Chapter 21:

︻┳═一

"My dears?" Mother Biggins wiped her hands on her long apron. "I wonder if my… my boys could come along with me for a minute. Jasper, Emmett and Eddie."

Eddie and Jazz stood. "Of course, Mother Biggins," Eddie said. Jazz lifted Cap and the three men followed Mother Biggins through the door at the back of the room. The next room was a comfortable gentleman's study that smelled of Papa Biggins's cherry pipe tobacco. They left it and followed her down the hallway toward the back of the house. The next door was shut. Mother Biggins passed it and stopped at the following door. She was wringing her hands so fiercely that her apron was creased. She took a brass key out of her pocket and placed it in Eddie's hand.

"Mr. Biggins and I had a talk and we have decided… that it is no good keeping our boy's things in a cupboard to molder when others could make use of them. We have taken everything of sentimental value from this room and wish for the three of you to take what you will." She sounded weepy. "He was a good boy. I will say that we spoiled him, but nicely, with affection. He had such lovely things. It would please Papa and me greatly, as I know it would Bernard, himself, to know someone was enjoying them."

"Oh, Mother, are you certain?" Eddie asked.

"Yes, I will enjoy seeing the three of you use Bernard's things. But I don't want to watch you sort them out. Whatever you cannot use we shall give away. And then," she paused. "The room will be free for Jasper and Emmett once they get out of the hospital."

"You want us to come and live with you?" Jazz asked slowly.

"We do."

"But we could be anybody," Jazz protested.

Mother Biggins patted his face. "You're not just anyone, you're our Eddie's brothers." Turning away, she hurried toward the back of the house, where heat was radiating from the kitchen, leaving behind three silent men.

"Well, fancy that," Eddie said.

Cap exhaled loudly. "Open it, Mace."

"Yes, sir." Eddie put the key in the lock and turned it, expecting the door to creak open. However, it was well-oiled. The scent of beeswax and lemons welcomed him and his mates inside. Unlike the rest of the house, which was very Victorian, Bernard's large room was modern, with expensive yellow wallpaper. The gas lamps had been lit for evening, but the small window at the back of the house would admit a lot of afternoon light. A large walnut fireplace with a metal firebox and a pinkish-red tile hearth dominated the side wall, and woven mats were scattered on the dark floor. A narrow bed with wood to match the fireplace stood opposite, and another, dismantled bed was propped against it. A large pile of folded bedding and pillows was piled nearby.

Jazz set Cap down on a khaki divan. Then, he sat beside, in one of the plump, matching club chairs that begged for someone to curl up in them with a good book.

"Mother Biggins," Eddie said, "is an angel." He made his way carefully to the sitting area and helped himself to a seat in the pink velvet rocking chair, groaning as he sank into the comfortable cushions. Jasper sniffled, then put his head in his hands and wept.

After a few awkward moments, Cap crawled down the divan, pulled Jasper's hand from his face and gripped it. Eddie left the chair, took a seat next to Jasper and grasped hold of his other hand.

"Why couldn't my own people love me?"

Eddie couldn't help feeling that this was the first test of his new position. He was deathly afraid to say the wrong thing. "People fear what they don't know. Not very many civilians understand what war is really like. Sometimes things shock them so badly that they just don't know how to deal with it. When they're uncomfortable they don't know what to do and sometimes they choose to do things that are hurtful. Maybe someday your folks will come around, but until then you have us."

"Even if they do come around, I don't know how I'd let them back. They let me down when I needed them most."

Cap nudged his shoulder. "Don't cut off your beak to spite your face."

Even Eddie could see Jazz's mouth drop open. "What face?"

The three men laughed longer and louder than was probably warranted, but Eddie felt better afterward.

"Jazz, will you go and ask Felix and Dem to join us?"

"Yes, sir." He returned shortly with the brothers and Felix ushered Dem to the chairs.

"Smells lovely in here," Dem said, his cane resting between his knees.

"It's a charming room," Eddie agreed. "Mother Biggins wants Jazz and Cap to live here once they're out of the hospital."

"She's a generous sort, isn't she?" Felix remarked.

"I still don't know what I did to deserve her," Jazz murmured.

"Well," Dem said, "God likes to give His children good things. None of us really deserve them, but He gives them anyway."

Jasper was quiet for a minute. "Yeah."

"Felix, would you mind helping us put together the beds?" Eddie asked.

"Not at all." With his help, Eddie and Jazz managed to get the frame of the second bed assembled and secured in no time.

"Where are you from, then?" Dem asked Cap.

"Trana."

"Canada?"

"Yeah."

Eddie, Jazz and Felix had no trouble at all lifting the mattress onto the frame. Felix retrieved a set of sheets and the three men began to make up the beds.

"Got family there?" Dem continued.

"Pop went west. Mumma after but Sissy's there."

"Is she married?"

"Yeah. M'an uncle."

"Are you? Boys or girls?"

"Yeah."

"How many?"

"Three."

The men had a peek at Bernard's things. They found some trousers that were too small for Eddie but passably fit Jazz. Although Cap didn't change out of his hospital blues, they coaxed him into an exquisite navy blue, Japanned dressing gown that was probably meant for an adolescent. Jazz looked on Bernard's desk, found cigars and passed them around. The five friends were kidding each other, playing poker with Eddie's special deck, when Bella knocked on the door. She had removed her apron.

"It is 18:30 gentlemen, and Eddie's parents are expected soon."

"Thank you, darling." Eddie blew a perfect ring in the air. "We shall finish our smokes and join you directly."

Bella waved her hand in the air and coughed. "Ye maun open the window for a few minutes. Tobacco is bad for yer eyes." [i]

"Is it?"

"It is, yes."

"All right, darling."

She shut the door on them. Eddie looked at his chums. "I suppose we should wash up." The door swung open. Bella marched over to Cap and set down the borrowed urinal on the floor. Was she a mind reader? She left without saying anything further.

"Fanny Adams," Cap whispered, round-eyed.

︻┳═一

Isobel pushed upon the door to the parlour and stopped short. Eddie was at the piano again, and the five men were singing softly, in harmony, a mournful air she'd not heard before. It sounded Irish. Although she did not wish to intrude, she couldn't make herself leave, either.

On a rainy day in the salient

Was a bloody bomb deployed

The boys were scattered, banners rent

And Fritz was overjoyed

To the trenches we must go

Though our brothers we laid down

Gone west in Flanders' fiery glow

While the rockets fell all round

In the east the Huns rejoiced

Singing hymns of hate and strife

But we'll heed them not, we'll hear our boys

Singing songs of faith and life

And to the trenches we must go

With our brothers we lie down

Going west in Flanders' fiery glow

While the rockets fall all round

Going west in Flanders' fiery glow

While the rockets fall all round… [ii]

She didn't realize her cheeks were wet until the shrill front bell startled her. Wiping her face fiercely, she collected herself and opened the main door to the house. Eddie's parents' expressions fell blank.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Masen demanded, grasping Isobel's wrist. Mr. Masen slipped in behind her and shut the door, frowning like thunder.

"Oh, I'm sae sorry." Isobel wiped her eyes again. "Tisnae anything tae worry about. The boys are singing about the war, that's all."

"The boys?" Mr. Masen echoed.

"Eddie and his mates." She found her handkerchief and dried her face. "They're so brave."

"I should like to meet Junie's chums," Mr. Masen said, looking as though he might march through the door uninvited. Isobel touched his arm. [iii]

"I maun tell ye about them first. They… It is vital to remain calm around them. Around the captain and the ensign, I mean. They were… severely injured. Captain McCarty cannae walk and Ensign Hale is badly disfigured." She gestured toward the room. "Plus, Dem and Felix Jones are here. Dem is blind, too. He's been a great help tae Eddie."

"We shall be careful of the invalids," Mr. Masen removed his coat and top hat and placed them in the cupboard, then took Mrs. Masen's and hung it up beside. Mrs. Masen handed Isobel her hat and Isobel placed it carefully on the upper shelf.

"McCarty and Hale may not say much to ye. Dinnae mind them, they're self-conscious."

"Of course." Eddie's father opened the door to the parlour and Isobel and Mrs. Masen preceded him in. Mrs. Biggins's cat, Tiggy-Winkle, slipped in between their feet.

"Eddie, yer mum and da are here," Isobel announced. Eddie swivelled on his stool, stood, and inclined his head. He looked rakishly handsome in the tailored grey suit.

"Hello, Mum."

She offered him her hands and he kissed her cheek. "Hello, Junie."

"Hello, Da."

"Good evening, son."

"May I introduce you to our friends?" [iv]

"Yes, we'd love to meet them."

"This is Captain Emmett McCarty, First Canadian Regiment. I was under his command at St. Julian and Ypres."

"Captain," Mr. Masen said, shaking hands. Mrs. Masen bobbed her head.

Em narrowed his eyes and pointed at Mr. Masen. "You. Proud of your son." Edward's father looked quite disconcerted.

"Yes, of course. He's a Blue Puttee."

"Brave, brave boy."

"I know."

Eddie cleared his throat, discomfited. "And this is my mate, Ensign Jasper Hale, from First Division."

Jasper kept his head down so his hair covered his face, but he held out his hand. "Sir."

"Pleasure ta meet ya, Ensign."

"And you, Mr. Masen. Mrs. Masen."

" So y'are from Canada?"

"Yes. Cap's from Toronto and I'm from Hamilton."

"Have ya no friends from Newfoundland, Junie?"

"Not anymore. This is Felix Jones, an orderly from Number Six Hospital here in Brighton."

"Wonderful to meet you," Felix said. "And this is my elder brother, Demetri."

"Verra nice ta meet ya."

Everyone found a place to sit and chat. Mr. Masen chose a place next to Emmett even though the chair was rather insubstantial for a man his size.

"Isobel." Mrs. Masen perched beside her. "What a lovely gown. Where is it from?"

Isobel touched the lace self-consciously. "I admired it in a local shop. It was imported from Paris." Her mother-in-law's eyes turned dreamy.

"Paris is my favourite place on earth. It has so much art and stunning architecture. And the music! The new opera house is divine. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there and have returned three times since. I long to go back."

Isobel tipped down her chin. "After the war." Tiggy-Winkle jumped onto her lap and settled there with a rumbling purr.

"Of course." Mrs. Masen waved her hand dismissively. "Although I should not like to go another season without visiting my favourite shops. Have you ever been to Chanel? We could go together."

Isobel wished she wouldn't blush. "I'm afraid not, ma'am." She scratched the cat's chin to avoid looking at her mama-in-law.

"Mum." Isobel could tell Eddie was struggling not to grin. "It's not a good time to take a European tour. Fritz is determined to burn things down, you see."

"Oh?" Mrs. Masen blinked. "I rather thought the fighting would be kept to the fields. I suppose it's those Turks. Don't those savages understand the importance of beauty?"

Eddie shook his head. "It's not the Turks, it's all the combatants. Everyone tries not to damage the churches but everything else is… a mess." Half of France was rubble, actually. "It's very dirty, Mum, you wouldn't like it."[v]

"Oh, dear."

Isobel scrambled for a change of subject. "Eddie was playing the piano for us earlier. His talent is astounding."

Mrs. Masen's eyes lit up. "Will you play for me, Junie?"

"Sure. What would you like?"

"Can you still play the Moonlight?"

"Yes." He had only played a few phrases when Papa Biggins entered via his study, still dressed in his work clothes. Eddie stopped. "Ah, here's our host!"

"Hello, Eddie! Happy Thanksgiving."

Eddie embraced him warmly. "Thank you, sir. May I introduce you to my parents and friends?"

Mr. Masen bristled. Evidently, he disliked being placed below Mr. Biggins in the pecking order, even though Mr. Biggins owned the house.

"Papa Biggins, this is my da, Anthony Masen Sr."

Eddie's father turned maroon but Mr. Biggins cheerfully held out his hand. "Peter Biggins, sir. What a pleasure it is to meet Eddie's progenitor at last!"

Mr. Masen eyed his hand disdainfully. "Ya have the advantage of me. I know nothing of you, sir. Are ya in trade?"

Papa Biggins placed his hands on his lapels and smiled with satisfaction. "I am the manager of a factory, sir. I oversee a troop of young ladies who paint dials on watches and clocks."

"It's radium paint, da," Eddie said excitedly. "Fantastic stuff. It glows in the dark. They're using it on all sorts of things now."[vi]

"I am also the landlord of this house," Papa Biggins rocked on his feet, "with the help of my charming little woman. And you, sir, how do you spend your days?"

"I own a mine."

"Oh, really? In Newfoundland?"

"Yes. We mine copper and gold."

"So you are also in trade, then. And how fares your business?"

"Exceedingly well, thanks to this war."

Isobel knew then that Papa Biggins and Mr. Masen would never see eye-to-eye. She also understood why Eddie would not want to return to his birthplace. "Eddie was just playing for us, Papa Biggins."

"Wonderful! Will you play some more, dear boy?"

"I should tell Mother Biggins ye're home," Isobel said, hurrying out. She almost ran to the kitchen. Mother Biggins was just getting the goose out of the oven.

"How's it going then?" the lady of the house asked.

Isobel checked that the kitchen door was shut before answering in hushed tones. "I can understand why Eddie ran away from home."

"Is his father a bad 'un?"

"I dinnae think so. His bark is worse than his bite. But he's certainly full o' himself and determined to haff his way in all things."

"And Mrs. Masen?"

"She seems lovely, although verra sheltered."

"Does she like you?"

"I think so."

"Good. If her husband cares for her, and she lets him know she's your ally, there won't be any trouble from him." They shared a brief giggle. "Come on, then, girlie. You can help me slide this bird onto the platter and after that we'll call the family to the table."

︻┳═一

The Biggins' dining room was posh, although extremely Victorian in design. That is to say, it was oppressively cluttered and full of breakables set on little tables that Eddie had trouble avoiding. Game hunting trophies leered down from the walls and tiny stuffed birds posed in flight under domes of glass. The chandelier was wired with gaslight, which made the furniture gleam. The table, dressed in pure white linens, sparkled with bone china, silver, ivory and crystal, and the sideboard groaned under piles of food. Eddie knew that the Bigginses had finally managed to impress his da.

Dinner was (unsurprisingly) scrumptious and the company (surprisingly) pleasant. The best thing to be said of Eddie's da was that he believed in sheltering ladies from the harsher aspects of life, so he didn't ask any questions about the war and steered the conversation away from politics and labour issues. Eddie and Dem attempted to explain the value of the new music to no avail—as Eddie'd expected, and as they spooned up their dessert, Anthony asked Eddie his aspirations.

"I may go to university, once I see how I like the new job."

"Do ya think ya can manage going to school?"

"Bella will help me."

"If ya go, I'll take care of all the expenses."

"Thank you, Da, but the government will pay for it."

"A free education? Ya definitely should take the opportunity. What do ya wish to study?"

"If I don't like the job, I may still go for music."

"And if ya do?"

"Medicine."

"Medicine?" Anthony paused as though stunned. "How on earth is a blind man supposed to be a doctor?"

Eddie sipped his tea. "I am interested in matters of the mind."

"Philosophy?"

"No. Shell shock."

"Ya want ta work with crazies? In madhouses?"

"No." Eddie growled and stirred the bit of custard left in his dish of English trifle, hoping there was another raspberry hidden within. "I want to help people. I want to find cures for mental illnesses so people needn't be sent to asylums."

"Preposterous!"

He pushed away his ire. "Psychiatry."

"Ridiculous psycho-babble!"

Cap banged his fist on the table, making Eddie, Dem and the dishes jump and drawing everyone's eye. "Lieutenant Masen helps the men."

Anthony sucked air. He was unaccustomed to being confronted. "What men?"

"In the hospital." He placed both hands on the table and pushed himself upright. "Thanks for dinner, Mumma."

"You're welcome, lovey."

The table fell silent. Cap took one shuffling step, then another. He gave Jazz a slap on the shoulder and stumbled out. Jazz scrambled up. "Pray excuse me, Mother." His dancing gait was particularly pronounced.

"What's happening?" Dem asked.

Eddie leapt up. "Emmett walked." Bella and the Bigginses were hot on his heels as he chased after his friends, but they weren't in the parlour. Eddie sighed and brushed back his hair. "They must have gone to bed. I'll have to check on them."

"We must be going anyway," Felix said. "Morning comes early."

"That it does."

Dem sought Eddie's hand. "God bless you, mate. Em's a lot stronger than when I first met him."

"He's working hard to get well."

"Thank you for having us, Mrs. Biggins. That was the best dinner I've had in my life," Felix said.

"Don't tell our mum that," Dem said with a wink. "Or my wife."

"Thank you for coming," Eddie hugged his friends and then passed them over to Bella. "See you soon." He held his hand out to his da. "I'm glad you came."

"When will we next see you?"

"Just send a note. We'll make arrangements." He embraced his mother. "Goodnight, Mum."

"Must you go, Junie?"

"Oh, yes," he said deadpan. "You see, I have to go and care for the crazies."

"Crazies?" his da repeated.

"Yes, Father. You see, Emmett and Jasper have shell shock." He gave his da a pat. "And so do I." Ignoring Anthony's splutter and his mother's gasp, he swaggered after his brothers, and gave a gentle knock at the closed bedroom door.

When they didn't respond, he eased the door open and let himself in. Emmett was reclining on top of his new bed with a bunch of pillows behind his back. He was pasty white and shaking. Jasper sat at his hip, his face hidden behind his hair.

Eddie seated himself on the other edge of the bed and took Emmett's hand. "That was fucking fantastic. Sir."

"Th-they'll send me back." He began to hyperventilate and sob.

"Over my dead body."

"If they send Cap back, then I'm going, too," Jasper said mournfully.

"You're not going back. Neither one of you is ever going back there, I promise."

Jasper raised his face. "How can you keep that promise?"

"I work at the hospital," he scoffed. "And you two are plainly not fit for duty."

"What if we get fit?" Jasper asked.

"We'll think of something. Besides, the war can't last forever."

"What if your da…?" Emmett asked.

"He thinks he knows everything, but he doesn't. I can handle him. Harris, too."

"Your father's a bully," Jazz said.

"Nah. Beneath that crusty exterior is a total softy."

"Then why'd you run away?" Jasper wanted to know.

Eddie shook his head. "He worries all the time. And if people don't listen to his opinions, he makes a lot of ultimatums. And he shouts. No matter what I said, he insisted that I go to work in the mine. I hate the mine. He told me he'd disown me if I didn't do as he wished, so I called him on it. If you'll notice, though, he hasn't disowned me. He's just a big talker."

"He's intimidating," Jasper said.

"Windbag?" Em asked.

"Yes."

"Okay." Em began to breathe. He loosened his death grip on Eddie's hand.

"I don't think he'll stay here very long. It's a long way back to Newfoundland and he won't want to be away from his business."

"Mace," Jasper said tentatively, "how long do you think we'll have to stay in the hospital?"

"Depends on Cap."

"Me?"

"Yes. Mother Biggins is old. You need to be more self-sufficient before you come here to live. That means being able to walk to the lavatory by yourself without falling. You'll need to nourish yourself and get some exercise. Can you do that?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I want you here by Christmas."

"Got it."

︻┳═一 ︻┳═一 ︻┳═一 ︻┳═一 ︻┳═一

[i] Doctors were already telling patients that smoking was bad for their eyesight and lungs, but people were just as addicted then as they are now and tobacco companies used glamorous and misleading advertising. Plus, there was no deodorant. Men smoked in order to cover up less pleasant odours.

[ii] The boys have been singing this in my head for a week. It's Eddie's. No stealing. If I ever stop wheezing I might get brave enough to sing it for you.

[iii] Chums: thought to be an amalgamation of the words chamber mates, as schoolboys used to call each other dating from the 1700s.

[iv] There is actually a proper, formal process to introductions that most of us don't know today. A person or group of people should be introduced to the person or couple with the highest standing. We mostly do it instinctively. For example, we would say, "Dad, this is my friend…" Back then, the order of introductions was much more scripted.

[v] Both enemies and allies being Christian countries, they attempted to exempt houses of God from the destruction of bombs. However, that could cause difficulties. At Beaumont-Hamel, the white spire of the local church became a point upon which the Huns could measure firing distance, which didn't help the British at all.

[vi] People were wonderfully oblivious to the side effects of radium and phosphorus although chemists wore protective lead gear when manufacturing it. Radium powder was a huge fad. It was put in make-up, painted on clothing, signs, the dials of watches and clocks, and even used to make condoms glow. Many people who worked in factories with radium eventually died of radiation poisoning. A famous court case was brought against factory owners by five Radium Girls, who were poisoned around 1917. They made watches for the US military. Eventually the successful suit resulted in strict labour laws governing the handling and care of radium. Despite the known hazard, radium continued to be used on the hands and numbers of watches up into the 1960s.

︻┳═一

A/N: I am still alive. Thanks for waiting for me. It's been a challenging summer. Xoox j