Chapter 20. Market garden

The next morning Finn and Nain Joan to a farmers

market in town. The markets were held every weekend

in a paddock near the train station.

As Nain Joan looked at the caged birds, Finn heard

the stall holders talking amongst themselves.

This was going to be the last market for awhile until

somewhere else could be found to set up - the army wanted

to use the open paddock space.

"This War is going to bring food shortages." Nain Joan said.

Finn had noticed the freshly turned garden beds and newly

built chicken coops in the house yard.

"Who's going to work the farms and get the crops in when

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all you men go off to your War, and it won't just be England

either, it'll be all the European countries that are involved.

even the folk in Germany."

That was something Finn hadn't considered.

He was still thinking about it as he walked back up the

hill carrying bags of market produce.

He helped set up a trestle table undercover at the back

of the house and watched as Nain Joan sorted out the

different vegetables. Some to go into the garden beds as

root stock, the others to go into the kitchen pantries.

''Hello, is anybody home?"

There was some one at the front door.

"Coming." Nain Joan called out.

"Go and see who that is Finn will you. If it's the market

people with the hens, tell them to come around the side

of the house." Finn wiped his hands and went to see.

At the front door he was surprised to see a school friend

he hadn't seen since they'd both left to go to university.

''Hello Bish."

Bish smiled. "I thought I saw you and Nain Joan at the

markets this morning."

"Still studying Law at Cambridge?" Finn asked.

"I am, or rather I was. I enlisted. My call up is at the end of

next week. Are you still at Oxford?"

"I enlisted too." Finn said." My call up is in a few days."

"We're having bit of a get together up at the house. Most of

the family have moved back here to St.Ives to get out of the

way of all the War business in London. It would be great

if you could come along tonight."

"Thanks for invite Bish, but I was planning a quiet night in."

Bish grinned. "My sisters have invited quite a few of their

unattached female friends."

"Have they now?" Nain Joan said.

Finn laughed, of course she was standing behind him.

"It's very nice to see you again Nain Joan."

"And you too Bish."

Nain Joan produced a bottle of whiskey from behind her

back and handed it to him. "Finn will be there at eight."

*