Chapter 18. Looking glass

Finn took the same short cut from the St.Ives railway

station that he'd taken as 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 farmers fence until it came to a cross road.

As he walked uphill towards the family 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 towns' population had swelled with soldiers billeted

throughout the area. Some buildings and open communal

spaces had already 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 could see Nain Joan hanging out laundry

on the clothes lines.

There was a chance that some of the sheets might 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 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."

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'd left it. Everything in its right place.

There was no mustiness or dust - the room had been aired

and there was fresh linen on the bed.

Nain Joan had 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 a crystal charm. A fortune teller 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 a crystal Finn, it's soft desert glass. My family came

from Damascus on the edge of the great desert. My Mother

had a collection of these stones that she'd found."

Nain Joan held the marble to her eye.

"None of hers were carved or as clear as this though."

Finn buttered some bread and dipped it in the 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 and nodded in agreement.

"What it's shown me is that you are in need of two things."

Nain Joan picked up a napkin and wiped some butter from

Finns' 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'm afraid." 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 past.

"Then we shall just have to wait and see

what we see then."

*