Far From Home. Anne Bennett

means Salvation Army,’ Kate said, seeing her sister’s confusion. Just then the band turned into the Bull Ring filling the air with the sound of their trumpets and trombones and the big bass drum at the front, keeping the beat of their marching feet. Those not playing a proper instrument were shaking or banging a tambourine and everyone was singing with all their might.

      ‘I’m ready to call it a day, if you are,’ Susie said to Kate and Sally as the Salvation Army launched into ‘The Old Rugged Cross’.

      It was as they were threading their way between the stalls that Sally caught sight of a few women standing behind them. Most had shawls about their shoulders and they all had children with them. Kate followed her gaze. ‘They are the city’s poor,’ she said, putting her arm through her sister’s and leading her away. ‘The stalls will be closing up soon, see, and they wait there for anything the butchers and greengrocers might be giving away. There used to be a fair army of them some nights. There are fewer now.’

      ‘Yeah,’ Susie said. ‘Dad said that’s because we’re going to have a war.’

      Kate looked at Susie in amazement. In the light of the gas flares, she saw her face seemed very white as she said, ‘Don’t be daft, Susie. Chamberlain only came back from Munich a few weeks ago and said that it would be peace for our time.’

      ‘Yeah, I know,’ Susie said. ‘Dad reckons that’s a ploy to give us time to get ready and that.’

      ‘I think that’s a daft notion,’ Kate declared. ‘And even if it was, what’s that got to do with the poor?’

      ‘Well, Dad said that there’re more jobs about,’ Susie said. ‘Like the BSA going over to making guns. Military guns for the army and that.’

      ‘How does he know that?’ Kate asked. ‘The BSA is miles away.’

      ‘I know, but my Uncle Robbie lives that way and has just got a job there,’ Susie said. ‘He’s been out of work for three years and he told us that they are setting up new lines all over the factory. And then, the other day, some bloke was telling him that he heard tell that Longbridge and maybe other car factories were building shadow factories beside the real one to make jeeps and other army trucks and that.’

      ‘Still, don’t mean we’re going to war though, does it?’

      ‘Well, no,’ Susie had to admit. ‘But it does mean that we might be getting ready in case we do and that means there are more jobs about and so all them that were unemployed will have more chance of getting one.’

      ‘Yeah,’ Kate said with a grin. ‘As my Dad would say: every cloud has a silver lining.’ She was annoyed with Susie though. ‘Trust you to spoil a really nice night,’ she said sharply.

      ‘She hasn’t,’ Sally said. ‘Not really. I think Birmingham must be one of the most exciting cities in the world because I have never had such an interesting time in the whole of my life.’

      Susie’s words about war bothered Kate more than she realized – she had lurid dreams all night and even the next day she was preoccupied. Sally was aware that Kate was thinking hard about something, but didn’t know what it was, and eventually, as the two of them walked the damp wet streets to Mass at St Mary’s and St John’s under the partial shelter of an umbrella, Sally said, ‘Penny for them.’

      ‘What?’ Kate said with a start. Then, seeing Sally’s eyes on her, said, ‘Oh, they’re not worth a penny, Sally, really, but I can’t get what Susie said out of my head.’

      ‘About preparing for war and that?’

      Kate nodded her head. ‘And it’s stupid because no person in their right mind wants another war. I mean, you didn’t see them last night, but in the day those steps to the Market Hall are lined with old lags. Some wander around the market as well.’

      ‘What do you mean, old lags?’

      ‘Susie’s dad calls them flotsam from the Great War,’ Kate said. ‘Most of them are injured in some way and can’t get a proper job, so a fair few of them have trays around their necks selling bootlaces and razor blades and stuff like that. I have bought loads of stuff I haven’t needed because I feel sorry for them. It can be quite upsetting to see them too, because some of them have missing limbs, or are shell-shocked or even blind.’

      ‘Ooh, that’s horrible.’

      ‘It is, I couldn’t agree more,’ Kate said. ‘Susie’s dad gets really mad about it. He says they laid their life on the line for Britain and now the government should look after them better. But they don’t. They are like thrown on the scrapheap and surely no one wants to risk that sort of thing happening again.’

      ‘I’d say not,’ Sally said. ‘But Susie was just talking about getting ready, wasn’t she? Maybe it was sort of in case.’

      ‘Um,’ Kate said pensively. ‘I’d like to believe you are right. What’s more, I know that even if I talk and worry about this from now till doomsday I will not change the outcome one iota.’ She gave a sudden shiver and said, ‘Let’s hurry, this is a foul day. Good job this sleety rain wasn’t falling last night. Anyway, looks like it’s set in for the day so it’s a good job we have that film at the cinema to see.’

      ‘Ooh, yes,’ said Sally. And then she added, ‘Thanks ever such a lot for taking me out yesterday. I really did enjoy myself, but I was so overawed I don’t know if I ever said thank you.’

      ‘That’s all right,’ Kate said good-naturedly. ‘I always like going down the Bull Ring, and I know how much it was appreciated because your face was a picture.’

      ‘Yes,’ Sally said with a sigh. ‘Donegal will seem dreadfully dull after this.’

      They walked in silence for a minute or two and then Sally said, ‘I understand the reason you came to Birmingham now I’ve seen it myself, though I couldn’t see the attraction at the time.’

      ‘I could take you to see more of it if the weather is kinder to us,’ Kate said.

      ‘Ooh, yes,’ Sally said, ‘I’d like that.’ And then she added: ‘Is Susie coming with us tomorrow?’

      ‘No,’ Kate said. ‘She would like to, especially as she hasn’t seen The Lady Vanishes yet either, but she has to go with her mother and sister to visit her father’s mother. She isn’t that keen on the old lady, but she has just come out of hospital and her mother has insisted that they all go and see her.’

      ‘Shame,’ Sally said. ‘I really like Susie. But I suppose we’ll meet her at Mass.’

      Kate shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not,’ she said. ‘The Masons all go to St Margaret Mary’s on Perry Common Road – it’s much nearer to them.’

      ‘Gosh, there seem to be plenty of churches,’ Sally remarked.

      ‘Well, there are plenty of people.’ Kate smiled.

      Sally gave a sudden shiver and Kate said, ‘Not much further now.’

      ‘I’m not really shivering because I’m cold,’ Sally said. ‘It’s just … Oh, what I’d do to be able to put the clock back.’

      Kate knew exactly what her sister meant. ‘There’s not many of us that haven’t wished that a time or two,’ she said.

      ‘Oh, I know,’ Sally said disconsolately. Kate didn’t blame her: she knew she wouldn’t be in her sister’s shoes for all the tea in China. It was no good saying that, though. She gave her sister’s arm a squeeze as she said, ‘If I were you I would pray as you have never prayed before – and maybe light a candle for good measure, too, and I will do the same.’

      The only thing that spoiled that magical afternoon was the weather: a buffeting wind that attempted to wrest the hats from both their heads and had their coats billowing out around them, and a lashing rain attacking them, despite the umbrella, as they scurried arm in