Willow Grove Abbey (36 page)

Between
27 May, and 4 June, one of the most valiant and gallant efforts of my countrymen took place. The British troops were trapped in Dunkirk, with no way to cross the English Channel. With either unbelievable luck, or what Spence later referred to as a ‘serendipitous’ happening, Adolph Hitler issued orders to his German troops in France and Belgium to halt their advance on 23 May. He did so because German infantry tanks needed to catch-up, allowing an orthodox assault on the allied troops. That decision stopped the Germans from being able to cut off the escape of the British and French soldiers. As a result, a total of 693 ships from England, ranging from destroyers, minesweepers, trawlers, yachts and a variety of other small craft picked up 338,226 soldiers. Of this number, 140,000 were members of the French army. Later I learned that Spence had been in one of the Hurricane Fighters, which flew up and down the coastline near Dunkirk, scouting enemy planes. He was engaged in many dogfights with German bombers. He told me afterwards that the whole front was one long, unbroken line of flaming buildings. There was smoke pouring above the roofs. He was able to spot exhausted soldiers tramping their way along the meandering road, where dead bodies were strewn. 30,000 men were killed, wounded and missing. The British army could not defend their homeland. The army had left the majority of their weapons behind, on the battle-scarred land. There were nearly none to be had in reserve back in England. Spence told me all of these things when he returned home on furlough after Dunkirk. He felt strongly that France was going to fall to the Germans, and that England was about to be in the horrifying position of standing alone in the ghastly war effort. He believed that sooner or later London would become their target, and felt that the time was nearing when I needed to think about removing to
Willow Grove Abbey.
I detested the thought, but knew that I would heed his advice in the end. There had been consistent air raid sirens since September, 1939, and I’d become rather adept at knowing where to go, when I heard that dreadful wail. Most everyone I knew hated the Anderson shelters, but they did manage to keep a great number of us safe from harm. Sometimes we would sit in them for hours, crowded next to throngs of frightened adults, and crying children. It was beastly.

We spent Spence’s last day
of holiday furlough allowing Isabella to do whatever she chose. That resulted in a pony ride in the Park, an outing on a double-decker bus, and ice cream at her favorite restaurant. Included was a visit to Harrods, culminating in the purchase of a new doll. When we returned to Sumner Street, she was a tired little girl, and so were her parents. Spence made his usual promise to read her two stories before bedtime. After he left, I, too, retired for the night, flushed with the glow of happiness from a happy day with Spence and Isabella. The next morning he came to the flat, and we all had breakfast together. I splurged, and made Eggs Benedict, with Fried Chips, which I knew Spence adored. It was a memory I cherished through the years. His ominous words about the fight coming to our shores left me terribly anxious that harm could befall him. As far as I knew though, he would continue to be posted to Duxford for the foreseeable future. I was very happy about that, as it meant that he was able to come to London whenever he was given a few free days. Shortly before he left, and while Isabella was learning how to color, with Martha helping her in the nursery, he brought up the subject of Edwina.

“Do you have any news of her” He asked. “I haven’t wanted to spoil this precious ti
me with talk of unpleasant matters, but it
is
something I’ve thought about.”

“No, I haven’t heard a thing, and
Papa says nothing. Of course, I’m certain that they’re in touch. What will become of her Spence, if France falls?” Would there be any way for her to get back to England?”

“Not without a good deal of high level help. Even then, I should think it would be very difficult. Any Brits who’re caught in France are going to be in a devil of a
mess. Your father may be the best ally she has at this point. But, even Nigel can’t pull off a bloody miracle.”

“Do you think I should ask hi
m about it?”

“That’s entirely up to you. Just don’t beco
me too upset if you don’t like his answer, or don’t believe him. I’m not sure I know why you care very much what becomes of her.”

“Spence, I don’t know either, except that I have such dear
memories of the past. No matter what, there is no way I would want anything to happen to her. But, I also don’t want to get involved. Does that make sense? “

“It
makes perfect sense to me, and you’re a better person than I am,” he smiled. After what she said to you the last time you spoke, I’m not certain that I could bear to ever hear her voice again.”

“I know. I feel that way too. But, then I re
member how good she was to me when I was pregnant with Isabella, and it’s hard for me to believe that the Edwina I knew for all of those years has just vanished, and become a totally different person.”

“Well, of course you know that I haven’t the sa
me warm feelings for Edwina. She may have been good to
you
, but I strongly feel that she should have come to me, and told me what was happening. I’m not certain I can ever completely forgive her for that.”

“Spence, I understand your feelings. However, don’t bla
me Edwina entirely. She suggested in the beginning that I come to you, and tell you the truth, but I wouldn’t hear of it. I was too frightened that I would have to give up the baby, and of retribution towards you. Edwina really wasn’t always so thoughtless. I don’t know how she can have changed so.”

“Perhaps the two of you have grown-up, and developed vastly different values. That can happen, you know. The adult one beco
mes is not necessarily as likeable as the child we remember.”

“I think she’s gone co
mpletely bonkers! She sounds so self-centered, caring only for herself and what
she
wants out of life, with no thought for anyone else, or about whom she might hurt.”

“
Sophia, the trait of self-centeredness was always there in Edwina. Perhaps you weren’t so keenly aware of it, because it didn’t affect you in such an intimate way. But, I do remember that you told me once about how Edwina believed that if a person wanted something badly enough, she simply
made
it happen. She knew what she wanted and went after it, so to speak. Rather like a business plan.”

“Yes, she has said that.
And, in itself I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that outlook, except when it fails to take into account that what one person wants may spell total heartbreak for another.”

“That’s the point. Let
me know what you decide to do, and if you do talk with your father, try to keep calm. It isn’t healthy for you to put yourself in an anxious way about this. I know you
are
anxious and tense, but talking with your father always seems to make it worse.

“I pro
mise. I have my priorities straight. Isabella and me. The two of us. Anything that causes upset for our little twosome is not going to warrant my attention.”

And then
in the blink of an eye, Spence was gone again. However, that time it was very, very different than before. On 14 June, just two days after his departure, the Germans entered Paris. Paris had fallen! It was unimaginable. German soldiers were occupying that beautiful city. The German flag was flying over the Place de la Concorde! When I heard the news, it was mid-morning, and I telephoned my father at once. Without any preliminaries, I asked him what he knew of Edwina.

“
Sophia, I can’t speak of this on the telephone, he answered. But, I’m making a trip to London today, and if you’re to be at home, I’ll stop by and we can discuss it.”

“Yes,” I answered, that will be fine. About what ti
me do you expect to arrive?”

“I should think so
mewhere in the early afternoon.”

“Shall I have luncheon prepared for you?”

“No... No, I’ll already have eaten.”

“Right then, I’ll look for you about two o’clock.”

“Yes, perhaps even a bit earlier.”

“And,
Papa?”

“Yes?”

I’m assuming that you
do
know something regarding the person we’re both concerned about?”

“Yes, I do,
Sophia. I’ll tell you everything when I see you.”

Pro
mptly at two-o’clock, I was standing at my window, looking out on Sumner Street, when I saw my father alight from our family’s Rolls Royce. Joseph was driving, and he left, probably with the understanding that he would retrieve Papa at a certain time. In a matter of moments the doorman rang, and my father was in my parlor. I sent Isabella on a play-date with a little girl who lived in our building, and Martha took her. I wanted to be able to speak freely, without interruption. Papa hugged me as he came in the door, and hung his coat on the hall tree.

“It looks like we could have so
me rain,” he commented.

“Yes. It’s an awfully dreary day,” I answered. “
May I get you something? Coffee, tea, a drink?”

No, nothing,
Sophia. I’m fine.” We sat down across from one another, he on the sofa and I in the chintz chair. “So, what is the news of Edwina?” I asked, coming right to the point.

“Right. It is a bit co
mplex.”

“With Edwina,
everything
is a bit complex,” I said, in a not altogether pleasant tone.

“
Well. There’s certainly some truth to that,” he smiled, ruefully. “In a nutshell, I have arranged for her to evacuate Paris.”

“How on Earth have you arranged
that
?” I questioned.

“I’ve
made contact with a series of old acquaintances, who have agreed to help her. It’s taken a bit of doing. But, at the moment she’s in Madrid.”

“
Madrid?” I was very confused. “Why Madrid, and how?”

“
Sophia, there were only two options left open. One was a sea passage, if we could find a ship, which seemed unlikely, and would be hazardous, and the second was overland to Spain, still neutral but unfriendly to the English, after the Spanish Civil War. Edwina was able to join a member of the British Embassy staff, in Nice, and she set off in a convoy heading for Spain, and then Portugal. I negotiated an entry permit for her. They traveled on to Barcelona, where they rested for the night, and the following morning headed on to Madrid. That was this morning.”

“What are the plans fro
m there?” I rolled my eyes. I should have known that Edwina would find safe passage home to England. The entire situation was just too amazing. How many times had I begged Edwina to come home to England before the war began, and she ended up trapped? Yet, she would not listen, and what I had predicted had come true.

“They will head for Portugal, where a high ranking govern
ment official has instructed that they should be picked up by flying boats off the Portuguese coast.”

“
My Lord, Papa. I’d say you’ve pulled off a miracle. How many people have high ranking officials in the government intervening on their behalf?”

“I’
m just fortunate that it all seems to have worked out.”

“I’d say Edwina is the fortunate one. And, what of Dieter? Does he know where his wife is, and what her intentions are?”
How really cruel of her, if he doesn’t. I know he’s German, Papa, and you know I never liked him, but I still find it inconceivable that she would just abandon him like this.”

“Well
, he cannot know. It is extremely important that this be kept secret. Of course, he’ll be livid when he learns that she is gone, but there’s little he can do about it. Once she’s safe on English soil, she’ll be all right.”

“And where will she go, once she reaches England? She
must have had the baby by now, for the Lord’s Sake!”

“Yes. The baby was born in late
May. It’s a boy, and she’s named him Christian. She calls him ‘Kippy.’ Rather a nice name, I think.”

“For h
eaven’s sake, Papa, who gives a whit what she’s named her baby?” I replied, irritably. I didn’t care if she’d named the baby ‘Bubble and Squeak’. What a completely irrelevant bit of information that was.

“I just thought it a rather nice na
me, Sophia. Nothing to get upset about.”

“That
may or may not be true. Has she mentioned to you that this baby may be yours? There could be a great deal to be upset about.”

“
Mine? My baby?” A slow smile spread over his face. He obviously fancied the idea. “Wouldn’t that be something?”

“Yes, it certainly would be,
Papa. You look like the mere idea of such a thing makes you happy. It makes me sick to even think about something like that.”

“Why
Sophia? That would make the baby your little half brother or sister. Don’t you think that would be lovely?”

“No, I do not,
Papa. He or she would be my
illegitimate
half-brother or sister. You’ve always cared about what people think. Would you want to label your own son or daughter a bastard? Why on Earth would you imagine that I would be pleased about such a thing? Edwina being the mother of my half brother or sister? It’s too disgusting, Papa. Where are your morals?”