‘I wonder what everyone will say when we tell them about the baby tomorrow,’ she said, rather dreamily.
‘Oh, I know exactly. The girls will squeak and jump up and down, and demand the right to choose the baby’s name and clothes. Mary will hug you so tight it’ll leave a bruise, and immediately start picking out layette patterns. Your dad will be gruff but secretly thrilled to pieces. And Tony will probably make some off-colour joke about the conception.’
‘It’s Reg I’m worried about. I hope he’s not cross.’ Bobby sighed. ‘I will miss the magazine. I wish your brother would consider letting me write forThe Tykeat home. The doctor said it wouldn’t be dangerous, but Reg is so stuffy about those things.’
‘You might try asking.’
‘I might, but I’m not convinced it’s going to help.’
‘We ought to think about choosing some godparents, oughtn’t we?’ Charlie said, kissing her neck. ‘We haven’t had a conversation about it yet. Or about names, for that matter.’
‘I feel like I’ll know the name when I meet him or her. Like there’ll only be one it could be.’
‘Perhaps he really will be a Marmaduke.’
‘Perhaps,’ Bobby said, smiling. ‘I’m not sure what a Marmaduke would look like.’
‘What about godparents?’
Bobby pondered the matter. ‘I’d like to ask Topsy and Teddy, if you approve. Teddy’s a Catholic, of course, but I don’t think he’ll say no.’
Charlie nodded. ‘I was going to say the same. Who for the other two? Tony and your sister? I’m not sure how I feel aboutTony Scott as the spiritual guardian of my firstborn, but I guess you’ll want Lilian.’
‘I wasn’t going to suggest Lilian. She’s already his aunty so I don’t think it would offend her if we asked someone else. The same with your brother and Mary.’
‘Who then? Jolka and Piotr? Or Don Sykes and his wife, since you’re godmother to their little lad?’
‘Not for this baby. I think…’ Bobby looked over her shoulder at him. ‘This might sound strange, but I’d like to ask Ernie King.’
Charlie frowned. ‘You want your old flame to be godfather to our child?’
‘He’s not an old flame – not exactly,’ Bobby said, smiling. ‘He was so good today when I needed someone, Charlie. It feels like it would draw a line under everything that’s happened between us. But if the idea upsets you, we’ll ask someone else.’
‘If it’s Ernie King you want, then Ernie King it is,’ Charlie said, stroking her cheek. ‘I’ll leave you to ask him, shall I?’
‘Thank you.’ Bobby rewarded him with a kiss.
Charlie seemed to drift into a reverie, his hands absently massaging her stomach. Bobby watched them move, feeling how the baby shifted in response. He did know when Charlie was holding her, she was sure. She wondered how.
‘What happened with your friend, love?’ she asked softly. ‘Did he know you were there?’
‘Yes, he was in surprisingly good spirits,’ Charlie told her. ‘He couldn’t talk much but he was still able to rib Willis about the NAAFI girl he’s been walking out with, and flirt with his nurses. He always did have an eye for the ladies.’
‘Did he look very frightening?’
‘The poor lad was wrapped up like a mummy. Every inch of him burnt. I can’t imagine the agony.’ He shook his head, brow lowering. ‘Too many boys are ending their lives that way. It isn’t right.’
‘He knows, doesn’t he? That he’s… that he doesn’t have long left?’
‘He knew.’
Bobby frowned. ‘Knew?’
Charlie hid his face on her shoulder. ‘We were only just in time,’ he whispered. ‘We got word the next morning that he’d gone in the night. I hope wherever he is now, it’s a better world than this one.’
‘Oh, Charlie. I am sorry.’
‘I’m not,’ he muttered grimly. ‘Every minute he stayed alive was pain.’
