It was four o’clock. Ann said:
“Have we time for a cup of tea? I was just going to put the kettle on.”
Theoretically,” Roger said, “we’ve got all the time in the world. All the same, I think we’ll skip the tea. There’s an atmosphere about—uneasiness. There must have been some other leaks, and I wonder just how many. Anyway, I shall feel a lot happier when we’re clear of London.”
Ann nodded. “All right.” She walked through to the kitchen. John called after her:
“Anything I can get for you?”
Ann looked back. “I left the kettle full of water. I was just going to put it away.”
That’s our hope,” Roger said. “The feminine stabilizer. She’s leaving her home for ever, but she puts the kettle away. A man would be more likely to kick it round the floor, and then set fire to the house.”
They pulled away from the Custances’ house with John’s car leading, and drove to the north. They were to follow the Great North Road to a point beyond Welwyn and then branch west in the direction of Davey’s school.
As they were passing through East Finchley, they heard the sound of Roger’s horn, and a moment later he accelerated past them and drew up just ahead. As they went past, Olivia, leaning out of the window, called:
“Radio!”
John switched on.
“… emphasized too strongly that there is no basis to any of the rumours that have been circulating. The entire situation is under control, and the country has ample stocks of food.”
The others walked back and stood by the car. Roger said:
“Someone’s worried.”
“Virus-free grain is being planted,” the voice continued, “in several parts of England, Wales, and Scotland, and there is every expectation of a late-autumn crop.”
“Planting in July!” John exclaimed.
“Stroke of genius,” Roger said. “When there’s a rumour of bad news, say that Fairy Godmother is on her way down the chimney. Plausibility doesn’t matter at a time like that.”
The announcer’s voiced changed slightly:
“It is the Government’s view that danger could only arise from panic in the population at large. As a measure towards preventing this, various temporary regulations have been promulgated, and come into force immediately.
The first of these deals with restrictions on movements. Travel between cities is temporarily forbidden. It is hoped that a system of priorities for essential movements will be ready by tomorrow, but the preliminary ban is absolute…”
Roger said: They’ve jumped the gun! Come on—let’s try and crash through. They may not be ready for us yet.”
The two cars drove north again, across the North Circular Road, and through North Finchley and Barnet The steady reassuring voice on the radio continued to drone out regulations, and then was followed by the music of a cinema organ{70}. The streets showed their usual traffic, with people shopping or simply walking about There was no evidence of panic here in the outer suburbs. Trouble, if there were any, would have started in Central London.
They met the road block just beyond Wrotham Park. Barriers had been set up in the road; there were khaki-clad figures on the other side. The two cars halted. John and Roger went over to the road block. Already there were half a dozen motorists there, arguing with the officer in charge. Others, having abandoned the argument, were preparing to turn their cars and drive back.
“Ten bloody minutes!” Roger said. “We can’t have missed it by more; there would have been a much bigger pile-up.”
The officer was a pleasant, rather wide-eyed young fellow, clearly enjoying what he saw as an unusual kind of exercise.
“I’m very sorry,” he was saying, “but we’re simply carrying out orders. No travel out of London is permitted.”
The man who was at the front of the objectors, about fifty, heavily built and darkly Jewish in appearance, said:
“But my business is in Sheffield! I only drove down to London yesterday.”
“You’ll have to listen to the news on the wireless,” the officer said. They’re going to have some kind of arrangements for people like you.”
Roger said quietly: This is no go, Johnny. We couldn’t even bribe him with a mob like this around.”
The officer went on: “Don’t treat this as official, but I’ve been told the whole thing’s only a manoeuvre. They’re trying out panic precautions, just to be on the safe side. It will probably be called off in the morning.”
The heavily built man said: “If it’s only a manoeuvre, you can let a few get through. It doesn’t matter, does it?”
The young officer grinned. “Sorry, it’s as easy to land a general court-martial{71} for dereliction of duty on manoeuvres as it is when there’s a war on! I advise you to go back to town and try tomorrow.”
Roger jerked his head, and he and John began to walk back to the cars. Roger said:
“Very cleverly carried out. Unofficially, only a manoeuvre. That gets over the scruples of the troops. I wonder if they are going to be left to burn with the rest? I suppose so.”
“Worth trying to tell them what’s really happening?”
“Wouldn’t get anywhere. And they might very well run us in for spreading false rumours. That’s one of the new regulations—did you hear it?”
They reached the cars. John said:
Then what do we do? Ditch{72} the cars, and try it on foot, through the fields?”
Ann said: “What’s happening? They won’t let us through?”
“They’ll have the fields patrolled,” Roger said. “Probably with tanks. We wouldn’t have a chance on foot.”
In an edged{73} voice, Ann said: “Then what can we do?”
Roger looked at her, laughing. “Easy, Annie! Everything’s under control.”
John was grateful for the strength and confidence in the laugh. They lightened his own spirits.
Roger said: The first thing to do is get away from here, before we land ourselves in a traffic jam.” Cars were beginning to pile up behind them in the road. “Back towards Chipping Barnet, and there’s a sharp fork to the right We’ll go first. See you there.”
It was a quiet road: urbs in rure{74}. The two cars pulled up in a secluded part of it There were modern detached houses on the other side, but here the road fringed a small plantation.
The Buckleys left their car, and Olivia and Steve got in the back with Ann.
Roger said: “Point one—this road bypasses A.1 and will take us to Hatfield. But I don’t think it’s worth trying it just yet. There’s bound to be a road-block on it, and we would be no more likely to get through it this evening than we should have been on A.1.”
A Vanguard{75} swept past them along the road, closely followed by an Austin{76} which John recognized as having been at the roadblock. Roger nodded after them.
“Quite a few will try it, but they won’t get anywhere.”
Steve said: “Couldn’t we crash one of the barriers, Dad? I’ve seen them on the pictures.”
“This isn’t the pictures,” Roger said. “Quite a few people will be trying to get through the blocks this evening. It will be quieter at night, and better in other ways, too. We’ll keep your car here. I’m taking ours back into Town—and there’s something I think I ought to pick up.”
Ann said: “You’re not going back in there!”
“It’s necessary. I hope I shan’t be more than a couple of hours at the outside.”
John understood Roger too well to think that when he spoke of picking something up he could be referring to an oversight in his original plans. This was a new factor.