Heirs of Ravenscar. Barbara Taylor Bradford

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СКАЧАТЬ and you know what, the doctors thought they’d have to amputate my leg, but they didn’t. Somehow they managed to save it for me.’ His voice wavered slightly as he added, ‘I’ve been one of the lucky ones.’

      Amos was choked up, but swiftly took control of himself, impressed by Charlie’s courageous attitude. ‘I know you’ve been to hell and back, but you’re home now. And you’re safe.’

      Charlie smiled faintly. ‘Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes, old friend. Come on then, let’s go to the restaurant, shall we? Have a drink, toast each other, and reminisce about old times.’

      ‘Best idea yet. And how’s your sister Maisie?’

      ‘She’s tip-top, very cheerful, feeling better because Liam is steadily improving, and every day. He was so shell-shocked he was like a zombie for a long time. Then he started weeping a great deal, and constantly woke up screaming in the night. And I know why … it’s the memories … they don’t go away.’ Charlie shook his head. ‘Too many walking wounded who probably won’t ever get better. The walking dead, I call ’em. Might as well be dead, the kind of lives they’re going to have. Well, I shouldn’t say that, should I?’ He endeavoured to adopt a more cheerful tone, and finished, ‘Maisie’s a wonder, and she’s convinced that Liam will make a full recovery. She sends you her love, by the way.’

      ‘I received a Christmas card from her the other day, and she told me she hopes I’ll go and visit them at Dunleith. In fact, she suggested we go together.’

      ‘We’ll do it!’ Charlie announced, and nodded to the maître d’ who had come to greet them, and was waiting to usher them into the restaurant.

      ‘Good evening, Captain Morran, very nice to see you tonight.’ The man glanced at Amos, and smiled, ‘Good evening, Mr Finnister.’

      Amos inclined his head. ‘Good evening,’ he replied, feeling certain that the maître d’ remembered him from the times he had come here for lunch with Edward Deravenel and Will Hasling.

      They followed the head waiter across the room. When he showed them to a table near the window overlooking Green Park.

      ‘I’m glad I was able to get a room here,’ Charlie volunteered, looking across the dinner table at Amos. ‘The hotel seems to be very busy, no doubt because of the Armistice, and Christmas, of course. But I’m an old client and they were most obliging. I’m sure you remember that once we could afford it, Maisie and I stayed here whenever we came to London. Mostly to see you, Amos, you know.’ Without waiting for a comment, he rushed on, ‘Believe me, this place is a helluva lot better than the trenches. Take my word for it.’

      ‘I do. I can’t imagine what you boys went through over there. Nobody can. Hell on earth, I’m certain, and I’ve no doubt that it was bloody horrific –’ Amos cut himself off as a waiter appeared at the table.

      Charlie looked at Amos and asked, ‘Would you like champagne? Or something stronger?’

      ‘I’ll have whatever you’re having, Charlie, thanks very much.’

      ‘Then it’s champagne.’ Charlie said to the waiter, ‘I’d like a bottle of pink champagne, the best in the house.’

      ‘That would be Krug, sir. I’ll bring it right away.’

      When they were once more alone, Charlie leaned closer to Amos and said in a low voice, ‘The constant shelling, the mustard gas, the hand-to-hand fighting, it was bleedin’ awful. But it was the bloody mud that got to us. Sometimes we sank knee-deep in it, and it slowed us down, I can tell you. One of my lads suddenly hit on the idea of using our rations to make a solid floor in the trenches.’

      ‘Rations?’ Amos’s eyebrows shot up questioningly.

      ‘That’s right … tins of Fray Bentos corned beef, our daily rations. Hundreds of tins went under our boots, helped to keep our feet dry, and at eye level, so we could see over the top of the trenches. Spot the Germans as they came at us. It was horrible, like glue, that mud, and then there was the incessant rain, the bombs exploding, the men dying all around us …’ Charlie let his voice fall away. He pressed his lips together, struggling to keep his emotions in check, but it was a struggle for him.

      Amos, regarding him worriedly, noticed that Charlie’s dark eyes were suddenly moist, and he reached out, touched the younger man’s arm quietly, lovingly. ‘There, there, lad, take it easy. Perhaps we shouldn’t be talking about this –’

      ‘It’s all right, honest,’ Charlie cut in with swiftness. ‘It’s better to talk about it really, especially with an old friend like you. I know you understand how I feel, you always have.’

      Amos said nothing, but thought that Charlie had never been through anything like this before, but then who had? It had been a war of such magnitude, horror and brutality that it defied description.

      Charlie suddenly coughed behind his hand, and swallowed. Then before he could stop himself he went on talking. ‘I saw my men die around me, all of them. I lost the whole battalion. I’m the only survivor.’ His voice broke on these words, and he pulled out a handkerchief, blew his nose, sat back quietly, pushing the memories of his men away.

      Amos, aware that Charlie was trying to control his distress, motioned to a waiter, and when he came to the table, Amos said, ‘Could we have some water, please? And the menus … we’ve been waiting for those. We’d like to order.’

      Nodding, the waiter hurried off.

      After a moment or two, Charlie turned to Amos and made a face. ‘Sorry, old mate, very sorry. Usually I’m fine, quite all right most of the time, and then suddenly I get upset, sort of overcome. My apologies. I didn’t intend to inflict this on you.’

      ‘You’re doing no such thing, don’t be daft,’ Amos answered, and then seeing a bevy of waiters descending on them, exclaimed, ‘Everything’s coming all at once.’

      Within minutes they were alone again, and lifting their flutes of champagne; they clinked glasses. ‘Here’s to the future!’ Charlie said.

      ‘The future!’ Amos echoed, and took a sip.

      A silence fell between them as they both scrutinized the menu, and then Charlie looked over the top of his, and said, with a smile, ‘Lots of delicious things to choose from, and I must confess, they all tempt me. A lot better than the grub I was getting in the army hospital at Hull. Bloody foul it was.’

      Amos laughed, relieved to see that the old Cockney cheerfulness was surfacing in Charlie. ‘I must say it does read like a repast for a king. Well … I fancy the Colchester oysters, or perhaps the Morecambe Bay potted shrimps, and then saddle of mutton with redcurrant jelly, or roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.’

      ‘D’yer think they knows ’ow to mek Yorkshire pud ’ere? Me old muvver used ter say only the folks from up the Dales could do it proper, and that’s right, innit? No, this ain’t the place fer it.’

      Amos burst out laughing. ‘I thought you’d forgotten all your Cockney, Charlie, seeing as how you’re speaking like an officer and a gentleman tonight.’

      Charlie laughed with him and took a long swallow of his pink champagne, enjoying it. ‘Not only tonight, but all the time really. Didn’t you ever notice on our trips home before the war that Maisie and I were speaking differently, СКАЧАТЬ