them.
There seemed to be so much to say, both herself and Richard talking at the smiling man in unison, each trying to grab his attention and share their news. Eventually he covered his ears with his hands and laughingly told Richard and the others to go and find some driftwood for a fire. ‘I’ve caught a few small fish,’ he told them. ‘And we’ll cook them on the beach.’ He turned towards Barbara, his thin face lined and sad, but lighting up as he smilingly took the sleeping child from her.
‘If I’d had a boy I’d have called him Luke,’ she said shyly.
‘No, and another girl next, too. When you marry,’ he said, looking at her for the first time.
Barbara laughed. ‘Bernard is dead. There won’t be any more.’
‘You’re young. You’ll marry.’
‘If there are any young men left to marry after this terrible war.’
Luke’s lips tightened at the reminder of the young man for whom he still grieved.
While Luke sat and nursed the baby, Barbara helped the others to gather wood for the bonfire, then when Luke reluctantly handed her back, she watched as he showed them how to cook fish in the large pan he kept hidden. After scouring it clean, he collected more water from the pump and placed the fish in to gently poach. He made no attempt to go into the cottage and, curious, Barbara walked to the door to see if what Richard had told her was true.
Luke saw her and while the fish cooked, watched over by Richard, he told her quietly what had happened when his father had called.
‘He’d always disliked Roy and did everything he could to discourage my friendship with him and his extrovert family,’ he said. ‘A mention of his name brought on furious anger. When I told him I loved Roy, he went berserk, hitting me. Making it sound sordid. But I did love him, and his family, who always made me feel good about myself, and happy to be with them.
‘When Roy died I had to grieve alone as I was forbidden to go and seek comfort from Roy’s family. His last letter came from a place called Ypres. “Wipers”, the soldiers nicknamed it. I’ll go and find it one day when the war is finally over. My father can’t understand how I found something with Roy and his family that I couldn’t find at home.’ He frowned for a moment. ‘It was there that I was allowed to be myself, I suppose.’
Moments passed and he was unaware that he was holding his breath, wanting her to understand, afraid of her reacting as his father had done, with disgust. Then Barbara turned and hugged him. ‘There are lots of ways of loving, Luke. Many kinds of love. All are beautiful. Your father hasn’t learnt that. Pity for him, isn’t it?’
Arm in arm they walked back to the others. For Luke it was as if a band of steel had been removed from around his chest. He could breathe freely for the first time in many months. What did it matter if his father despised him? If only one person could believe that his love for Roy hadn’t been sordid, then the world was not empty. Lighthearted, he helped share out the food and the atmosphere became a celebratory party.
The children whooped and shouted and sang and danced, all exceptBlodwen who retained her slightly haughty manner throughout. Luke studied her curiously. She rarely spoke yet she seemed to be watching, taking in everything that was said and done. Was she observing the stupidities of the human race? And would it all come out one day in a great gale of laughter?
While the younger children built houses and castles with the smooth pebbles, Luke and Barbara followed Richard to examine the house. The porch, repaired by Luke, had remained standing and was firm and strong. It was no longer as clean as Luke had made it. Inside there was sand and stones and the dry debris of many years, blown back to its place soon after Luke had brushed it out. The walls and roof appeared to be dry and sound and there was nothing to discourage the idea of the Careys using it for a home.
‘I’ll sleep
There seemed to be so much to say, both herself and Richard talking at the smiling man in unison, each trying to grab his attention and share their news. Eventually he covered his ears with his hands and laughingly told Richard and the others to go and find some driftwood for a fire. ‘I’ve caught a few small fish,’ he told them. ‘And we’ll cook them on the beach.’ He turned towards Barbara, his thin face lined and sad, but lighting up as he smilingly took the sleeping child from her.
‘If I’d had a boy I’d have called him Luke,’ she said shyly.
‘No, and another girl next, too. When you marry,’ he said, looking at her for the first time.
Barbara laughed. ‘Bernard is dead. There won’t be any more.’
‘You’re young. You’ll marry.’
‘If there are any young men left to marry after this terrible war.’
Luke’s lips tightened at the reminder of the young man for whom he still grieved.
While Luke sat and nursed the baby, Barbara helped the others to gather wood for the bonfire, then when Luke reluctantly handed her back, she watched as he showed them how to cook fish in the large pan he kept hidden. After scouring it clean, he collected more water from the pump and placed the fish in to gently poach. He made no attempt to go into the cottage and, curious, Barbara walked to the door to see if what Richard had told her was true.
Luke saw her and while the fish cooked, watched over by Richard, he told her quietly what had happened when his father had called.
‘He’d always disliked Roy and did everything he could to discourage my friendship with him and his extrovert family,’ he said. ‘A mention of his name brought on furious anger. When I told him I loved Roy, he went berserk, hitting me. Making it sound sordid. But I did love him, and his family, who always made me feel good about myself, and happy to be with them.
‘When Roy died I had to grieve alone as I was forbidden to go and seek comfort from Roy’s family. His last letter came from a place called Ypres. “Wipers”, the soldiers nicknamed it. I’ll go and find it one day when the war is finally over. My father can’t understand how I found something with Roy and his family that I couldn’t find at home.’ He frowned for a moment. ‘It was there that I was allowed to be myself, I suppose.’
Moments passed and he was unaware that he was holding his breath, wanting her to understand, afraid of her reacting as his father had done, with disgust. Then Barbara turned and hugged him. ‘There are lots of ways of loving, Luke. Many kinds of love. All are beautiful. Your father hasn’t learnt that. Pity for him, isn’t it?’
Arm in arm they walked back to the others. For Luke it was as if a band of steel had been removed from around his chest. He could breathe freely for the first time in many months. What did it matter if his father despised him? If only one person could believe that his love for Roy hadn’t been sordid, then the world was not empty. Lighthearted, he helped share out the food and the atmosphere became a celebratory party.
The children whooped and shouted and sang and danced, all exceptBlodwen who retained her slightly haughty manner throughout. Luke studied her curiously. She rarely spoke yet she seemed to be watching, taking in everything that was said and done. Was she observing the stupidities of the human race? And would it all come out one day in a great gale of laughter?
While the younger children built houses and castles with the smooth pebbles, Luke and Barbara followed Richard to examine the house. The porch, repaired by Luke, had remained standing and was firm and strong. It was no longer as clean as Luke had made it. Inside there was sand and stones and the dry debris of many years, blown back to its place soon after Luke had brushed it out. The walls and roof appeared to be dry and sound and there was nothing to discourage the idea of the Careys using it for a home.
‘I’ll sleep
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