2007 - The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies

Author:Peter Ho Davies
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2007-07-20T22:00:00+00:00

The major, the constable announces to the pub, has complained about the boys’ shenanigans, threatened to send his men after them. Esther feels a fleeting fear for Jim, and yet some part of her thinks he might deserve to be caught this time. By the end of the week, the constable has extended his own rounds to include the camp. “The major appreciates the benefits of greater cooperation between the military and civil authorities.”

“Means it’s beneath our dignity chasing kids,” one of the guards mutters.

Parry just shrugs. He has no intention of driving the boys off himself. “They’ll only be back in the village making mischief,” Esther hears him confide to Jack. “No, I’ve got other fish to fry.” He means the Germans. He reckons they’ll think twice about escaping now they’ve seen him on his rounds.

“Escaping!” another guard scoffs. “This lot? Not likely.” He waves his white hanky. “Don’t have the balls, do they?”

“Ladies present,” Parry coughs, and Esther lowers her eyes.

“Wouldn’t have surrendered if they did.” The guard sets his elbows on the bar. “You only have to look at them—one half thanking their lucky stars, the other too ashamed to look you in the face. Hardly know which to pity more.”

Still, the constable’s not to be put off. He makes a point of conducting his rounds promptly each night, proud of his punctuality, as if it shows backbone. “I might not know German, see, but I’m speaking their language. Look at their trains, man.”

Arthur rolls his eyes. “He’s just jealous. There the army is with five hundred prisoners, and what’s he got? One little cell, not much bigger than a pantry, and all he’s ever locked up in there is raters.”

“It’s me duty, I reckon,” Parry tells them pompously. “Protecting the local citizenry.” There’s been talk of the Germans working on local farms, like prisoners in the last war, he confides. “And if that’s so, I want ‘em to know I’ll be keeping my eye on them.”

Esther can hardly imagine the idle men she saw the other night working.

“Work!” Harry says grimly. “Shooting’s too good for them.” And there’s an odd silence while they wait for a punchline. (Esther doesn’t hear it until the next radio show: “Saw Heinz herding cows, and I says to him, ‘Were you a farmer back home, then?’ and he goes, ‘Nein, but it’s easy for a German soldier to herd cattle. I’m just following udders!’“)

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