ANNEKE’S JOURNAL

Alone in her room on the top floor of the house, Anneke takes out her journal again and writes in her small, tidy handwriting.

Today has been a good day. I had tea with Emily, she is an interesting lady, very kind, but she’s not a great cook. I’ll take along some of my apple cake next time. She mentioned that some Dutch folk had been based here during the war. I would love to find out more about that.

Emily said I was looking well – I wonder if that was down to wearing a bit of lipstick? Vanity never did Mama any good, but just lately I’ve felt like making more of an effort. I am fed up with wearing black all the time. After all God made the beautiful colours of nature – can it be so wrong to want more vibrancy in my life?

John came round this morning in a state. Kevin is more of a hindrance than a help on Home Farm. He only had to clear some brambles on the footpath, yet he jammed the machine again. Mrs C doesn’t seem to see that John sometimes doesn’t shave these days and that the line of his jaw is becoming sharp as a knife. He has persuaded Mrs C to give Treve’s cousin Jacob a trial. He’s done a lot of farm labouring and John knew him years ago. John said Mrs C agreed because Jacob is cheap labour. All he wants is bed and board and so he is going to sleep at Home Farm. I offered to cook a meal for John and Jacob in the evenings. I am cooking for Mrs C anyway and it fills the time that I used to spend with Sheila.

John says he wants me to teach him Dutch. He is planning a trip to Amsterdam and wants to know how to order a beer. I told him that everyone at home speaks English anyway but he said that doesn’t matter. I think he might be teasing, but that’s ok. He makes me smile.

Chapter 12