The Blue Horse by Marita Conlon-Mckenna Read Free Book Online Page A

finally came out to say goodbye. Mam’s eyes flew towards the desolate, solitary figure.
    ‘Mrs Connors, I’ll send someone down later with some essentials for you and don’t forget the vouchers I’ve given you.’
    ‘Thank you, Miss, I’m very grateful for all your help. I’m sorry about himself shouting at you.’
    ‘Don’t mention it. You’ve all been through a huge shock, it’s only to be expected.’
    As soon as the car started up, a band of children ran along behind it, waving. Katie went over to her mother, who looked pale and tired.
    ‘I heard you, Mam. Is it true we’re really going to settle?’
    Her mother nodded. She looked crushed.
    ‘In a house?’
    ‘Yes, lovey, if we keep our fingers crossed and are lucky.’
    ‘Not a trailer or a van?’
    ‘No! A proper house, with a bit of a garden to hang out washing, a bathroom and a toilet and three bedrooms and a fine big sitting-room with a kitchen behind it. There’ll be shops and schools and all kind of things close by …’ Mam lookedstraight at Katie, searching her face and eyes for a reaction.
    ‘Da’ll never stand for it. He loves the road, he’ll never settle,’ Katie cried, unable to hide the fear and unease in her voice.
    ‘Well, Katie, I’ve had enough. We haven’t a thing to our name now. The fire has done its worst and the fight has gone out of me. I’m not getting any younger. It’s time I settled – that we all did. Wherever we are, your Da will always have a place, the door will be open for him.’
    The door open for him! What the hell did that mean? Was Mam saying that Da might not go with them? They’d be on their own – she couldn’t mean it. To leave the life they knew was bad enough, but the thought of Da not being there too … a shiver ran through her.
    ‘Are you okay, pet?’ Mam looked at her.
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘Yes, Mam, don’t be worrying.’
    ‘Don’t say anything to the others yet. There’s nothing definite until we find out if we get the house. No point in upsetting them until we hear from Miss O’Gorman.’
    Katie nodded and gave a sigh of relief. Maybe it wouldn’t happen at all. Da might get the money for a trailer somewhere and things would be the same as always. Nothing was certain yet!

Chapter 10
LEAVING
    Three black plastic bags – all they had in the world wrapped up in a few plastic bags. Katie was trying to stuff some clothes into one. Then she lifted them out to Uncle Mike’s car. Maggie helped her squash them into the boot, which was full of old car batteries and junk. The twins were hanging around the car door. They didn’t look themselves. They were too neat and too tidy and far too quiet. They’re scared too, Katie guessed.
    Mam and Auntie Brigid were talking. The last few days had been a terrible strain on both families.
    ‘Too many children in too small a space,’ Brigid said consolingly. They were all getting on each other’s nerves. Even Maggie and herself had had a fight. Katie spilled some tea on a white jumper of Maggie’s and her cousin called her a clumsy cow and told her to wash it straight away. But they had made it up.
    Da disappeared off every day, hoping something would turn up, but he had no luck. He slept in the car at night.
    Mam tried again and again to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen.
    ‘We can go back on the road if you don’t like the house, I promise, Ned. Just give it a try. We need a roof over our heads for the winter.’
    ‘I don’t want a house. I’ll not go.’
    ‘You have no choice, we all have no choice.’
    ‘There is a choice. No one in a big city office will decide where my children grow up or how they live!’
    * * *
    They had made a kind of tent in the field and the boys slept in it. Mam had brought out bread and marmalade to them for their breakfast. Da sat crosslegged with them.
    ‘It’s this morning, Ned!’
    Da kept eating the bread and said nothing.
    ‘We’ll get the keys of the house today, Ned. Number