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Bony fingers clutched his arm

‘You were fighting for your country Hell, you nearly renade went off’ He led Ash up to the coffin, resu Ash ‘And you never dealt with losing your ownRosie too’

‘I should never have left it so da

‘Rosie didn’t know any different Not by then She didn’t even know me She wouldn’t have known you and you’d have put yourself through hell for no good reason’

‘I let you down’ The words came out by themselves

Wilf cast him a ferocious stare ‘You most certainly did not You were there when she needed you You made her prouder than you know, as an army officer but, more importantly, as an honourable man You have no idea how proud I hen I heard you’d become a colonel’

Even after everything, Wilf had been following his career?

Guilt flooded through Ash,him feel sick

‘I should sit down,’ he ed thickly ‘People ant tospeak to you’

He couldn’t say the words

‘Stand with me?’ the old man asked suddenly ‘Please?’

It felt like an honour he didn’t deserve

‘Ishouldn’t’

A hopeful light danced

‘You came with someone?’