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Chapter 34: Ellie makes an announcement

Before the British Expeditionary Force had left the country, Captain Anthony Neville had grumbled about it to James Thorpe over dinner at their club.

'It's a real nuisance, d'you know? We shall miss the Season, by gad. First we knew of it was when they took all our swords off to be sharpened and we can't draw 'em now till we meet the enemy. That's the orders. And, believe me, we can't wait to go and slice up those evil Russkies and make mincemeat of them. They'll go limping off home and regret the day they ventured out of their holes. We'll get back for Christmas at least. But to miss Ascot ...damned inconvenient!'

When Fred heard his father's account of this conversation, he thought it very amusing and reported it to Ellie. She made no reply and didn't seem to see the joke. But then, he observed, she wasn't very good-humoured at all of late and he vaguely wondered why.