Free Vera's Valour by Anne Holman Page A

about what you’ve been up to,” Mum said, as the two dogs barked and wagged their tails furiously. The dogs demanded their share of the joyous homecoming, and Vera had to spend a few moments quelling their enthusiasm to jump all over her.
    Vera, who was dressed in a government utility issue suit, shoes and stockings, took off her battered kitbag and said, “I got my bicycle mended by a German soldier.”
    Mum looked down at her visible bump and quipped, “I hope you didn’t get that too!”
    Then Vera kissed her Mum saying, ”Geoff gave me that before I saw him in France.
    Her mother’s eyes sparkled, “I’m thrilled to be a grandmother.”
    “You’re not quite yet, Mum.”
    “No, but I’m going to be. I saw some beautiful kitting patterns for baby clothes in this week’s magazine.”
    Vera laughed, “Before you start on them, I need a new cardigan – I left mine in France.”
    “Say that again . . . you say you went where ?“
    Vera put her arm around her mother’s shoulders, and said, “Let’s put the kettle on a have a cup of tea. Then I’ll tell you all about my adventures in France. I was there for several weeks.”
    Blinking, Mum said, “You might have sent me a postcard!”
    It seemed hours later – over several cups of tea – that Vera related her experiences in France. From the humorous moments to the tragedy of lives lost when the invasion began.
    “And Geoff?” asked Mum anxiously. “Where is he now?”
    Vera shook her head. “I expect he is busy. He was elated when they got the floating harbour over to France. And then repaired it after the terrible storm that ripped the American A Mulberry to pieces. But that was his job – where he and the other engineers working with him showed their grit and skill.”
    “You ought to be proud of him.”
    “Oh, indeed I am, Mum. That dock enabled enormous supplies to get ashore after the initial invasion, until they capture a port.”
    “So now Geoff will be coming home?”
    “I doubt it! The army will dream up another engineering problem to solve I expect as the army moves across Europe. I wish that wicked Hitler would give in – but Geoff says the German army is an excellent fighting machine and they are making our soldiers fight all the way . . . I’m worried about Geoff.”
    Thinking of all the people being killed and injured over there, made Vera put her hands over her face.
    “You did your bit, love,” Mum said, “Try not to worry too much.”
    “At least he hasn’t got to worry about me now,” Vera said, looking at her mother with a grin..
    “But I’m sure he will be thinking of the mother to be.”
    “He doesn’t know.”
    “Vera! Didn’t he tell you? Didn’t he notice?”
    “I don’t think so – anyway, he is such a worrier I didn’t want him to have to worry about his son too.”
    Mum smiled with her mouth tightly closed. “You are something else, Vera.”
    Then feeling her age, Mum got up stiffly and said, “Well, we must get on I suppose. I have some ironing to finish and then I’ll get us something to eat. And the dogs need feeding and the hens will have to be put to bed.”
    “Oh, so you’ve got some hens in the garden now, have you Mum?”
    “Yes, four. John helped me to buy them and house them. He knows a lot about keeping hens. And I can exchange eggs with friends for other things. And they are laying so will you make us an omelette. No one can make them better than you can.”
    Vera looked at her mother with pride. The older lady had to cope with the wartime - just as the service personnel. Rationing had become even tighter - sometimes things difficult to buy even if they were on the ration.
    “Of course I will. And are there any saladings left in the garden?” she was thinking of the lettuces, tomatoes and radishes that had been planted earlier in the year.
    “You may find a few.”
    As Vera began to think about cooking again, she began to wonder how her British Restaurants were managing while she