The War That Saved My Life

The man Ada reports is a spy, and Ada becomes a hero for her role in his capture. Jamie loves hearing Ada’s spy story again and again. The attention makes Ada uncomfortable, but the story makes Jamie giggle. Her local fame fades away by the end of summer, as Britain makes its first strike against German soil. Grimes finds a piece of a damaged German plane and gives it to Ada for Jamie. Ada finally feels happy as she rides Butter home with the present for her brother. Grimes hasn’t given her permission to try jumping the wall yet, but Ada tries anyway, flying over the wall with Butter for the first time. Her exhilaration at the jump is cut short when she arrives home to find Mam in the back garden with Susan.

Mam doesn’t recognize Ada at first, but she becomes outraged when she realizes that it’s Ada riding a pony, wearing nice clothing, and using crutches to walk. Mam is furious at Ada for wanting an operation to fix her foot and accuses her of thinking she’s above her own mother. Mam tells Susan off and demands that Ada come home with her.