She watched him closely, making sure it was the same man. Then, suddenly, she saw him turn and look at her. She could still hear Dad’s voice: ‘Jim Leech. I knew him in the war. He was in my camp. If he comes to the door, don’t let him in.’
She looked away and tried to focus on the priest’s words: ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust …’
When she glanced back at the old man, she saw that he was staring at her, his eyes never leaving her face.
Eventually the service ended and her father’s coffin was lowered into the grave. Ken was the first to step forward and throw earth onto the coffin. Fighting back tears, Laura picked up a handful of earth and threw it into the pit. As she did so she closed her eyes and breathed a last thank you to her father.
At last the burial was over and people stood around in awkward little knots, talking. Laura looked at the old man again. He was still standing there under the tree. It had stopped raining now, and he’d lowered his umbrella.
She took a deep breath and strode towards him.
‘I’m Laura Ellis. Can I help you?’
He dropped his gaze. He seemed nervous, pushing his hands into his pockets and taking them out again.’ I knew Tom,’ he mumbled. ‘Were you related?’ He spoke with a cockney accent.
‘I’m his daughter.’
‘Of course.’ He grew silent.
‘Is there anything I can do for you?’
‘He was a good man, Tom. A very good man,’ he muttered.
‘He certainly was.’
‘You know, I knew him back then. In the war,’ the old man said, suddenly looking into Laura’s eyes. His eyes were sharp, blue. Startled by their intensity, she looked away.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘He told me. You are Jim, aren’t you? Jim Leech?’
‘That’s right.’
‘I saw you standing outside the house one day.’
‘He wouldn’t talk to me. He would never talk to me. I’ve tried to speak to him many times over the years, but he never would.’
‘Do you know why?’
‘Yes. It’s a long story. A very long story, indeed. I just wanted to thank him. To pay him back. He saved my life.’
‘Really?’
‘In the war, yes. He saved my life. He didn’t have to, but he did. And if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here now.’
‘Laura, love?’ Marge was calling for her. ‘We’re going back to the house. The car’s waiting. Are you coming?’
‘I have to go.’ Laura held out her hand.
He took it and, gripping it hard, pulled her close to him. She realised now how thin he was. His face was gaunt and bore the lines of age, his cheeks hollow, pallid.
‘Can I come and see you one day, Miss Ellis? There’s a lot I need to explain.’
She hesitated, remembering her father’s plea. ‘I’m not sure…’
‘Laura?’ Luke was calling her now.
‘Why don’t you come and see me then? There’s things I need to tell you.’
He thrust a small card into her hand. But he was still gripping her arm. She began to pull away.
‘I have to go now,’ she said. ‘They’re waiting for me.’
‘You will come, won’t you? It would mean so much to me.’
She hesitated, glancing at the card. ‘Perhaps.’
‘Mr. James Leech, Albert Mansions, Kensington Gore,’ she read aloud. He was watching her, waiting for a reply.
Yes. All right, I’ll come. I’ll come and see you next week,’ she said reluctantly.
She pulled away from him. She saw that everyone was hovering by the cemetery gates, waiting for her. She began to move towards them. She saw Luke detach himself from the group and walk towards her. He put a protective arm around her shoulders when he reached her.
‘Who the hell was that?’ he asked.
‘Some old guy Dad knew in the war.’
She could feel the old man’s eyes on her back as she walked away with Luke.
‘What are you going to do with the house?’ Luke suddenly asked. They were tidying the study, sorting through Dad’s books and putting aside a pile to take to the charity shop.
Laura looked up, surprised, not sure why he was asking her this.
She had asked Luke to come back with her to the house in Highbury on the dreadful day Dad had died. They’d hastily packed a couple of suitcases of things from her flat and brought them over in a taxi. He’d stayed with her ever since.
She’d gone through those first few days like a sleepwalker. She barely remembered most of what had happened or what she’d done or said. Luke had been with her all the time, comforting her when she needed to cry, making sure she remembered to eat and drink. On the second day she had spoken to Adam on the phone and told him she couldn’t come back to work for a while.
‘Take as long as you need, Laura,’ he had told her. ‘Perhaps you should take a few weeks off. You sound really shaken up. You’ve got some leave due anyway. I’ll talk to the other partners and smooth things over with them. If you need to talk any time, you know where I am.’
Having Luke there had helped her through those dark days. But now, a few days after the funeral, he seemed to be getting restless.
‘I’ve no idea,’ she answered. ‘I haven’t really thought about it.’
‘Have you thought about putting it on the market? It’s probably worth a fortune.’
She put down the book she’d been flicking through and straightened up. Her knees ached from kneeling on the wooden boards.
‘Marge and Ken live here,’ she said. ‘If I sold it, I’d have to ask them to leave. I’m not sure I could do that.’
Luke laughed. ‘You used to say how soft your dad was on them. It’s your chance to do something about it.’
She turned on him.
‘I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you! I thought you were a socialist. Now you’re talking about making a couple
