Under the July Sun Read Free Page A

there was a soft tapping on the door, and a soldier entered saying the unloading was finished. Louis rose but made no move to leave the room until Cat finished her tea and stood up. Then realising her engagement ring, hanging on a cord around her neck, was visible, she quickly popped it back inside her blouse.
    â€˜Thanks for the tea.'
    'Will we see you next week?'
    'Maybe. Maybe not. I only did this delivery so that me father could go to the match.'
    He nodded and opened the door standing back waiting for her to pass through.
    'That's a pity.'
    'Why? He's waited a long while to see me brother play for the County.'
    'No. I meant it'll be a pity if you don't do the deliveries in future.'
    â€˜Oh.' she said, and then there followed an awkward silence, which Cat finally broke. ‘Well, I’ll be off then,’ she said. As she walked ahead of him into the yard Cat felt his eyes must have been focussing on her muddy clothes and she cursed her appearance.
    She went across to Bessie and stroked her nose murmuring softly to her, and the animal nuzzled her hand. Cat picked up the reins, leading the donkey forward, and Louis walked beside her as they approached the gateway.
    At the exit to the barracks she turned and said goodbye, then began leading Bessie away. When she was a little way off she looked back and saw that Louis was still standing by the gates watching her.
    'Wait a minute!' he called, 'I want to ask you something.' She stopped walking, let go of the reins and Bessie ambled to the other side of the road to graze on the grass.
    He rushed up, caught hold of her arm, and guided her down the road and round a corner out of earshot of Private White on sentry duty outside the gates.
    'Well, what is it ye want to ask me?'
    'What does pug ma hone mean ?'
    Cat giggled, 'Ye wouldn't want to know.'
    'I do! Please tell me. I'd like to learn a little Irish while I'm here. It sounded so charming.'
    She grinned up at him impishly. 'It means, kiss me arse!'
    Cat could see he was lost for words. She threw her head back laughing, and her headscarf slipped down revealing a mass of tiny black curls, which bounced like miniature springs as she moved.
    Suddenly, Cat felt herself thrown off her feet. She flew backwards, the air knocked out of her lungs, and landed heavily on the ground. She felt her arm grazed and an intense pain in her back. She tried to rise, but Louis pushed her back on the ground, covering her body with his own to protect her, as debris hit the ground all around them, some clipping Louis’ back. Everything happened so quickly but seemed to be taking place in slow motion. The noise of the explosion had been immense – Cat’s ears were still ringing from the sound of the blast.
    Over Louis’ shoulder, Cat could see smoke and flames roaring swiftly around the barracks, licking hungrily at the sides of the dry timber buildings, as stones and wood showered the area with the wreckage of the once proud structure. Shop fronts shattered showering pavements with glass.
    Through the dust Cat saw Bessie galloping at speed down Main Street, the cart left behind like a pile of firewood.
    As the smoke cleared she heard people running towards her; men shouting, women screaming and crying. The smell of the explosion hung in the air and her lungs filled with cloying smoke.
    They lay there for a few moments and Cat’s brain tried to work out what had happened, but numbed with shock she could not comprehend a thing.
    Louis rolled off her onto the ground and began to move away but she reached out and grabbed his sleeve. ‘Don't leave me. I'm comin' with ye.'
    He shook his head, standing up cautiously to peer around the corner. Drawing his gun from its holster he stepped warily onto the roadway and picked his way across the rubble while Cat sat amidst debris, her teeth chattering violently. Someone arrived beside her and placed a shawl around her shoulders, but as she opened her mouth to say something, she found