We'll meet again

"Because what?" I asked.

"Well, you know, Miss, we go to watch out for 'em every night, don't we? Charley says...”

"Yes, what does Charley say?”

Bert wriggled a little.

"Charley says you've got to watch 'em. You never know what they'll be up to.”

"What do you think Mrs. Denver will be 'up to'?”

"Well, she's one of 'em, ain't she? She's a German.”

I felt sick. I was reminded of that scene in the schloss when those violent young men had tried to break up the furniture.

I said: "Listen, Bert. Mrs. Denver is our friend. In a way she is related to me. She is good and kind and this war has nothing to do with her. She is on our side. She wants us to win this war. It is very important to her and her family that we do.”

"But we watch out for 'em, don't we? And she's one of them.

Charley says we ought to watch her.”

"I must talk to Charley," I said. "Will you bring him to me?”

Bert nodded and willingly ran off. Soon after he returned with his brother.

"Charley," I said. "I want to talk to you about Mrs. Denver.”

Charley's eyes narrowed and he looked wise.

"She's on our side, Charley," I said.

Charley looked disbelieving and gave me a look of mild contempt.

"I have to explain something to you," I said. "It is true that Mrs. Denver is a German." I went on: "But they are not all bad, you know.

Moreover, she and her family have been treated very badly by them.

Hitler is as much her enemy as ours-perhaps more so." I tried to explain briefly and vividly what had happened at the schloss on that never-to-be-forgotten night, and I think I must have done so effectively. His eyes narrowed. He was a shrewd boy. He understood something about violence, I could see.

I finished: "You see, Charley, it is of as great importance to her as to us that we win this war.”

He nodded gravely and I knew that I had brought home my point.

It must have been a month after the incident of the phosphorescent fish, and Dorabella and I were on one of our seats in the garden watching the sea. A dark night, with a thin crescent moon, a midnight blue sky, and a smooth, almost silent sea.

The first fears of invasion no longer enveloped us. It is amazing how quickly one can become accustomed to disaster. Our spirits had been considerably lifted by the Prime Minister's frequent broadcasts to the nation, and each passing week meant that we were more prepared. We were told that the nine divisions brought back from Dunkirk were now reinforced and at full strength. Here, in our country, there were forces from the Colonies, also Poles, Norwegians, Dutch, and French-the latter being built up by General de Gaulle. All over Britain men were rallying to the Local Defence Volunteers, and even in the last few weeks our position had improved considerably.

We were by no means lulled into security, but we were optimistic and we were certain that, when it came to conflict, we would stand firm and win.

"Do you realize," Dorabella said to me, "it is nearly a year since all this started? It seems it has been going on forever.”

She smiled wistfully. She knew I was thinking of Jowan, as I always must be. Where was he? Should I ever see him again?

Then suddenly I noticed it. It was a faint light, not on the horizon, as we had seen with the fish, but much nearer to land.

"Do you see... ?" I began.

Dorabella was staring out to sea.

"Fish?" she said.

"Yes, perhaps it is ...”

The light disappeared and then there was darkness.

"They are still laughing at us because of that night," said Dorabella.

"Only the other day ... oh, look, there it is again!”

It was there and then gone. There was darkness and no sound but the gentle swishing of the waves on the beach below.

Dorabella yawned.

"Well," she said, "we learned our lesson. No more raising the alarm for a shoal of fish.”

"They all enjoyed it and the locals were glad to have a laugh at our expense.”

"There's something in that. Anything that can make people laugh these days can't be all bad.”

"Gretchen is happier now.”

"It must be wonderful for her. I wish...”

She stopped, and I said: "I know. I've just got to go on hoping.”

"There'll be some news soon. I feel it in my bones. I've got some very reliable ) She was trying to cheer me. I wondered if she really believed that Jowan would come back safely.

Then I was back again, thinking of those places where we had met, going over what had been said between us, how we had gradually become aware of our feelings for each other. I remembered how unhappy I had been when I thought Dorabella was dead, and how he had comforted me and how different I had been then. Experiences change people, force them into maturity. How young I must have been before that visit to Germany!

Dorabella gave a sudden start.

"Look! Down there! I saw it on the water, a dark object bobbing about on the tide.”

"It's a boat," I said, and I heard the drumming of an engine.

"Probably one of the fishermen coming in late," replied Dorabella.

We waited for a few seconds. We could not see the boat coming into the beach.

"Should we give the alarm?" I asked.