Chapter One

Once there were two sisters whose names were Rebecca and Joyce Anderson. They lived in a small city on London's outskirts with their Mum while their Father was off fighting in the war. Rebecca was the eldest, with long golden hair that always shimmered in the sun and she was a growing artist. Joyce, who preferred to be called Joy because Joyce was her Great-Aunt's name and Joy did not like her much, had a blonde bob and spent a lot of time getting into trouble herself and trying to stay out of trouble from her Mum and sister.

World War Two had started some time ago, and now the Nazis were increasing their bombing of London and the surrounding cities, leaving ruin and death in their wake. A program was set up to send children out of London to live with families in the country until the air raids stop, and that was how Rebecca and Joy found themselves standing on the platform with their Mum. Suitcases sat cluttered around the girl's feet. Joy looked nervously around at the other families on the platform. Beside Joy, Rebecca was sliding her bobby pins back into her hair to try and keep it out of her face.

"Mum, do we really have to go?" asked Joy. "I don't want to leave Harold behind." Harold was the old cat who lived under their back porch, and Joy was the only one who could get close to him without him scratching her. "And what about Father? If he was here-"

"Joy-" Rebecca gave her a warning look.

"Now Joy," Mum cut her off. "Enough about Father." She knelt in front of Joy and used a safety pin to attach the tag with her address on one side and her destination on another to her coat. "Don't you worry about Harold. He can take care of himself." Once the tag was firmly attached Mum stood up, her lovely blonde hair falling in her face. Joy always thought Mum looked like a glamourous movie star with her hair down and curled around her shoulders.

"Joy," Mum gently took her chin in her hand "I want you to listen to Rebecca, and try not to cause too much trouble for the Professor." Mum winked, obviously trying to cheer her up but Joy only nodded and let her eyes return to the floor.

"Rebecca," Mum hugged her tightly and said something softly in her ear, but Joy wasn't listening. She hated good-byes. Her thoughts slowly turned to her last good-bye; her best friend Timothy. One day he was at school, they walked home together like everything was normal and then an air raid happened that night.

Tim did not make it to school the next day. And also, Father was out there-

Tears pricked her eyes. Joy picked up her suitcase. "Let's go then," she said in a choked voice. Rebecca let go of Mum and picked up her own things. They made their way through the crowd of children and mothers to a stout woman with a blonde bob, a conductor's cap and uniform.

She looked at their tags and took the ticket envelope from Rebecca's hand, and they headed past the barrier and for the train door. Joy looked back, looking for Mum in the crowd of mothers. Rebecca grabbed her hand. "Come on Joy, the two of us have to stick together now. It will be fine, just you-" Joy pulled her hand away, ignoring her, and stepped onto the train.

Another waiting conductor with a thick brown mustache ushered them to a compartment with a sliding glass door and told them to stay there for the trip. The moment he closed the door Joy felt trapped. This was really happening, they were leaving Mum to go live with total strangers.

Rebecca took the suitcase from her and stored it on the shelf over their heads and sat down next to the window with her sketchpad. Joy slowly opened the window to the compartment and looked at the crowd of mothers. "Where's Mum? Where's Mum?" she muttered to herself over and over again. She finally spotted that brown felt hat and started waving frantically.

"Good-bye Mummy, I love you!" Mum saw her and waved back.

"Joy sit down! The train could start moving at any moment." Rebecca made a grab for her arm. Joy continued waving and stepped out of range. "Joyce!" Joy glared at Rebecca.

"Rebecca, don't call me that! You know how I hate it." She sat down across from her and stuck her lower lip out in a pout. Rebecca sighed.

"Joyce would you please stop acting immature and act your age?" Ever prim and proper, Rebecca remained seated, legs crossed like a proper young lady, sketching in her sketchpad.

"Would you please stop acting like Mum by telling me what to do?" retorted Joy.

"Do you think Mum would like us arguing when the train hasn't even left the station?" countered Rebecca. That statement made both girls grow quiet. Joy hated to admit it, but Rebecca had a point.

Joy peeked out the window again. Mum was still on the platform, trying to keep a brave face, but Joy could see she was trying not to cry. Rebecca was sketching, looking from the window to the page over and over again, but what else was new? Rebecca was always drawing.

The train whistle blew outside. The pistons squeaked. The car jolted, throwing Joy back against her seat, and then the platform started pulling away. Suddenly Rebecca dropped her pencil and waved out the window. "Bye Mum! I love you!"

"Bye Mummy!" Joy stood and waved next to her. Mum waved back, tears falling into her smile. Another woman with brown hair came up next to her. Mum looked at her and seemed surprised, but quickly shook the other woman's hand, smiling. Then both resumed waving at the train. Joy looked out the window and down the length of the train. And all down the train at every window there were hands waving at the crowd of mothers, all children heading to who knows where.

"Ahem." Rebecca and Joy tore their gaze away from the open window and saw the conductor standing at the door of their compartment. "I hope you girls won't mind sharing."

"No, of course not sir," said Rebecca. She grabbed the suitcase off the luggage rack above her head and moved it to the other one above Joy's. Then she sat down next to Joy, who was now seated looking out the window. Slowly, four children entered the compartment.

There's two boys and two girls, the older two looked to be about Rebecca's age while the younger brother looked about Joy's age and the younger girl looked a little younger than Joy herself. They don't say anything, but the youngest girl gave Rebecca and Joy slight smiles. The oldest boy put one of their suitcases on the luggage rack then reached for the other one but the other boy refused and put it away himself. He then sulked to the other window seat and sat down. The two girls sat down beside him and the oldest boy wound up next to Rebecca, who quickly closed her sketchpad and pulled out a book instead.

No one said a word as the train pulled out of the city. Factories and flats turned into rolling hills and never-ending forests lining the track. Joy stared as the scenery passed, trying not to think about where they were going. It seemed like talking about where they were going would make the circumstances real. Joy still wanted to believe it was a bad dream. Deep down, she was feeling bad for all the rotten things she did to Mum. Maybe she should have apologized before they left, and she stared out the window with guilt. Her thoughts slowly turned to the destination of the trip.

A professor, who apparently lived in a large mansion in the country with his housekeeper called Mrs. Macready, and three servants. Joy only wanted the train to turn back and they could go home, all of the children on this train. Mum's words come back to her: "Listen to Rebecca, and try not to cause too much trouble." Joy sighed sadly, clasped her hands in her lap and tried to focus on the scenery passing the window. Then the train started slowing down.

The conductor passed the compartment in the hallway, calling out the name of the next stop. Behind him came two children carrying bundles and walking rather quickly to keep up with the conductor. A few minutes passed before the children appeared outside Joy's window. An older couple met the children and after inspecting them, headed them off towards a waiting wagon. The younger boy across from Joy looked around at his siblings, and Rebecca gently pulled Joy back so she would not be plastered against the window anymore.

The train pulled away from the station, and Joy moved back to the window. If Rebecca can read, I can look out the window. But all the scenery looked the same, same hills and valleys, and distant mountains which seemed to be coming closer all the time.

Hours passed, tea was brought around on a trolley but no one was really hungry. After noticing Rebecca had been staring at the same page for ten minutes, Joy realized she was nervous too. What would the professor be like? Would he be sweet like Grandpa, or grumpy like Great-Uncle Charles? Even if he was like Grandpa Joy was determined not to like him, she wanted to go home. Joy slumped in her seat, receiving a sharp elbow in the ribs from Rebecca.

"Coombe Halt!" The conductor slid open the compartment door. "The Anderson's and Pevensie's?"

"Yes?" said the older boy. Rebecca closed her book. The others in the compartment sat up straighter, except for the boy slumped against the window.

"Time to go." He stepped back out into the hallway, and the children gathered together their luggage. Joy grabbed her suitcase first and headed out into the hallway. The conductor stared straight ahead, not returning Joy's slight smile. The other children filed out around her and the conductor led them down the hallway.

Joy ended up walking next to the sulking boy as they approached the car door. She gave him a smile, hoping to make a friend, but he only scowled and stood by himself against the train wall. The train slowed down again, and steam whooshed into the air as it came to a complete stop.

"Off you go," the conductor stood close behind them. Rebecca grabbed Joy's hand and stepped down onto the wooden platform of the country station. The thud of footsteps behind her told Joy the others were getting off too. The whistle blew again, and the train pulled away from the platform.

The children stood in a line facing the large wooden sign: Coombe Halt, painted on a black board. No one moved, as if taking one step would bring their potentially horrible fate crashing down on them. Finally, Rebecca took a step forward.

Honk. A car.

The children leapt to life, grabbing their belongings and running down the steps. The car kept on honking, and drove right past the children, rumbled across the tracks, and continued down the dirt road. They all looked in the direction the car came from. No other approaching cars.

"The professor knew we were coming," said the older girl. The grumpy boy looked down at his tag.

"Perhaps we've been incorrectly labelled," he said. Joy looked at her own.

"Not likely," stated Joy. All the children looked at her.

"Joyce," warned Rebecca. Joy rolled her eyes at her when a "Come on," caught everyone's attention.

A horse-drawn wagon slowly approached the children. It was being drawn by a large white horse, with long hair around its hooves, and blinders around its eyes like they used forty years ago. The driver is a lady, who wore a brown woolen coat, wire-rimmed glasses and a felt hat with a wide brim. There was something no-nonsense about her as she pulled the horse to a stop. "And whoa, whoa," she said with a stern, monotone voice. The wagon stopped. The woman stared at the children, scrutinizing them, and all the children looked nervously at one another. Finally, the older boy spoke.

"Mrs. Macready?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so," spoke the woman matter-of-factly. "Is this it then?" she gestured to their luggage "Haven't you brought anything else?"

"No ma'am, its just us." His youngest sister nodded fearfully.

"Small favours," said Mrs. Macready. She nodded towards the back of the wagon with a half smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. The children made their way to the back of the wagon and loaded in the luggage first.

The oldest brother named Peter helped his sisters Susan and Lucy in first. His brother Edmund tried to get in next but Peter held him back so Rebecca and Joy could climb in next. All the girls had taken the seats so Peter and Edmund had to sit on the floor. And then they were off.

The wagon rumbled over the dirt road, and every rock and rut that the wheels hit could be felt by all the passengers. The squeak of the leather harness and the groaning of the wood filled the air, which left all the children silently waiting their fate.

Lucy kept on staring at the horse with a look of complete terror, until the large house came into view. Joy gripped the side of the wagon so as not to fall on the sulking Edmund sitting by her feet. Peter was looking around at his siblings, who were either fidgeting with their fingers and staring silently at everything around them. Rebecca was gripping the wagon seat beside her, staring at her bag as if she wanted to get her book out. That was when Joy noticed the building rising up out of the trees in front of them.

It was a huge mansion, with three levels to the house. Stained glass windows and balconies could be seen on the upper levels, stables were to the right of the house, and extensive grounds could be seen around the house. Grounds that included gardens, rivers, lakes, valleys, forests, and even mountains behind the house. Joy smiled at the thought of exploring, getting lost, Rebecca's face when she would find out. A chuckle down by her feet made Joy look down, and see Edmund smirking up at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and that was when the wagon came to a stop in front of the house.

Mrs. Macready stepped down from the wagon seat and tied the reins to a hitching post. "All of you, step down please." The children slowly climbed out, dragging their luggage with them. Peter helped the girls down, including Rebecca and Joy. Joy stumbled in the dirt while Rebecca landed gracefully, always the lady, and she blushed as Peter helped her down. Joy couldn't wait to tease her about that.

The housekeeper ordered the children to pick up their bags and led them into the entrance way of the house. The children wiped their feet on the mat, also Mrs. Macready's order, and then they headed for the stairs. "Now, Professor Kirke is not accustomed to havin' children in this house." She sounded like she was giving a lecture, which made Joy instantly dislike the woman. The children stared at the large entry way.

A dark wooden staircase went up to a landing and branched off to the left and right wings of the house. The same dark wood was lining the walls, with different historical artifacts placed around the room and hung up on the walls, and a large colourful carpet lay on the floor. It reminded Joy of a museum, only it didn't feel as dead and hollow. All the while, Mrs. Macready continued on with her lecture.

"And as such, there are a few rules we need to follow." Joy rolled her eyes and sighed, hoping she would still be able to have some fun while living here. "There will be no shoutin'," Mrs. Macready turned sharply around in Susan's face, making the group halt "or runnin'." She continued up the stairs and the children followed slowly. "No improper use of the dumbwaiter."

At the top of the stairs Susan spotted a marble bust and reached out to touch it. "No!" They all froze again. "Touching of the historical artifacts!" Peter, Edmund and Joy grinned while Rebecca and Lucy tried to hide their smiles. Susan sighed, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"And above all, there shall be no disturbing, of the professor," her voice dropped off to a whisper as she finished the sentence. She gestured to the door beside her, which was at the top of the stairs, then continued walking. She led the children through an alcove and up another set of stairs.

At the top of the stairs, she gave the boys the first room, Susan and Lucy the second, and Rebecca and Joy the room at the end of the hall. "Dinner will be served at six o'clock sharp, and no one must be late." She then walked down the hallway and went downstairs.

Rebecca and Joy walked into their room slowly. There were dark gray curtains on the windows, one bed and a large oak dresser in the corner. There was also a fireplace with two highbacked armchairs sitting in front of it. Rebecca placed her suitcase on the bed. "Well so far it doesn't seem so bad."

"Sure Rebecca, no running or shouting." Joy frowned as she unpacked her things. "And four others who don't seem to like us very much."

"Well Lucy and Peter seemed nice," Joy rolled her eyes "but that Edmund," she shook her head "I don't know about him."

"Peter only seems nice because you have taken a fancy to him." Rebecca shook her head.

"Don't be ridiculous," she mumbled and she shoved the empty suitcase under the bed, then placed her sketchpad next to the bed. Joy pulled a small picture frame out of her suitcase.

"Rebecca? What do you think Mum is doing right now?" Rebecca sat down on the bed slowly, as if deep in thought, her open sketchpad in her lap.

"Mum would be working at the factory by now," said Rebecca wistfully "and she would be missing us terribly." Joy sighed.

"I miss Mum," said Joy quietly. She quickly set the picture frame on top of the dresser and stepped back to admire it. "Remember when we took this picture?" Rebecca got off the bed and walked over, standing beside her.

"Yes," Rebecca smiled wistfully "that was our last vacation together before Father was drafted, two summers ago." Joy stepped away from Rebecca and picked up the folded blouses out of her suitcase. "I miss Father," said Rebecca, still staring at the picture frame.

"I miss Father too, I wish this war would end." Joy closed the last dresser drawer and put her suitcase under the bed.

"Me too Joy, me too." Rebecca hugged her tightly. "But while we're here, let's get along."

"Sure Rebecca, I promise I won't put any spiders in your bed or make fun of you and Peter." Rebecca blushed while they shook hands in truce, then smirked like she had an idea.

"Alright," she paused "Joyce."

"No!" Joy yanked her hand away. Rebecca started laughing hysterically. "Not that!" said Joy, her annoyed tone dissolving into giggles. It felt like the two of them hadn't really laughed together in a long time, maybe their stay at the professor's wouldn't be so bad after all. Joy took a look at Rebecca's sketches before they headed down to the dining room and saw a pencil sketch of Mum on the platform, and an outline of a uniform cap and face; Father.

Dinner passed quietly, with no sign of the professor. After dinner, Mrs. Macready ordered all the children to go straight to their rooms and not to make too much noise or stay up late talking. Before going to bed, Joy made splendid plans to go exploring in the woods, maybe she would talk the cook, Betty, into packing her a basket lunch. Joy smiled to herself as she got under the dark blue covers.

Tomorrow would be the start of all her adventures, she was certain of that.