Another bomber was caught in a searchlight beam and Lucy saw small black objects fall from it. The plane began to dive, making no attempt to escape from the probing light. Anti-aircraft shells ringed it as it flew down the shaft of light with small stabs of flame spurting from its nose. It continued down the beam, apparently untouched by the anti-aircraft shells. More flames stabbed from its nose and the plane disappeared into the night as the searchlight failed.
Two orderlies stepped round them and Lucy became aware of the bombs falling in the distance. ‘We should hurry,’ she said. ‘The day shift needs relief.’
Several bombs exploded close by as the sisters began following the orderlies in single file. A high-pitched whistle made Lucy look up and she tripped, falling forward into Vicky,
