by Ellie Dean
‘It certainly is, Dad,’ he replied, giving him a bear hug. ‘Welcome home.’
Jim was unashamedly tearful as he regarded his two handsome sons. ‘I can’t believe how you’ve both grown,’ he said in awe. ‘What the hell has Vi been feeding you in Somerset to make you so big?’
‘Better food than Mum and the others got here,’ said Bob on a chuckle. ‘But Mum’s laid on a proper feast in honour of your homecoming, so you won’t go hungry.’
‘Hello, Dad. Remember me?’
Jim could only stare at her. ‘Cissy?’
‘Well, of course it is, silly,’ she giggled, giving him a smacking kiss which left lipstick on his cheek. ‘It’s lovely to have you home, Dad, really it is. And don’t you look handsome in your uniform? I bet you had all those nurses positively drooling.’
He grinned bashfully. ‘Well, I don’t know about that, Cissy,’ he replied. ‘I was a bit too busy fighting off the Japs to take much notice of nurses.’
Cordelia pushed her way through and clasped Jim’s hand. ‘Welcome home, Jim. I’m so very glad you made it through, even if you have lost a bit of your ear.’ She grinned up at him. ‘Doesn’t this old woman get a kiss, then?’
‘Ach, to be sure, Cordelia, you’re my favourite girl. Of course you get a kiss.’ He softly kissed her lined cheek, his heart saddened by how old and frail she’d become during his absence.
And then he was being embraced by Anne who introduced his shy grandchildren, before Martin pumped his hand. Frank and Brendon hugged him fiercely and he finally met Betty and baby Joseph.
‘This is Daisy,’ said Peggy, leading her to him by the hand. ‘Daisy, this is your daddy.’
Daisy looked up at him thoughtfully for a moment and then shook her head. ‘He’s not my daddy. He’s got legs,’ she said firmly.
Jim frowned and looked to Peggy for an explanation, but received only a shrug of confusion, so he squatted down to Daisy’s level, noting how very pretty she was with her dark curls and big brown eyes. ‘Why do think your daddy has no legs, Daisy?
‘Cos I seen my daddy’s picture.’
Jim realised she was talking about the studio photograph he’d had taken as a memento for Peggy before he’d left for India. ‘Ahhh,’ he breathed, and gently took her hand. ‘But I was sitting down for that, and I’m sure that if you look very closely you’ll see that I really am your daddy.’
Daisy inspected his face minutely, and then smiled. ‘Mummy said you were coming home. Are you going to live here now?’
He resisted hugging and kissing her, sensing that she wasn’t yet ready for that sort of intimacy. ‘Yes. I’m home for good and this is where I shall live from now on.’
Daisy still didn’t look totally convinced. ‘Will you live in the spare room? Mummy made it very nice.’
Jim chuckled and shot a glance at a giggling Peggy. ‘Well, I was rather hoping I could share Mummy’s room,’ he said.
Daisy shook her head. ‘I share with Mummy. You’ll have to sleep downstairs.’
‘Well, we’ll see about that,’ he said, ruffling her hair and earning a scowl. He stood and grinned at the others who were trying hard to muffle their laughter. ‘It seems I’ve been put very firmly in my place – and will have to negotiate my position in this house from now on.’
Peggy hugged him. ‘Don’t mind Daisy,’ she whispered in his ear. ‘She’ll get used to you sleeping in my bed.’
He looked down at her, holding her loving gaze and wishing they were alone, but the moment was broken by his father.
‘Well, to be sure, ’tis grand you’re home, wee Jim,’ Ron shouted before charging through the others to get to him. His hug took Jim’s breath away.
‘’Tis grand to see you too, Da,’ he managed, fending off Harvey’s rapturous welcome. ‘You’re looking well. Marriage obviously suits you.’
‘Aye, it does that,’ said Ron, gazing at his son as if he couldn’t really believe he was finally here. He gathered Bob and Charlie to him, nudged Harvey out of the way and grabbed Jim, his blue eyes bright with unshed tears. ‘My boys. My precious boys. ’Tis glad I am I’ve lived to see you all home again.’
‘Get away with you, Da,’ laughed Jim through his own tears. ‘You’ll probably outlive us all, you old rascal. How’s the poaching going? Salmon for tea, is it?’
‘Maybe,’ replied Ron with a twinkle in his eye. He turned to Peggy. ‘Is there a chance of a wee drink, Peg? To be sure, a man could die of thirst in this house today.’
Jim was quite overwhelmed with their rapturous welcome, and although he only had a brief moment to admire the stair-lift contraption Rita and Peter had made for Cordelia, he could see that the hall had indeed been given a complete overhaul with new carpet, paint and paper, which made it look very smart. And yet, when he walked into the kitchen to find there was a much bigger window, new lino and cupboards, it was still familiar enough to maintain the homeliness he’d remembered, and he was grateful that Peggy hadn’t gone overboard on the refurbishment.
Peggy must have seen him looking around, for she tucked her hand in his arm. ‘Come and see the rest of the house while Frank sorts out the drinks. I do hope you like what I’ve done, Jim, but I have tried to keep the essence of the house the same – just given it a bit of a facelift, really.’
He grinned down at her and went down to the basement to admire the laundry room and cloakroom, avoiding asking her how much all the changes must have cost. Then he went out into the back garden, saw the ugly bomb site on the other side of the twitten and pulled Peggy to him. ‘You didn’t tell me you were that close to trouble,’ he murmured.
‘There was little point in worrying you, Jim,’ she replied, ‘and we were all quite safe, as you can see.’
Jim kissed her cheek and kept his arm round her waist as he quelled the stab of fear and viewed the garden. The back wall had been repaired, the Anderson shelter removed along with his father’s shed and the outside lav. The chickens were happily pecking in their coop, and his father’s vegetable garden was clearly flourishing.
‘Do you think we could sneak up and have a look at the upstairs without anyone noticing?’ he asked with a wink.
‘I doubt it,’ Peggy giggled, nudging him gently in the ribs. ‘You’ll just have to wait for what you’ve got in mind, Jim Reilly.’
Jim grinned down at her before going back inside, where he was immediately escorted through the rest of the house by everyone in their eagerness to show him all the work that had been done.
‘It’s all grand,’ he said truthfully. ‘My goodness, Peggy, you’ve certainly brought the old place alive again. You are clever.’
‘It’s Ron, Frank and Charlie who are clever,’ she replied happily. ‘They did most of the work – and saved us a pretty penny too.’
He hugged her to him, and then took a turn on Cordelia’s stair-lift with all three little girls on his lap, which slowly broke the ice between him and Daisy, who decided it was great fun to have a daddy in the house.
Returning to the chaos in the kitchen as the women began to dish up the dinner, he quickly went through the mound of post that was waiting for him on the mantelpiece. Swiftly reading the cards and telegrams welcoming him home, he left the official-looking letter until last in the hope it would prove to be what he hoped it was. Scanning the two pages, he smiled and folded it back into its envelope. He’d wait until later to tell Peggy what it was all about, he decided.
Jim had eaten his fill, and now he was sitting at the table in the beautifully refurbished dining room, listening to the happy chatter and laughter going on around him. His heart was full with love and thankfulness that he’d made it home to these wonderful people when so many hadn’t been given that blessing. The feast Peggy had laid on was magnificent given how restrictive the rationing was now there were so many shortages, yet it seemed everyone had chipped in, and he was profoundly grateful for their kindness.
He watched Peggy and their eyes met repeatedly across the table, holding pr
omises for later that would be fulfilled once they were alone, and Jim was content to wait, for this was the homecoming he’d dreamed of for many years.
As he ate and drank and listened to his da’s tall stories, his gaze flitted from face to face, marvelling at how they’d changed – and yet were still recognisable because of all the photographs Peggy had sent to him over the years. He’d been shocked to hear about Pauline’s desertion, but his brother didn’t look as if he was too concerned, appearing very happy with Brenda. Rosie was looking as glamorous as he’d remembered, Doris was as neatly groomed as always and he definitely approved of her husband, who’d wrought such a change in her that she was actually being pleasant to him for once.
As for Anne, she was now a mature woman and mother with another baby on the way, and her little girls – his granddaughters – were quite lovely, if a bit of a handful. He was relieved that Anne and Martin had survived the trauma of Martin’s wartime experiences, and were making terrific progress both in their marriage and in their future.
Jim watched the children playing together on the rug in front of the fire. He’d never considered himself old enough to be a grandfather, and yet the proof that he’d aged was there in Rose and Emily, as well as in his little Daisy, who was going to turn into another Cissy if she carried on as she was – but that was all right. Cissy certainly hadn’t turned out so badly after those tempestuous early years, even if she did now talk as if she had a plum in her mouth.
Brendon and Betty seemed very happy together and little Joseph was a joy – but it was his two strapping sons who were a forcible reminder of the years that had passed since the last time they’d all sat together, and he was finding that hard to digest.
Jim bathed in the gloriously warm glow of love and pride as he watched his extended family joyfully celebrate this longed-for homecoming. The love he felt was quite overwhelming, for although each and every one of them had changed, and there were new faces, it was as if he’d never been away. He let his gaze wander to each of them in turn, and then decided it was time to let them know how very proud he was of them all, and how much he loved them.
He pushed back from the table and tapped his knife against his glass. ‘I look around me and my heart is full,’ he said into the ensuing silence. ‘I see my boys grown handsome and strong, with bright futures ahead of them, and to both of you, I wish you all the success in your chosen careers on the farm and in the RAF.’
He searched out his daughters. ‘As for my beautiful girls – Anne, you’re strong of heart and mind and the most loving wife and mother, and I’m very proud of the young woman you’ve become. Martin’s a lucky man, and so am I to have such a lovely daughter.’
He grinned at Cissy. ‘Cissy, you’ve got the Reilly spirit, and have shown a strength of purpose in following your own path – rather like your grandad. May all your dreams come true, wee girl, and make sure you come to visit more often now your mum and I are getting on a bit.’
There was much laughter at this, and Jim waited for it to die down before he turned to his father. ‘Da. What can I say to thank you for all you’ve done over these past few years? You’ve been my Peggy’s rock, and knowing you were always here for her eased my mind considerably and helped me concentrate on the job I had to do. I salute you for being stout of heart and truly the bravest man I know, for although you keep it to yourself, I know you’ve risked your life many a time in defence of this country.’
His gaze fell on Peggy. ‘And you, my darling girl,’ he said softly. ‘I’ve seen enough to know how hard it must have been for you over the years, but you’ve soldiered on; kept the home fires burning; raised our daughter and looked after all your chicks with such love and patience that they will always call this place home.’
He glanced towards Ruby, April, Sally, Danuta and Kitty before looking back at Peggy. ‘I love what you’ve done to the house, Peggy – and I love that through all the bombing, the rationing and shortages, you’ve found the strength to carry on without me and most of our family, and have found fulfilment in your work, and in the joy our children and grandchildren bring.’
Jim grinned at his older brother Frank and tipped him a wink before raising his glass. ‘I propose we drink to the precious gift of family – to those we love without question, and who we can now watch flourish in this new era of peace.’
Much later, when everything had been cleared away and the house was once more peaceful now everyone had gone to their beds, Jim took Peggy’s hand and led her outside to sit on the front steps as they used to do before the war. It was a clear, warm night with a new moon rising and a myriad of stars twinkling above them.
He put his arm round her shoulders and held her to his side as they listened to the silence broken only by the distant sound of the waves lazily breaking on the shingle beach. He looked out to the chimney pots and roofs of the town, beyond the twinkling lights from the many windows towards the dark, almost sensuous undulations of the surrounding hills, and breathed in the familiar salty air.
‘It’s so good to be home, Peggy,’ he murmured. ‘And I’m so proud of everything you’ve achieved.’
‘Oh, Jim,’ she replied softly. ‘I didn’t do very much at all. It’s you who should be proud. Without men like you, this world would still be at war.’ She rested her head against his shoulder. ‘I’m just so very thankful that you made it through in one piece, when so many have terrible burdens still to bear both physically and mentally, and I pray that your experiences over there won’t haunt you.’
She looked up at him and touched his damaged ear. ‘This is the first night of the rest of our lives, Jim, and now you’re home, you must rest and take your time deciding what you’re going to do.’
Jim kissed the tip of her nose. ‘I know you and Jack were hoping I’d go into business with him, but I told him tonight that I won’t be taking up his offer.’
Peggy looked back at him, her face lit by the golden moonlight, her eyes wide. ‘Would that have something to do with that letter from the Royal British Legion?’
He nodded, and swiftly told her about Elsa Bristow’s help in providing a senior contact within the organisation, and his heartfelt need to use his experiences and do something worthwhile.
‘They’ve offered me the post of Southern co-ordinator for the Far Eastern Prisoners of War. I shall be responsible for making sure they get the medical help they need, the grants and pensions they’re entitled to, and that the right people are put in place to organise any other needs they or their families may have.’
He hugged her to him. ‘They’re offering a good salary, and I shall have the use of a car so I can get about, but I shall always come home at night, Peggy. I’m never leaving you again, I promise.’
‘Are you sure this is what you want, Jim? I know how badly affected you were by the awful stories you had to listen to.’
‘I’ve never been more positive,’ he said firmly, before kissing the top of her head. ‘Those men need all the help they can get, and I can think of no better way of repaying them for all the sacrifices they’ve made.’
‘You’re a good man, Jim Reilly,’ she said softly. ‘I’m so very lucky to have you love me.’
He cupped her face and gently kissed her lips, her eyes and the tip of her nose. ‘I’m the lucky one, Peggy Reilly,’ he murmured. ‘You’re my heart and my home – my everything – and we will walk into the future knowing the world is finally at peace and a better place for having one another to share it.’
She placed her hand against his heart and looked into his eyes with such love he felt like weeping. ‘One heart, one mind, one love above all others to bind us,’ she whispered. ‘We are truly blessed.’
MEET THE CLIFFEHAVEN FAMILY
PEGGY REILLY is in her early forties, and married to Jim. She is small and slender, with dark, curly hair and lively brown eyes. As if running a busy household and caring for her young daughter wasn’t enough, she also runs the local uniform factory and still finds time to offer te
a, sympathy and a shoulder to cry on when they’re needed. She and Jim took over the running of Beach View Boarding House when Peggy’s parents retired. When war was declared and the boarding house business no longer became viable, she decided to take in evacuees.
Peggy can be feisty and certainly doesn’t suffer fools, and yet she is also trying very hard to come to terms with the fact that her family has been torn apart by the war. She is a romantic at heart and can’t help trying to match-make, but she’s also a terrible worrier, always fretting over someone – and as the evacuees make their home with her, she comes to regard them as her chicks and will do everything she can to protect them.
JIM REILLY is in his mid-forties and was a young engineer in the last days of the First War, where he served alongside his elder brother, Frank, and father Ron. Now he’s fighting for king and country in India and Burma.
Jim is handsome, with flashing blue eyes and dark hair, and the gift of the Irish blarney he’d inherited from his Irish parents, which usually gets him out of trouble. He enjoys the camaraderie of being a soldier, but the conditions and dangers he’s encountering in the jungles have somewhat dampened his enthusiasm, and he treasures the letters and cards from home.
RONAN REILLY (Ron) is a sturdy man in his sixties who often leads a very secretive life away from Beach View now that his experience and skills from the previous war are called upon during the hostilities. Widowed several decades ago, he has recently married the luscious Rosie Braithwaite who owns the Anchor pub.
Ron is a wily countryman; a poacher and retired fisherman with great roguish charm who tramps over the fields with his dog, Harvey, and two ferrets. He doesn’t care much about his appearance, much to Peggy’s dismay, but beneath that ramshackle old hat and moth-eaten clothing, beats the heart of a strong, loving man who will fiercely protect those he loves.
