The Shadow of War by Jack Murray (read this if TXT) 📕

‘Idon’t mind it. We don’t spend long, mind you. And we’re not facing real fire. Isuppose it’ll feel different then.’

‘Itwill, son, trust me.’

Dannyhad never heard his father speak this way. For the first time Stan spoke of theWar. He spoke for an hour, interrupted only by his sobbing. He spoke of thefear he had felt as he drove towards the killing fire. He spoke of the men hehad killed, their terrified  screams. He spoke of the men he had fought withwho died in pain, crying for their mothers, their wives, for God’s lovingmercy.

Dannyput his arm around the former soldier when the recollection became too raw. Thepain of remembrance had never left; it never would. A part of Stan did not wantthe scar to heal. How else would he keep alive the memory of his friends, hisbrother and those he had killed? Their sacrifice and his actions would havebeen in vain otherwise.

Theprice of survival was guilt.

-

Twodays later the forge had a visitor. Lord Henry Cavendish walked in through theopen door. Danny was back at work; he wouldn’t have it any other way. Nor wouldStan, to be fair.

Henrylooked at Danny for a moment. Danny seemed to have changed physically. His wideframe had now filled out a little with muscle. Therewas also something else. It wasn’t physical. Danny had never lacked forconfidence even with the Cavendish family. Now there was an air about him. IfHenry had been forced to put a name to it, he would have called itresponsibility. The attractive impudence remained, but this was now allied to, evensupported by, a sense of duty. Henry was surprised by how unsurprised he was bythis. Already he could see how inevitable it was that he would be promotedagain and again. He had an air of leadership. He always had. Henry smiled atDanny and felt a strange emptiness at the thought of what this young man, hehad watched grow, would soon be asked to face.

‘Lord Cavendish,’ said Danny, stumped as to what else to say.

‘Hello, Danny. They told me you were back. Sorry I wasn’t aroundthe last couple of days. Had to go to the factory.’

‘I saw Mr Curtis yesterday. He told me you’d gone to Lincoln. Ihope everything’s all right?’

 ‘It is, thank you. The government have made some special requests of me. Apparentlyone of my plants can be converted to help the war effort. I can’t say much morebut I had to oversee the changes with a man from the Ministry. Anyway, I wantedto see if your family could spare you for an evening. We’d love you to dinewith us up at the Hall. Could you come in your uniform, Danny?’

Dannysmiled and replied, ‘Yes, sir.’

Henryleft the forge. Danny looked at his father. Stan removed his pipe and said,‘You’re going nowhere until you’ve finished those damn horseshoes.’

Dannyrolled his eyes, picked up the hammer and said sardonically, ‘Yes, sir.’

-

JaneCavendish met Danny in the entrance hall, her eyes crinklingin a smile when she saw the uniform. A tear, also. ‘It’s wonderful tosee you again. You look so handsome.’

‘Ialways did, sure,’ replied Danny, causing Jane to burst out into laughter.

‘Lostnone of your cheek, I see.’

‘Thearmy will never take that,’ grinned Danny.

‘I’msure your family and friends will be happy to know that. Proud, too, Iimagine.’

Infact, Danny’s remaining friends in the village had all been delighted by hisreturn and had indicated this in the good-natured abuse hurled in hisdirection.

Janeled Danny into the drawing room, where he found Henry Cavendish along with Boband Beth Owen. This was the first time he’d seen Beth since their departure andthe evidence of motherhood was all too clear.

‘Beth,’exclaimed Danny and immediately went to hug her. ‘What happened to you?’

‘Youhave your friend to blame,’ replied Beth, much to everyone’s amusement.

Henrythen shook Danny’s hand warmly and handed him a drink. It looked like it wouldbe the five of them. Danny felt a twinge of disappointment. It would have beennice to see Robert and Sarah.

‘I’mafraid Robert’s still at school. He’ll be pretty miffed at missing you all. Hetalks of nothing else when he’s back. A proper little general.’

‘Ihope it’s all over by the time he leaves,’ commented Danny.

‘Icouldn’t agree more,’ replied Jane. ‘I’m just sorry so many of you will havesuch a dreadful weight to carry.’

Theimpact of the war was obvious on the dinner. No longer was it the banquet oftimes past. However, Elsie still managed to excel herself with a meat pie andhoneyed vegetables. The conversation was mainly ofthe impending arrival of baby Owen. The topic of war was avoided for the mostpart, a tacit pact among the men. However, the subject could not be avoided fora whole evening. At the end of the meal, Beth was driven back to her cottagejust outside the village and the men retired to the drawing room for a nightcap.

AsHenry poured the drinks, he asked, ‘I have to admit, chaps, I’m under strictinstructions from Robert to find out as much as possible about your training. Ihope you don’t mind.’

‘Ofcourse not,’ laughed Danny. For the next twenty minutes, Danny happily tookHenry through the events and activities of the previous few months. Bob saidlittle but managed to make a few gentle jokes at Danny’s expense, which amusedthe target as much as Henry.

WhenDanny had finished, Henry said, ‘I won’t ask where you’re likely to be postedbut I think I can guess.’

Dannyand Bob exchanged glances. Thankfully Bob seemed to be more in control of hisemotions. The fears of the last few months had not been apparent over theevening. The presence of Beth had perhaps acted to reassure and concentrate hismind on the job to be done. At least Danny hoped this was the case. Danny knewthere would always be the mask he showed the world. The way he felt wouldexist, necessarily, one step removed from everyone’s view. The doubts, thefears and the insecurities he felt would always be sublimated. His duty wouldbe a shield. Bob would be the same. He would present to the world a version ofhimself that the world wanted to see. Danny hoped, both for him and for Bob,that when the