Page 118 of Summer in Greece

‘Oh, Mrs Cooper, thank goodness!’

‘Now, now, don’t fret, Miss Gertie. I’ve got all your creature comforts and we’ll soon have you out of here. Your man friend is right behind me, and he’ll be down as soon as I’ve relieved myself of your things.’ She shimmied her shoulders and made a mischievous pout.

‘Man friend? How are my parents, Mrs Cooper?’

‘Your mother is ailing, but not much different. Your father’s much better, miss. The people of Dover have really spoiled him. Everyone in town owes him a kindness, and here comes an opportunity to repay that debt. Folk have taken him special meals, and enough cakes for him to open a bakery. He’ll be here tomorrow, once I’ve ironed him a fresh shirt and collar.’ Mrs Cooper fussed about for ten minutes then bid me goodbye.

*

I heard slow footfalls on the stairs followed by Inspector Glassman’s voice. ‘So here she is, sir. I’m afraid we had no choice but to lock her up.’

Corporal Perkins appeared in full uniform, but not wearing his prosthesis. His trouser leg was pinned up, and he supported himself with two beautifully varnished crutches. He swept my heart away as he appeared on the other side of my barred doorway.

‘Oh, poor Gertie!’ He turned to Glassman. ‘Aren’t you going to let me in there?’

‘I’m not sure the doctor would approve, sir.’

‘Inspector, I’m a Corporal in the British army. Miss Gertie and I were both on the Britannic on the day she sank. I lost my leg in this war while fighting for you and my country. Also, I’m a close friend of the family. In fact, I was there for tea only last week.’

Glassman looked unsure for a second, then addressed me. ‘What do you say, miss? Shall I let him in for half an hour?’

‘Inspector Glassman, I assure you that Corporal Perkins is a soldier and a gentleman. I will be perfectly safe left alone in his company.’

‘If you’re certain, miss. I’ll leave the door at the top of the stairs open, so just call out at any time and I will hear you. However, this does mean I will have to lock the Corporal in too.’

‘Perfectly fine,’ I assured him. Johnathan Perkins stood behind the inspector and wiggled his eyebrows in a comical manner and I struggled not to laugh. Oh, what joy, to have some company!

‘Thank you so much for coming, Johnathan.’

‘By all accounts, you caused quite an uproar. I came straight over when I read the newspaper.’

‘No! It wasn’t in the papers?’

‘It certainly was, and it seems you struck a blow for all Dover. That Boniface is not a liked man.’

‘He’s just upset after losing his boy, and I shouldn’t have lost my temper. The hearing’s on Tuesday. As if I haven’t got enough to worry about. How’s my father?’

‘I’ve been to see him, to ask his permission to visit you here, and I also asked if I could walk out with you. He’s worried about you, naturally. Otherwise, he’ll be fine once they’ve allowed him to attend to his precious car.’

I smiled, just imagining my father’s concern for the Ford.

‘Gertie, there’s something else you should know, so you can prepare. Public opinion, driven by the press, has demanded another inquiry into the sinking of the Britannic.’

I felt my body deflate. ‘Oh, no. They’ll find out, won’t they? I’m so afraid!’

‘Find out what?’ He blinked at me with what could only be an honest look of confusion.

‘You don’t remember?’

He shook his head. ‘Remember what?’

I stared at him, unsure. Was he simply trying to make me feel better, or did he genuinely not remember? I had thought, when he offered to swear to the press that I did not open the portholes, that he must know what I’d done – but perhaps he didn’t after all.

‘It was my first hour in the ward. You and your fellow patients bullied and tormented me until I relented and opened the portholes.’

He stared at me, clearly shocked. ‘We did?’

‘You certainly did. I was almost in tears. Don’t you remember?’