1920
1920Rolie opened the door of his father’s shop in Whitehorse Road and as he closed it, waited for the bell that hung on the door to stop tinkling. Looking up, the sight of his eldest son chased away the frown that had been on Charles’ forehead and replaced it with raised eyebrows and a grin.
‘Nice to see you, Dad,’ Rolie said.
‘You too, my boy. But you have come for a reason, not just to see my rugged handsome face.’
Rolie smiled at his father’s attempt to lighten the mood. ‘I’ve booked passage to France, I’m leaving next month.’ 1
‘I hope this girl is worth it, Rolie.’
Charles didn’t tell Margaret about Rolie’s announcement until they were in bed and the house was quiet. He didn’t want to alarm Hector and Florence. Their older brother had been brought back to them in one piece
