Kay Brellend 3-Book Collection: The Street, The Family, Coronation Day. Kay Brellend

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СКАЧАТЬ as well neither of them’s old enough to join up and be a sailor in the navy. They’d sink a ship before the war’s properly started.’ Alice’s rueful comment made her two companions burst out laughing as they observed the boys’ unsuccessful efforts to row their boat in a straight line.

      It was a hot Saturday at the beginning of August and Alice, Sophy and Sarah Whitton were lounging on scratchy parched grass that sloped up and away from the Finsbury Park boating lake. They had walked from Campbell Road the short distance in the blistering heat and found a shady spot beneath trees. Gratefully they’d collapsed down on the ground to have a rest. They had begun to pool pennies to see if between them they had enough cash to take a boat out on the lake and still have some left to stop off at a café for a bite to eat on the way home.

      A long, low whistle had curtailed their calculations. A moment later a group of youths had bowled up and sat down close by. Danny and Geoff Lovat – who were on friendly terms again now Sophy was back to normal – had been amongst a quartet of young hounds. Herbert Banks, also from Campbell Road, was with them; so was a boy Alice recognised as being out of Queensland Road.

      A session of good-natured catcalling back and forth had taken place between the groups of boys and girls for some while. Bored with that, Geoff and Herbert Banks had stood up and wandered off towards the lake. A little while later Alice had watched the two of them – in possession of an oar each – rotating a boat in clumsy circles towards the centre of the lake. It was that amusing sight that had prompted her to make her remark about the war that’d recently been declared on Germany.

      The news that they were at war had been shocking, and oddly exciting, but it all seemed very distant and unreal, especially on a glorious carefree summer day such as this.

      ‘I saw me dad in the week,’ Sarah said. ‘He reckons now he’s lost his job he’s going to volunteer for the army. It’s regular pay ‘n’ grub, he says. And he wants to do his bit for his country.’

      Alice frowned. ‘He’s a bit old, ain’t he?’

      ‘Thirty-seven, I think. I hope they don’t let him in. I don’t want him to be hurt or nuthin’.’

      ‘Me dad brought in the newspaper and we read all about it. It’s all going to be over by Christmas anyhow,’ Alice told her friend reassuringly. ‘So even if your dad does go to war he’ll be back home before you know it.’

      ‘I heard Herbert Banks’s been boasting he’s going to go to the recruitin’ office and pretend he’s nineteen so’s he can join up.’

      Alice snorted derisively. ‘He don’t even look fifteen even though he is. He won’t get away with that, not even if he draws on whiskers.’

      Suddenly the two younger girls realised that Sophy had been unusually quiet during this lively discussion. Presently it was the main topic of conversation for most people. In the factory where Alice worked all the talk at dinnertime was about how the Hun were due a good thrashing.

      Alice and Sarah turned their attention on Sophy. She blushed and pouted defensively as she was caught out exchanging a significant stare with Danny.

      Danny suddenly leapt up and strolled the few yards over towards them.

      ‘Wanna take a boat out?’ He directed that exclusively at Sophy. ‘I got the money to pay for it,’ he added with gruff persuasion.

      Alice glanced at her sister, expecting to hear Sophy tell him where he could stick his boat and the oars too. But after a moment, and looking bashful, Sophy sprung up and, with a mumble for the girls, went off with him towards the water’s edge. Alice rolled onto her stomach and watched them. Danny helped Sophy get in then they were off and he was having more success than his brother had managed in getting going into deep water. Soon they had caught up with the little craft carrying Geoff and Herbert.

      The boy from the Land, stranded alone on the grass, sent Alice and Sarah a hopeful look. But getting no encouragement he obviously came to the conclusion he’d be wasting his time. He got up and slouched back towards the park gate.

      ‘Thought your Sophy weren’t having no more to do with Danny Lovat.’

      Alice raised herself up lazily onto an elbow and gazed again at the sight that had prompted Sarah’s sly remark. Danny looked to be heading towards a secluded part of the lake sheltered from prying eyes by low branches that in places skimmed the still water.

      ‘Bet Sophy’s glad she weren’t expecting after all. She’d better hope she can keep it that way.’

      Alice continued plucking grass stalks and chewing on them. She ignored Sarah’s deliberate comment. She wasn’t getting into that conversation with anyone. Of course, Sarah had known about Sophy thinking she was pregnant. Everyone who’d been home in Campbell Road that Sunday dinnertime had known about Sophy thinking Danny Lovat had got her into trouble. The fight between the two families had been furious enough for the noise to carry out to Highgate Hill. But Alice had never confirmed or denied anything to anyone about it. And now, even her mum had mellowed a bit over it all. Since Margaret Lovat had helped Tilly clean Sophy up they’d started to talk again. Her sister Beth had done a bit of babysitting for the Lovats to earn ha’pennies and Margaret and Bert had started turning up again to the Saturday night singsongs around the piano.

      Although the families were no longer at loggerheads Alice was nevertheless rather annoyed that Sophy had gone off so readily with Danny. Clearly she still had a yen for him despite the way he’d treated her, and she wasn’t able to resist when he paid her a bit of attention. Alice felt regretful that she’d not got up and followed them and told Danny Lovat that he’d better treat Sophy right this time.

      ‘Did you get taken on at the biscuit factory?’ she asked to change the subject. If Sarah continued probing and hinting an argument was sure to erupt between them and Alice felt too warm and lethargic to get involved in any of that. Ever since Alice had started full-time work Sarah had been keen to get a proper job too. But although Ginny Whitton was keen to appropriate Sarah’s part-time earnings from odd jobs she was reluctant to let her youngest daughter be too in dependent. Sarah was the only child left at home now, and Ginny wanted her to be on hand to do her fetching and carrying. Only on odd occasions when she was desperate – usually for a bottle of medicine, as she called it – could Ginny be seen outside the house, hobbling up the road towards the off licence.

      ‘I didn’t even go for an interview,’ Sarah said sulkily. ‘Me mum put the block on it. Said she’d get the truancy officer on me if I took on full-time. She’d do it too, the cow. Still got me doorsteps in Tollington Park. I did three this morning.’ She looked at Alice. ‘Your Beth got any spare she don’t want to do? I could use another couple to boost me takings.’

      Alice briefly shook her head. ‘What will you do when you get to fourteen and she still won’t let you get a proper job?’

      ‘I’m gonna be off, that’s what I’m gonna do!’ Sarah said emphatically. ‘Ain’t staying with the mad old bag and livin’ off charity ‘n’ scraps forever. ’S’not fair. It’s time Connie or Louisa come back and took a turn with her. I don’t see why I should be the one looking after her till she pegs it.’

      Alice sat up. She put her arms around her knees and rested her sharp little chin on them. ‘Is Connie really going to marry that copper?’

      ‘Dunno. They’re meant to be getting engaged, but that don’t mean nuthin’. No plans for a wedding been made as far as I know. She don’t like his people. All airs ‘n’ graces. Yet she said they’ve СКАЧАТЬ