‘Of course. But it hasn’t come to that yet. Now, go.’ Ethan watched as Rosie balanced over the clapper bridge and made her way home along the lane. He stood and looked over to the rocky outcrop of Norber and watched the sun slowly sink, filling the sky with oranges and pinks as it disappeared from sight.

What had he done? He didn’t even know if he did love her, in truth. Rosie was just a young girl, and he had known she would be an easy first conquest. Tomorrow he would tell her not to visit him in the loft. After all, the Irishmen were coming to help with hay-time and he didn’t want them knowing their secret. It would give them both time to come to their senses.

12

12

‘Doesn’t Luke look smart? Just look at him in his uniform, like a true soldier.’ Isabelle gazed proudly at her young son, dressed in his latest cadet’s uniform, with his Lee Enfield rifle strapped over his shoulder. He stood in front of both of his parents in his khaki breeches and tunic, peaked cap, knee-length puttees and brown leather boots, loaded down with belts and ammunition pouches. The brass badges on his shoulders and cap, stamped with ‘Giggleswick OTC School’, shone in the sun.

‘I’m lucky to have got this rifle.’ Luke grinned. ‘My mate Palmer still has to use his old Martini–Henri carbine, which is really heavy to carry when you have the full kit on, and it only fires blanks.’ He touched and stroked his rifle lovingly and smiled at his father as he did so.

‘Just mind what you are doing with the thing. I never have liked guns. I still can’t believe that Giggleswick School has been given a sub-target machine. I don’t think they should really be offering military training. I really don’t believe in this wave of militarism that is sweeping through the school.’ James looked up from his paper and scowled at his young son. ‘Besides, that uniform has cost all of thirty shillings, and that is on top of the subscription of seven-and-six, and the use of that damn rifle at two-and-six per term. You’d think we were made of money. And for what – for our son to learn to kill someone or perhaps be killed, if a war comes?’