hands out wide. ‘It would mean a lot to me if you did. I would
really
like you to join us.’
Behind him, Emily had got up and dragged two chairs over to the end of the table and shuffled River along a bit so there was space.
Ed didn’t say anything. It was Josephine who took a step forward and said, ‘Thank you, that would be lovely.’
Jack nodded. Exhaling with relief when she walked past him. The familiar scent of her perfume almost like a comfort that it was back in his life. Ed followed her in and, as he did, Jack reached out and rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. ‘Thanks, mate,’ he said, and Ed glanced at him and nodded, his eyes gently smiling.
The evening turned into lots of reminiscing. Matt’s memories of the festival completely different to theirs because he hadn’t known them at the time. He remembered the red spotlights that they’d lit up the front of Mont Manor with and the hand-illustrated tickets.
‘That was me,’ Annie had blushed with pride.
‘See, I had good taste even then,’ he said and when he kissed her, River rolled his eyes and said he was going home to watch Netflix. When he got up to go, the dog plodded after him. And before he was even out the door, he was on the phone to his reinstated girlfriend, Clemmie.
They asked Jane about the diaries and she pulled the one she was reading out of her bag so they could all have a look.
Jack picked it up, turned it over to see the leather cracked and peeling down the spine, and then started to thumb through a few pages.
‘I’ve read three now,’ Jane said. ‘And there’s not a lot in the way of mysterious romance. Only really sad stuff about her time with the ambulance. I think the diary must have been her only outlet. It’s horrendous.’
Jack glanced up, eyes narrowed as he said, ‘Jane, your grandmother was Kate, right? And this guy – the one we’re looking for, he was James Blackwell, yeah?’
Jane nodded.
Jack went back to the diary page he was on and started to read aloud, ‘
There was a visit to the boatyard today. A whole group of them came. Fred was really proud.
That’s Enid’s husband, yeah?’
Annie shook her head. ‘Not yet. They didn’t marry till after the war.’
Jack carried on, ‘
We didn’t have any butter for pie so I made stewed cherries, sweetening it with honey from the allotment. Big bowls of it. More than any of these men had seen for years, I think. They piled into the cafe and drank us out of tea and devoured bowls of sweet fruit. It was the nicest afternoon I can remember. A bit of flirting and music always lifts the spirits. Kate said I was being brazen but, bloody hell, after you’ve seen what I have in this ambulance job, you think: what’s wrong with a bit of brazen. So yes, when James Blackwell introduced himself and complimented me on my cherries, I’ll admit I might have said something a bit saucy in reply. Ha. I didn’t tell Kate. But when I shut my eyes for sleep, I’m hoping I see his smile rather than the stuff I see at the moment. Enid.’
‘I think it’s really unfair that you just picked up a diary and got the best bit.’ Emily shook her head. ‘You’re like those women in Vegas who stalk the slot machines.’
‘Emily…’ Jack raised a brow. ‘I think you’re missing the point.’
‘Yes, I get the point, I just think it’s unfair that Jane’s ploughed through three of the bloody things and you just pick it up and off you go. So typical.’
Jack laughed.
Emily thwacked him on the arm and then said, ‘Move, I’m going to the loo.’
Jane reached over and took the diary from Jack. ‘I can’t believe he’s in here. I don’t think I thought he would really exist. Did you?’ she said to Annie.
Annie shook her head. ‘Not really. It’s kinda spooky. Let me get the letter.’ Matt stood up to let Annie pass but then followed her to the counter where the letter about the injured Corporal James Blackwell was tucked inside an envelope
really
like you to join us.’
Behind him, Emily had got up and dragged two chairs over to the end of the table and shuffled River along a bit so there was space.
Ed didn’t say anything. It was Josephine who took a step forward and said, ‘Thank you, that would be lovely.’
Jack nodded. Exhaling with relief when she walked past him. The familiar scent of her perfume almost like a comfort that it was back in his life. Ed followed her in and, as he did, Jack reached out and rested his hand on his brother’s shoulder. ‘Thanks, mate,’ he said, and Ed glanced at him and nodded, his eyes gently smiling.
The evening turned into lots of reminiscing. Matt’s memories of the festival completely different to theirs because he hadn’t known them at the time. He remembered the red spotlights that they’d lit up the front of Mont Manor with and the hand-illustrated tickets.
‘That was me,’ Annie had blushed with pride.
‘See, I had good taste even then,’ he said and when he kissed her, River rolled his eyes and said he was going home to watch Netflix. When he got up to go, the dog plodded after him. And before he was even out the door, he was on the phone to his reinstated girlfriend, Clemmie.
They asked Jane about the diaries and she pulled the one she was reading out of her bag so they could all have a look.
Jack picked it up, turned it over to see the leather cracked and peeling down the spine, and then started to thumb through a few pages.
‘I’ve read three now,’ Jane said. ‘And there’s not a lot in the way of mysterious romance. Only really sad stuff about her time with the ambulance. I think the diary must have been her only outlet. It’s horrendous.’
Jack glanced up, eyes narrowed as he said, ‘Jane, your grandmother was Kate, right? And this guy – the one we’re looking for, he was James Blackwell, yeah?’
Jane nodded.
Jack went back to the diary page he was on and started to read aloud, ‘
There was a visit to the boatyard today. A whole group of them came. Fred was really proud.
That’s Enid’s husband, yeah?’
Annie shook her head. ‘Not yet. They didn’t marry till after the war.’
Jack carried on, ‘
We didn’t have any butter for pie so I made stewed cherries, sweetening it with honey from the allotment. Big bowls of it. More than any of these men had seen for years, I think. They piled into the cafe and drank us out of tea and devoured bowls of sweet fruit. It was the nicest afternoon I can remember. A bit of flirting and music always lifts the spirits. Kate said I was being brazen but, bloody hell, after you’ve seen what I have in this ambulance job, you think: what’s wrong with a bit of brazen. So yes, when James Blackwell introduced himself and complimented me on my cherries, I’ll admit I might have said something a bit saucy in reply. Ha. I didn’t tell Kate. But when I shut my eyes for sleep, I’m hoping I see his smile rather than the stuff I see at the moment. Enid.’
‘I think it’s really unfair that you just picked up a diary and got the best bit.’ Emily shook her head. ‘You’re like those women in Vegas who stalk the slot machines.’
‘Emily…’ Jack raised a brow. ‘I think you’re missing the point.’
‘Yes, I get the point, I just think it’s unfair that Jane’s ploughed through three of the bloody things and you just pick it up and off you go. So typical.’
Jack laughed.
Emily thwacked him on the arm and then said, ‘Move, I’m going to the loo.’
Jane reached over and took the diary from Jack. ‘I can’t believe he’s in here. I don’t think I thought he would really exist. Did you?’ she said to Annie.
Annie shook her head. ‘Not really. It’s kinda spooky. Let me get the letter.’ Matt stood up to let Annie pass but then followed her to the counter where the letter about the injured Corporal James Blackwell was tucked inside an envelope
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