the Heligan employee seemed to regard his errand as being of great importance and Perys kept his thoughts to himself.
‘You’d better be on your way - although I doubt whether you’ll find anyone interested in moving the Tremayne boat right now,’ he said. ‘When we left Mevagissey all the able-bodied men were at sea, salvaging what they could from the Russian ship.’
When the gardener had gone, Morwenna asked, ‘What does it all mean, Perys? I mean, what the gardener was saying? What will actually happen if the Germans refuse to leave Belgium by midnight?’
‘I suppose we will go to war,’ Perys replied. ‘Though I doubt very much if it will come to that. The Germans have threatened war on more than one occasion. They will back down when they realise our government means what it says. Mind you, if there is a war I should be able to get into the army far more quickly than I expected - then into the Royal Flying Corps. They will want all the men they can get.’ Echoing the earlier thoughts of Maude, he added, ‘The trouble is, all the excitement will probably be over before I even start my training . . .’
* * *
‘. . . It would be downright foolish to underestimate the Germans and their army. They laid their plans for a war very carefully many years ago. We will beat them eventually, of course, but it will be a bitter struggle while it lasts. This is a sad day for all the countries involved.’
In the sitting-room at Heligan, Maude was holding forth. Now in dry clothes, Perys was acutely aware of his heavily bandaged hands. Such an inconvenience could hardly have come at a more inopportune time. Nevertheless, he would not allow it to interfere with his plans.
‘I will ride to Bodmin tomorrow,’ he said. ‘If the Germans fail to respond to the deadline the army will need every man they can get. I might be able to join before the year is over.’
‘Why is everyone so anxious to go off to war ... to fight?’ Arabella was visibly upset. The knowledge that her father had been killed in the Boer War had coloured the whole of her young life and she found the thought of Perys going away to war distressing.
Embarrassed by Arabella’s concern for him, Perys excused himself from the company of the three women by saying he was going to the stables to ensure there would be a horse available to him in the morning.
When he had gone, Maude said to her daughters, ‘Hopefully war might yet be averted. News of what is happening came from your cousin Rupert, fresh from the War Office in London. Senior officers there believe that when the Germans realise Britain is serious in its intentions, they will seek peace. Even if they do not, our generals are convinced that any fighting will be over by Christmas. I personally think our military men unduly optimistic, but who am I to argue with their views? Now, let us put all talk of war to one side. Tell me more of your adventures in Mevagissey. Everyone in the house heard the commotion, and the servants told me a ship had exploded at sea. I also learned you were both of great assistance to the doctor in treating the injured. But I was not aware Perys was so closely involved too! You must tell me everything about it . . .’
Chapter 10
Germany did not comply with the ultimatum given by the British government. As a result, at 11.05p.m., British time, on Tuesday 4 August, 1914, a declaration of war was handed to the German Ambassador in London.
News of this was obtained by Maude Tremayne in a telephone call to London early the following morning. Perys set out for Bodmin immediately.
The visit to the army barracks left him feeling utterly frustrated and bewildered. His first problem was that nobody knew the whereabouts of Major Stokes, the recruiting officer. The only certainty was that he was not at Bodmin.
The barracks themselves were the scene of chaotic activity. Harassed officers to whom Perys managed to speak seemed to assume that every man not already in uniform
‘You’d better be on your way - although I doubt whether you’ll find anyone interested in moving the Tremayne boat right now,’ he said. ‘When we left Mevagissey all the able-bodied men were at sea, salvaging what they could from the Russian ship.’
When the gardener had gone, Morwenna asked, ‘What does it all mean, Perys? I mean, what the gardener was saying? What will actually happen if the Germans refuse to leave Belgium by midnight?’
‘I suppose we will go to war,’ Perys replied. ‘Though I doubt very much if it will come to that. The Germans have threatened war on more than one occasion. They will back down when they realise our government means what it says. Mind you, if there is a war I should be able to get into the army far more quickly than I expected - then into the Royal Flying Corps. They will want all the men they can get.’ Echoing the earlier thoughts of Maude, he added, ‘The trouble is, all the excitement will probably be over before I even start my training . . .’
* * *
‘. . . It would be downright foolish to underestimate the Germans and their army. They laid their plans for a war very carefully many years ago. We will beat them eventually, of course, but it will be a bitter struggle while it lasts. This is a sad day for all the countries involved.’
In the sitting-room at Heligan, Maude was holding forth. Now in dry clothes, Perys was acutely aware of his heavily bandaged hands. Such an inconvenience could hardly have come at a more inopportune time. Nevertheless, he would not allow it to interfere with his plans.
‘I will ride to Bodmin tomorrow,’ he said. ‘If the Germans fail to respond to the deadline the army will need every man they can get. I might be able to join before the year is over.’
‘Why is everyone so anxious to go off to war ... to fight?’ Arabella was visibly upset. The knowledge that her father had been killed in the Boer War had coloured the whole of her young life and she found the thought of Perys going away to war distressing.
Embarrassed by Arabella’s concern for him, Perys excused himself from the company of the three women by saying he was going to the stables to ensure there would be a horse available to him in the morning.
When he had gone, Maude said to her daughters, ‘Hopefully war might yet be averted. News of what is happening came from your cousin Rupert, fresh from the War Office in London. Senior officers there believe that when the Germans realise Britain is serious in its intentions, they will seek peace. Even if they do not, our generals are convinced that any fighting will be over by Christmas. I personally think our military men unduly optimistic, but who am I to argue with their views? Now, let us put all talk of war to one side. Tell me more of your adventures in Mevagissey. Everyone in the house heard the commotion, and the servants told me a ship had exploded at sea. I also learned you were both of great assistance to the doctor in treating the injured. But I was not aware Perys was so closely involved too! You must tell me everything about it . . .’
Chapter 10
Germany did not comply with the ultimatum given by the British government. As a result, at 11.05p.m., British time, on Tuesday 4 August, 1914, a declaration of war was handed to the German Ambassador in London.
News of this was obtained by Maude Tremayne in a telephone call to London early the following morning. Perys set out for Bodmin immediately.
The visit to the army barracks left him feeling utterly frustrated and bewildered. His first problem was that nobody knew the whereabouts of Major Stokes, the recruiting officer. The only certainty was that he was not at Bodmin.
The barracks themselves were the scene of chaotic activity. Harassed officers to whom Perys managed to speak seemed to assume that every man not already in uniform
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