Liverpool, December 8, 1941.
"Mama, we're going over to Rick's place to play in their shelter." Ben told Eliza. "Jessica can walk us over there if you want?"
"Sure, get Jessica to walk you over there." Eliza replied, looking up from the book she was reading. The past few months had been a welcome relief. The Germans had stopped their bombings, and were now concentrating on other areas of the world. In fact a bomb hadn't been dropped since May, so the children were all using the shelters as cubby houses. But Eliza herself hadn't been feeling too well lately, and Jessica had been asked to be more of a nanny to the children than anything else.
A few minutes later Jessica popped her head in the door. "You alright there Ma'am?" She asked.
"Sure Jessica, I'm fine." Eliza said, giving her a weak smile.
After Jessica and the children left Eliza must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew Jessica was returning in a run calling her name "Eliza, Eliza!"
Eliza jumped up. "What is it? Is it the Germans back again? Where are the children?" She cried.
"The children are over at Rick's place. No, it's not the Germans. It's the Japanese- they attacked America yesterday!" Jessica explained.
Eliza sank back into the chair. "They did?" She asked weakly, feeling her heart skip a few beats.
"Mr. Masters told me all about it. Apparently the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor was completely unexpected and they damaged or sunk about 21 of the American battleships. 188 aircraft's were destroyed, and a further 150 or so were also damaged. So far the American death count is just up over 2,000." Jessica explained.
Eliza was shocked. "Why would they do that?" She managed to say. "And what are the Americans saying? Are they involved in the war now?"
"According to Mr. Masters nothing has been said officially, but like he said the Americans are not very likely to take this lying down. More than likely America will declare war on Japan any moment now!" Jessica said.
"Oh god." Eliza moaned. "Jessica, you don't think they'll take Edward to fight do you?"
"With all due respect Ma'am, the Master is hardly up to fighting is he?" Jessica said comfortingly. "No I am sure the Master will be fine."
"Yes of course." Eliza agreed and Jessica left the room to do something up in the nursery.
*****
"Eliza you won't believe the news!" Edward said later that afternoon when he burst into the house. Jessica had gone to collect the children and Eliza was pottering around the house.
"Jessica took the children over to Rick's to play, and Mr. Masters was there and he told her. I can't believe that the Japanese would be so stupid." Eliza said, shaking her head. "Are America in the war now?"
"They're going to declare war on Japan any moment." Edward said, looking at his wife thoughtfully. "But there's something else I want to talk to you about!"
"There is?" Eliza asked, wondering what on earth it could be.
"Eliza, I've noticed you've been looking peaky lately. Are you alright?" Edward asked.
Eliza sighed. "To tell you the truth Edward I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I do feel tired a lot, and sick..."
"Maybe I'll have to take you to the doctors?" Edward suggested.
"No, I'm not sick. I'm just rundown I think." Eliza assured her husband. "And now that America are in the war it's going to make me even worse!"
"Maybe.." Edward agreed. To Eliza he looked as though he were debating whether or not to speak about something. Then he said "I've been thinking that perhaps we should send you and the children out into the country for a bit?"
Eliza frowned. "Why?" She asked bluntly. Surely there wasn't something he wasn't telling her about whether or not she was in danger in Liverpool!
"Because I think you need a holiday. And the country and the fresh air would do you a world of good sweetie. And the children too of course." Edward explained.
"Hmmm." Eliza murmured. "Maybe you're right- maybe that's a good idea. But what about you? I noticed you didn't mention your plans anywhere in there?"
"I couldn't go anywhere of course because of the business. It would be a terrible time to neglect it!" Edward said. "But I don't think that this really matters much anyway, after all you'll only be there a few weeks. And we're not likely to get bombed again with the Germans having their hands full with other matters at the moment."
"I guess it would be a nice change..." Eliza mused.
Edward smiled. He hadn't known that it would be this easy to convince her to go, she must be feeling worse than he knew. But it would do her good, and then she'd come home and be the old Eliza again.
"Mama, we're going over to Rick's place to play in their shelter." Ben told Eliza. "Jessica can walk us over there if you want?"
"Sure, get Jessica to walk you over there." Eliza replied, looking up from the book she was reading. The past few months had been a welcome relief. The Germans had stopped their bombings, and were now concentrating on other areas of the world. In fact a bomb hadn't been dropped since May, so the children were all using the shelters as cubby houses. But Eliza herself hadn't been feeling too well lately, and Jessica had been asked to be more of a nanny to the children than anything else.
A few minutes later Jessica popped her head in the door. "You alright there Ma'am?" She asked.
"Sure Jessica, I'm fine." Eliza said, giving her a weak smile.
After Jessica and the children left Eliza must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew Jessica was returning in a run calling her name "Eliza, Eliza!"
Eliza jumped up. "What is it? Is it the Germans back again? Where are the children?" She cried.
"The children are over at Rick's place. No, it's not the Germans. It's the Japanese- they attacked America yesterday!" Jessica explained.
Eliza sank back into the chair. "They did?" She asked weakly, feeling her heart skip a few beats.
"Mr. Masters told me all about it. Apparently the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor was completely unexpected and they damaged or sunk about 21 of the American battleships. 188 aircraft's were destroyed, and a further 150 or so were also damaged. So far the American death count is just up over 2,000." Jessica explained.
Eliza was shocked. "Why would they do that?" She managed to say. "And what are the Americans saying? Are they involved in the war now?"
"According to Mr. Masters nothing has been said officially, but like he said the Americans are not very likely to take this lying down. More than likely America will declare war on Japan any moment now!" Jessica said.
"Oh god." Eliza moaned. "Jessica, you don't think they'll take Edward to fight do you?"
"With all due respect Ma'am, the Master is hardly up to fighting is he?" Jessica said comfortingly. "No I am sure the Master will be fine."
"Yes of course." Eliza agreed and Jessica left the room to do something up in the nursery.
*****
"Eliza you won't believe the news!" Edward said later that afternoon when he burst into the house. Jessica had gone to collect the children and Eliza was pottering around the house.
"Jessica took the children over to Rick's to play, and Mr. Masters was there and he told her. I can't believe that the Japanese would be so stupid." Eliza said, shaking her head. "Are America in the war now?"
"They're going to declare war on Japan any moment." Edward said, looking at his wife thoughtfully. "But there's something else I want to talk to you about!"
"There is?" Eliza asked, wondering what on earth it could be.
"Eliza, I've noticed you've been looking peaky lately. Are you alright?" Edward asked.
Eliza sighed. "To tell you the truth Edward I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I do feel tired a lot, and sick..."
"Maybe I'll have to take you to the doctors?" Edward suggested.
"No, I'm not sick. I'm just rundown I think." Eliza assured her husband. "And now that America are in the war it's going to make me even worse!"
"Maybe.." Edward agreed. To Eliza he looked as though he were debating whether or not to speak about something. Then he said "I've been thinking that perhaps we should send you and the children out into the country for a bit?"
Eliza frowned. "Why?" She asked bluntly. Surely there wasn't something he wasn't telling her about whether or not she was in danger in Liverpool!
"Because I think you need a holiday. And the country and the fresh air would do you a world of good sweetie. And the children too of course." Edward explained.
"Hmmm." Eliza murmured. "Maybe you're right- maybe that's a good idea. But what about you? I noticed you didn't mention your plans anywhere in there?"
"I couldn't go anywhere of course because of the business. It would be a terrible time to neglect it!" Edward said. "But I don't think that this really matters much anyway, after all you'll only be there a few weeks. And we're not likely to get bombed again with the Germans having their hands full with other matters at the moment."
"I guess it would be a nice change..." Eliza mused.
Edward smiled. He hadn't known that it would be this easy to convince her to go, she must be feeling worse than he knew. But it would do her good, and then she'd come home and be the old Eliza again.