Mary was leaning on the ship’s rail, gazing out in wonder at the heaving sea as Plymouth and the shores of England disappeared behind them. A few feet away Iris was leaning over the same rail, but not for the same reason. Her face was almost as green as the undulating waters beneath her. She had not been able to utter a word without retching since they embarked on their most exciting posting since joining the FANYs. The purser had caught Mary’s eye the moment she had ventured outside their cabin, making sure he was always within speaking distance, smiling shyly and looking as if he was desperate to find a way to get to know her without being too obvious. This was the exact opposite to what she had expected, being on a ship full of naval personnel. They had a certain reputation with the ladies that she was hoping to avoid, but the purser had a nice face, so she turned a beaming a smile on him. ‘I’ve been on a ferry boat on the River Tyne,’ she told him, ‘but this is a bit different.’ ‘You’re not scared, are you?’ he said, moving closer to her so that their elbows touched.
