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Back A Terrible Kindness
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

Phillip’s mouth turns up slightly and his head dips to the right as William sings his first solo, confident and clear, with a solid thump of joy in his heart.

The organist lifts his hand from the key. Silence. Porter clears his throat. William glances round. Every face is turned to him. He looks down and then quickly back at Phillip.

‘Nice work, Lavery,’ he says, already leafing through his music for the next piece, ‘nice work. That’ll do for tonight. Porter? Make sure he’s gowned up properly.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Porter tidies his music.

▪ ▪ ▪

The oily liquid dotted with blobs of vegetable doesn’t deserve to be called soup, but William is so hungry he knows he will eat every drop. He heads for Martin who, after a day in sickbay, is now sitting in the corner of the dining room.

‘Hello.’ William puts his bowl down next to Martin and climbs over the bench seat from behind. ‘Are you better?’

‘Think so,’ Martin says, glancing up and swallowing. ‘Matron says I should wait till morning to eat, but stuff that. I haven’t eaten since breakfast! We’ll see what happens after this.’

‘Fingers crossed.’

‘So’ – Martin wipes his finger round the bowl, all his bread gone – ‘anything to tell me?’

William feels his cheeks flame. He concentrates on the greenish lump of something on his spoon. ‘I’m glad you’re feeling better.’

‘Are you?’ Martin’s skin is even paler than usual; his freckles are livid, scampering over his nose. His spoon hovers above his empty bowl.

Something stirs in William, a resolve. If he can’t do this without cringing and apologising, his time here will be ruined.

‘I am pleased you’re feeling better, but I’m pleased I got to sing a solo too and that Phillip liked it. I’d be crackers if I wasn’t, wouldn’t I?’

Martin puts his spoon down and sits back. ‘Porter said you’ve got a strong solo voice.’ William meets his eye, hoping his scarlet cheeks are fading. ‘He says we’ll have to watch out.’

‘I’m only a probationer. You’re safe for a while.’ William tries to smile. ‘You’re the best soloist, Martin. Everyone knows that.’ William’s fingers are crossed under the table. He knows he is at least as good as Martin, if not better, but strictly speaking, he’s still not a chorister.

‘Good job I am.’ Martin grins and looks more himself. ‘It’s the only thing I can do.’

William decides not to write about his solo in his weekly letter to Evelyn; he wants to save it until he sees her in two weeks’ time. He’ll tell Uncle Robert though. There’s no danger he’ll spoil the surprise; his mum doesn’t even know that they correspond – another of those things his uncle worries might upset her.

17

EXEAT Name: Lavery from 12.30 to 4.45

Date 20th October Signed AG Atkinson