A Christmas Promise by Anne Perry Read Free Book Online Page B

if frozen.
    “Go on!” Stan shouted. “In’t yer got no chores ter do, yer lazy little girl? Think yer ’ere fer us ter feed yer gob while yer sit ’ere in the ’ay day-dreamin’?”
    Minnie Maude started to say something, then saw his hand swinging wide to clip her round the side of the head, and ducked out of his way. She turned to stare at Gracie. “C’mon!” she warned, making for the door, and escape.
    Gracie wanted to stay and argue, but she knew better. There was an anger in Stan’s face that was deeper than mere temper. There was a shadow of fear in it also, and she knew that people who were frightened were dangerous. Something very bad indeed had happened in this place, and the tasteof it put wings on her feet. She veered sideways and shot past his outstretched hand, through the open door, and down the path to the alleyway.
    Through the back gate she nearly bumped into Minnie Maude.
    “Yer all right?” Minnie Maude asked anxiously.
    “Yeah.” Gracie pushed her hair back and straightened her rumpled skirt, then picked a few pieces of hay from her shawl.
    “Wot are we gonna do?” Minnie Maude asked.
    Gracie felt as if she were jumping into a fast, icy river. The only thing worse would be being left on the bank.
    “We’re gonna find out exactly where Uncle Alf went the day ’e were killed,” she answered, as if that had been her decision all along.
    “’ow are we gonna do that?”
    “We’re gonna ask Jimmy Quick wot way ’e went, an’ then foller it an’ find out ’oo saw Uncle Alf the same way. They might know, cos of it bein’ someone diff’rent than Jimmy.”
    “Then wot?” Minnie Maude’s eyes did not flicker an instant.
    Gracie’s mind raced. “Then we’ll find out where ’e were killed, exact like, an’ ’oo ’e saw, an’ ’oo ’e di’n’t.”
    Minnie Maude gulped. “Then we’ll know ’oo killed ’im?”
    The thought was enormous, and terrifying. Suddenly it did not seem so clever at all. In fact it seemed the depth of stupidity. “No we won’t,” Gracie said sharply. “We’ll just know where ’e might a picked up the casket … an’ o’ course where ’e couldn’t’ve, since ’e in’t bin there yet.”
    Minnie Maude looked hopeful. “We’ll go and see Jimmy Quick.” She squinted up at the sky. “We could get there now, but ’e won’t be ’ome yet.”
    Gracie was more concerned with thinking of a good reason to go back to ask Jimmy Quick about the route he took, so they could explain why they asked.
    “Wot’s the matter?” Minnie Maude demanded, the fear back in her voice.
    “Nuffink,” Gracie said immediately, wondering why she was suddenly putting off telling the truth. “Jus’ planning wot ter say, cos why we want ter know? Jimmy Quick in’t silly. ’e’s gonna ask. We gotta ’ave summink ter say as could be true.”
    “We wanna know w’ere me Uncle Alf died,” Minnie Maude said, watching Gracie carefully. “I’m gonna put a flower there.”
    “’ave yer got one?” Gracie said reasonably. “I got twopence. We could buy some …if yer like?”
    Minnie Maude nodded. “Thank yer. That’s …” She searched for a word for the complicated emotion. “Good,” she finished, unsatisfied.
    Gracie smiled at her, and suddenly Minnie Maude beamed back, her whole face lit with gratitude. They had a plan.
    “We’ll go ter see Jimmy Quick this evening,” Gracie said decisively. “If we wait till termorrer,’e’ll mebbe take us, an’ we don’t want ’im ter, cos we need ter ask questions it’s better as ’e don’t know.”
    Minnie Maude nodded vigorously.
    “I’ll meet yer ’ere, at ’alf past lights on,” Gracie went on. She looked up at the lamppost just above where they stood. “Watch for the lamplighter. ’e’s usually reg’lar. Yer wait, if I in’t ’ere right away.”
    Minnie Maude nodded again.

G racie continued with her duties for the day, missing some out and working double speed at others. She tried