Читать книгу No Place For A Lady: A sweeping wartime romance full of courage and passion - Gill Paul, Gill Paul - Страница 24

Charlie arranged for Bill’s body to be brought to a quiet spot amongst some bushes on the edge of the camp, where Adelaide kept vigil by his side all night long. Lucy and Charlie took turns to sit with her as she grieved. Sometimes she muttered prayers, at others whispered to Bill under her breath while stroking his face or holding his hand. Someone had arranged his fur busby on his head to hide the fact that part of his skull had been blown away. Adelaide wouldn’t accept any tea and barely said a word to either Lucy or Charlie, but focused all her attention on the man lying on the ground. As night went on, a purple stain seeped down into his face, which swelled until he was barely recognisable, while his limbs stiffened awkwardly, but he was still her husband, the man who played at being a big bear while their children clambered over him.

Charlie was in tears much of the time. How would he cope without the steady presence of Bill, who had been such a close friend? Only the previous evening they’d all been chatting by the fire. Somehow Lucy had expected there would be an inkling of impending death, such as they’d had with her mother, but Bill was full of life one moment and gone the next. Her heart ached for him, for Adelaide, Martha and Archie. And sometimes a selfish thought passed through her mind: Thank God it wasn’t Charlie.

Towards morning, Adelaide began to go through Bill’s pockets, removing personal items, and she gave a little cry when she found a letter addressed to her in an inside pocket.