Chapter 19. Looking glass
Finn took the same short cut from the St.Ives railway
station that he''d taken since he was a school boy.
When the train arrived, he jumped off the platform and
crossed the train lines.
He climbed the embankment on the other side and
walked along a paddock fence until it came to a cross road.
As he walked uphill towards home he looked back
over the town. The beaches and port hadn''t been blighted yet
with the defences that other coastlines had.
Outwardly St.Ives hadn''t changed much - but there was
different feel to it.
The town''s population had swelled with soldiers billeted
throughout the area. Some buildings and open communal
spaces had been taken over for military training.
The feeling of a sleepy seaside holiday town was gone.
Finn came into the house yard through a gate at the bottom
of the property. He smiled when he saw Nain Joan hanging
out laundry. There was a chance that some of the sheets onUnauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
the line may of hidden his approach.
As children it was a game that he and his sisters played -
trying to sneak up on Nain Joan, it was nearly impossible.
Maybe just this once he thought. He slowed his steps and
tried to be as quiet as he could.
''''Look who''s grown taller and even more handsome."
Finn smiled.
It didn''t surprise him that Nain Joan was now standing
behind him. He turned and hugged her.
"How long will you be staying for?"
"Three or four days then I have to report for training."
Nain Joan sighed. ''''Your Father''s gone away to London
for a week."
Finn was annoyed with himself. "I should of told him I
was coming, but it was a last minute decision."
"At least you sent word that you''d enlisted." Nain Joan
went back to her washing basket. "He''ll be disappointed
that he missed you, but he''ll understand. It''s just the two
of us for dinner tonight."
"Is that rabbit stew I can smell?" Finn said.
Nain Joan smiled. "Peg out the rest of the washing for me
and I''ll go and get dinner sorted."
*
Finn unpacked his bag in his old room. Everything was just
as he remembered it. There was no mustiness or dust - the
room had been aired and there was fresh linen on the bed.
Nain Joan set a small table in the kitchen. As they ate dinner
and talked, Finn remembered the marble in his pocket.
"What have you got there?" Nain Joan asked.
He held it up to his eye for a moment then passed it to her.
"It''s some sort of crystal charm. A fortune teller in Oxford gave
it to me. She said it would keep me safe from harm and bring
safe travels."
"A fortune teller you say." Nain Joan traced the outline of the
dove that was etched on it with her finger.
"It''s not crystal Finn, it''s soft desert glass. My Mother''s family
came from near Damascus, on the edge of the great desert.
She had a collection of these stones that her Uncles had
found on their travels."
Nain Joan held the marble to her eye.
"None of hers were carved or as clear as this though."
Finn dipped bread in his stew. ''''Can you see anything in it?''''
Through the marble Nain Joan could see Eurides walking
the fortune teller into a river and drowning her.
She smiled in agreement.
"What it has shown me is that you are in need of two things."
Nain Joan picked up a napkin and wiped some butter from
Finn''s face. Finn lifted his chin, enjoying the feeling that he
was a boy again sitting up at the dinner table.
"Number one is a full beard - I''ve always been vaguely
suspicious of clean shaven men."
Finn laughed. '''' And number two?"
''''A young lady on your arm."
''''The War is going to get in the way of both things for awhile
I think." Finn said.
He kept eating as Nain Joan started to clear the table.
She kissed him on the top of his head as she went into
the kitchen.
"Then we shall just have to wait and see."
*