "You don't have to decide immediately." "I've booked a... a room in the pub for the night." "Sleep on it." "I don't leave till tomorrow." "America?" "The land of the free." "The home of the brave." "I'll be waiting at the pub at one o'clock." "Come and find me." "What was that?" " I don't know." "Oh, didn't you lock the door?" "I thought I had." "Even when we were stepping out, I knew he wasn't quite right." "Left all decisions about what we did, and where we went to, to me." "Always backed down when we had an argument." "No backbone." "I should have guessed." "You should count yourself lucky." "We both should." "About what?" " Spencer." "Now Mrs Cameron's exposed him as a coward." "Thanks, Mrs Brindsley." "Good day." "Spencer isn't a coward." "Spencer isn't a coward." "He refused the call up, didn't he?" " What?" "Mrs Cameron's husband was the magistrate at the tribunal Spencer had to appear before, explaining why he'd rather be a conchie than a soldier." "No, that isn't true." "It's the talk of the village." "Well... it doesn't necessarily mean he's a coward." "He stays whilst other lads fight?" "What would you call him?" "Mim." "This isn't the place." " Don't you say a word to me!" "You were happy enough to see David go!" " Happy?" "Is that what you think?" "Spencer's not welcome in this shop." "Not him or his mother." "You wouldn't say this to my husband!" "Mrs Farrow, I'm telling you no different from what every other farmer's been told." "If my husband was here, he'd knock you sidewards." "I have a good mind to do it myself." " Can you talk sense into your mother?" "When did I give you permission to speak to my son?" "Get off my land before I do something we'll both regret!" "You've been sent all the literature explaining the changes we need." "Read that when you've calmed down and talk it over with your son." "One more word!" " This is going to happen with or without you." "We'd like it to be "with", but we will settle for "without" if we have to." "We're at war!" "Read the literature." "What was all that about?" "If we can't change the way we farm within two months, the WAEC will take over the farm and we'll be evicted." "Can I come in?" "Seems I can't stop anyone doing anything they want round here any more." "Now we have to grow what they want, how they want." "With records and charts, and God knows what." "What's he asked you to do?" "Farmers farm." "They don't need to be wasting time on paperwork." "I couldn't agree with you more." "We're... getting more and more of it at school, too." "Look what came through for me the other day." "You can't read it can you, Steph?" "Don't be ridiculous." "I know the signs." " Signs?" "I see them all the time in the classroom." "The covering up, the avoiding potentially embarrassing situations." "The effort... that it takes to keep it all concealed." "I don't know what you're talking about." "I can help you... with all of this." "And then I can teach you and Stan to read." "So that you won't need to ask anyone's help ever again." "I may know nothing about farming, Steph, but I'm a very good teacher." "I absolutely promise you that together we can sort this out." "Come." "Mrs Cameron!" "Mrs Cameron!" "Why are you telling people Spencer's a coward?" "He stood before the tribunal and declared himself a conscientious objector." "I think that makes him a coward." " No, it's not true." "No, a conscientious objector is..." " And you hold truth in high regard, do you?" "You, who walked into a place of worship, told me a story about the church being used as a shelter, which you knew perfectly well wasn't true, just to deceive me." "I..." " You're a treacherous young woman, Claire." "So I suppose it's of little surprise that you would want to defend an unpatriotic coward." "You've made your bed... now lie in it." "It's perfect." "As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the one for us." "Oh, when can we move in?" " Next Saturday." "I spoke to the agent earlier." "How fantastic to go to the lavatory in vest and pyjamas without meeting your mother on the landing." "And make love at full volume." " And love you at full volume." "We're going to be very happy here, aren't we?" " Extraordinarily." "Will you carry me over the threshold on the day?" "And all the way upstairs." "Let's not tempt fate - or your back." "Over the threshold's fine." "I haven't heard typing for a while." "No, I stopped." "Can I get you anything else?" "Some more biscuits?" " No." "Thank you." "Uh..." "I know you're against it, but Jenny's asked if I might possibly fill in at the exchange this afternoon." "They're a person short and they've asked everyone else." "Bob?" "If you want." "Are you sure?" "If you want." "Wonder how long it will take for all this peace and quiet to drive someone mad." "It hasn't got to me yet." "I'm not as brave as you, Connie." " I can be brave enough for us both." "You need somebody that won't run away at the first sign of trouble." "I can teach you to be fearless." "I need to learn it the hard way." "Here." "Not three and a half thousand miles away." "A clean break." "Where there's no guarantee that anything's going to be any better for either of us." "I can't take the chance." "The ship doesn't sail for a week." "You might change your mind." "I won't." " Teresa..." "Not in public?" "Having found out where I was, you could've written to me." "You could have asked how I was, or what I was doing." "But that's not you, is it, Con?" "No." "Your way's to burst in here with a one-way ticket to the other side of the world." "I came to get you." " To be an accessory in your life." "Well, for the time being, this quiet, little nothing in the middle of nowhere it's mine." "Teresa..." "I've made up my mind." "Going to America's your choice." "Staying here, it's mine." "Goodbye, Connie." "You might change your mind." "Goodbye, my love." "Aren't you worried you'll get bored rattling around in a house by yourself?" "It's not a prison, Laura." "I'll be allowed to leave." "See people." "Do things." "Jack will be home in the evenings." "Bet you won't come back as often as you think." "I'll be round all the time." "Laura!" "Someone to see you." "Stan." "What are you doing here?" "I... came over to say..." "It can wait." " Sir?" "Is your sister at home?" "My sister?" "Mrs Jack Heaton." "What's this about?" "Wing Commander?" "Mrs Heaton, I'm afraid there was an accident this afternoon during a training exercise." "What's happened?" "The plane Jack was flying crashed on landing." "Where is he?" "I'm so very sorry, Mrs Heaton." "Your husband is dead." "Ripped By mstoll"