Matty Doolin by Catherine Cookson Read Free Book Online

was.
    ‘Look, Ann!’ the boy cried. ‘These lads don’t want their dog; they say we can have him.’ The girl was apparently a little younger than the boy, and though she looked at Nelson with open affection she did not show as much enthusiasm as her brother about accepting him. ‘Better wait till me ma comes in,’ she said.
    ‘Oh, it’s all right,’ said the boy. ‘You know she said last week that we could have one, didn’t she?’
    ‘Yes.’ The girl nodded. ‘Yes, she did.’ She brightened and, dropping onto her knees, she looked into Nelson’s face, and was captivated immediately when he put out his tongue and gently licked her. Looking up at Matty, she said, ‘Oh, he’s lovely. Why do you want to get rid of him?’
    Staring down into the upturned face, the truth stopped between Matty’s teeth. If he told the real reason that would be the finish of Nelson. As he groped for a substitute reason, Willie came to the rescue by exclaiming loudly, ‘They’re moving.’ And this was endorsed by Joe saying, ‘Aye. Aye, they’re going to Seahouses.’ He laughed at his own ingeniousness. He had once been to Seahouses and would have liked to stay there, and now he was making Matty move there. He returned Matty’s wide stare and only prevented himself from winking.
    ‘What time will your mother be back?’ asked Matty now. And the girl answered, ‘Oh, she’ll likely be late; she’s gone to me Aunt Mary’s.’
    Matty thought for a moment; then said, ‘We’ll leave him with you, and I’ll tell you where I live so . . . so if it isn’t all right with her you can let me know.’
    ‘Yes. Yes, that’ll be fine,’ said the boy eagerly.
    ‘Does he eat a lot?’ asked the girl.
    ‘No,’ Matty lied. ‘Just what you can give him . . . Here.’ Abruptly he handed her Nelson’s lead, and, turning quickly, he marched out of the yard.
    When Joe and Willie caught up with him, Joe said, ‘You never said goodbye to him; we did. He licked us all over.’
    ‘Shut your trap. You talk too much.’ Matty strode ahead, the other two having to jump a step every now and again to keep up with him.
    ‘He’ll be all right,’ said Willie after a time. ‘Anyway, you know he’s alive an’ you know where he is and you can go on the sly now and again and have a look at him.’
    As they neared home Joe said, ‘What are we going to do about the camping?’ and he actually started as Matty turned on him and bawled, ‘You heard me mam and dad, didn’t you? Wasn’t that final enough?’
    ‘Coo!’ said Joe. ‘I don’t know why I put up with you.’
    ‘Well, you don’t have to,’ said Matty, thrusting his face down to his pal. ‘There’s no pressure from this side. And that goes for you too.’ And he turned his white face towards Willie, before marching off and leaving the boys open-mouthed, gazing after him.
    Over the past hour Mrs Doolin had tried to hide her relief. She felt happy. Matty was a good boy; he had done as he was told and got rid of the pest. She showed her appreciation by piling his plate high at supper time with cold pie and pickles. But her disappointment was evident when Matty, pushing the meal away, muttered, ‘I’m not hungry.’
    ‘Now, you eat your supper,’ she said. ‘And be sensible. Now go on; there’s a good lad.’
    ‘Get it down you,’ said his father. ‘There’s never any use worryin’ over spilt milk. What’s done’s done.’
    ‘If you don’t mind,’ said Matty rising from the table, ‘I’ll go up; I’m a bit tired.’
    Mrs Doolin’s voice cut off the reply his father was about to make. ‘All right. Do that,’ she said.
    It was as Matty reached the passage that the front doorbell rang, and his mother, rising from the table, said, ‘You go on; I’ll see who it is.’
    Matty was halfway up the stairs when his mother opened the door, and he stopped dead as a voice demanded, ‘Is this yours?’ He turned to see a woman standing on the step holding Nelson by his