Nest of Sorrows by Ruth Hamilton Read Free Book Online Page A

again, haven’t you? While our Judith’s been up at Grandad’s for an hour or more. She’s likely done all her homework by now! And how are you going to shape if you pass your scholarship, eh? I took the doffing job for you and your sister! Five days a week I work in that mill to save for your education. And what do you do? Sneak off with Michael Wray!’
    ‘He’s my best friend.’
    ‘You shouldn’t have a boy for your best friend. You should have a girl like . . .’
    ‘Like Judith does,’ mimicked the unrepentant child. She was happy. Happy, happy, happy! And she wasn’t going to let Mam spoil it. Rome was free again, British soldiers were on their way to Paris, everything was going to be all right! And Dad was coming home with a bad foot – he probably wouldn’t have to go back again. And Mike had given her a hairslide with a flower on it, and he’d blushed when he gave it her, so he loved her and Mam was such a pest. ‘Are we going or not?’ asked Katherine. ‘You keep telling me I’m late, then you keep standing there. What’s the matter?’
    ‘Grandad.’
    ‘Oh.’
    ‘With everybody wed now and him on his own all day, well, he’s let himself go. The doctor says it’s pneumonia, Katherine. Our Nellie’s with him at the minute . . .’
    ‘And Judith.’
    ‘Yes, but Judith’ll be doing her . . .’
    ‘Her homework.’ snapped Katherine. ‘Is he going to die?’
    Rachel’s head drooped. ‘They think so, lass. He’s not so good.’
    Katherine studied her shoes sadly. ‘I love my grandad. He used to go on about shoes and clogs. He took notice of me.’
    ‘I know.’
    ‘Why do people have to die, Mam?’
    Rachel shrugged weary shoulders. ‘To make room for more, I suppose.’
    ‘Then why can’t it be just the bad people? And Grandad doesn’t take up much space.’
    ‘You’re ten now, lass. You know the answers as well as I do. Grandad’s old. He’s never been all that well since the last war ended. I reckon he’s had longer than what we expected.’
    ‘Do we have to go up and look after him?’
    ‘Aye. We’ll lock up here, then we’ll stop with him till it’s all over one way or the other. Our Nellie’ll have to get back home, so it’s down to us.’
    ‘It’s always down to us. Last time Grandad was ill, it was down to us. Not that I mind, Mam. But he’s their dad too. You’d think they’d want to be with him.’
    ‘Yes. Yes, he was a good dad. A very grand man, he was. Eeh, I wish you could have seen him, our Katie. Done up in his good suit and with me mam on his arm. His moustache was dark then, all waxed at the ends, it was. And me mam, well, she was just beautiful.’
    ‘Was she?’
    ‘You’re like her.’
    ‘I’m not beautiful.’
    ‘You will be, lass. Aye, you will be. Now get that fire doused with tea and make sure all the gas is off. Your clothes are already up there, our Nellie carried them. I’m just going next door to tell Eileen to keep an eye on this place – for the post and that. And for God’s sake, don’t start your worrying. I’ve enough on without you ill on top of everything else. And get your face rinsed, you look like you’re straight out of a midden feet first . . .’
    When Rachel had left, Katherine stood and stared at the photograph of her father over the mantelpiece. He was a sergeant major now, and he wore his crested stripes with an air of great pride. There was a commission waiting for him at the War Office, he only needed to pick it up when he was ready. He’d intended to ship the whole family off to India where they could have had servants and a posh house, but his recently wounded foot would put a stop to all that. Katherine breathed a sigh of pure relief. Mam hadn’t wanted to go to India and neither had she. It would be too hot there for people with red hair and fair skin. Judith hadn’t said much, Judith never did. Life seemed to leave the older girl untouched, but Katherine guessed that her sister would not