Read Online Lily’s War by June Francis - Free Book Online

father and Albert would be furious at not being told first. He would be furious anyway, she thought.
    Matt smiled down at her and from a pocket took out a handkerchief. ‘You’ve a smudge on your cheek.’
    ‘I’m a mess,’ she said ruefully. ‘If you’d come when I expected—’
    ‘You look fine.’ He took her chin in his hand and wiped the dirt from her cheek. ‘Shall we have a cup of tea? I’m desperate for a drink.’
    ‘What made you late?’ She could feel the heat rising in her face and wondered if any of the neighbours were watching. She cleared her throat. ‘I’m sorry, Ben had to go without you.’
    ‘It was unavoidable.’ He went to pocket his handkerchief but she took it from him. ‘Let me wash it.’
    His fingers folded over hers and he said wryly, ‘I can only stay ten minutes, then I’ll have to be off.’
    She wondered what had gone wrong but asked him to excuse her and to make the ten minutes a quarter of an hour, please, before running upstairs.
    Lily stared at her reflection, wanting to look her best for him. How could he bear looking at her in this state? It would be a wonder if he didn’t change his mind. Apprehension gripped her and she knew then how strong was the attraction between them. She undressed and washed sketchily. She put on her best dress and dragged a comb through her dishevelled curls. Now her eyes were all sparkly. Alive! Is this how they had looked to Uncle William after Matthew had come? He had been warning her. ‘You’re a sensible lass,’ she whispered to her reflection. ‘Don’t forget, and keep your feet firmly on the ground.’ But hadn’t she been doing that all her life?
    She walked sedately downstairs, remembering Daisy saying that morning ‘If wishes had wings.’ There was a part of her that was soaring up and away, part that wanted to stay put.
    Matt was standing in front of the fire, but turned as Lily entered and came towards her. She realised he looked weary as well as sombre. ‘What is it? What’s happened?’ Without a second thought she went into his arms.
    He said against her ear, ‘The vicar had a heart attack during the night. He died a couple of hours ago.’
    ‘How awful! What about his wife? Is someone with her?’
    ‘The curate’s wife.’ He rubbed his cheek against her hair and kissed her left eyebrow. ‘Poor Richard! He doesn’t know if he’s coming or going. He’s having to see to all the arrangements so I’ve volunteered to do some of his sick calls.’
    ‘Do you know your way around?’
    ‘Not well enough.’ He hesitated. ‘I’ve offered to stay on for a while and help Richard until a new incumbent is found.’
    She felt a kind of relief but wondered how he really felt about staying. Her eyes searched his face. ‘Will you like that?’
    ‘It’ll be a new experience. Don’t go away.’ He drew her back into his arms with a sigh. ‘It’s comforting like this and I feel like being comforted. I’ve never worked as a parish priest before.’
    ‘A different thing altogether, I should imagine.’
    ‘Yes. I’ve never stayed in one place long. Only when Dad was ill and I stuck with him in Sydney. After he died I had to get away. A year ago I came in contact with the bush brothers for the first time in years. Their lifestyle drew me. I’m still only with them on approval, you might say, and I don’t always behave the way I should. Perhaps through all this God could be saying it’s time for something different again?’
    ‘In what way different?’ she said cautiously, wondering what it might mean to her.
    ‘I can’t say. I’ve learnt that sometimes you’re only shown one step at a time.’ He released her abruptly and ran a hand over his hair, his grey eyes uncertain. ‘How about that cup of tea?’
    ‘Are you hungry?’
    ‘I haven’t eaten since last night.’
    ‘Then you must make time to eat.’
    ‘Yes, Lily,’ he said meekly.
    She laughed, stopped worrying, cut the string on the parcel William had