︻┳═一

October 8, 1916

︻┳═一

The ensuing silence was uncomfortable. Eddie cleared his throat.

"Mum, Da, we weren't expecting you."

"Obviously," Anthony Masen Sr. snapped.

"Oh, Junie," his mum said, but she didn't approach him.

"How did you get in?"

"The door downstairs was open so we let ourselves up." So Eddie wouldn't need to have a word with Mother Biggins about letting people upstairs to visit unannounced. His father had snuck into the house in order to get the advantage. Typical.

"Is this how ya comport yourself now, young man?" he demanded, as though he had a right.

Bella, who was clutching the back of Eddie's robe, placed her forehead on his back. Eddie clenched his jaw, feeling his face redden. Private Barker gave out a protective growl and yap from his basket.

"This is my home, sir, and I am the master of it." Eddie neglected to add that he and Bella were newlyweds, not children, and might comport themselves however they wished.

"This? A home? Hah! Our housekeeper's quarters are more handsome than this. This is not where ya belong, lad. Get dressed. We're leavin'."

Eddie's temper boiled over. He stepped forward and Bella tried to hold him back. He turned, took her hands, gave them a squeeze, and gently nudged her away. Then, he swaggered over until he was nose-to-nose with his da.

"No."

Anthony tensed. "Because y'are married? Y'are only seventeen. What makes ya tink I'd endorse yar marriage?"

"What makes you think your endorsement counts?"

"Junie…" He sounded stricken.

Eddie stepped back and nodded curtly. "You have not met my wife. And right now, you have her at a disadvantage. Please leave us for a short time—"

"No!" his mother cried. "You will run away again!"

Eddie couldn't help but smile. "In my dressing gown?"

"I would not put it past you!" She put her hand on his father's arm.

"That's not a dressin' gown! Tis not fit for a Mufti," Anthony huffed.

"It's hospital issue."

"Ya ran away from home and have spent the last three years gettin' yarself blown up! Y'are not competent to—"

"I've an excellent job at the hospital."

"C'mere, ya don't need a job!" Anthony hissed. "Ya needn't work at all! And I expect this young woman was aware of that when—"

"I beg yer pardon?" Bella huffed as Eddie's mother gasped, "Tony!"

Eddie pointed at the exit. "If you're going to attack my wife, sir, there is the door!"

"Junie!" he boomed.

"I will not stand for it. Any injury to Isobel is an affront to me. I refuse to be insulted in my own home."

To his shock, his father released a small sob. That was incomprehensible. Anthony Masen was not a sensitive man. Eddie placed his hands on Anthony's trembling face and traced its shape. There were heavy lines on his cheeks and pouches beneath his eyes. His beard and moustache were the same but his shoulders were lower than Eddie's. He had grown old.

Eddie took his father in his arms. "I'm sorry for leaving you, Da."

Eddie's mother began to cry in earnest. His father hugged him back, his breaths uneven. "Why, Junie? Why? Was it the music?"

He gnawed his lip. "The music was the symptom, not the disease."

"The mine."

"Yes."

"Were ya not proud of me? Why do ya not want my legacy?"

"Oh, Da. I have always been fiercely proud of you. But I cannot abide the mine."

"Why not?"

Eddie swallowed hard, pushed away the clawing memory of a partial tunnel collapse at Beaumont-Hamel, and straightened himself. "Do you remember the last argument before I ran away?"

"Over yar wishes for university. I do."

"You ordered me to begin working in the mine twelve hours a day."

"I do so myself, and the men love me for it."

"Da." Eddie steeled himself. "I cannot bear enclosed spaces. It's a phobia. It's incurable."

"Y'are claustrophobic?"

"I am. When you told me I must descend into the tunnel daily, I ran from your study because… I wet myself."

"Junie," he murmured, taking Eddie's face in his hands. "Why didn't ya tell me ya were afraid?"

Eddie swallowed tears. "I couldn't stand for you to shout at me. I was ashamed of my weakness."

Anthony gave Eddie a small pat. "I understan'."

"You do?"

"I do, to be sure. Ya were hardly more than a child. T'ings will be different now, ya'll see."

Eddie's momentary urge to panic was supplanted by rage. He gathered himself together. His father had a simplistic world view. If one was afraid, one could overcome it. He couldn't possibly understand that Eddie's childish, ungrounded fear had—ironically— metamorphosed into the genuine experience of being buried alive. How could he relate to such a thing, sitting at home with fine food and servants? Their lives were totally different and Eddie shouldn't fault his da for that. He resolved to be patient. "No, sir, I still hate being closed in. I don't even like rooms with closed windows."

"Fine! I won't make ya go down in the mine anymore, but I'm after bringing ya home."

"I can't go."

"Please, Junie," Eddie's mum whimpered. "It's not the same at home without you."

"I'm sorry, Mum. My life is here."

"There are no young men left in St. John!"

"All the more reason for me to remain where I am happy."

Eddie's mum stepped over to Bella. Eddie thought he could see her touch Bella's cheek. "You're beautiful."

"Thank ye, ma'am."

"Right and of course she's beautiful! What else has she to offer?" Anthony spat.

"Get out." Eddie boiled red.

"Junie…" His mum touched his shoulder.

"Out of my house!"

"Don't talk to me dat way. I'm your father."

"And I'm a man."

"Y'are a child!"

Eddie bit his tongue and prayed for the right words to say. There were so many feelings ricocheting around inside him that he couldn't possibly sort them all. But his experience with Dildo had taught him that words uttered could not be unsaid. Eddie crossed his arms again. "I began earning my own way in Canada in 1912. I joined the Canadian Army in 1914 and since then, I've been leading men all over Europe. It's true that I've seen a few hospitals. I've seen horrors that would curl your hair, Da. But not once has anyone –from sapper to colonel— ever called me a child or accused my wife of being a money grubber. Except you."

"Do ya blame me?"

"Yes." The silence was deafening. Eddie cocked his head to the side. "My wife is a lady of means. I had a hard time convincing her to marry me."

"Then why work in a hospital?" Anthony asked Bella.

"I wanted tae be useful. I didnae have expectations of marriage."

"Why not?"

Eddie held up his hand. "That's not your business."

"Did ya know yar wife is twenty? Perhaps she didn't have prospects because she is barren!"

Eddie's jaw dropped, then, snapped shut. He balled his hands into fists so he wouldn't throttle his father. "I assure you she is not. Don't try to annul the marriage, either."

"Ya are after comin' home to St. John!"

"Never."

"I demand it!"

"If you deny me my freedom, I will take my family away somewhere you will never find us."

"Family?" his mum gasped.

"Once I turn eighteen, you'll have no authority over me anyway, so why force me to break ties and ruin your chances of being grandparents?"

"I could take ya into custody now." Ah, now, he was bluffing. "It would be for yar own good."

Eddie was calling that bluff. "Do you really think you could hold me?"

"Y'are blind!"

Eddie smiled darkly and purposefully mimicked his father's accent. "Wouldn't ya loike ta troi?"

"Eddie," Bella moaned.

"C'mere, have a go," Eddie invited him mildly.

"I'm not about to hurt ya!"

Eddie snorted. "I dare ya, old man."

"Faith, y'are askin' for trouble!"

"I'm blind, not crippled. Just try and hold me, Da."

Anthony Masen latched onto Eddie's wrist and tried to pull him forward. Eddie took hold of his father's wrist, stepped into the hold and applied pressure. He was free before anyone could tell what he'd done. He lifted a brow and smirked.

"How'd ya do that?" his father asked incredulously.

"One more time, Da."

"Just one." He threw both his arms around Eddie's neck and Eddie brought his hands up between and broke the hold easily. Somehow, the situation became entertaining. Eddie never used to be able to best his da. Both men started to laugh.

"I can't believe you're outmanoeuvrin' me while wearin' nothin' but a cotton robe!" Anthony cackled, hugging Eddie around the middle.

"Imagine what I'd do if I had my trousers on."

"Oh, y'are just like yar old man."

Eddie helped his father to smooth down his jacket and hair. "Good lord, Da, you're all rumpled." He, himself, barely had a hair out of place. His robe remained securely tied.

"I didn't expect ya to defy me. Ya used to love peace more than gettin' your own way."

Eddie grinned broadly. "Guess what? I got my own way and I shall continue to get my own way."

Anthony sighed. "I used to think ya were like your mam. Evidently, y'are just like me. Poor lad."

"So far, it hasn't done me any harm."

"Hah. Young lady?"

"Yes?" Bella answered cautiously.

"Do ya love my son?"

"I do."

"God help ya, ma'am. He's a handful."

"I can manage him."

"So I see." He stepped closer to Bella. "Will ya forgive my incivility, ma'am? I've been worried sick about Junie but that's no reason for me to be rude to ya."

"That depends."

"On?"

"Do ye and mae husband intend tae solve every disagreement by brawling?"

It was hardly a brawl. It was only a playful tussle, and that was overstating it. Still, it rather pleased Eddie that Bella hadn't seen enough of fighting to find it unworthy of concern. A woman ought to be ignorant of such things.

"I only wanted to know if the lad could stand up for himself," Da protested.

"I call bull, sir," Bella said. Eddie was so surprised he almost laughed.

"Ya do, do ya? Well…" Eddie could tell his da was amused. "I must admit that trying him out was rather fun."

"We wouldnae stand for that nonsense in the army. There'll be nae mair of it in mae house."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Eddie?" she asked gravely. He gave himself a shake.

"Oh. Yes, ma'am. No more brawling in the house, ma'am."

"I am surprised our landlady, Mother Biggins didnae come up here."

"Sorry, ma'am," Anthony said. "May we start over?"

"I suppose."

"Wonderful!" Eddie's father slowly gripped his hand and held it. "Junie, we've missed ya terribly. How are ya, lad?"

"I'm well, Da. I'm happy here."

"And who might this be, then?"

"Senior Nurse Isobel Maire Masen. My darling wife."

"Hello, Isobel."

"Sir."

"How did ya meet our Junie, then?"

"Bella nursed me in Ypres," Eddie said. "We became attached and before I was packed off to the Dardanelles, I convinced her to marry me."

"When was that?" Eddie's mum asked.

"We married on October 14th of 1915," Bella said.

Elizabeth's skirts swished as she turned to Eddie. "That's almost a year."

"Yes."

"Do you have a baby?"

He smiled, the possibilities warming his heart. "Not yet."

Elizabeth took Bella's hands. "Are you with child?"

"Erm… I cannae say for certain. It is," she cleared her throat, "verra early yet."

"Ohhh my dear girl! How wonderful! Isn't it wonderful, Tony?"

Anthony cleared his throat. "Don't get carried away, darlin'. Ya know how these things go."

"God has blessed us all and I have faith that all will be well with Bella. I am so glad, Junie."

"Thank you, Mum."

Anthony sighed. "We have much to discuss. We'll all go to a restaurant tonight. What is the best one around here?"

Bella spoke up softly. "I'm sorry, but we cannae. I planned a surprise for Eddie."

Eddie turned hopefully toward his wife. "What surprise?"

"Well, I may as well tell ye, as this is such an important day."

"I love your surprises," Eddie said. "What is planned for this evening?"

"I paid Mother Biggins to prepare us a formal Thanksgiving dinner. And we have guests coming. Tea will be at eight o'clock in the Biggins' dining room. I am sure…" she paused, "that Mr. and Mrs. Masen would be welcome to join us. Knowing Mother Biggins, there will be a feast."

"How," Elizabeth Masen said breathily, "how very kind of you."

"You are most welcome."

"What time shall we come back for tea?"

Eddie deferred to his wife. "Bella?"

"Can ye come at nineteen-hundred?"

"We shall be here."

Elizabeth's long gown rustled as she turned back to Eddie. "Junie, will you not kiss me before we go?"

Although he felt rather awkward in his state of undress, he obligingly opened his arms. "I'm glad you came, Mum. I've missed you." He stooped to kiss her on the cheek and she patted his cheek. Hesitantly, he lifted his hands and let them fall, then lifted them again. Although he didn't want to discover just how much his mother had aged, he was no longer quite certain what she had looked like when he left home. Her face didn't feel wrinkled like his father's, but even with his feeble eyesight he could tell that her auburn hair had faded substantially.

"Still freckled, I see," he teased.

"They are much paler now than they used to be. Can you see well enough to know that?" she asked eagerly and he was sorry he'd joshed with her.

"No, Mum. I can't see you that clearly. I'm speaking from memory."

"Is your vision really that bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

"And you won't come home with us? You can bring Isobel."

"No, I'm sorry. My life is here."

Pressing her handkerchief to her mouth with a nod, she reached for the doorknob and exited the room. Eddie's father picked up his hat and nodded.

"We will sort this out, Junie."

"Thank you, Da."

"See ya at seven."

Anthony Masen put on his hat and departed, and Eddie shut the door and locked it. He whispered, "Remind me to lock the door from now on when we step out."

Bella hadn't moved from her place at his left. He wrapped her in his embrace. "Are you all right, darling?"

"That was… not what I was expecting."

"He knows now that I don't need him to manage me. Trust me, he'll be all right with us now."

"When ye opened the door and he shouted at ye, it took a year off my life, but at least we were wearing robes this time."

Eddie smirked wickedly. "Well, if Da had arrived a bit later and poked his nose in without knocking, it would at least have confirmed the validity of our marriage."

"Ye're so bad." Nonetheless, Bella tipped her head up so he could nuzzle her throat.

"Mmm… Do we have time for a lie down before our guests come?"

"I had best inform Mother Biggins that there will be two more for tea." Her tone was flat.

"Aren't you going to get dressed first?"

"Papa Biggins isnae home yet so I think I'll just pop down."

"All right. Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Yer parents think there's a bairn coming."

"I don't see the problem. If there isn't one on the way, there will be soon."

"These things take time."

"But won't it be fun trying?" He coaxed Bella with another kiss and had to remind her later to tell Mother Biggins they had two more guests coming.

︻┳═一

Isobel's large alarm clock clattered raucously on Eddie's nightstand, startling her awake. "Eddie, get the alarm."

"Mmm… Five more minutes."

"It's seventeen hundred. We maun get up. I dinnae wish tae resemble a fishwife when our guests arrive."

"You could never look like a fishwife." He yawned, stretched languidly and pushed in the button on the clock. "Although, if you let me have my way with you again, perhaps you could smell like one."

"You devil!" Isobel tickled him fiercely and he fell out of bed, cackling and taking the quilt with him. When he didn't reappear, Isobel crawled across the bed and peeked over.

Still laughing, he was trying to fight his way clear of the bedding. "A little help?"

Isobel pursed her lips. "No, I think it's better if ye're occupied while I get dressed."

"You're no fun."

"That's what all the boys used tae tell me."

"I should hope so."

Isobel plucked clean linen out of the door chest and slipped it on. Then she perused her small supply of clothes. Her brow wrinkled. Eddie walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around and kissed her on the shoulder.

"I dinnae ken what to wear."

"Wear your lace dress."

"Mae mammy and auntie would be scandalized if they saw me in it. Whatever would yer parents think of me?"

"They'll think you're fashionable." He kissed his way up to her ear. "And altogether lovely."

"Are ye certain?"

"My mother used to shop in Paris. Trust me."

"If ye say so." She rolled on her stockings, hooked them into her garters and put on her pumps.

"I do." Eddie opened his own drawer and extracted a short, silk union suit.[i] He stepped into it and shrugged into the short sleeves, then began to fumble with the bottommost buttons. He sighed.

"What is it, love?" Isobel picked up her button hook and began to do up her busk.

"These buttons are ridiculously small."

"Do ye want mae help?" She held out the hook.

"Boy, do I ever." He leaned over to slip her another kiss. "But then, we'll be late for your party."

"Why?"

"Do you want my privates standing at attention for you all evening?"

"Erm, that probably wouldnae be for the best."

"Then, my darling, I must see to my own buttons."

Isobel flipped her blush petticoat over her head and tied it at the back, then added the matching chemise.

"That really is a wonderful colour," Eddie said as he put on his garters and clipped in his stockings.[ii]

"I need to buy a petticoat and chemise that will work for evenings."

His hand-me-down white shirt rustled as he donned it. "And clothing for colder weather."

"Eventually."

"Why wait? We can afford it."

"If we get a bairn, I may need different garments by Christmas."

"Oh." He buttoned his trews and pulled up his suspenders. "What kind of garments?"

Isobel winced. "Well, I dinnae really ken. Nobody ever expected me to get married so they didn't tell me anything."

Eddie blinked. "I suppose we don't need to know just yet."

"I suppose not."

"Okay, I just need to put on my slippers and then we can go down."

"Ye'll have to wait while –Oh, I cannae do anything with mae hair." She tried to smooth it into place but the humidity from the bath had made it frizzy.

"Just braid it, then." Eddie appeared supremely unconcerned. Men!

"But it won't—"

"Hey." He reached over and took her face in his hands. "You're my beauty. Don't fret about what anyone thinks of you. I love you just as you are."

Tears pricked Isobel's eyes. "I love ye, too. Just as ye are."

"Braid it, darling. And promise me that you won't pretend to be someone you're not. My parents are going to love you."

"But your da—"

"Will respect us, if he wants me in his life."

Isobel braided her hair into two plaits and tucked them up with pins. "That's the best I can do."

Eddie placed her hand in the crook of his arm. "Shall we go down?"

"Yes. Come on, P.B." Isobel held up her head and snapped her fingers. Eddie whisked the door open and escorted her downstairs. Private Barker remained at the top until they'd reached the foyer. Then Eddie pointed at the dog and waved his arm toward the landing. Private Barker scampered down to join them, tongue lolling, his nails clicking on the stairs.

They knocked on the Biggins's door and heard their landlady toddle up.

"Hello, my dears! Come in! Come in!" Mother Biggins tugged at their hands. Private Barker scooted past her and headed straight for the kitchen. "It's good to have you home, Eddie. The goose is coming along nicely. Bella, you can help me peel the potatoes and carrots, and Eddie, perhaps you can shell the peas."

"Of course. Thank you for having us, Mother." Eddie sat down on the bench at the butcher's block kitchen table, listening to Bella murmur in response to Mother Biggins's cheerful chatter. Evidently, Bella didn't know her way around a kitchen and Mother Biggins was going to remedy that. Private Barker lay down on Eddie's feet. Eddie pinched open pea pods from a wooden bushel basket and collected them into a delicate china bowl. The kitchen was warm and homey and the goose smelled wonderful. He nibbled on a few pea pods to tide him over. They were beautifully sweet and crunchy.

He was almost finished shelling the peas when the front bell jingled.

"Oh!" Bella set down the peeler and hurried to take his hand. "That will be the rest of your surprise."

Eddie carefully set the bowl of peas on the table. "Lead on." Bella practically dragged him to the front door and he opened it. There were… how many men?

"Hello, mate!"

"Dem! And who…" Eddie narrowed his eyes. "Jazz?"

"Hey, Mace." He sounded so happy.

Felix was coming up the walk with Cap, in his wheelchair. "Surprise!" Cap said mildly. Felix plucked him out of his chair and carried him up the steps.

"Hello, Eddie. Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Happy Thanksgiving, Felix!" Eddie moved aside so his friends could get in. "What a fantastic surprise. You never let on this morning, Jazz."

"It was as much a surprise to us as it is to you," Jasper said.

"Bella, however did you arrange this?" Eddie asked.

"Dr. Harris knows about Thanksgiving, of course, so I asked that Emmett and Jasper be allowed to come home overnight. We'll take them back to the hospital with us in the morning. Jasper, ye'd best bring in Emmett's chair before somebody steals it."

"Yes, ma'am." They all hung up their caps on the stand behind the door.

"Where are we going then?" Felix asked. "This blighter's heavy."

Cap laughed wheezily.

"Through here!" Bella waved everyone toward the parlour. "Here, Felix, put Em on the settee." Mother Biggins entered through the back with her arms stretched wide.

"There are my boys!" She hurried to squash Emmett in her ample bosom.

"Mumma."

"How are you, pet?"

"O-kay-o."

"You look better."

"Yeah."

"And Jasper. How are you, my dear?" To Eddie's surprise, she grabbed Jazz by the ears and placed a loud kiss on his forehead. Mwah!

"I'm feeling good today, Mother. Thank you for inviting us."

"Glad to have you. And Eddie and Bella's other friends. Aren't you a tall drink of water!"

Had Eddie not been grinning already, he'd have started when he saw Mother Biggins's blurry form crane its neck to have a look at Felix, who was easily twice as tall as she.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm Felix Jones."

"How'd you meet our Eddie?"

"I'm an orderly at Number Six Hospital. And this is my big brother, Dem." Eddie would have been surprised if Dem was any taller than Mother Biggins. He repressed a snort. "He's a piano tuner," Felix boasted.

"Ooh, I shall need you back another day."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Dem," Bella said, "would you care to see the piano? It's quite a nice one."

"I would, yes, if Mrs. Biggins doesn't object."

"Not at all," she said. "Give us some music."

Dem played some Hanons to warm up. "Oh, this is lovely, this is. A nice old Owl-eyed Smith.[iii] How old is it?"

"I don't know," Mother Biggins said. "My papa had it."

Dem played a couple of trills and then set up a marching base. Eddie unconsciously leaned forward. "What is that?" The music was jaunty and quick.

"It's the Top Liner Rag by Joseph Lamb." And Dem didn't miss a note.

"He wrote Nightingale Rag last year," Eddie said.

"Yes."

Eddie sat in a chair next to the piano and strained to see Dem's hands. Would Dem teach him how to play it? Eddie quashed his urge to ask and concentrated on listening to the music instead. When Dem finished the piece, everyone clapped for him and asked for another and another. Eddie enjoyed the music immensely.

Dem turned on his stool. "How about you give us a song now, Eddie?"

"Only if Bella will sing while I play."

"Oh, Eddie," she groaned, twisting her white apron. "I cannae…"

"Oh, come on, Bella," Jazz pleaded. "You're amongst friends."

"Yeah," Cap said.

"Well…" she stood at the bass end of the piano while Eddie took the stool. "Just one, and then I maun get back to the kitchen."

"Excellent." Eddie stretched his fingers. "What would you like?"

"St. Louis Blues by Handy."

"Oh, yeah!" Eddie purred. He set Bella up with the intro and when she began to sing it, their audience was astounded. She could work the melody as well as anyone from Tin Pan Alley. Eddie actually had a bit of a hard time keeping up with her. When the last notes were struck, everyone was silent for a moment and then they rushed to congratulate her on her brilliance.

"You two should be on the stage!" Dem declared.

"Please, just dinnae tell mae new mama-in-law that," she said, and Eddie knew she was rolling her eyes.

"Eddie," Dem asked, "can you play the Maple Leaf?"

"Joplin!" Bella exclaimed. "He can! He's marvelous."

Eddie made a show of stretching. "I may be a tad rusty." He played it perfectly, of course.

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[i] Union suits were worn as undergarments by men from 1800 to 1928 with little variation. The winter ones were made of wool, with long legs and long sleeves, and trapdoors in the back. Here, we call them longjohns. In warm weather, men wore short union suits (still with access panels in the back) made of gauze or silk. In the late 1920s they were also made of rayon. The summer suits had either short sleeves or they were sleeveless. They buttoned all the way from the inner leg up to the collarbone. All summer union suits were white. Around 1928, boxer shorts with separate undershirts were invented. They were still white. Boxers became popular in North America, but union suits continued to be preferred in Britain.

[ii] Men's socks were called stockings. They were generally made of wool or silk. Since there was no elastic, they were held up with garters that sat just below the knee. In Edwardian times, men's garters were generally black but in the 1920s it became fashionable to wear patterned suspenders with garters to match.

[iii] Owl Eyes were pianos decorated with a pair of eyelike circles on the panel above the keyboard. Smith was an English piano making company. The owners built pianos in their barn

︻┳═一

A/N: I'm still down with bronchitis. Thanks for your patience and well-wishes. Both are much appreciated.

Janiriki informs me that mutton is better to eat than rat. I must take your word for it, J. Although I have heard tell that rat is somewhat of a delicacy in parts of the world. Better to eat the rat than have the rat eat you!

(Apologies to my friends with pet rats. Xx)

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