Josie Under Fire by Ann Turnbull Read Free Book Online Page A

before that.” Josie struggled to explain. “I don’t like her either. But – even if she did tell on us, it’s not right…all this. It just makes things worse.”
    The others stared. Pam rolled her eyes. Sylvia giggled and said, “Are you a Conchie or something?”
    “What?” Josie felt as if she’d been punched – and at the same moment she heard Edith give a yelp of laughter. “No!” Josie said, too loudly. “Don’t be stupid!”
    Edith gave her a look that said “serves you right”.
    She’ll tell, Josie thought. She’d tell without a thought if it suited her.
    And then Sylvia hissed, “Here’s Alice!” and their quarry appeared. Clare and Sylvia jumped out and grabbed her while the other two stuffed gravel down the back of her coat and blouse.
    In the scuffle that ensued, Josie hung back. She wanted to go on ahead to Chelsea Walk; she was ashamed of herself for not going. But she feared what Edith might say to the others about her if she ran off.
    Alice, who had never shown much emotion before, was almost in tears when they’d finished with her. She ran off towards the King’s Road with small stones cascading around her, her hair escaping its plait.
    Edith turned her aggression on Josie as the two of them walked home. “You needn’t think I’ll break up with Pam and the others.”
    “I never asked you to. I just asked you to leave Alice alone.” Josie knew it came to the same thing; that she was asking too much.
    “They think you’re wet, my friends.”
    My friends. I’m going to be shut out here, just as I was at home, thought Josie, if I don’t go along with them. Even Edith will turn against me.
    She was aware of the atmosphere between them as they walked on, together but apart. “Shall we get our sweets?” she asked. “Go down to the Embankment?”
    Edith agreed. They went to Melford’s and chose sweets to share, then dawdled by the river, sucking humbugs. They watched the boats going by and saw some women in ATS uniform tying down a barrage balloon, and soldiers guarding the guns by Battersea Bridge. Edith became friendlier now that she was away from her school friends, and by the time they had returned to the house they were chatting easily together in their usual way.
    Aunty Grace came home and said, “Oh, Edith, you’re not eating sweets? You know you’re going to the dentist this afternoon?”
    “I forgot.” Edith crunched her humbug.
    “You’d better give your teeth a good clean. Josie, you don’t want to come, do you?” Josie shook her head; she hated the smell and atmosphere of dentists’ surgeries. “We shouldn’t be too late back, although I couldn’t get an appointment before half past five. I’ll put the dinner in a low oven…”
    Josie rather liked being left alone in the house. She found the family’s photograph album and looked at the pictures. She played with Biddy, and read a bit of The Three Musketeers , and finished her sweets. Then she went into the garden and climbed the walnut tree. She sat on a high branch and looked out over the back-garden wall, across Flood Street. Somewhere out there, beyond those rooftops, was the Mary Burnet School. She thought again about being called to see the headmistress yesterday. She’d been so frightened and ashamed. She’d never been in that sort of trouble before; her mother would be horrified if she found out. And Alice Hampton… That was more trouble brewing. She wished the others would just leave the girl alone.
    She heard the side gate creak, and looked down. Miss Rutherford came in, wearing a grey tweed suit and a little hat with a feather in it. She was carrying a shopping bag.
    She glanced up and saw Josie.
    “Hallo! On your own today?”
    “Edith’s gone to the dentist. Aunty Grace took her.”
    “Poor Edith!” Miss Rutherford took out her key and was about to go inside when she turned back and said, “Are you peckish? I’ve got some home-made jam – if you’d like to come up?”
    Josie felt