Chapter 13Sitting at his perch in the improvised office next to the pantry in Ben’s rooms, having been plied with a supply of Cribbins’ excellent coffee before the servant departed on an errand, Jo was pleased with his lot. Despite his sympathy for the underlying reason for Ben’s presence in London, Jo was thankful for his friend’s active contribution, and not only for sharing the charity’s workload.
It was a relief to chat about any issues as they arose, especially over a glass of wine, and Jo felt bolstered by Ben’s presence and genuine zeal for their task. As a civilian, Jo felt somewhat underqualified to venture into the homes of former soldiers on the assumption of extremity, whereas both Ben and Cribbins had a military carte-blanche.
Ben did not hesitate to venture into the lowest
