Page 5 of The Unknown Birds

“East Surrey Regiment. I haven’t got a proper kit for you. The jacket and cap will have to do. Bring every pair of socks you own. The quarter bloke will give you the rest when you arrive.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Can you be on the five o’clock train from King’s Cross to Folkestone Harbor?”

“Tonight, sir?”

He blinked at her. “You’d prefer I have them hold the ship until a more convenient time? Yes, tonight!”

Ship? “I thought⁠—”

“Don’t think, Private Ashley. You’re in the army now.”

Physical exam aside, Charley wasn’t surprised it had been so easy. In fact, the ease merely reinforced her certainty she was doing exactly the right thing, like providence had somehow intervened. Though, she was surprised to be leaving England quite so soon.

“You can’t leave tonight,” her mother cried. “I thought we’d have more time.”

“Orders are orders,” she said, trying to swallow down her mother’s anxiety along with her own as she searched her bureau for socks.

“When have you ever taken orders in your life?” her mother snapped.

It stung as much as any slap. Charley was headstrong, but she’d always tried to be good.

“I’m sorry,” her mother said, stepping towards her. “I’m sorry, my darling, I’m upset, I…” She pulled Charley into an embrace and held her tight, stroking her newly shorn hair. Then she stepped back, holding her at arm’s length, tsking her tongue and shaking her head.

“This will never do.”

“What?”

“That,” she said, nodding at Charley’s chest. “You’re a young woman. Someone’s going to catch you out, especially as you grow.”

Frowning, Charley looked down at her unimpressive bosom. “It can’t be helped,” she called after her mother, who returned a few moments later with several rolls of bandages made from rags.

“You were saving those for the Red Cross,” Charley said, perplexed.

“I was saving them for soldiers. Top off,” she ordered, and once Charley lowered the overall straps and unbuttoned her shirt, her mother pointed to her under garments. “You cannot go to war in a brassiere.”

Instead, they wrapped the bandages around her chest so the shirt fell flat. Her mother gave her three additional rolls to use for her monthlies, then helped her gather every pair of socks in their small flat.

“You will come back to me?” she whispered as they embraced.

Charley nodded, swallowing hard.

“I’ll strangle Charles if I ever find him,” her mother muttered, turning towards the window to hide her tears.

“That would rather defeat the purpose of all this,” Charley teased, relieved when her voice didn’t wobble.

“Shall I go with you?”

“You can come to King’s Cross if you can bear it.”

And so she did, holding tight to Charley’s hand the whole way there.

Her mother took a shuddering breath as the train drew near. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

“I think we both know it is,” Charley said, squeezing her tight, making her huff out a laugh more like a sob.

“You’ll write to me?” she demanded, and Charley nodded.