Читать книгу A Sister’s Sorrow - Kitty Neale - Страница 12

Annie paced the floor. Her daughter had really messed things up for her this time. She had no gin, no money and no customers. She knew it would be pointless to go begging to Cyril as he’d recently thrown her out of his pub, and on more than one occasion too. She could go cap in hand to Eddy, but after the slap she’d given him earlier, she doubted she’d get a welcome reception there either.

Feeling exhausted and exasperated, she slumped on the edge of the sofa and sat with her legs splayed, chewing her fingernails. The agitation caused by the need for a drink was driving her crazy. In a bid to calm herself and think clearly, she drew in a few long deep breaths and leaned back to rest. Sarah’s coat was over the back of the sofa, and as Annie laid her head on it, she felt something hard in the pocket.

She grabbed the coat and frantically began rifling through the pockets. Then, to her relief and delight, she found several coins. This is the least you owe me, Annie thought as licked her lips at the thought of buying some gin. She gathered the money and glanced around the flat. It felt strangely empty and lonely, but Annie was resolute. If her kids had the audacity to show their faces here again, she’d give them what for. Good riddance to ’em, she thought, and untied the key on the back of the door so they couldn’t get in. After all, Sarah was eighteen now, and hardly a child. Annie had done her bit to bring her up, and now she reasoned it was time the girl made her own way in the world and found out what life is really like.

It was getting dark and Sarah could see Tommy was tired and cold, especially as all he had on his legs was a pair of thin shorts. She wished she’d taken the time to at least grab their coats, but with the fear of their mother’s wrath, she hadn’t been thinking clearly.

‘Sarah, I’m so worn out. Can’t we go back home now?’

‘No, love, sorry. That’s not our home any more,’ she told him as she reached for his hand to gently pull him along.

‘So, where’s our home then?’

That’s a very good question, thought Sarah. She knew she had to find somewhere for them to sleep but with no family, friends or money she felt at a complete loss.

‘Please, Sarah, my feet hurt, let’s go home,’ Tommy whined, and began coughing.

It sounded chesty again, and Sarah knew she had to find them somewhere to rest. ‘Here, sit on this wall a minute while I get me thinking cap on,’ she said, trying to sound cheery, though really she felt in utter despair. She lifted the boy and placed him on a garden wall.

‘I’m cold …’ Tommy moaned again.

‘I know you are, love,’ Sarah said, then wrapped her arms around her brother.

Then it came to her. Mr Sayers’ shed! It had been four years since she had been there, and she hoped the old couple still owned the house. If they did, the back gate might still be unlocked and so would the shed. It wasn’t ideal, but it would do for tonight. At least they would have some shelter. ‘Come on, little man, we’re going on an adventure!’ she said with a renewed vigour.

‘What adventure?’ Tommy asked, not showing quite the same enthusiasm as his sister.

‘We’re going to find a secret hut, and maybe, if we’re as quiet as mice, we may find some treasure in there!’

Tommy’s eyes lit up and he jumped from the wall. ‘What treasure, Sarah? Where’s the secret hut? Have pirates been in the hut? Is it Captain Hook’s treasure?’

Sarah chuckled. Peter Pan was Tommy’s favourite story. ‘I don’t know, we’ll have to find out for ourselves, but remember what I said – we have to be very, very quiet.’

Tommy nodded, and they set off for Mr Sayers’ old shed.

Half an hour later, Sarah was pleased to find the back gate unlocked and, as she looked up the garden path, she was relieved to see the house in darkness. She turned to Tommy and placed a finger over her lips. ‘Shush,’ she whispered.

Tommy clung on to Sarah’s skirt, almost hiding behind her. With trepidation, they crept through the gate and up to the shed. Sarah pulled on the door. Thank goodness, she thought as the door creakily opened. She shot a look over her shoulder. There wasn’t any sign of movement from the house, so she quickly pulled Tommy inside with her, then gritted her teeth at the sound of the door creaking again as she closed it. She just had to hope the noise hadn’t disturbed anyone.

‘I don’t like it in here … it’s dark, Sarah,’ Tommy said.

‘It’s all right, look,’ she replied, and then pulled back a piece of gingham material that was stretched on a curtain wire over a small window.

Once the curtain was open, half of the shed was illuminated with moonlight.

‘There you go, now we can see a bit better. I wonder where the treasure could be? Don’t touch anything yet, but can you see it?’

Sarah watched Tommy, who looked animated as he scanned the shelves for treasure. Then her eyes fixed on Mr Sayers’ shovel. It was in the corner, leaning against the wall. She instantly recognised it, together with his old flat cap, resting on top of the handle. She felt a lump in her throat and fought to hold back tears. She hadn’t expected to react like this, but it upset her to see his things, forgotten and covered in spiders’ webs and dust.

‘Where’s the treasure, Sarah?’ Tommy whispered.

‘I’m not sure. It’s a bit too dark to look tonight, so let’s get some sleep and we can have a look in the morning when the sun comes up.’

‘Sleep in here? But, Sarah, it’s cold and I don’t like spiders.’

Sarah looked around and saw a pile of old newspapers. She picked one up and could just about make out the date. 1948. The last time she’d seen Mr Sayers. These must be his papers, the ones she used to read to him, she thought. Then she spotted a ball of string on one of the shelves.

‘Sit yourself down in this chair,’ she told Tommy, pulling an old deckchair forward and opening it. The stripy cloth looked worn, but she thought it would be a comfortable place for Tommy to rest. ‘Now don’t you worry about any spiders. You’re a lot bigger than they are so they’re more frightened of you than you are of them. Anyhow, spiders can’t hurt you.’

Tommy looked apprehensive but did as he was told, while she took sheets of the newspapers and scrunched them around his feet. Then using the scissors that had been with the string, she cut it into lengths and tied it around the paper. She rubbed his legs briskly.

‘There you go, your feet will be as warm as toast now,’ she told him.

‘What if Captain Hook comes back for his treasure and finds us here? He’ll make us walk the plank!’

‘Don’t be daft, have you seen any pirate ships round here? If there is any treasure, it’s been here for years and long forgotten by the likes of Captain Hook. I’m going to put some newspaper over you then I want you to close your eyes and get some sleep. We’ll have to be up really early in the morning.’

‘But what about you, where are you going to sleep?’ Tommy asked.

‘Right here, on the floor next to you.’

Once Tommy was covered with the paper, it didn’t take long for him to drift off. Sarah tried to make herself as comfortable as she could, but there was a terrible draught coming under the shed door. She felt something crawling on her face, and grimaced as she brushed off a bug. At least they were safe for tonight, but she couldn’t sleep as her mind churned with thoughts of the challenges she knew the daylight would bring. Tommy would wake up hungry, they were homeless and without a penny to their name. She wondered if Tommy would be better off in a children’s home. He’d get fed and watered, which was more than she could offer the child.

Her eyes focused again on Mr Sayers’s flat cap. Thinking about him seemed to give her comfort. He had cared for her, more than her own mother ever had. She’d loved him dearly and missed him. It had broken her heart when he’d died.

She eventually closed her eyes, and though it was cold in the shed, she found that she felt warm, and as if she was lying on soft feathers. ‘Goodnight, Mr Sayers,’ she whispered, feeling a strange sense that he was watching over her. It gave her courage and, before she gave in to sleep, Sarah decided her mind was set. She wouldn’t be separated from Tommy. Come what may, she’d make sure he wasn’t taken from her. She might not be able to give him a home and proper food, but she could give him all the love he needed, and that was something she knew he’d never get in an orphanage.