Spoils of War by Catrin Collier Read Free Book Online Page B

if she hadn’t recalled that he’d once told her it was her resemblance to Masha that had attracted him to her. She even heard his voice echoing back from that momentous night – ‘She looked a lot like you, tall, slender with pale skin, red hair and green eyes.’
    ‘It was the same night I told you I loved you.’
    She kneeled before him and took his hands into hers. For the first time in months they were actually talking, but Alma was very conscious that it was the hope of Masha re-entering his life that had wrought the miracle, not anything she had done.
    ‘You also told me that I had to understand about Masha. That she would always be the first one – and your wife.’
    ‘That was a long time ago, Alma.’
    ‘Seven years and a war ago, Charlie, but I know you. Your feelings don’t alter with time.’
    ‘Masha and I were married only a few months. I haven’t seen her in sixteen years. I don’t even know if it is her, and even if it is, she might not recognise or want me. She could have married again. Anything could have happened to her. The fact that she is in a displaced persons’ camp now suggests her life hasn’t been easy. She could have been in one of the Nazis’ forced labour camps like me – or, even worse, one of the death camps.’ His eyes were miraculously alive – and tortured.
    ‘First, you have to find out if it is her, Charlie,’ Alma said practically. ‘And if it is, chances are she’ll need looking after and the best place to do that is here, in Pontypridd, where you have a home, friends and business. I’ll view that house in Tyfica Road tomorrow. I’ve already talked to the solicitor so I have a fair idea of what it’s worth. We have more than enough money saved to offer a fair price and if it’s in the condition I believe it is, I think we should buy it.’
    ‘For you and Theo?’
    ‘No. Theo and I will stay here with Mary for the time being. If this woman is Masha you’ll need somewhere to take her.’
    ‘This flat –’
    ‘Is too public and noisy. There are people in and out of the shop at all hours, if it’s not the customers and deliverymen it’s the staff. Theo, Mary and I are used to living here and it’s ideally situated to run the business. Besides, if you don’t mind I’d like to carry on overseeing the shops until you decide what you want to do with them.’
    ‘I couldn’t live with Masha in the same town as you.’
    ‘Why not, Feo?’ she asked, unconsciously reverting to his Russian name. ‘It’s not as if any of us have done anything wrong. It wasn’t your fault that you two were separated. Neither of you left the other willingly.’
    ‘Alma, I’m sorry …’
    ‘There’s nothing for you to be sorry about, Charlie,’ she declared a little too firmly. ‘Masha is your first wife, you loved her and she you. I know what it is to lose someone you love. You were missing for just over three years and it almost drove me mad. I can’t begin to imagine how I’d feel after sixteen …’ Her breath caught in her throat. Fighting to maintain her composure she murmured, ‘I’m really glad she’s alive, Charlie. For both of you.’
    ‘And us?’
    She turned away as she rose to her feet. ‘I don’t think Pontypridd is ready for a man with two wives.’ She’d intended the comment to sound light-hearted but her voice cracked under the strain.
    ‘It might be better for you and Theo if I moved out.’
    She gripped the back of the chair in front of her so tightly her knuckles hurt. ‘If that’s what you want.’
    ‘I could move in with Andrew and Bethan for a while. They have room.’
    ‘I’m tired, I’m going to bed.’ Alma walked quickly to the door but not quite quickly enough. Charlie left his chair, caught her by the waist and clung to her, and for a brief moment nothing else mattered. Then just as abruptly, he released her.
    As Alma left the room she felt that the embrace had been his way of saying goodbye.
    Tony walked down Graig Street