Following their visit to Wakehurst three days prior,  the Colonel was quick to notice a change in his Major yet again. The period of solemn isolation from the other Officers was replaced by a more jovial and upbeat Major that he hadn’t seen for sometime. The Colonel made no mention nor remark on the change of mood for the exception of an off-handed question he asked his Major while on their way to the Wakehurst Estate. In a second of rare silence inbetween Mrs Hollyworth’s near constant chatter, the Colonel directed his attention to Bradford.

[b]“While at Wakehurst, Are you able to refrain from long walks in the Garden?”[/b] The Colonel asked with a smile.

[b]“Walks in this weather? Are you mad Major? I dare say, my sister Penny took a stroll one evening, seven days later..”[/b] Mrs Hollyworth continued with one of her many stories. 

Bradford turned back to the window and ignored the Colonel’s smirk. The last three days had gone in a blur. For the first time in a while he knew what he had to do. In the same way when he was fifteen he knew he was destined to be a Military officer, he knew now that his time in the Army had come to the end. A sense of duty to the nation had now been replaced with a longing for a life of some sort of normality with Matilda. His train of thought was interrupted by the carriage arriving into Wakehurst.