Happy Endings .sx Patsy's mother had never talked about her time in the French Resistance - it was too long ago , she said , and best forgotten .sx But it was Patsy's job to uncover what others wanted to hide .sx .. SHE stood in the churchyard looking at the headstone .sx It still looked new despite the fact that it had been there five years .sx it didn't seem real .sx Real gravestones had patches of lichen and you could only just read the words .sx But this one showed a rather bland face to the world and the words were as legible as when it came from the mason's yard .sx It said , quite simply - " Jessica Mansell - 1917-1975 - much loved mother of Patricia .sx " She was Patricia .sx At the mason's yard they had shown her a list of additional lines that she could choose .sx They ranged from " Requiescat in Pace " to " Safe in Jesus' arms " .sx And she'd hated herself for mentally querying where the apostrophe should go on Jesus' .sx She refused them all .sx Not just because they were so trite but because they were meaningless .sx If you're what they call a photojournalist you've seen enough dead bodies to now that it takes more than a few words on a gravestone to sum up what that life had been .sx As she walked away she was sad that even those words - " much loved mother " - were not entirely true .sx She had been fond of her mother but she hadn't loved her .sx Not because of any defect in her mother but because her mother didn't want to be loved .sx It was as if she feared being loved , wrapping a cloak of scorn for sentiment and outward affection around herself as if it might protect her from those payments that love required .sx She was a good woman , her mother , efficient organiser , seldom critical and always ready with good advice and solutions to problems .sx But she had no close friend .sx Plenty of acquaintances but that was as far as it went .sx Dependent on nobody right to the end of her life .sx She could remember journalists phoning or calling at the house wanting to do pieces about her mother's time in Special Operations Executive during the war , heroine of the Resistance and all that .sx Her mother had sent them packing , one and all , on their way .sx She said it was all too long ago and was best forgotten .sx But now it was her turn .sx She'd been commissioned to write up the story of what had happened to her mother's Resistance group .sx She wondered sometimes if her mother's attitude to life was caused by what Jessica had told her on her fifteenth birthday .sx The present of the camera that Patsy had wanted so desperately and then the talk , sitting together at the kitchen table , her mother obviously disturbed .sx She worked in the darkroom that night until 2 am on the prints she had done to go with her long interview with a well-known woman novelist .sx She had phoned her researcher as soon as she got back from her agent and she was tempted to phone him again , but after midnight was not a popular time for business calls .sx She hadn't been able to give him much to work on , her mother's name and date of birth and a vague memory that her mother had said that the network was code-named 'Monarch' .sx Then , thinking about it triggered something in her memory .sx She walked into her own bedroom and checked through the drawers in the mahogany chest and found the chocolate box .sx Sitting on the side of the bed she opened it carefully and took out the contents .sx There was an officially phrased letter in French from the French Embassy informing her mother that she had been nominated for the award of a Croix de Guerre .sx Could she please confirm that she would accept the award ?sx There was a copy of the polite reply from her mother , declining .sx There were four picture postcards of the same place , a restaurant with a bridge in the background .sx The first card had a brief message in French in an awkward sort of script .sx It said , simply , " Je t'aime ju'squa bout de ma vie .sx " The postmark was Perigord and the date stamp was July , 1952 .sx The illustration was an old-fashioned sepia photograph .sx The other cards were of the same place but with no message and no postmark .sx There was one card that looked more modern and was in colour .sx The address on the first card was a flat that she and her mother had lived in at one time in Chiswick .sx As she undressed for bed she realised that that talk in the kitchen with her mother all those years ago was going to be a problem .sx When she got up the next morning there was a message on the answering-machine from her researcher for her to ring him .sx WHEN she called him he had got three addresses for her , a man and a woman in England and a woman in France .sx When she asked him how he had traced them so quickly he had laughed and told her not to press the point .sx The first house was in one of the few surviving Chelsea squares .sx She walked up the six stone steps and pressed the bell beside the impressive oak door and waited .sx A few moments later the door was opened by a young woman .sx " Can I help you ?sx " .sx " I'd like to speak to Mary Parsons if it's convenient .sx " .sx The young woman frowned .sx " There's no Mary Parsons lives here , you must have the wrong address .sx " .sx As Patsy tried to speak she saw a figure behind the young woman .sx It was a much older woman who said , " Did you say Mary Parsons ?sx " .sx " Yes .sx " .sx The older woman said , " It's all right Julie .sx I'll deal with it .sx " .sx As the young woman walked away Patsy realised that she was a maid .sx " I think you must be looking for me .sx I'm Mary Renshaw .sx " She smiled .sx " But long , long ago I was Mary Parsons .sx How can I help you ?sx " .sx " My name's Patricia Mansell and I'm writing a book about one of the SOE networks .sx I was given your name as somebody who could help me .sx " .sx " Good heavens .sx Surely people are tired of reading about the Second World War .sx " .sx Patsy smiled .sx " My publishers don't seem to think so .sx " .sx " Are you a specialist on these things ?sx " .sx I'm a journalist but my mother was in SOE during the war .sx " .sx " Really .sx What was her name ?sx " .sx " Jessica Mansell .sx " .sx The woman's hand went to her mouth .sx " Not Jessie .sx " She paused .sx " You must come in and have a cup of tea while we chat .sx " .sx She was led through a tiled hall into a small room and when they were seated , and the maid had brought them tea , Mary Renshaw said , " And how is Jessica these days ?sx " .sx " She died just over five years ago .sx She had a fall and it led to pneumonia .sx " .sx " I'm so sorry .sx We met quite by accident about ten years ago at the Special Forces Club .sx It was some sort of reunion for SOE people who'd served in France .sx She was such a treasure , and so deceptive .sx So quiet and unassuming but time and again she took risks to make sure some operation was successful .sx " She smiled .sx " Very feminine but as bold as any of the men .sx " She paused .sx " So what can I do to help you ?sx " .sx Patsy laughed softly and shrugged her shoulders .sx " Tell me how you got into SOE and what you had to do .sx " .sx " I had an interview at the St Ermin's Hotel .sx They knew that I was brought up in France .sx They said they wanted people for the Resistance in France .sx Was I willing to go ?sx I said yes and then they sent me for training .sx " .sx " What sort of training ?sx " .sx " They sent me to Beaulieu , a big estate in Hampshire .sx I learned about explosive , weapons , how to use a radio , map-reading , how to do surveillance .sx I did a parachute course at Ringway , which is Manchester airport now .sx I had lectures on the German Intelligence Services .sx All sorts of things .sx " .sx " How long did it take ?sx " .sx " Almost six months .sx " .sx " Was Mama with you at Beaulieu ?sx " .sx " Yes .sx We joined the same day .sx " .sx " Then what ?sx " .sx " We were told that we'd be parachuted into the Dordogne to join the Monarch network .sx We were dropped about a month later with false names and false papers .sx " .sx " Were you scared ?sx " .sx She laughed .sx " Not so much scared as annoyed .sx " .sx " Why annoyed ?sx " .sx " Because it seemed bad enough to be dropped into enemy occupied territory without having to go on and make a nuisance of ourselves with the Germans " She laughed .sx " And we both resented the fact that the aircrew would go back to bacon and eggs and a warm bed with us stuck in some cold , wet field in the middle of the night .sx " .sx " What was the network's job ?sx " .sx " Well , I was a radio operator so I didn't take part in actual operations .sx But they had two main tasks - sabotage and training the resistance fighters .sx " .sx " What did my mother do ?sx " .sx " She was a sabotage expert showing people how to use plastic explosives to wreck locomotives , blow up trains and buildings and bridges .sx They were blowing up a bridge when the Germans surrounded us .sx " .sx " What did the Germans do ?sx " .sx " I don't know about the others , we were all split up .sx I was in prison in Paris .sx I was interrogated and I was liberated when de Gaulle took Paris .sx " She smiled .sx " More interrogation and then I was sent back to London and demobilised with a small gratuity .sx " .sx " Did you meet any of the others after the war ?sx " .sx " Just your mother and Percy Spencer .sx Tom Willis the CO went missing believed killed .sx Of course most of the network were French .sx " .sx " What sort of man was Percy Spencer ?sx " .sx She smiled .sx " He's still around .sx Lives in Sussex .sx I'll give you his address and you can meet him and form your own opinion .sx Very military , didn't think much of the French but loved France .sx " .sx " And Tom Willis , what was he like ?sx " .sx Patsy held her breath as Mary Renshaw hesitated before replying .sx " If I say he was very English it would be stupid because he was a Scot .sx Cool and calm , never panicked .sx " .sx " I was given the name of Anne-Marie Simon .sx Do you remember her ?sx " .sx " Yes .sx Very pretty .sx She was a courier .sx She married one of the Frenchmen after the war .sx " .sx " I was told she lives in Paris .sx " .sx " ACTUALLY I've no idea but she was originally from the network's area in the Dordogne .sx She came from Perigueux .sx Nice girl .sx Tougher than she looks .sx " She laughed .sx " I talk as if we are all still young girls .sx She must be a grandmother by now .sx " .sx " What did you do after the war ?sx " .sx " I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that .sx " .sx " Why ?sx " .sx " I made a bit of a mess of things .sx I tried to settle down but I couldn't I suppose I ought to be ashamed to say it but I missed the excitement .sx I married but it didn't work out .sx I got a job on a cruise boat to see the world .sx I taught parachuting .sx I taught riding .sx Horse-riding .sx Then mercifully I met my husband .sx " She smiled and shrugged .sx " And thanks to him I lived happily ever after .sx " .sx " Could I take a few photographs of you while the light's still so good .sx " .sx " Yes .sx If you want .sx " .sx When the photographs were taken Patsy had a thought .sx " Do you have any photographs of you when you were in SOE ?sx " .sx " I've got one of a bunch of us at Beaulieu .sx " .sx " May I see it ?sx " .sx " Of course .sx " .sx When she came back with the postcard-size photograph Patsy felt a pang as she saw her mother , smiling and pretty in her FANY uniform .sx She and Mary Parsons looked about eighteen but they must have been in their early twenties .sx " Could I borrow it ?sx " .sx " You can keep it , I've got another .sx " .sx As they walked together to the door Mary Parsons put her hand on Patsy's arm and said quietly , " She was a good women your mother .sx