Clouds of Love and War by Rachel Billington

Author:Rachel Billington
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unicorn Publishing Group
Published: 2020-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Fred was sitting in The Hare and Hounds; he had been there since opening time. On the table in front of him were his glass and a book which he kept open with his stump and consulted regularly. An old man with a greasy cap and a brown mackintosh sat by him and occasionally Fred flung a few words at him – received with an appreciative nod and a grunt.

Fred and Eddie caught sight of each other at the same time. As usual, each was surprised by the other. Fred saw a tall handsome young man, with dark circles under his blue eyes but also confidence that was obvious from his leather jacket slung around his shoulder and the way he stared through people.

Fred waved.

‘I didn’t believe it was you.’ Eddie came over and sat down.

‘I never said goodbye to you at Tollorum.’

‘Who needs goodbyes.’

Catching Eddie’s eye, the old man looked away respectfully and edged a little further away from father and son.

‘We didn’t speak.’ Fred’s glance flickered to the book and Eddie realised it was a bible.

‘There were too many people there.’

‘I need a drink.’ Eddie brought back two pints and set one in front of his father.

‘However did you get here?’ His tone was warmer. His father had come to see him, not easy in wartime.

‘That old Wing Commander who’s in love with your mother gave me a lift most of the way. Bumpy old landing his pilot made. Then I caught a train. Then I walked and felt happier. Can’t think how you get into those tin things every day.’

‘The pilot was no better at taking off, assuming he’s the same one I saw at Tollorum.’

‘If the old chap hadn’t been on board too, I’d have thought he was trying to kill me off. Leave the coast clear with your mother.’

‘Your first time up, was it?’ Why had Fred come to see him? Obviously not for the flight.

‘First and last. Love, now there’s a subject. A lot of people set a lot of store by it but I’ve never found it the answer.’ Fred stopped and drank.

‘The night I arrived at Tollorum, God seemed to be on the agenda,’ said Eddie. Perhaps he should try and enjoy his mad father.

‘God and death. Love and eternity. Probably the last is most important.’ Fred looked nostalgic. He tapped the book between them. ‘That’s why I carry the Holy Book.’

‘You used to carry Marx’s Das Kapital.’

‘God is very unpopular with intellectuals. I’ve never liked intellectuals. I’m looking for answers, that’s all I’m doing.’

This was too much for Eddie. Didn’t Fred realise how he lived his life? ‘Why do you have to be so serious? Why can’t you just let things happen, let things be, like other people do?’

To Eddie’s surprise, Fred laughed. ‘You could ask that? Don’t you know I’m a boy of the trenches!’

‘There weren’t so many trenches on Gallipoli,’ said Eddie sulkily. He felt as if he were being made a child again.

‘Enough. Quite enough.’ But Fred still smiled.

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