Evie's War by Anna Mackenzie Page B

any who daily deal with the human tragedy of War to think beyond it. Harry replied, rather sadly, ‘You are very young to deal in tragedy.’ Several of my Officers have commented in a similar vein — yet I am no younger than many of the men who pass through these wards, though they often seem older than their years. Perhaps that is a natural consequence of having seen War face to face.
    When I stood to go Harry asked, slightly desperately, whether I might visit again. Of course I shall, though it feels more like sitting with one of my Officers than with a brother. Sister told me he will be transferred to a Physical Therapy Unit once he is stabilised — about ten days, she thought — after which he will have leave. I have sent a telegram to Father. It would be rather splendid were we to invite Harry to recuperate at Deans Park, but unless Father is willing to lay the matter before Mother, it cannot happen.
6 August, Deans Park
    Father arrived this afternoon — Sister directed him to the garden where I had wheeled Major J and several of my Lieutenants, all of whom greeted him with great politeness. He rather diffidently thanked me for my communiqué and I relayed Sister’s assurances that Harry would likely make an excellent recovery. Father hummed and cleared his throat before managing to say that it was not his intention to in any way embarrass or distress any member of his family. Mother, I deduced, was not to be told of Harry’s plight. On the train down to Littlebury we were both rather tonguetied, so I do not know how Father’s visit went, and my proposal for Harry’s recuperation remains unspoken.
Sunday 8 August, 1st Eastern
    On tenterhooks all weekend but nothing was said. I went to visit Harry as soon as I reached Cambridge; as a consequence I was past curfew returning to Selwyn and now have a Black Mark against my name.
9 August
    On receiving my explanation Matron expunged the Black Mark, but warned that in future I should pay my visits during regular hours.
11 August
    Played two games of draughts with Harry this afternoon, consequently missing tea. Winifred saved me bread and jam and a slice of cake.
13 August
    Harry proves the owner of a rather ribald sense of humour, and — unlike the rest of my family — is unconstrained by a need to always Say The Right Thing. Generally our chats are about nothing in particular, but today he asked, rather diffidently, what our Father is like. It was only as I described Father as a sheep farmer and businessman that I realised how little I really know of his various commercial interests! I once went with him to the Port, and have several times visited the woolstores in which he holds a part-share, but of his other interests I am largely ignorant. Not considering any of this pertinent to Harry’s question, I shared my memories of a game Father played while dandling us on his knee, and, when I was very small, of his lifting me atop his great Clydesdale stallion, Silver Prince, as it stood in the winners’ enclosure at the Agricultural and Pastoral Show, I think to demonstrate to the crowd how very quiet it was. Mother was horrified, and that was the end of that. But I still recall the weight of the winner’s medal, as big as my small hand, and the smell of warm horse and leather, and the feel of Father lifting me up. In the face of my reminiscing Harry became rather quiet, so perhaps I should have said less, his own childhood likely being less idyllic. However he is not one to be downhearted and the shadow quickly passed. He is being transferred tomorrow; I shall be sorry to see him go.
14 August, Deans Park
    When I updated Father on Harry’s recovery, he thanked me but requested I not mention ‘the matter’ in front of Mother. Really, I think he overestimates her reaction. Harry, however, is perfectly real, making Father’s obligations as a parent clear.
16 August, 1st Eastern
    Winifred says I am a