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Chapters (77)
  1. Landing Page
  2. A TERRIBLE KINDNESS
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. ABERFAN
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. CAMBRIDGE CHOIR
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. FAMILY BUSINESS
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. MIDNIGHT CHOIR
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. ABERFAN
  68. 59
  69. 60
  70. 61
  71. 62
  72. 63
  73. 64
  74. 65
  75. Acknowledgements
  76. About the Author
  77. Copyright

William counts to thirty and then whispers to Martin, ‘Tell him he can take them off now. Don’t make him wear them all night.’

‘He’s got to learn his lesson,’ Martin whispers softly. ‘You don’t want to have to put up with this for the next four years, do you?’

‘But what will Matron say in the morning? It’ll look like he’s wet himself.’

‘Trust me, William, he’ll leave you alone now.’

As Martin’s breathing quickly deepens, William is horribly aware of Charles’s restless shivering six beds away. It is a long time before sleep relieves his mind of the puzzle of how his new friend can be both so kind and so cruel.

16

Dear William,

Thank you for your letter – even though it made me hopping mad. I’m sorry to hear how unkind one of the boys has been, and can’t help but be pleased about how thoroughly your friend taught him a lesson, even though it was a tough one. Martin sounds quite a character – I think I’m glad you’ve got him looking out for you.

You were quite right not to tell your mother. And I’m happy to be the one you turn to when things aren’t so good. We all know that after your dear father died, your mother needed you all to herself for a while. We understand, but we’ve missed you. We might pop up to Cambridge for evensong every now and then, though I’m not sure how your mum would feel about that.

Anyway, I’ve been racking my brains for a way to make you feel better. I decided to hunt down something of your father’s – a good thing about still living in the house we grew up in! I found the shrivelled old conker he beat mine with in 1933 but it doesn’t look very impressive nowadays. You came dangerously close to getting a cracked old soap on a rope he once gave me for Christmas. Then I remembered you saying that apart from clothes, a blanket was about the only possession you were allowed. Bingo! Your father’s old blanket was ready and waiting in the bottom of the ottoman in his old bedroom. It’s stood the test of time better than the conker and soap, that’s for sure.

Think of the blanket as a big hug from your dear dad (and me) whenever you need it.

Your loving Uncle Robert

PS Howard says hello in his best Donald Duck voice.

PPS Nice touch to put your tuck rations under Charles’s pillow for the last two weeks, though I’m not sure he deserves it and I think you should enjoy them yourself from now on.