The Promise by Ruth Saberton

Author:Ruth Saberton [Saberton, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: passion, Dating, Author, Rosamunde Pilcher, coastal romance, estuary, Cornwall, dog, Love Romance, Landing Craft, D Day, Cornish, Spitfire, best-seller, bestseller, Mystery, Allies, English, river, Drama, Britain, Helford, Manor House, Cornish Fiction, Winston Graham, Daphne du Maurier, Ruth Saberton, Mulitcultural, Fowey, war, historical suspense, adoption, gardens, harbour, Evacuee, Romance, Cornish Author, England, Poldark, murder, relationships, creek, Baby, Jeep, Kernow, inheritance, war graves, bestselling, Tank, top ten, research, friendship, War Memorial, love, GI, garden, top 100, US Troops, WW2
Publisher: Millington
Published: 2019-06-29T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

The present

Nell

“You must think me foolish getting upset over something which happened so long ago,” Estella says. “My brother’s been dead nearly eighty years but sometimes it feels as though I’ve just heard the news.”

Josh pulls a tissue from the box.

“Not at all,” he says while Estella takes it and blows her nose. “The whole episode sounds awful, doesn’t it Nell?”

I nod and my mind filled with images of crashed planes and wounded Nazis and arguing girls in summer frocks.

“I dreamed about that German boy for years. Sometimes I still do,” Estella sighs. “He was so young. What did he really know about the Nazis and their ideologies? He was only doing what he what he thought he had to. I couldn’t save him, you know. I really couldn’t.”

The knotted hand clutching the tissue trembles.

“Of course you couldn’t save him. Not with injuries like those,” Josh tells her. “But you tried, Estella. Not many people would have done what you did. Most people would have left him because he was the enemy.”

“Like Evie,” I add. I’m not warming to Evie at all, bad news since it seems more and more likely she’s my grandmother.

But Estella shakes her head. “Don’t judge her too harshly. Why, later on that day villagers flocked to the crash sight to take bits of the Messerschmitt away as souvenirs. Evie’s piece took pride of place on the mantelpiece in our room but I could barely stand to see it. It made me think of that young lad and in the end I made her put it out of sight. Goodness knows where it went.”

Josh grimaces. “That’s macabre.”

“They were different times, dear. There was a war on and we were losing at that point. The Americans hadn’t joined us yet and most of Europe was under threat from Hitler. Everyone in the village was thrilled some of their enemies had got what they deserved. The Home Guard called Evie and I heroes for reporting the crash.”

“But Evie would have left a young man to bleed to death,” I say. “That’s more than being pleased your enemy’s beaten.”

Estella nods. “Evie was never one to forgive a slight or let a grudge go. Once we’d made the blood promise she was fanatical about things. I quickly came to regret that game. It was a bit of made up fun in my eyes but to her it was deadly serious. I often think that was the point when things began to go wrong.”

She’s shredding the tissue. Kleenex flakes drift onto the covers.

“Oh Evie,” Estella says sadly. “What did you do? Was it because of me? Or was it Hamilton’s fault? Evie? Where are you?” Her voice begins to rise. “Where did you go? What did he do? Evie! Evie! I’m coming!”

She tries to swing her legs out of bed and the drip topples with a crash. The cannula is plucked out of her hand and blood beads her thin skin. Josh jumps to his feet, trying to soothe her and stem the flow of blood.

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