Under the Bridges by Anne Forsyth Read Free Book Online

say?’ Pete said. ‘I know, “Don’t tell Mum and Dad.”’
    â€˜Of course not,’ Lorna said crossly. ‘They’re awful my brothers, you’ve no idea. I bet they’ll go and blab to Mum—and to Dad. Especially Roy, that would be just like him.’
    â€˜Well, so what? You’ll have to take me home some time, you know. Especially if we’re going to get to know each other better.’
    â€˜Are we?’ Lorna’s eyes sparkled.
    Pete held her hand all the way to the bus stop. Lorna was the nicest girl he had met for ages.
    â€˜I think you’d like my mum. Would you come and meet them all next Saturday?’
    Before she could answer, his arms were around her and he was kissing her . . .
    * * *
    â€˜It won’t be long before the ferries are history,’ Joe sighed. ‘I can’t picture what it’ll be like without them. And to have a road bridge crossing the Forth.’
    â€˜Not just the Forth,’ Walter said. ‘They’re planning a road bridge across the Tay now. They did test borings last year.’
    â€˜So they’ll be doing away with the ferries over the Tay, too. I like the old Fifies—the
Scotscraig
, the
Abercraig
.’ Joe sighed again. ‘Progress, I suppose.’
    â€˜It’s a grand sight by night, the new bridge,’ William said, as he filled his pipe. He puffed contentedly.
    â€˜Aye,’ Walter agreed. ‘They’ve got lights all along the catwalks. We’re only halfway there, though. There’s a year at least before the two parts of the steelwork will meet at the middle.’
    â€˜I remember the day the rail bridge opened.’ The old man’s eyes sparkled. ‘And some pals of mine—they’d been down to the bridge a day or two before it opened, and walked across it.’ I’d have liked to have been with them. And I’d like fine to go up on the new bridge, just to see it.’
    Joe, listening to the conversation, chimed in.
    â€˜What beats me is why the wires sag between the towers.’
    Walter grinned.
    â€˜A lot of people ask that. It’s because the cables aren’t fully stiffened yet. You wait—it’ll be all right.’
    â€˜All the same, it must be cold up there,’ Grandpa said.
    â€˜It’s worse when there are high winds,’ the foreman said. ‘We can’t work those days. Like earlier this month. As soon as the wind gets up, that’s it. Work stops.’
    Joe nodded.
    â€˜It was bad enough down on the ground. All that flooding out Halbeath Road. And it’s not looking too good for the harvest with all the stooks sodden.’
    Nancy, listening to the conversation, shivered.
    â€˜It makes me go all cold just to think of you up there. Are you never frightened?’
    â€˜You wouldn’t do the job if you were scared.’ Walter laughed. ‘No, you get used to it. I’ve worked all over—Sydney, Auckland, Africa—but the Forth beats them all for weather. I’ve never seen anything like it! Still, we’re making progress. If we can get on like this in bad weather, just think what we could have done in fine weather. The bridge would have been finished in no time at all.’
    * * *
    Nancy shook out the tablecloth and folded it. ‘Well, I think you’re all really brave. Now, what would you like for breakfast? Same as usual?’
    â€˜Yes, please.’ Walter smiled at her ‘That’s another thing that keeps us going. Good, warming food. Porridge, bacon and sausages—keeps the cold out. And your mince and potatoes—smashing! So you see, it’s thanks to you that the bridge is getting built.’
    â€˜Oh, go on with you!’
    Nancy smiled with real affection at her lodger.
    â€˜Here, let me carry that tray.’
    He followed her into the kitchen and set it down on the work top.
    â€˜Mrs Mackay . . .’ He paused. ‘Your