Daughters of War Read Online Free PDF Page B

because the roads are terrible and the only transport is by wagons pulled by oxen. He said, if he wanted to get there he would go by sea to Salonika and then hope to get a train from there.’
    ‘By sea? But it would take weeks from any English port.’
    ‘I know. But if we picked up a ship in Marseilles, that would shorten the journey enormously. I’m sure there are ships going from there to Athens and then we could find another heading for Salonika. We could take the train to Marseilles—’
    Victoria’s eyes lit up. ‘I’ve got a better idea. We’ll go in Sparky.’
    ‘Drive, all that way? Could Sparky do it?’
    ‘Yes, given time. We couldn’t take him on the Orient Express but there wouldn’t be any problem about getting him on a ship as deck freight. And think how useful it would be to have a car. If we can’t get a train from Salonika we could drive, and he could be used for transporting the wounded when we get to the other end.’
    ‘How long would it take to drive to Marseilles?’ Leo asked.
    ‘Four days, three if we’re lucky. Then there’s the sea voyage. It’s still going to take a long time.’
    ‘But Stobart’s lot have got to make arrangements when they get to Sophia. That will take time, too. And if it really is going to take them a week to get from Jamboli to the front we might not be far behind them.’
    ‘Better late than never, I suppose. And the war isn’t going to be over quickly, by all accounts. What do you think?’
    Leo grinned at her. ‘Let’s do it. Whatever happens, it’ll be an adventure.’
    ‘When do we start?’
    ‘The sooner the better. Tomorrow night? I’ll have to creep out when everyone has gone to sleep.’
    ‘Agreed.’
    Next day Leo collected what clothes and other things she felt were essential and transferred them to Victoria’s house, telling her grandmother that she was taking worn-out clothes to a charity. Meanwhile, Victoria purchased as much in the way of bandages, lint, disinfectant and other medical supplies as they could carry with them. They allowed themselves only the minimum of personal belongings, anticipating that they would wear their FANY uniforms most of the time. What they did take was packed into a large trunk and strapped to the back of the car.
    Leo had one other errand, which she did not mention to Victoria. Her father had left her a brooch and two rings that had belonged to her mother. She took them to a shop in the Burlington Arcade and got what she hoped was a reasonable price for them. It seemed likely that she would be unable to access her allowance and she was determined not to rely on Victoria for funds.
    When they met again that evening they were both in a more sober mood.
    ‘You know, we haven’t given this enough thought,’ Victoria said. ‘Do we really know what we are letting ourselves in for?’
    ‘No,’ Leo responded. ‘Perhaps if we did we wouldn’t be doing it.’
    ‘Do you want to change your mind?’
    ‘Not unless you do.’ Leo sat down and leaned urgently towards her friend. ‘It isn’t just about us going off on some mad adventure, Vita. It’s about proving something. Proving that we are capable of taking our own decisions, making our own way in life.’
    ‘You’re right, of course,’ Victoria said. ‘So let’s get going while we’ve still got the courage. If we leave at midnight and drive all night we can be in Dover in time for the first ferry in the morning.’
    ‘Wait for me at the corner of the road,’ Leo instructed her. ‘Don’t bring Sparky too close or you’ll wake the neighbours.’
    A few minutes before twelve Leo opened her bedroom door and stood listening intently. The house was silent. She picked up the small bag containing her last-minute essentials and crept down the stairs. She did not go to the front door, knowing that Beavis would have locked and bolted it before retiring for the night, and taken the key with him. Instead, she passed through the green baize door leading