The 9 by Madalyn Morgan (tools of titans ebook .txt) 📕

quiet all morning. Come on then,’ her friend said, nudging Ena’s arm, ‘spill the beans.’

Omitting anything to do with Bletchley and having her case stolen – and pretending it was on the train from Bletchley to Rugby that she met her American friend and not in the buffet on Euston station – Ena told Freda everything she knew about Ben, which wasn’t much.

‘So when are you seeing him again?’

‘I don’t know. He works in London. But he said he had an aunt in Bletchley who he visits now and again, and that if ever I was in that part of the world to get in touch.’ Ena took a bite of her sandwich. ‘I don’t suppose he meant it.’

‘You’re in that part of the world at the end of this week. How will you let him know?’

‘By letter. He gave me his address.’ Ena looked at her friend who was nodding in an exaggerated fashion. Ena laughed. ‘All right, I’ll write to him. But I’d better do it now, so it goes in the lunchtime post, or he won’t have time to arrange cover where he works.’

The two friends returned to the annexe, giggling like schoolgirls. Before she settled down to work, Ena wrote a short note to Ben. She looked at her wristwatch. If she was lucky, she would make the lunchtime collection. She did, just.

‘I’m going to Beaumanor again on Friday,’ Freda said, turning up her nose. ‘It takes hours on the train. And they collect me from Loughborough station in a bloody troop carrier. It isn’t so bad when I drive up in Mr Silcott’s car. Even so,’ she sighed, ‘I wish I could come down to Bletchley with you.’

Ena wished Freda was going to Bletchley too. She wasn’t looking forward to travelling on the train on her own. But there was nothing she could do about it. ‘Perhaps we can go together next time.’

‘Yes! Then I can meet your American.’

‘He isn’t my American,’ Ena said, blushing.

‘But you wish he was, don’t you?’

The next morning, Ena and Freda met at the factory gates. After parking their bicycles, they walked to the factory, entered by the main door and walked across the shop floor to the annexe. Mr Silcott was at his desk.

Knowing the real reason why her boss had been off work, Ena held back a little to let Freda greet him first.

‘Herbert!’ Freda gushed, ‘Thank goodness you’re better.’

‘Good to have you back, Mr Silcott,’ Ena said.

‘Thank you.’ Herbert Silcott nodded as Ena drew level. ‘It is good to be back. And thank you,’ he said, looking from Ena to Freda, ‘for holding the fort while I’ve been off sick.’

‘You are better?’ Ena asked, concerned that her boss looked extremely pale, had dark shadows under his eyes, and appeared to have lost weight.

‘I’m fine, thank you. I’ve been fit enough to come back for days, but Mrs Silcott wouldn’t have it.’ Ena smiled that she understood.

Freda fussed about, offering to make cups of tea and asking if Herbert would like anything from the canteen. He said he didn’t want any food but would like a cup of coffee. There was a tin of tea, dried milk and sugar in the cupboard, but no coffee. So, promising not to be long, Freda dashed off to the canteen.

‘I’ve spoken to Commander Dalton,’ Mr Silcott said as soon as Freda was out of earshot. ‘He tells me he wants you to take the work to Bletchley tomorrow.’ Ena nodded. ‘I’ll be with you of course. I wouldn’t let either of you travel to the Park alone. Not after what happened last time. I feel responsible--’

‘You shouldn’t, sir. It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known what was going to happen.’

‘That’s as maybe, but it won’t happen again. I shall be on my guard in future.’

Ena looked at her boss’s gaunt face. ‘Are you sure you’re fully recovered, sir?’

‘I’m fine. What about you? They drugged you, the commander said.’

‘Yes. There’s no other explanation for what happened.’

‘Horace Dalton had you put through your paces by his intelligence people, I understand.’ Herbert Silcott didn’t pause for Ena to reply. ‘Bloody man!’ He looked briefly at the door. ‘The petrol coupons,’ he whispered, ‘came through this morning, before you arrived, but I shall take them home. Commander Dalton wants us to travel to Bletchley on the same train as before. Don’t worry, we shall go to the ticket office together and board the train at the same time. I will not leave you on your own for a single second.’

Ena’s heart sank. If Mr Silcott stuck to his word, there would be no chance of her seeing Ben. ‘You’re sure you’re well enough, Mr Silcott?’

He put his hands on either sides of his ribcage, pressed slightly and breathed in. ‘The damage to my ribs wasn’t as bad as the hospital first thought. My body is still black and blue, and my ribs are still bound up, but they are only badly bruised, not broken. I had concussion from the blow to my head. Because of it I was seeing double, which worried the doctors. … I just couldn’t shake it off,’ he said, loudly, ‘I thought I’d never feel well again.’ Ena hadn’t a clue what her boss was talking about until she spotted Freda, carrying a cup of steaming coffee.

Ena left her colleagues to it and went to her own work desk. Damn! Why had she written to Ben telling him she’d meet him on Friday? Unable to concentrate, she slumped back in her chair. What if she got a letter off this afternoon, explaining that her boss would be with her at Bletchley and she wouldn’t be able to get away to meet him. These days there was no telling when post arrived at its destination. And even if the second letter was