lost. Had no idea of using me as a hostage.”
Victoria looked up at him. “You sound well-disposed toward the Irish. I expected it would be the other way round.”
“I’m afraid we weren’t so merciful to them, Vic. I dreaded getting the news about the executions.”
“We had a couple of Irish in our squadron,” Kipp spoke up. “Great chaps. Both brilliant fliers. I gather they didn’t care much for the Easter uprising. Thought all the fuss it stirred up would quietly slip away like a tailwind. But they weren’t happy about the secret trials and the executions by firing squad—what was it in the end, twelve or fifteen who were shot? That soured them. Last I saw they were talking independence like the most hotheaded Republicans.”
“That’s just it,” replied Robbie. “The executions have made the whole Irish situation worse.” He kicked at a loose stone. “And where are they, those two? Transferred?”
“Went down on the same afternoon a few hours apart.”
Victoria was grateful she could break up the conversation. “Here he comes.”
Todd Turpin brought the coach smoothly around the drive to the door.
“Ah, there they are!” exclaimed Sir William, climbing out. “My two boys! Sound and healthy, I thank God!”
He took Robbie into his arms and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad you’re home and safe. So grateful. How we prayed.”
Robbie returned the vigorous hug, closing his eyes. “Thank you, Father.”
“How happy your mother must have been to see you.” A glimmer of moisture came to Sir William’s eyes as he stepped back to look at Robbie. “You seem well, Son.”
“They didn’t mistreat me. It’s just as I wrote in my letter.” He hesitated. “Father, thank you for your speech against the executions. I know you were jeered by the prime minister’s people.”
Sir William’s face hardened for a few moments. “You’d think we were Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany the way we tried and shot those men. A disgrace. And a blow to all my good intentions for Ireland. There is another fight coming. The shootings opened the door wide to that.” He smiled. “But you’re alive and fit, so let’s not despair.” He gripped the shoulder of his other son. “And we have Kipp with us too. Welcome home, my boy.”
They shook hands warmly and embraced.
Kipp grinned. “Hello, Father. You’d have reached Ashton Park faster in a car, you know.”
His father laughed. “Or a plane. Well, we had a motor in 1914, you’ll recall, before you joined up, and it wasn’t much good, was it?”
“You can purchase far better ones now.”
“Well, we’ll see, we’ll see. You look wonderful, Kipp. Still glad you’re in the air and not on the ground?”
“Very much so. I love the flying.”
“I can see that. They feed you pilots well?”
“Very well.”
“The thing at hand now is the wedding. Victoria.” He kissed his daughter. “How is Emma holding up?”
“She’s very excited, Father. As you might expect.”
“And why shouldn’t she be? Perfect weather. The whole family here except for Libby and Edward. A second crack at getting married to Jeremiah. The poor girl has had to wait an entire month since the postponement at Easter.” His voice dropped and his face took on its characteristic lines around the eyes and mouth. “I got word before I left London that the Grand Fleet, including Edward’s ship, left Rosyth last night. They’re expected to come to grips with the German High Seas Fleet, though where and when is anyone’s guess. There was no action this morning. I’ll tell your mother, of course, but I don’t wish to postpone dear Emma’s wedding a second time. We must get on with it. They’ll courier cables up to the house here if anything happens.”
He put his arms around his two sons and they walked toward the door. Victoria smiled at the sight: the older man walking with his very tall and very slender son, with the black hair of Aunt Holly and Catherine and
Victoria looked up at him. “You sound well-disposed toward the Irish. I expected it would be the other way round.”
“I’m afraid we weren’t so merciful to them, Vic. I dreaded getting the news about the executions.”
“We had a couple of Irish in our squadron,” Kipp spoke up. “Great chaps. Both brilliant fliers. I gather they didn’t care much for the Easter uprising. Thought all the fuss it stirred up would quietly slip away like a tailwind. But they weren’t happy about the secret trials and the executions by firing squad—what was it in the end, twelve or fifteen who were shot? That soured them. Last I saw they were talking independence like the most hotheaded Republicans.”
“That’s just it,” replied Robbie. “The executions have made the whole Irish situation worse.” He kicked at a loose stone. “And where are they, those two? Transferred?”
“Went down on the same afternoon a few hours apart.”
Victoria was grateful she could break up the conversation. “Here he comes.”
Todd Turpin brought the coach smoothly around the drive to the door.
“Ah, there they are!” exclaimed Sir William, climbing out. “My two boys! Sound and healthy, I thank God!”
He took Robbie into his arms and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so glad you’re home and safe. So grateful. How we prayed.”
Robbie returned the vigorous hug, closing his eyes. “Thank you, Father.”
“How happy your mother must have been to see you.” A glimmer of moisture came to Sir William’s eyes as he stepped back to look at Robbie. “You seem well, Son.”
“They didn’t mistreat me. It’s just as I wrote in my letter.” He hesitated. “Father, thank you for your speech against the executions. I know you were jeered by the prime minister’s people.”
Sir William’s face hardened for a few moments. “You’d think we were Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany the way we tried and shot those men. A disgrace. And a blow to all my good intentions for Ireland. There is another fight coming. The shootings opened the door wide to that.” He smiled. “But you’re alive and fit, so let’s not despair.” He gripped the shoulder of his other son. “And we have Kipp with us too. Welcome home, my boy.”
They shook hands warmly and embraced.
Kipp grinned. “Hello, Father. You’d have reached Ashton Park faster in a car, you know.”
His father laughed. “Or a plane. Well, we had a motor in 1914, you’ll recall, before you joined up, and it wasn’t much good, was it?”
“You can purchase far better ones now.”
“Well, we’ll see, we’ll see. You look wonderful, Kipp. Still glad you’re in the air and not on the ground?”
“Very much so. I love the flying.”
“I can see that. They feed you pilots well?”
“Very well.”
“The thing at hand now is the wedding. Victoria.” He kissed his daughter. “How is Emma holding up?”
“She’s very excited, Father. As you might expect.”
“And why shouldn’t she be? Perfect weather. The whole family here except for Libby and Edward. A second crack at getting married to Jeremiah. The poor girl has had to wait an entire month since the postponement at Easter.” His voice dropped and his face took on its characteristic lines around the eyes and mouth. “I got word before I left London that the Grand Fleet, including Edward’s ship, left Rosyth last night. They’re expected to come to grips with the German High Seas Fleet, though where and when is anyone’s guess. There was no action this morning. I’ll tell your mother, of course, but I don’t wish to postpone dear Emma’s wedding a second time. We must get on with it. They’ll courier cables up to the house here if anything happens.”
He put his arms around his two sons and they walked toward the door. Victoria smiled at the sight: the older man walking with his very tall and very slender son, with the black hair of Aunt Holly and Catherine and
Similar Books
