The Beekeeper's War, page 31
‘Yes, Mum. You two go and take your time. You have a lot to discuss.’
Sam downed his cup of coffee. ‘I’ll take Emma out for a spin in my car, if she wants?’
‘Yes, please,’ Emma said.
Happy to see her daughter smile again, Pru rested a hand on Emma’s shoulder and bent to kiss her cheek. ‘I’ll see you in a while then.’
Forty-Three
Emma
June 1940
Emma watched her parents leave the dining room together. Her parents. It was strange to think of her mother being in love with someone else. Someone so completely different to her dad. She hadn’t missed the conflict of emotions in her mum’s eyes when she was in the same room as Jack. And the chemistry between them was almost physical.
It was strange to see her mum that way, but also magical. Her mother and Peter had always been kind and considerate towards each other and until Pru had broken the news to Emma about her true parentage it had never occurred to her that there had been anyone else in her mum’s life. Seeing her and Jack together now though revealed an entirely new side to her mum, and for the first time she imagined her as the pretty young nurse who had been desperately in love with the American aviator. Was still clearly in love with him, although Emma wasn’t sure if Jack realised it yet.
She had imagined the reason her mum hadn’t told her anything about him when she had discovered her real parentage was possibly that he had abandoned her and her mother. Discovering that he had been living in plain sight here was all a bit surreal.
She had been shocked to see his scarred face for the first time but also noticed how her mother didn’t seem to notice anything when she looked at him, apart from the fact that the man she loved was in front of her.
Emma looked across the table at her aunt, surprised to see she was watching her.
‘You don’t understand why I did what I did, do you?’ Jean asked.
Now wasn’t the time when Emma wished to spare her aunt’s feelings. ‘I understand why you all did what you did, but I don’t know if I could ever keep a secret like that from someone who was so close to me.’
‘I can see why,’ her aunt said. ‘And I probably would have thought the same as you, but you have to remember that as much as I love your mother, and I do, Peter was my brother. I had to keep the secret for his sake as well as for your mother’s.’
‘We are truly sorry,’ her uncle said. ‘Sometimes you have to make difficult choices and this was one of those times,’ he explained, a sad look in his grey eyes.
‘Also, Emma, back then Jack wasn’t the strong man you saw today.’ She turned to Monty for back-up. ‘Was he, Monty?’
‘He wasn’t. Jack’s body wasn’t the only thing his capturers broke, Emma. They shattered his mind too. And for a very long time he was a shadow of the man we all knew.’
Emma listened intently, aware that her mother needed to hear this to help her forgive Jean. She realised Monty was still speaking. ‘The thing is, Emma, Jack saved my life. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it back to Blighty and met Jean. I owed him everything. Jack had intended asking your mother to marry him as soon as he returned in 1918. He was crushed to discover she had married Peter by then and had given birth to you, but it was too late to do anything about it; not if he still loved her, which he did.’
Emma was only just managing to take everything in. ‘He seems like a very brave man.’
‘He is. Jack is the bravest man I’ve ever known. He would give his life for you and he almost did for me.’ He gazed at her for a moment. ‘This hasn’t been easy for any of us,’ he added.
She cleared her throat. ‘Sorry, this is all a little too much for me, too.’
Sam immediately stood. ‘Emma, shall we leave my parents to talk for a bit and go for a drive? Would you like that?’
She smiled at him gratefully. ‘That would be lovely. Thank you, Sam.’
‘You two go off now and try to enjoy yourselves,’ Monty said, reaching out to take her aunt’s hand in his.
‘We will,’ Sam said, accompanying Emma out of the room.
As Sam’s MG glided through villages and along green-banked lanes, Emma slowly began to relax. She closed her eyes in the warm summer sunshine and tried to come to terms with all she had learnt that morning.
She felt Sam’s hand rest lightly on hers. ‘Feeling a little better?’
‘Slightly, yes. Today has been rather an emotional one so far.’
‘You’re not wrong there.’ He took his hand from hers and changed gear, replacing it straight afterwards. ‘I felt terrible for poor Aunt Pru and you having to listen to everything that had gone on.’
‘Did you know about Jack?’ Emma asked.
‘I know Jack, of course,’ Sam said. ‘He took me fishing and showed me all about the bees and I used to love helping him with the honey, but I didn’t have any idea that he and Aunty Pru meant anything to each other.’ He gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘Like you, I was brought up believing Uncle Peter was your father.’
‘What’s he like? Jack, I mean. What’s he really like?’
‘He’s a good man,’ Jack said. ‘Quiet though, and he’s always preferred to keep to himself.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Dad has said a few times how if it wasn’t for Jack he would never have made it back from the war.’
‘What a strange time it is for us all,’ Emma said, relieved to have a break from all the drama. ‘I thought my mother’s life was a quiet, simple one before Dad died. Then I discovered all this.’ She waved her hands in the air. ‘It’s all rather incredible.’
‘It is.’
‘Do you think Mum and Jack will rekindle their relationship?’
‘Maybe,’ Sam said, slowing the car and turning down another lane. ‘Would you mind?’
Emma gave his question some thought and discovered that she didn’t mind at all. ‘I suppose it would be rather lovely after having been kept apart all this time through circumstance,’ she said quietly. ‘I just want my mum to be happy. She’s been a bit lost since Dad’s sudden death and if Jack makes her happy, then that’s good enough for me.’
Sam drove on for a bit. ‘Is it strange to think of him as your father?’
‘A little.’ It dawned on her that she had no idea where he was taking her. ‘Are we heading anywhere in particular, or is this a mystery drive?’
Sam grinned at her. ‘I know where we’re going but you’ll just have to wait and see. I hope you like it. Just relax and enjoy the drive. We won’t be too much longer.’
She was happy to do as he suggested and resting her arm on the lowered window, watched the flower-covered countryside fly past. Eventually she breathed in a familiar scent of sea air. ‘We’re going to the sea?’ she asked, immediately excited.
‘Maybe.’ He smiled. ‘There’s something I want to show you’
Sam slowed the car a few minutes later and turned off the road. He parked the car and, after helping her out, went to the boot and took out a rug, flask and some cups.
‘That’s not much of a picnic,’ Emma teased.
‘It’s not meant to be,’ he said, giving her a wink. ‘I had expected us all to eat a full breakfast before coming. No more questions now; just follow me. He glanced down at her shoes. ‘We have quite a walk yet but you’ll soon see why we’re here.’
She laughed wondering what he was planning to show her. They walked along a steep downhill path before coming to some steps. ‘There must be over a hundred of these,’ she grumbled, watching her footing and not looking forward to the trek back up to the car afterwards.
Halfway down she noticed an arched rock standing to their left. ‘Oh my word!’ she gasped, gazing at the impressive spectacle rising from the sea at the end of the headland. ‘It’s beautiful, Sam.’
‘I’m glad you think so.’
‘What’s it called?’
‘This is Durdle Door.
‘I love it.’
They reached the shingle beach and Sam shook the rug and lowered it
‘You can sit now,’ he said. waiting for her to do so.
Emma made herself comfortable on the woollen plaid picnic blanket and waited for Sam to sit next to her.
‘I know it’s warm but I thought we might enjoy a little refreshment, so I brought this flask of coffee.’
Emma smiled at him, grateful for his thoughtfulness. ‘That would be nice, thank you,’ she said, realising how thirsty she was, having not had anything to drink yet that morning. She waited for him to unscrew the lid from the flask. He handed her the two cups and poured their drinks.
‘I asked Mrs B to add the milk,’ he explained. ‘I hope it’s the right amount for you.’
‘I’m so thirsty, I’m past caring.’ She grinned, breathing in the delicious scent.
Finally, having replaced the lid, Sam took his cup and took a sip.
Emma did the same, enjoying the hot drink as she swallowed the first mouthful. ‘This is exactly what I needed today, Sam.’
The final words of her sentence were barely out of her mouth when several planes raced across the sky towards them.
‘Oh!’ Emma shrieked, almost spilling her drink in surprise. ‘What are—’ She glanced at Sam to ask what was happening and noticed the look of longing and pride on his face as he stared at the majestic aircraft. She realised he had also brought her here to see his beloved Spitfires in flight. ‘Your comrades? The other pilots?’
‘Yes,’ he shouted over the roar of the engines as they flew overhead.
They twisted around watching the aircraft disappear over the cliffs inland before Sam turned back to her. ‘I wanted you to see what I’ll be doing when I’m not at the manor.’
‘I see,’ she said, still unsure exactly what his point might be.
‘Emma, now that we know we’re not blood cousins and have never actually been related, do you think you might consider being my girl one day?’
For someone as self-assured as Sam, Emma was surprised to see his cheeks redden in shyness. She leaned forward and did what she had been longing to do – kissed him. ‘I’d like that very much.’
Forty-Four
Pru
June 1940
As soon as they had left the house, Jack reached out. ‘May I hold your hand?’
Pru nodded and slipped her hand into his. The pressure of his hand around hers was instantly soothing. She was slowly regaining control of her emotions and she looked up at him as they walked along the path towards the woods, realising that yet again he had ensured he was on her left side so that the undamaged side of his face was closest to her. She was going to have her work cut out for her if she was ever to convince him that his scars only served to remind her how precious he was to those around him. She knew too that she would always love him. The realisation surprised her.
Eventually, Jack broke the silence. ‘Do you think you can ever forgive me?’
She thought about it and decided that there was little point in brooding about decisions made over twenty years before. And anyway, she mused, all of them had done what they’d thought was best for her. ‘Yes, I forgive you, Jack.’
‘That makes me very happy,’ he said, quietly smiling down at her. ‘And Monty and Jean? Do you forgive them for lying to you?’
Pru groaned. She couldn’t ignore that Jean he been put in a terrible position. ‘I’m hurt, but I can see why Monty did what he did and that Jean had little choice but to act as she did. Although…’
‘Although?’
‘Even if we couldn’t have been together, I would have preferred it if she had said something, anything, to let me know you were alive. I would have found it difficult to keep my promise to Peter,’ she admitted, ‘but I would have done it.’
Would she? She liked to think so.
‘It’s done now,’ he soothed. ‘There’s nothing we can do to change the choices we all made back then.’ He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ‘We need to try and focus on the future now.’
‘That’s true.’ There was so much suffering already going on in this new war. She thought of her beautiful island and her heart ached to think it had been bombed.
She heard him groan. He stopped and she did too. ‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, wondering if he was in pain.
‘None of this would have happened at all if I hadn’t made love to you back then, Pru. You wouldn’t have fallen pregnant with Emma and would have still been here when I was discharged from hospital. We’ve lost so much time, Pru, and whether you like it or not, I am to blame.’
She turned to him and grabbed hold of his shirt. ‘I’ll never forget that day,’ she said angrily. ‘You’re right, if we hadn’t made love, I wouldn’t have Emma in my life – but that would be a tragedy. It’s just sad that by having her I couldn’t also have you.’ She shook her head when he went to speak. ‘My memories of being with you in the folly kept me going all these years. And anyway, I haven’t forgotten that I was the one who encouraged you to make love to me, not the other way round.’ She knew she was blushing but didn’t care. ‘If anyone’s to blame, then it’s me.’
He rested his hand on hers. ‘I think we should agree it’s pointless thinking about that now we’ve found each other again. I have a daughter to get to know and make up time with, and this time no one else’s feelings will get in the way of what we want.’
He was right.
They walked through the woods and Pru allowed herself to imagine she was that young nurse so desperately in love for the very first time.
‘I had an engagement ring that I insisted on stopping off to buy before leaving Ashbury for my mission,’ he said quietly. ‘I was going to propose to you.’
She imagined his hurt to discover she had left and was already married with a small baby by then. ‘Oh, Jack.’
‘I’m only telling you this because I need you to know that you meant everything to me back then, and you still do.’ Pru went to speak. ‘No, please let me finish. I might lose my courage and then never tell you and I believe you need to know.’
‘Go on,’ she said, seeing the pain the memories still caused him and knowing he needed to release it finally.
‘It was thinking of you and my love for you that kept me going when I didn’t think I could bear anything more from those monsters at the chateau.’ His voice had a faraway softness about it. ‘Then, when I came back to Ashbury and discovered you were gone, married and raising my baby with another man, I wished I had died instead of Falkner.’
‘Oh, Jack. You poor darling.’ She raised a hand to his face, needing to comfort him.
He took her hand away. ‘I survived.’
‘Only just,’ she whispered.
‘But I did,’ he insisted. ‘And now we’re here, together, and we have a chance neither of us ever imagined being lucky enough to enjoy.’
‘What are you saying?’ Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.
‘Pru, I need you to know how much I loved you then so that you understand how much I still love you.’ He slipped his arm around her shoulders.
‘Life can be so cruel, can’t it, Jack?’ Pru said, thinking of all they had missed.
‘It can,’ he agreed. ‘And then something like this happens and you know everything will be fine.’
They stepped back into the bright sunlight and Jack let go of her hand.
Pru said nothing but watched to see where he was going, surprised when he stopped in the middle of a mass of daisies and buttercups and began picking them. He looked so sweet. This man who had meant so much to her for so long, who had suffered so cruelly but who was happy to have her back in his life again. She didn’t think she would ever be as happy as she was now.
When he had a small posy in his hand, he walked back to her and handed them to her, smiling.
‘I promised you back in 1917 that once the war was over, I would make sure you had fresh flowers every day.’
Pru tried to recall him telling her as much. ‘Did you?’
‘I did. Now we’re together again, I intend to make good on that promise.’
She gazed down at the perfect, pretty posy in her hands, brushing the daisies against her nose and enjoying the gentle tickling. ‘I like that idea.’
‘I’m glad.’ He looked down at his damaged hands. ‘I’m aware you were only widowed six months ago and I don’t wish to appear insensitive when you’re still grieving, but…’
‘Are you trying to tell me you would like us to pick up from where we left our relationship all those years ago?’ Pru asked, hoping she wasn’t imagining where he was going with his thoughts.
‘I am, Pru. When you’re ready though. I don’t wish to rush you.’
‘You’re not rushing me, Jack,’ she said, realising that their walk had brought memories racing back to her and reignited the love she had for him when they were younger.
‘The only person other than the two of us whose feelings matter to me right now is Emma, and I know my daughter would want me to be happy.’
‘Then Emma and I have a lot in common.’
‘We should talk about Emma,’ Pru suggested.
He took her hands in his and pulled her closer to him. ‘I’ve longed to see her and now that you’ve both returned and I have time to get to know her, it’s like being given the most precious gift.’ He smiled at her, his blue eyes filled with happiness. ‘She’s a beautiful, sweet, brave girl,’ he said smiling. ‘Just like her mother.’
Pru could barely contain her joy at hearing him say as much. After all the secrets that had been kept from her, and those she had kept from her daughter, Pru knew now was the time for complete honesty.
‘Every single day, whenever I looked at her sweet face, I thought of you and knew that no other man could ever make me feel like you did.’
He swallowed and Pru could tell he was trying to contain his emotions. ‘Do you truly mean that?’ he whispered, and she knew how much it had taken him to ask her.
