Day Will Come Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Beryl Matthews
‘Do you have any biscuits?’ he asked, the moment he walked back in the room. ‘I’m ravenous.’
‘Yes, I got some from the catering manager this morning.’
She poured the tea and piled a plate with biscuits. ‘Didn’t you have any breakfast?’
He nodded, munching away. ‘That was a long time ago.’
The door opened and the colonel swept in. ‘Ah, good. I’m just in time.’
Grace poured another cup of tea for the officer.
He smiled at her, sat down and took a biscuit from the plate. ‘Thanks. Dan, I popped in to see if you’re ready for that meeting this afternoon? We’d better decide on our strategy.’
‘I know mine already. I’m going to speak my mind.’
‘So am I. But let’s try not to lose our tempers, eh?’
‘Don’t worry, Uncle. I won’t say a word out of place.’
The colonel studied his nephew with suspicion. ‘What have you been up to?’
Dan laughed softly, winked at Grace, and held out his cup for a refill.
She refilled all their cups, and put the kettle on to make a fresh pot. This job had been taken in haste, without proper thought, and she had been very doubtful about it, but she was beginning to like these two men. They were both strong, determined and fighters. Just the kind this country would need in the months or years to come.
‘Grace has signed all the necessary papers now, so I’m bringing her to the meeting.’
‘They’ll have their own recorder and might not allow her to stay,’ the colonel pointed out.
Dan raised his eyebrows. ‘Then I don’t stay.’
‘I thought you weren’t going to make trouble.’
‘George, I didn’t ask to come here. If I’m to be of any help—’
‘I know.’ George held up his hand to stop Dan. ‘They’ll take you as you are – a man who knows what he’s talking about, and a bloody fine soldier. But you’re a maverick. How on earth did you manage to get a promotion?’
Dan shrugged. ‘Don’t ask me. I didn’t ask for that either.’
‘No, you didn’t have to. You’re a natural leader of men, and I expect that’s what they recognised.’
‘Well, I haven’t got any bloody men to lead now, have I?’
‘You will have again before this damned war is over.’ The colonel turned to Grace. ‘Excuse the language. Will you be embarrassed if there is an argument about you being at the meeting?’
‘Not at all, sir. I am Major Chester’s personal secretary. If he wants me to take notes at this meeting, then that is what I will do.’
‘Right. I’ll want a copy as well, Dan. They’ll probably want an account of what happened in France, and how a disaster like that can be avoided in the future.’
Grace listened to the two officers, making a mental note of what they were saying. Her Brian had been out there and, in a way, it was comforting to know what he’d had to go through. She had no doubt that he had been as courageous as the two men with her. One thing was certain, though, this job wasn’t going to be dull.
Time for the meeting arrived, and Grace walked into the conference room. It was dominated by a huge table, and seated around it were some twenty men, she quickly assessed. Some were in civilian suits, but the majority were high-ranking officers, representing all the services.
The colonel and the major appeared to know quite afew of them, and Grace stood slightly behind them while they were introduced to everyone else.
‘Please take your seats, gentlemen,’ the man at the head of the table said. ‘We are pleased you have been able to join us. Your experiences in the field will be a great help.’
The colonel sat down while Dan found Grace a chair in the corner of the room.
‘Major Chester, the young lady will not be allowed to stay.’
‘Mrs Lincoln is my personal aide who has full clearance to handle secret information. She will be making notes for my future reference.’ He then walked calmly to his place at the table.
Grace stayed where she was, aware that every eye in the room
‘Yes, I got some from the catering manager this morning.’
She poured the tea and piled a plate with biscuits. ‘Didn’t you have any breakfast?’
He nodded, munching away. ‘That was a long time ago.’
The door opened and the colonel swept in. ‘Ah, good. I’m just in time.’
Grace poured another cup of tea for the officer.
He smiled at her, sat down and took a biscuit from the plate. ‘Thanks. Dan, I popped in to see if you’re ready for that meeting this afternoon? We’d better decide on our strategy.’
‘I know mine already. I’m going to speak my mind.’
‘So am I. But let’s try not to lose our tempers, eh?’
‘Don’t worry, Uncle. I won’t say a word out of place.’
The colonel studied his nephew with suspicion. ‘What have you been up to?’
Dan laughed softly, winked at Grace, and held out his cup for a refill.
She refilled all their cups, and put the kettle on to make a fresh pot. This job had been taken in haste, without proper thought, and she had been very doubtful about it, but she was beginning to like these two men. They were both strong, determined and fighters. Just the kind this country would need in the months or years to come.
‘Grace has signed all the necessary papers now, so I’m bringing her to the meeting.’
‘They’ll have their own recorder and might not allow her to stay,’ the colonel pointed out.
Dan raised his eyebrows. ‘Then I don’t stay.’
‘I thought you weren’t going to make trouble.’
‘George, I didn’t ask to come here. If I’m to be of any help—’
‘I know.’ George held up his hand to stop Dan. ‘They’ll take you as you are – a man who knows what he’s talking about, and a bloody fine soldier. But you’re a maverick. How on earth did you manage to get a promotion?’
Dan shrugged. ‘Don’t ask me. I didn’t ask for that either.’
‘No, you didn’t have to. You’re a natural leader of men, and I expect that’s what they recognised.’
‘Well, I haven’t got any bloody men to lead now, have I?’
‘You will have again before this damned war is over.’ The colonel turned to Grace. ‘Excuse the language. Will you be embarrassed if there is an argument about you being at the meeting?’
‘Not at all, sir. I am Major Chester’s personal secretary. If he wants me to take notes at this meeting, then that is what I will do.’
‘Right. I’ll want a copy as well, Dan. They’ll probably want an account of what happened in France, and how a disaster like that can be avoided in the future.’
Grace listened to the two officers, making a mental note of what they were saying. Her Brian had been out there and, in a way, it was comforting to know what he’d had to go through. She had no doubt that he had been as courageous as the two men with her. One thing was certain, though, this job wasn’t going to be dull.
Time for the meeting arrived, and Grace walked into the conference room. It was dominated by a huge table, and seated around it were some twenty men, she quickly assessed. Some were in civilian suits, but the majority were high-ranking officers, representing all the services.
The colonel and the major appeared to know quite afew of them, and Grace stood slightly behind them while they were introduced to everyone else.
‘Please take your seats, gentlemen,’ the man at the head of the table said. ‘We are pleased you have been able to join us. Your experiences in the field will be a great help.’
The colonel sat down while Dan found Grace a chair in the corner of the room.
‘Major Chester, the young lady will not be allowed to stay.’
‘Mrs Lincoln is my personal aide who has full clearance to handle secret information. She will be making notes for my future reference.’ He then walked calmly to his place at the table.
Grace stayed where she was, aware that every eye in the room