Motherland (58 page)

A solitary plane appeared in the far distance and buzzed
slowly across the sky. The sun dropped below the clouds
and threw shafts of golden light over the landscape. Rupert
felt a sudden rush of fellow feeling for the other two. Partly
it was this odd triple hand-clasp that they seemed unable
to break, and partly the conviction that such a moment
would never come again. There really was a symbolic power
to their presence, joined together on the long terrace, looking
out over England.

‘No more wars,’ said Rupert. ‘Wouldn’t that just be something?’

COMING JANUARY 2014