encounter with David Rhys-Pritchard as she accompanied Gwen and Bethan Williams around the many exhibits, which included vegetables and craftwork as well as flowers and floral displays, but when they finally arrived home, late that afternoon, she remembered it.
‘Aunty Gwen, when I went over for those cards I met David Rhys-Pritchard and he said something . . . odd.’
Gwen looked concerned. ‘What? Nothing . . . inappropriate, I hope?’
Rose shook her head. ‘He said my name means “Rose of the world”. I don’t know if he was making fun of me or not.’
Gwen smiled. ‘I don’t think he was,
cariad.
There is a rose called “Rosa mundi” and that’s exactly what it means. I think it was meant as a compliment.’
Rose was still a little puzzled. ‘He asked me did I know that but when I answered he’d turned away and it was as if . . . I wasn’t there.’
‘Ah, don’t take that to heart. I told you he can be a bit . . . strange. It was the war, luv,’ Gwen assured her.
Rose nodded. ‘He must have been very handsome before he was wounded. I felt sorry for him, it must be awful to be left crippled like that.’
‘He was indeed a handsome lad. Terrible, it is. Terrible, but those girls look after him well enough and there’s nothing either of us can do to help or change things,’ Gwen replied.
As she began to set the table for supper Rose thought that Charlie had been lucky, very lucky indeed not to have been as badly wounded as David Rhys-Pritchard.
Chapter Nine
C HARLIE WAS FEELING VERY fortunate indeed for as the weeks passed his romance with Florence blossomed and he was becoming quite fond of her. They saw each other twice a week, every week, and it was becoming quite clear that he wouldn’t have much trouble persuading her to agree when he asked to marry her, which he intended to do at Christmas. He got on well with her father so he didn’t expect any opposition when he went formally to ask for her hand. Her mother was a different kettle of fish though. Even though she was unfailingly polite it was quite clear that she neither liked him nor thought him good enough for her only daughter. He hoped that when the ring was on Florence’s finger her attitude would soften.
She wasn’t the only one who thought Florence was above him. He’d had a few rows with Iris too and so now relationsbetween them were decidedly cool. He’d become really angry the last time she had voiced her opinions, he remembered. ‘You’re jealous, Iris, that’s what you are. You just can’t stomach the fact that Florence really cares for me and prefers to spend time with me rather than you,’ he’d shouted at his sister.
Iris had laughed cuttingly. ‘Jealous! That’s a laugh! Doesn’t she come almost every Sunday? No, I just think she is making a mistake and I don’t want her to get hurt.’
‘I’m sick to death of hearing
what you
think, Iris. It’s what
Florence
thinks that’s important.’
‘For heaven’s sake! Shut up, the pair of you.’ Kate was exasperated.
‘He’s up to something, Mam, I know he is!’ Iris had cried.
‘Like what, may I ask?’ he’d demanded angrily, wondering if she really did have some inkling of his plans.
‘Like courting her just to get your feet under the table with her da—’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, Mam, will you tell her she’s going off her rocker!’ he’d interrupted furiously.
‘Iris, that’s a terrible thing to say!’ Kate had upbraided her. Any fool could see that Florence genuinely idolised Charlie and he seemed to think the world of her, treating her always with affection and respect. She’d wondered if he did have a point about Iris being jealous though.
‘I don’t want Florence to get hurt, that’s all,’ Iris had explained, which made him even more angry.
‘She won’t get hurt! I suppose the fact that I spend every spare penny I have making sure she enjoys herself when we go out counts for nothing?’ he’d said cuttingly. ‘Or
‘Aunty Gwen, when I went over for those cards I met David Rhys-Pritchard and he said something . . . odd.’
Gwen looked concerned. ‘What? Nothing . . . inappropriate, I hope?’
Rose shook her head. ‘He said my name means “Rose of the world”. I don’t know if he was making fun of me or not.’
Gwen smiled. ‘I don’t think he was,
cariad.
There is a rose called “Rosa mundi” and that’s exactly what it means. I think it was meant as a compliment.’
Rose was still a little puzzled. ‘He asked me did I know that but when I answered he’d turned away and it was as if . . . I wasn’t there.’
‘Ah, don’t take that to heart. I told you he can be a bit . . . strange. It was the war, luv,’ Gwen assured her.
Rose nodded. ‘He must have been very handsome before he was wounded. I felt sorry for him, it must be awful to be left crippled like that.’
‘He was indeed a handsome lad. Terrible, it is. Terrible, but those girls look after him well enough and there’s nothing either of us can do to help or change things,’ Gwen replied.
As she began to set the table for supper Rose thought that Charlie had been lucky, very lucky indeed not to have been as badly wounded as David Rhys-Pritchard.
Chapter Nine
C HARLIE WAS FEELING VERY fortunate indeed for as the weeks passed his romance with Florence blossomed and he was becoming quite fond of her. They saw each other twice a week, every week, and it was becoming quite clear that he wouldn’t have much trouble persuading her to agree when he asked to marry her, which he intended to do at Christmas. He got on well with her father so he didn’t expect any opposition when he went formally to ask for her hand. Her mother was a different kettle of fish though. Even though she was unfailingly polite it was quite clear that she neither liked him nor thought him good enough for her only daughter. He hoped that when the ring was on Florence’s finger her attitude would soften.
She wasn’t the only one who thought Florence was above him. He’d had a few rows with Iris too and so now relationsbetween them were decidedly cool. He’d become really angry the last time she had voiced her opinions, he remembered. ‘You’re jealous, Iris, that’s what you are. You just can’t stomach the fact that Florence really cares for me and prefers to spend time with me rather than you,’ he’d shouted at his sister.
Iris had laughed cuttingly. ‘Jealous! That’s a laugh! Doesn’t she come almost every Sunday? No, I just think she is making a mistake and I don’t want her to get hurt.’
‘I’m sick to death of hearing
what you
think, Iris. It’s what
Florence
thinks that’s important.’
‘For heaven’s sake! Shut up, the pair of you.’ Kate was exasperated.
‘He’s up to something, Mam, I know he is!’ Iris had cried.
‘Like what, may I ask?’ he’d demanded angrily, wondering if she really did have some inkling of his plans.
‘Like courting her just to get your feet under the table with her da—’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, Mam, will you tell her she’s going off her rocker!’ he’d interrupted furiously.
‘Iris, that’s a terrible thing to say!’ Kate had upbraided her. Any fool could see that Florence genuinely idolised Charlie and he seemed to think the world of her, treating her always with affection and respect. She’d wondered if he did have a point about Iris being jealous though.
‘I don’t want Florence to get hurt, that’s all,’ Iris had explained, which made him even more angry.
‘She won’t get hurt! I suppose the fact that I spend every spare penny I have making sure she enjoys herself when we go out counts for nothing?’ he’d said cuttingly. ‘Or
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