Chapter 19. Looking glass

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

station that he'd taken since he was 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 paddock fence until it came to a cross road.

As he walked uphill towards 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 town's population had swelled with soldiers billeted

throughout the area. Some buildings and open communal

spaces had 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 smiled when he saw Nain Joan hanging

out laundry. There was a chance that some of the sheets on

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the line may 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 nearly 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."

"At least you sent word that you'd enlisted." 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 remembered it. There was no mustiness or dust - the

room had been aired and there was fresh linen on the bed.

Nain Joan 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 some sort of crystal charm. A fortune teller in Oxford 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 crystal Finn, it's soft desert glass. My Mother's family

came from near Damascus, on the edge of the great desert.

She had a collection of these stones that her Uncles had

found on their travels."

Nain Joan held the marble to her eye.

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

Finn dipped bread in his 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 in agreement.

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

Nain Joan picked up a napkin and wiped some butter from

Finn's 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 think." 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 into

the kitchen.

"Then we shall just have to wait and see."

*