While my husband was away, I gave birth to a beautiful, blue-eyed son. I’m sure my father read all the signs that my baby was at least three weeks late, yet I claimed he was almost a month early. Johnathan came home for three days special leave, and was thrilled that we were now a proper family. We decided to call our baby Adam, after Johnathan’s father.

‘You’ve made me the proudest man, Gertie. Thank you. I love you both so much,’ he whispered in my ear the night before he returned to the war. ‘In an odd way, I am not so afraid of being killed now, knowing a part of me lives on, here.’

Chapter 49

CHAPTER 49

GERTIE

Dover, 1917.

ADAM WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL baby, and with his birth all the powerful instincts of motherhood were born too. When his eyes found mine, I became lost in the wonder of him. This perfect little baby seemed to glow with love as he grasped my little finger.

My father doted on his first grandchild, buying him the best perambulator in the country.

With Father’s encouragement, I took Adam out for a turn along Lighthouse Lane every morning after breakfast, once his thirty days of confinement was over. His eyes were already changing colour, and his porcelain pink skin had gained a golden hue. I saw Manno in every glance of my baby’s wonderful eyes. As the weeks passed, I’m sure my father realised the dark-haired, brown-eyed baby was not the Corporal’s child, but he said nothing.

My husband was due home in a fortnight. On several occasions, I feared he would see Adam’s likeness to his Greek antagonist. I strolled along Lighthouse Lane, towards home, when I noticed a stranger walking towards me from the direction of The White House. The man stopped, staring in our direction, then suddenly, he tore off his trilby and started running towards us.

‘Gertie! Is that you, agapi mou?’

‘Oh, Manno! Manno!’ I couldn’t believe it. Overwhelmed, I longed to be in his arms, yet I remained frozen to the spot, remembering the woman and two children he had in Kea. I pulled the brake lever on the perambulator and turned towards him.

‘Please, Manno, we can’t be seen together. At any moment, someone might come down the lane. Go through the gate just ahead and wait for me in the field, behind the hedge.’

As usual, the fresh air had put Adam to sleep. Once Manno had disappeared through the gate, and there was no sign of traffic, I headed in his direction.

Tears welled in my eyes when I finally entered his embrace. ‘Oh, my darling, I’ve missed you so much! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you answer my letters?’

‘I wanted to write to you, but I have a terrible confession, agapi mou.’