Page 86 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘Whatda yamean, YOUR house? Thisus my house. It’s all my house,’ came his garbled reply.

‘It most certainly is not, you vile little man. This house belongs to your parents.’

‘Yeah, but they’ll be dead one a these days and then you’ll work for me.’ He leered at Elle. ‘And then I’ll have wharever I want.’

‘We will never work for you. Now get out. You’re drunk.’

‘Yeah, I am.’ He stumbled closer to me. ‘Now I might be drunk, but at least I’m honest.’ He jabbed a finger into my chest.

My stomach sank and my heart filled with dread. ‘What on earth do you mean?’

‘You’re not French. I had a French roommate at Oxford. He didn’t sound anything like you. You’re a little liar, Tanit.’ He stumbled backwards and threw his arms up in the air. ‘Maybe you’re a spy! I should report you to the War Office.’

I held my ground. ‘And what exactly is it that you think I’m spying on at High Weald? Potatoes?’

‘My father issa very important man. Maybe you wanta know what he gets up to at the airbase? Hmm?’ He held his index finger up to my face. ‘One call is all it would take to get the police round here. You wouldn’t like that, would you, Tanit? Digging around, asking all kinds of uncomfortablequestions. Maybe they’ll lock you up. But don’t worry. I’ll take very good care of your wife...’ He gave Elle a lecherous grin. I grabbed Teddy by his collar, knocking him off his feet, and dragged him to the door. ‘Hey! Gerroff me! You’re just a good for nothing servant. That’s all you’ll ever be...’ I slammed the door in his face, before turning back to Elle.

‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes... I was reading. He just burst in and... I didn’t know if you were going to come...’ she sobbed.

‘I will always be here to protect you, Elle.’ I squeezed her tightly. ‘I know he’s often down the local pub, but I’ve never seen him that drunk before. The man was completely out of control.’ Elle began to shake. ‘Come and sit down, my love. I’ll make you a sweet tea.’ I led her to the sofa and crossed into our cosy kitchen. I filled the small copper kettle and placed it on the stove. As I looked around the blissful cottage, my heart became heavy. I knew that there was only one outcome.

‘I think I know why Teddy was so drunk.’ Elle sniffed. ‘Apparently Lady Vaughan sat him down to talk about Tessie Smith earlier. That’s the gossip from the Land Girls.’

I sighed. ‘I suppose that would explain it, yes.’ I joined her on the sofa. ‘We’ll have to hand in our notice to Flora first thing tomorrow morning.’

Elle dropped her head. ‘No...’

I put my arm around her. ‘I know, my love. But there’s no debate to be had. We’re not safe here any longer. We can’t have Teddy anywhere near you, and I can’t risk him phoning the War Office. There’s no choice,’ I said solemnly.

Elle looked up at me. ‘Do you honestly think Teddy would call?’

I gave a sad shrug. ‘Who’s to say? I know he was drunk. But I don’t think it’s worth the risk.’

‘But Bo, we’ve been so happy here!’ Elle mourned. ‘I’m not sure I can face uprooting our lives again. It’s too much.’

I stood and crossed back over to the whistling kettle. ‘I wish we could have remained forever. But if we want to stay together, we have to move, Elle.’ I poured the boiling water into a cup and steeped the tea leaves with the strainer.

‘Can you do it all again, Bo? Start afresh? Throw away everything we’ve built here?’

I handed her the hot drink and sat down. ‘Elle, when I was a boy, I thought that “home” meant shelter, safety and food on the table.’ I took her spare hand. ‘You have shown me that it is not a physical place, but a feeling engendered by those we love. As long as I am with you, Iamhome.’

We sat hand in hand for a while, contemplating the loss we were, once again, being forced to suffer.

Eventually, Elle spoke. ‘Where will we go this time?’

I rested my head in my hands. The adrenaline of Teddy’s attack had worn off, and I found myself totally exhausted. ‘What about London?’ I asked. ‘There’ll be no shortage of work there.’

‘What, in a munitions factory?’ Elle baulked.

I shook my head. ‘No, my love. Archie says that an operation to liberate France will begin any day now. He’s talked about an enormous beach landing in Normandy. I believe London will be safe.’

Elle sipped her tea, some colour finally returning to her face. ‘You know what the end of the war means, though. I may be safe from persecution, but Kreeg Eszu will be free to travel wherever he likes. If he finds out where we are—’

‘I know,’ I interrupted. ‘All the more reason to move again.’

The next morning, I waited for Flora Vaughan in High Weald’s impressive kitchen whilst Elle packed up our belongings in the cottage. The grandiosity of the house only increased the pain of our imminent departure.