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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

‘William,’ Martin says, ‘tell them.’

Charles and Anthony look at William, waiting. They’re loving it, he thinks, taking a step out of the cubicle. They separate to let him through.

‘Just stay away from me, OK?’ William says over his shoulder to Martin and strides out into the corridor, stuffing both handkerchiefs in his pockets.

A week later, William is called back into Mr Atkinson’s study. Phillip has persuaded him that never has a boy wanted a solo so much, and never has a boy with a voice quite like William’s graced these chapel walls. So Mr Atkinson tells William that though it is highly unusual to reverse a disciplinary measure, he will sing the ‘Miserere’ on Ash Wednesday after all.

This headmaster will have plenty of time to reflect on that decision, and on how things might have played out differently for William if he hadn’t given in to the pleadings of his passionate choirmaster.

Part III

FAMILY BUSINESS

31

SEPTEMBER 1965

‘Can’t I take yours, Uncle Robert?’

They’re in the hallway, about to leave for the station. Howard is putting William’s suitcase in the car boot. The large case contains seven pairs of new Y-fronts, two pairs of pyjamas, two shirts and two T-shirts, a pullover, two pairs of slacks and a blazer. Eighteen-year-old William is wearing his new suit. Also in the case are the clothes he will need for training in the embalming room: a pair of white surgeon’s boots, a plastic gown, a plastic apron, two pairs of strong rubber gloves, one pair of plastic arm sleeves and a face mask.

Uncle Robert frowns at the book William is holding. ‘It’s so tatty!’

‘That’s why I like it.’

Together they survey the worn grey book in William’s hands, Embalming – Theoretical and Practical by Edwin Frank Scudamore FBIE.

‘You’d rather that scruffy old tome than the new edition I got you with the nice gold lettering?’

‘Yes.’ William smiles, tightening his grip on it. ‘It was Dad’s.’

Robert smiles. ‘Of course you can have it. As long as I get to keep the new one.’

Ten minutes later, the three of them stand on the station platform. The oak trees are on the turn, yellow flashes amongst the green. A breeze washes over William’s face as he hugs Howard. He feels self-conscious in his black suit and tie and posh overcoat, but trusts his uncle’s judgement that it will show respect to the family he’s staying with. The Finches are an other third-generation undertaking family. They live in Stepney, a half-hour walk from the Thames College of Embalming where William will be studying for a year.

A cotton wool cloud dabs the sun out, and as William turns to Robert, he suddenly feels scared.

‘Remind you of anything?’ Uncle Robert asks.