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now that although no official declaration of war had been made, things were moving towards that with increasing speed.
    They were walking only slowly and Luke was dragging his feet a bit, scowling and scuffing the side of his shoe in a way that she knew would have drawn a rebuke from their mother. Something was definitely wrong.
    ‘They were painting out the name of Edge Hill Station when I cycled past it earlier on me way home from work. Mr Smethwick that’s in charge of the ARP unit said that the Government has given orders that anything that might identify a place to the Germans had to be got rid of.’
    Abruptly Grace stopped walking. ‘It’s going to happen, isn’t it?’ she asked in a hushed voice. ‘We are going to be at war with the Germans.’ She gave a little shiver, then told him sadly, ‘There were some kiddies in Lewis’s at dinnertime, brought in by their teacher. They’d been to choose gas masks for themselves, ready to be evacuated. I heard the teacher saying that the school had thought if they were getting them from Lewis’s it would be a bit of a treat and it wouldn’t scare them so much. Thank goodness the twins are old enough not to have to go. I reckon it would break Mum’s heart if they did.’
    ‘I can’t say anything at home but I fair hate listening to other chaps talking about how they’ll do their bit for the country, Grace, whilst thanksto Dad all I’m going to be doing is skulking here at home like a ruddy coward.’
    ‘Luke, that’s not true,’ she protested, genuinely shocked. ‘Of course you’ll be doing your bit. And, anyway, as for Charlie, he said himself that the only reason he’s joined the TA is because it means he can stay at home and show off to pretty girls in his car.’
    Luke squeezed her arm and then told her with elder brother directness, ‘If I was you I’d think twice about going to that Tennis Club dance with Bella, Grace.’
    ‘I can’t not go now,’ she protested. ‘Not when I’ve said that I will. Besides, I think it will be fun.’
    ‘Well, all I can say is that you’ll need to watch out. If you ask me Bella’s up to something. She might act like she’s all sugar and spice but you and me know what she’s really like. Remember how she always managed to get you blamed for things she’d done when we were kids?’
    Reluctantly Grace nodded. ‘But that was years ago,’ she told him, ‘and I dare say she only did it because Auntie Vi can get so cross.’
    ‘A leopard doesn’t change its spots,’ Luke insisted.
    Grace looked up at her elder brother, her heart filling with pride. Luke might tease her sometimes and pretend that having three younger sisters was a nuisance but Grace knew how protective of them all he was.
    ‘You’re the best brother in the world, do you know that?’ she told him, hugging his arm.
    ‘You won’t be saying that when everyone’s calling me a coward for not joining up. If Dad has his way I won’t even get to do my six months’ training. He’ll have me straight in the Salvage Corps and on reserved occupation duties,’ Luke told her angrily.
    ‘That’s because he wants to keep you safe. Dad lost his older brother in the last war,’ Grace reminded him.
    ‘But that should be my decision, Grace, not Dad’s,’ said Luke fiercely. ‘And, anyway, it will be a different war this time. Everyone says so.’
    They had drawn level with a lorry being unloaded opposite a small school. Grace glanced semi-curiously at the activity and then froze before turning to look beseechingly at Luke, hoping he would tell her that she had mistaken what she had just seen, but instead he told her grimly, ‘They’re unloading cardboard coffins. They were telling us at the ARP class tonight that the Government has given orders that emergency mortuaries are to be set up and stocked with them, just in case.’
    ‘Here’s that cousin of yours.’
    Susan’s whisper, accompanied by a sharp nudge in the ribs, had Grace straightening