Together for Christmas by Carol Rivers Read Free Book Online Page B

them a living.’
    ‘How do you know he was German?’ Flora asked, causing the woman to stop abruptly.
    ‘He’s called Old Fritz, ain’t he?’ the woman snapped back. ‘And his accent is enough to give him away.’
    ‘But he’s run that stall for years,’ Flora said in a shocked voice.
    ‘He won’t no more,’ the woman replied angrily. ‘Haven’t you heard? The coppers are interning all wot they call “suspect aliens”. After the
Lusitania
, you won’t see no foreigners selling their ill-gotten gains round ’ere.’
    ‘If you ask me,’ said the other woman, poking a finger towards Flora, ‘the bluebottles are late off the mark as usual. They should have rounded the buggers up after that
Zeppelin flew over at the end of May. It’s said people were killed by it and others injured. You’d soon change your tune, dearie, if one of them flew over here.’
    As the two women walked on, Flora looked back at the broken stall. Two young boys were kicking the remains and shouting out curses. She felt very upset and was surprised when Hilda said beside
her, ‘She’s right, you know. That big airship was terrifying. Not that I saw it meself, but Mrs Bell said a friend of hers did and she ain’t felt safe since.’
    Flora hadn’t witnessed the arrival of the German Zeppelin but she had seen the searchlights in the sky and heard the crackle of British guns. Combined with the sinking of the
Lusitania
and the heavy losses of troops in France, the public’s anti-German feeling was strengthening. ‘But Fritz is a nice old man,’ Flora protested, ‘always
courteous and wouldn’t do anyone harm.’
    ‘Don’t change the fact he’s German.’
    ‘He still didn’t deserve to be beaten up.’
    ‘Oh, forget him,’ advised Hilda, dismissively. ‘He only had a few bumps and bruises.’
    Flora looked back as they walked on. She saw one of the boys trying to light the tarpaulin with a match. Another stallholder rushed up and cuffed him round the ear, shouting that they
didn’t want a fire at the market. Flora noticed that none of the other traders had come to Fritz’s aid. It was very sad to see people turn on one another like that.
    ‘So will you come with me to Adelphi?’ Hilda pleaded again. She took Flora by the arms, her face very serious. ‘I’ll pay you back, every penny.’
    ‘We’ll see,’ Flora answered. Somehow Hilda made it impossible to refuse.
    ‘Oh, thank you!’ said Hilda joyfully. She threw her arms around Flora.
    Flora smiled. Hilda could always get round her. One way or another.

Chapter Five
    It was early on Sunday morning, August 1st, and Flora’s sixteenth birthday. She didn’t expect to be celebrating it in the back of a cart. But Dr Tapper had made the
suggestion of hiring Albert the farrier when she told him about Hilda’s invitation.
    ‘The trains are expensive,’ he warned. ‘Our farrier runs a carrying service for the Kent hopping season. I’m sure you’d have a comfortable enough ride at a
reasonable cost.’
    Later that day, Flora had gone to Albert’s yard, where the doctor’s pony was stabled. She had shown Albert the address that Hilda had given her. Flora was delighted when she managed
to persuade him to be hired for just a shilling. She paid him in advance so he couldn’t change his mind.
    Flora glanced at Hilda, who was wearing her green hat and feather. She looked very smart with her dark hair drawn up under its rim and the tailored grey suit moulded perfectly to her generous
curves. Flora had decided to wear a tan-coloured ankle-length skirt and cream buttoned blouse with leg-of-mutton sleeves. She had pinned her hair back in a knot, suitable for a formal occasion such
as this.
    Albert had provided them with cushioned benches to sit on. The ride was bumpy, and with plenty of fresh air. He had offered to pull the canvas top over the cart to shield them from the elements,
but as there was very little breeze, they had decided to use their parasols