BooksBarbecue
Back Found Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Title
  2. Copyright
  3. Contents
  4. About the Author
  5. About the Book
  6. Dedication
  7. Your Worst Nightmare
  8. ONE
  9. TWO
  10. THREE
  11. FOUR
  12. FIVE
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. EIGHT
  16. NINE
  17. The Answer to All Your Prayers
  18. TEN
  19. ELEVEN
  20. TWELVE
  21. THIRTEEN
  22. FOURTEEN
  23. FIFTEEN
  24. SIXTEEN
  25. SEVENTEEN
  26. EIGHTEEN
  27. NINETEEN
  28. TWENTY
  29. TWENTY-ONE
  30. TWENTY-TWO
  31. TWENTY-THREE
  32. TWENTY-FOUR
  33. TWENTY-FIVE
  34. TWENTY-SIX
  35. TWENTY-SEVEN
  36. TWENTY-EIGHT
  37. TWENTY-NINE
  38. THIRTY
  39. THIRTY-ONE
  40. Somebody Else’s Child
  41. THIRTY-TWO
  42. THIRTY-THREE
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. THIRTY-FIVE
  45. THIRTY-SIX
  46. THIRTY-SEVEN
  47. THIRTY-EIGHT
  48. THIRTY-NINE
  49. FORTY
  50. FORTY-ONE
  51. FORTY-TWO
  52. FORTY-THREE
  53. FORTY-FOUR
  54. FORTY-FIVE
  55. FORTY-SIX
  56. FORTY-SEVEN
  57. FORTY-EIGHT
  58. FORTY-NINE
  59. Sunlight on Water
  60. July
  61. September
  62. Acknowledgements

The field slopes upwards, and it’s towards the top end Evan’s heading, head down against the rain and the blasts of wind that have carried it in, towards one of the twisted hawthorn trees, and three stones set in the wall to form a stile.

Jack’s there, sitting on the second step of the stile in only his shirt-sleeves, facing the view he frequently tells Evan is the best in all England, of the undulating dales and distant farmsteads, of sky that goes on forever. This is the place, he’s told Evan, where he asked Grandma to marry him, and this is the place he’s chosen to come when his grief is too much to bear.

When Evan reaches him, the view is obscured. The valleys are hidden by mist and rain, and the sky’s oppressive with the burgeoning clouds. Jack’s face is wet from the rain dripping from his hair, but his eyes are red, and Evan knows some of the wetness is from tears.

He says nothing, but taps Jack’s feet so he’ll move them along the stile’s bottom step and give him a place to sit. Wondering how he can offer comfort, he reaches for his grandfather’s hand.

For a while they sit in silence in the rain, Evan watching how shiny the water makes the spots of lichen on the wall, Jack looking into the distance for hope he can’t see.

Eventually Jack says, ‘I suppose your dad’s looking for me,’ and Evan nods.

‘I’m being silly,’ says Jack. ‘We have to go and record your grandma’s death, make it official. But I have the feeling that until that’s done, she might come back. Once they’ve put it in their book, there’s no denying it. Dora Violet Ferrers, née Hodgson, will be no more.’

They sit a few minutes longer, and as Evan feels the truth of this sinking in, he squeezes Jack’s hand tighter.

‘I expect you’ll stay at home, shall you, and look after your mum?’ asks Jack, and Evan nods. ‘Maybe your dad and I could find something good to eat in town, cheer us all up. How about some eclairs?’

Evan shakes his head. ‘Eccles cakes.’

‘Eccles cakes it is.’ With his free hand, Jack wipes the water from his face, and climbs down from the stile. ‘I shall catch my death of cold, being out here underdressed. That’s what your grandma would say, isn’t it?’

Evan doesn’t answer, but as they walk together back across the field, he keeps his grandpa’s hand in his, trying through his fingers to send Jack as much of his own body warmth as he can, anxious Jack shouldn’t catch his death of cold.

The loss of two dear people would be too much to bear.

THIRTY-FOUR

THIRTY-FOUR

22 October