The rain has abated. Albert, soaked to the skin, sits next to Joey. They are both covered in mud. Christina and Andrew, followed by Si Easton, charges through the gate up to Albert. They are lifting Albert up between them, laughing, Si Easton planting a kiss on Albert's muddy cheek, Andrew tousling his filthy hair with Christina hugging him with one arm, when Mrs. Narracott arrives with Ted. She helps Christina, Si and Andrew lift Albert and slings her son's arm over her shoulder, glowing with pride, crying, overjoyed. "Oh, my pair of fools. My mighty fools."

As the others help Albert up, Ted tends to Joey. He looks over to his son and, after a moment, removes his cap and slightly bows his head.

The others stagger away, supporting Albert, and Ted pats the horse and gently begins to unbuckle the harness.

Christina and Albert washes Joey and tends the wounds and sores on his body. Rosie is putting antiseptic on Albert's wrists and shoulders. Joey bristles but is soothed by Albert's care. "You're as battered and bloodied as he is." Christina said, shaking her head.

"And where's Dad?" Questioned Albert

"Still in the bottom field." Mrs Narracott answered.

"Stumbling about, I suppose."

"It's not the drink, Albert, that makes him stumble -" Christina was cut off by Albert

"He drinks, Chrisy."

"Well, so might you if you'd been where he's been, seen what he's seen!" Mrs. Narracott snapped, cutting in.

"Well, he don't talk to me about it."

"He don't talk about it because he can't. There aren't words for some things. Come here..." Rosie stalks over to a pile of broken equipment in a corner of the stables. She rummages until she finds a waterstained brown paper parcel tied with yarn. She brushes away some mouse turds. "The mice've been at it. Sit down."

They sit together on a step. As she begins to untie the yarn, a change comes over her: her irritated determination gives way to sadness. Christina and Albert comes to her and kneels beside her as she gently opens the paper. Inside there's a red and tan pennant, knotted and fringed at both ends. "Here. It's his campaign pennant. He were Sergeant, Seventh Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry." Then with great care she unfolds the sash to reveal two silver medals. The first, with the profile of Victoria, hangs from a red, blue and orange ribbon. "And that is the Queen's South Africa Medal. Every man who fought in the Boer War got one of those. But this..." She holds up the other medal, hanging from a red and black ribbon. "That's the Distinguished Conduct Medal." She hands Albert the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He takes it, astonished and Christina ran her finger over it.

"Not dad's?" Albert asked.

"Well it ain't mine nor Christina's, dear. He got that after the fighting at Transvaal. After he'd been hurt, and he'd saved some other lads, and well... I don't know what else, he won't tell me either. But the first day he got home he just... tossed them out. First day he could walk, he threw `em straight in the dustbin, and wouldn't hear a word I said not to." Albert nods, looking at the medal and campaign pennant. She takes the medal back, puts it in the sash, and begins to wrap it again. "See, what you done today, you and Joey, you're chuffed up now, and so you should be, my splendid boy. It's good to be proud when you done something good. But what he done, in Africa, whatever it was, he takes no pride in it. Hard as it surely was, and however much pain it's cost him, he refuses to be proud of killing, I suppose." She returns the things in the footlocker, closes it.

"I'd be proud. If I'd gone off to war. If I'd gone and saved my mates, and -" Albert said, confused but was cut off by Christina.

"Well, whether or not you think you'd do the same thing as him... Think how brave he is for refusing to be proud."

Rosie heads back to Albert, pennant in hand. "Oh, your dad makes mistakes. And he drinks to forget the mistakes that he's made - but he never gave up and he does that for us. And today, you showed the world it's all been worth it." As she leaves, she drapes the pennant over Albert's shoulder. "You keep looking after Joey and he'll always be looking after you."

After she leaves, Christina get up "Well i have to go. I have to go to the villiage and help Mrs Morris and her friends"

"Alright be safe" Albert said, smiling up at his stopped by the door

"always am. Bye Albert. Oh and Joey." she pulled out a carrot from her pocket and threw it to him who caught it in his mouth. she giggled and left.

Walking through the town, Christina reached a small cottage. Before she could even knock on the door, a small old lady with bright blue eyes and mattered white hair."Ah Tina, there you are dear. I was getting worried. come on in dear" Christina smiled and Mrs. Morris held onto Christina's held out arm for her to take as Christina led her back into the house where about Six other ladies were. When Mrs. Morris was in her normal green seat by the window, Christina turned to the women.

"Is there anything i get you all?" Christina asked with the most polite voice she could use. All of the elderly women smiled at her and asked for tea and Biscuits. She nodded and made a hot pot of tea and brought out some biscuits.

"So, Dear Tina. I heard that you have a horse. Is that true?" Mrs. Wood asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"Yes, Ma'am. He's beautiful horse which Albert called Joey. The horse has a lot of spirit." Christina smiled, thinking of Joey.

The ladies smiled at her "If he has half of the spirit you have Chrisy" Miss. Grey started "it must be an amazing horse." She smiled at the women who smiled back.

Christina and Joey are now in a meadow. They trot past the field the plowed, now packed with a strong and sturdy crop, which Ted tends to. The sun is breaking through and Joey starts to run across the field and up a small incline. As both Joey and Christina gain confidence they pick up speed. Christina pushes Joey on, they are going faster and faster, Christina yells with the exhilaration of it all. Joey races flat out across the countryside while Christina shits up, laughing slightly. Christina and Joey pull up beside a sleek red car. It's Lyons' car, being driven by David Lyons, every inch the expensively- tailored rural gentry.

"Um, I'm the only boy that drives in the village. No one else drives but me." David said trying to impress a girl

"Oh, yeah?"

"That's right and this is my dad's car. You're lucky that you're in it. I'm not normally allowed to drive it `cause it's so -"

Christina urges Joey to go faster, till they're neck and neck beside the car, racing it. David Lyons looks to see Christina and Joey running alongside his car. He feigns disinterest. Chrs glances at David,smirking at him but smiled at the woman "Mornin' Linda. Now whatch doin' with him? you can do better then him" Linda smiles at Christina, encouraging her. David Lyons, annoyed, pushes the accelerator down, and the car edges ahead of Joey.

But not for long. The sound of the acceleration and Christina's eagerness to annoy David made Joey go faster, and again they moved out ahead of the car. Linda grins at Christina who grins back.

Up ahead Christina sees that the wall alongside of which they've been racing turns the corner, presenting her and Joey with an obstacle. Christina encourages Joey to go faster. "Come on, boy, let's show them how to fly!" They head right for the wall, but at the very last moment, Joey balks and comes to a dead standstill, sending Christina sailing over the wall. On the other side of the wall, Christina stands a bit battered, but unfazed. "Well...you're clearly not gonna be a jumper. or you did that to see what i would do" She smiled at Joey who did a bit of nodding. but what they did notice is that Thunder starting to rumble ominously in the background.