Running Against the Tide by Joanna Barnden

Author:Joanna Barnden [Joanna Barnden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780719811166
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

‘I received a letter.’

Sophie held up a single sheet of paper, already crumpled with much reading. Ralph, sat mournfully on a stool at her feet, glanced at it.

‘From Perry?’

‘Yes, from Perry. Who else, silly?’

Sophie’s smile broadened as she spoke her husband’s name and she clutched the letter to her bulging belly.

‘What does he say? Is he well? What’s it like in the navy?’

Ralph sat forward, looking interested in something for the first time in over a week. He’d become a shadow of his former boisterous self in the days following Gus Richardson’s death. The whole community had turned out for a tearful funeral and Ralph had felt everyone was pointing at him – blaming him. He knew he was already known as a bit of a troublemaker and felt certain that this tragedy had put the seal on the watermen’s dislike of him.

He was still working with his father – Stephen would allow nothing else and Ralph longed to please him now – but as soon as he could he escaped the riverside to hide away with his own grief and shame. He’d taken to coming to Sophie’s, ostensibly to help her with the lifting and carrying now her time was close, but in reality to absorb some of her soft, non-judgemental calm.

‘He says he’s fine,’ Sophie told him now, reading over the few, spidery lines once again. ‘He was never very good at his letters, but he says they’re treating him all right and he’s not been in any danger yet.’ She swallowed the last word hastily and pushed on. ‘He says Nelson is a very great man and he’s seeing some amazing sights but he’d rather see, see …’

She struggled to complete the sentence.

‘Soph?’ Ralph laid a tentative hand on the girl’s knee and she smiled at him, though her eyes were watery. ‘He’d rather see his home and his wife any day?’ he guessed.

Sophie nodded and snatched a handkerchief out of her pocket to dab away the tears. Ralph patted at her knee, feeling useless.

‘He’ll be home soon,’ he promised.

‘I know. Not soon enough though. He thinks he’ll be many weeks yet. There’s no way he’ll be here for …’

She nodded down at her belly.

‘But back for the Christening no doubt,’ Ralph said stoutly.

Sophie sighed and turned her head away.

‘He may be, but will I?’

‘What?’ Ralph leapt up and went round to look at her. ‘What did you just say, Sophie? Of course you’ll be here.’

‘I might not. It’s a dangerous business you know, birthing.’

‘Not so dangerous these days and Midwife Jones is the best in the business.’

‘So everyone keeps saying, but what if she’s busy? What if someone else needs her when my time comes? What then?’

‘Then you’ll do it without her. And, besides, first babies take ages to come. She’ll be there I’m sure.’

Sophie looked up at him, startled out of her fear.

‘How do you know that, young Ralph?’

He blushed.

‘I was asking Mother the other day. I think it’s interesting.’ He scuffed at the floor with his toe.

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