The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Maggie came home briefly at Easter. She was shocked by how much work I
was doing, and also by the state the stables and house were in. Her house, not
Susan’s. “I’ve told Mum we’ve got to shut up most of the rooms,” she said.
I’d learned that Maggie was twelve years old. Top of her form in her current
school, though she’d move to a different school for older girls next year.
“Trying to keep on as we always have without enough staff is pointless. And
Grimes must have help, or he’ll drop over dead. It’s not that you’re not
wonderful,” she added, cutting off my protests, “but it’s ridiculous; you’ll
drop dead too. She’s still paying a gardener. He can help Grimes, and we’ll
turn the park into crops. We’re supposed to be doing that anyhow.”
I nodded. Susan had hired the vicar’s gang of boys to dig up most of what
was left of our back garden, and cut out the bushes in the front. We were
planning a big Victory Garden, potatoes and turnips and carrots, Brussels
sprouts and peas. Susan had already planted lettuce seeds on the dirt covering
the roof of our shelter. Jamie was agitating for chickens, since eggs were
getting scarce.
“Most of the evacuees in town are gone,” Maggie added. “Mum said so. It
makes her feel she hasn’t done her job properly. Do you think you’ll leave?”
I shook my head. “Our mum thinks we’re safer here.” I’d written to
Maggie several times over the winter, but not once had I been able to tell her
about Mam’s disappearance. I didn’t want Maggie to see me as rubbish, easy
to throw away. “Friday’s my birthday party,” I added. “Will you come to tea?
We’re going to pretend I’m turning eleven.”
Maggie already knew about my real birthday and my pretend birthday, but
she still looked startled. “I thought you were eleven already,” she said. “You
seem older than ten, even though you’re small.”
This pleased me. “Really? Maybe you should tell Susan. Maybe we should
pretend I’m twelve.”
Maggie ignored this. “I’ll be glad to come to the party. Home’s dreadful,
you can’t imagine. I’ve never liked school, but now home’s worse. Mum’s in
a funk all the time.”
Every time I saw Lady Thorton she seemed in constant motion, making
lists, chivvying volunteers, commanding the WVS. When I said so, Maggie
grimaced.