Page 121 of The Gathering Storm

‘That’s why Chamberlain went to Germany, to meet Hitler face to face,’ Richard explained to Cynthia. It was a cool, damp September evening, and Cynthia had had the fire lit. It was burning rather sulkily – the weather had been so warm until now that this was the first fire in months so the chimney was cold and wouldn’t draw properly. She was a little distracted from the conversation by wondering whether to get down on her knees with a sheet of newspaper, or to pile on more coal and hope for the best.

‘It was pretty brave of Chamberlain to fly over there,’ Richard went on. ‘Apparently, he’d never been in an aeroplane before, so you can see how serious he thought the situation was. He and Hitler agreed between them that, to avoid worse problems, the Sudeten Germans should be granted self-determination. Now Chamberlain has to persuade the Czech government to let them go, and in return Hitler promises not to invade.’

Cynthia frowned. ‘That doesn’t sound like a very fair bargain. What right has Hitler got to invade anyway?’

‘The same right as he had in Austria,’ said Richard. ‘The right of arms. He’ll do it because he can.’

‘You don’t think it’s settled, then. You think he will invade?’

Richard stared at the feeble flames. ‘France is bound by treaty to support the Czechs, and we’re bound to support France. If the Czechs let the Sudetenlands go, it will calm things down for a bit, but for how long? We know what Hitler’s ambitions are. And you’ve only got to look at a map. The Czech state is completely surrounded on three sides by Greater Germany. He’ll want to draw that line across the fourth side and have it all.’

‘Countries aren’t a matter of straight lines,’ Cynthia said.

‘I know, dear. I wasn’t being flippant. But that’s how dictators think. They don’t consider real people. It’s toy soldiers on a paper battlefield to them.’

‘Are there Jews in Czechoslovakia?’ she asked, after a moment.

‘Yes,’ he said, having had the same conversation with Samuel earlier that day. ‘I don’t know how many, but I think about three hundred thousand.’

She was silent.

‘Britain and France will warn Hitler of the consequences if he invades Czechoslovakia,’ he said, hoping to reassure her, though it didn’t reassure him. On that day, the 27th of September, the Royal Navy had mobilised. Expectation of war was heavy in the air, like approaching thunder after hot summer days.

She was looking at her hands, clasped in her lap and twisting uncomfortably. ‘I went to see the doctor this morning,’ she said.

War was forgotten. ‘Are you all right? I thought you were looking a bit pale. What did he say?’

Now she looked up. ‘He said I’m going to have a baby.’

He didn’t know what to say. He slipped to his knees in front of her and took her in his arms.

‘Are you pleased?’ she said at last, muffled by his shoulder.

‘Oh, my dear,’ he said, ‘so pleased!’ He set her back a little and scrutinised her. ‘But how are you feeling? Is he worried about you? What did he tell you?’

‘He said I’m all right. He said I must be careful, that’s all. Not to exert myself. Not to lift anything heavy. Are you really pleased?’

He smiled at her. ‘I’m very, very happy. Do your mother and father know?’

‘I haven’t told them yet. I wanted to tell you first.’

‘We’ll tell them together, then. Tomorrow. You’ll have to give up working at the office.’

‘I don’t lift heavy weights at the office,’ she objected.

‘But he said not to exert yourself.’

‘I don’t want to be left here all alone day after day for months and months.’

‘Perhaps you ought to move back in with your parents.’

She gave a painful smile. ‘Don’t be silly. I’ll come to work with you in the car and come back at night. You mustn’t fuss, Richard. Women have been having babies for thousands of years.’

‘But they weren’t you,’ he said, standing up. ‘Shall I make you a cup of tea? Do you want a hot-water bottle?’

‘Just a cup of tea,’ she said, her eyes shining with amusement. ‘Richard!’ She called him as he reached the door, and he turned. ‘I love you,’ she said.

It was not something they commonly said to each other. ‘I love you, too,’ he said.