The Kitchen Front: A Novel

Gwendoline considers her place among upper-class ladies, who still feel unfamiliar. Audrey arrives and tells her she doesn’t have the capacity to support an evacuee, especially as her house is falling into disrepair. They argue about the cooking contest and their shared past, and Audrey accuses Gwendoline of trying to undermine her because of her grudge against their mother. Gwendoline is unmoved, and Audrey leaves in tears.

Nell considers her first dish for the cooking contest. She decides to reference old recipe books from past generations of household cooks. She and Mrs. Quince look through an ancient recipe book, noting the different spellings and approaches to seasonal cooking. Nell searches for disused herbs in the pantry and together, she and Mrs. Quince decide on a dish of hare with elderberry wine, and Nell agrees to go see Sir Strickland’s farm manager the next day to find a hare. Then, the air raid siren begins, and Nell helps the Stricklands take their belongings into the cellar. She watches the planes and bombs from the window.