Page 116 of Summer in Greece

‘No it ain’t. Yer know what this is, it’s yer original YouTube.’

DJ threw an incredulous glance at Shelly. She bit her lip and shook her head.

‘How do you mean, Gramps?’

‘Well, this was how messages and pictures were sent from country to country in them there olden days, see.’ He lifted the little container. ‘It was strapped on the leg of a homing pigeon, so yer was limited on yer word-count, just like on yer Twitter. Shelly, sling us the torch, love.’

The torch hung next to the umbrella on the front door coat hooks. Shelly passed it to her father, then removed her helmet. ‘Here, Dad, put this on while you’re under those loose bricks.’

‘Bloomin’ wimmin,’ he muttered, plonking the helmet on, then shining the torch into the depths of the chimney. ‘Yes, here it is. Pass us the tea tray, will yer? And a cold beer wouldn’t go amiss. Thirsty work all this demolishing.’

Shelly pulled the dustsheet off the kitchen table and chairs and they all sat around as her dad carefully sorted and aligned a set of fine bones into the shape of a pigeon skeleton.

‘Poor thing, it must have fallen down the chimney after the fireplace was first bricked up,’ Shelly said. ‘Pass us the tube, Dad. Let’s see if there’s anything inside.’

‘It’s too heavy, that poor bird must have died of exhaustion lugging this,’ he said, placing it in Shelly’s hand.

She used a kitchen knife to get the tin lid off. Inside the spool, tightly rolled cigarette papers were held in place with a fine gold band. She slipped the ring off the paper and carefully unfurled the sheets. ‘They’re numbered, and they don’t seem to have suffered much. The ink’s faded to dark yellow, but it’s still readable. Let’s put them in order and see what they say.’

They spread them on the table.

‘Go on then, I ’avent got me glasses on,’ Dad said.

Shelly started reading the tiny letters.

Dearest Gertie, love of my life,

I wish to place this ring on your finger myself but – be brave my darling – the Hun has put an end to me with a blast from a mine. It got caught in my net, and went off as I pulled it in. I’m not going to make it back to England, agapi mou, so I’m sending Icarus with your wedding ring and my wedding vow. I know you are Catholic, so my father’s called the priest to write these words to you, agapi.

Gertie Smith, I, Emmanuelle Psaras take thee to be my lawful wedded wife. Whatever your response is, ‘I agree and declare, I do.’ I want to say many things but fear the weight of this letter is too much for Icarus. I trust his brave spirit and pray this letter arrives at Lighthouse Lane. I wish to tell Adam how wonderful his mother is. Keep these cigarette papers and give them to him when time is right. Tell him about his father, Gertie; that I love him, as I love his mother. He must grow strong and take care of you in your old age on my behalf, agapi. Your love fills my heart, Gertie, and makes my journey into the afterlife bearable. And when this shattered body gives up, as it will in the next days, I will take your love to heaven to comfort me until we meet again. When your time comes, you’ll find me waiting for you at the gates of eternity.

All my love, for ever, Manno.

Silence filled the room, broken only by a very damp sniff from Gordon.

‘How terribly sad. All that time Gran Gertie stood at the bottom of the garden, shaking her corn tin, poor Icarus lay dead in the chimney with Manno’s wedding vow, his final goodbye, and her wedding ring. I’ve never wished there is a heaven more than I do at this moment,’ Shelly whispered. ‘I want to believe he was there for her when she died.’

‘I think I’m going to cry,’ Eve said, pouring herself another glass of white.

Gordon blew his nose noisily. ‘’Ere, you should have this,’ he said, picking up the thin ring and passing it to Shelly.

She stared at it in the palm of her hand. ‘It belongs with the next generation. Will it fit on your little finger, DJ?’

He pushed it on and lay his hand flat on the tabletop. They all stared at it. ‘Just fits. Thanks, Mum. It’s an honour to wear it. I can’t believe it travelled across Europe attached to the leg of a pigeon. A bird that avoided gunfire and bombs; all for the sake of my great-great-grandmother, Gertie Smith. Amazing, isn’t it? I wonder what happened to Corporal Perkins?’

*

Eight weeks later, Shelly found herself on the top deck of the ferry, staring at the port of Kea as the ship slid smoothly between the Church of the Trinity, and St Nicholas lighthouse. She saw a dozen people waiting for the boat and spotted Harry immediately.

‘Harry, it’s wonderful to be back,’ she said, resisting the urge to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him on the mouth.

‘Allow me help you,’ he said, his brown eyes sparkling with pleasure as he kissed her cheeks and then took her suitcase. ‘Let’s get this to your room as quickly as possible.’

‘Oh yes! I’ve got something for you.’

‘I’m banking on it.’

She giggled. ‘From my great-grandmother.’