Red Sky in the Morning (34 page)

‘Love ’em and leave ’em, that’s Betty’s motto,’ Rita laughed.

Betty crashed her cup into its saucer and stood up suddenly. ‘It’s – it’s them that leave us, isn’t it?’

She turned and rushed from the room. They heard the back door bang. Rita looked after her thoughtfully. ‘I think,’ she said slowly, ‘that despite what she says she was getting
rather fond of Charlie.’

May gasped. ‘The – the one who got shot down?’

Rita nodded.

‘Oh,’ May breathed. ‘Poor Betty.’

‘Aye,’ Luke growled at his daughter. ‘And it’ll be poor you, if you take up with that – that spiv!’

May hung her head.

Despite Luke’s warning, May couldn’t help liking Douglas. She looked forward to his visits to the farm and she felt more comfortable now that she knew Betty did not
regard him as her boyfriend. May liked the two girls who had come to live with them and help on the farm. She didn’t want to offend either of them, especially the forthright Betty, whose
tongue, Luke said, could mow a ten-acre field without a scythe.

Douglas began to take May out – just the two of them – roaring off up the lane in his car. He even took her away for a weekend, staying away Friday and Saturday nights, during which
time Luke glowered morosely and then refused to speak to May for three days afterwards. Douglas tried his best to win the old man over, bringing him tobacco and even a can or two of precious
petrol.

‘No thanks,’ Luke said tersely. ‘I don’t hold with black market stuff.’

Douglas laughed, but shrugged. ‘Don’t tell me you don’t get a bit of extra meat from under the counter now and again.’

‘We have all we need. We live on a farm,’ Luke reminded him.

‘That’s exactly it,’ Douglas said and jabbed his finger towards Luke. For a brief moment, Douglas’s grey eyes were as hard as flint. ‘You’re lucky, but some
of us are really suffering because of the shortages. Can you blame us for wanting to make life a bit easier?’

Luke’s glance travelled slowly up and down the smartly dressed man before him. He said nothing, just sniffed as if to say:
You look as if you’re really suffering!
Then he
shrugged. ‘That’s your business and no concern of mine. Just don’t ask me to get involved, that’s all. And don’t’ – now it was Luke who wagged his finger
at Douglas – ‘involve my daughter either.’

Douglas threw back his head and laughed loudly. ‘She doesn’t refuse the nylons and the chocolates I bring.’

Luke turned away frowning. He was pretty sure Douglas was into the black market. Oh, maybe not in a big way. But Luke felt sure that he was on the fringes of petty villainy. He didn’t like
May’s involvement with him or the way her eyes sparkled when she heard that noisy contraption swing into the yard.

But there was not a lot Luke could do about it.

When Douglas visited the farm at the weekends, he usually brought Bruce with him.

‘I’ve brought you some chocolates,’ Bruce said.

‘Oh, how lovely.’ Anna smiled. ‘How kind of you. It – it must have used up all your coupons.’

Bruce shrugged and grinned. ‘You’re worth it.’

Across the yard, Anna was aware of Jed glowering at them. Hastily she said, ‘I’ll just take these indoors and then we’ll go for a walk.’

As they strolled together by the river, Bruce took hold of Anna’s hand, whilst Buster ran ahead, exploring for rabbits. She felt her face glowing pink, but did not pull away. It was nice
to have an older boyfriend; nice to be able to boast about him to her best friend, Jean. And walking hand in hand with him made her feel really grown up.

‘Has he kissed you yet?’ Jean asked eagerly every Monday morning when she knew Bruce had been to the farm.

‘Oh yes,’ Anna said airily, giving the impression that it happened all the time. ‘And when we go for walks, we hold hands.’

Jean nudged her. ‘Has he tried – well – you know?’

Anna put her nose in the air. ‘Course not. He’s not like that. He’s nice.’

‘Does he know you’re only thirteen? ’Cos you look older. Mebbe he thinks you’re as old as him.’

Anna shrugged. ‘Dunno. But I’m not going to tell him.’ They giggled together.

And now, here she was once more walking with him. Maybe there’d be even more to tell Jean on Monday morning . . .

‘What have you been doing with yourself this week?’ Bruce broke into her dreams.

‘Oh, the usual. You know, school and helping Grandpa.’

‘When are the lambs going then?’ Bruce asked her as they walked through the meadow, watching the lambs playing.

‘Next week,’ Anna said dolefully. ‘They’re coming for them next Monday.’

‘A week tomorrow, you mean?’

Anna nodded as she pulled her hand from his and crept towards one of the lambs suckling its mother. Neither the sheep nor the lamb moved, not even when Anna stroked the lamb. Buster trotted up
and stood close by, watching. ‘Come and feel their lovely coats,’ Anna said to Bruce. ‘Isn’t it a shame they have to be – to be—?’

He moved carefully across the grass towards her, but when he was about three feet from her and the sheep, Anna heard Buster growl softly. She turned to look down at him. He was crouching, his
eyes on Bruce, as if ready to spring.

‘Don’t be silly, Buster. It’s only Bruce.’

Bruce gave a nervous laugh. ‘I don’t reckon that dog likes me.’ He grinned. ‘Reckon he’s jealous.’

Anna’s eyes widened as she looked at him, ‘Jealous?’ she began and then realized what he meant. She blushed. ‘Don’t be silly. You ought to make friends with him.
You never pet him.’

Bruce laughed. ‘I don’t want me hand bitten off.’

‘Take no notice of Buster. He won’t hurt you. Not while I’m here anyway. But he’s only doing his job.’

Bruce glanced at her. ‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s his job to protect the sheep.’

Bruce eyed the dog thoughtfully.

‘Come on,’ Anna encouraged. ‘Feel how soft their wool is.’

Bruce, keeping a wary eye on the dog, moved forward and bent to stroke the lamb. The lamb stopped suckling and allowed Bruce to pick it up. ‘Cute little fellers, aren’t
they?’

Anna giggled. ‘Yeah. Except that one’s a girl.’

Suddenly, Buster growled again and began to bark. Frightened, the lamb bleated and struggled in Bruce’s grasp. ‘It’s all right, boy,’ he said to the dog. ‘I’m
not going to run off with it.’ He laughed as he set the young animal down on its spindly legs. ‘They’re heavier than I thought they’d be,’ he murmured as the lamb
trotted away to join in a game with the others.

‘They’re like children, aren’t they?’ Anna smiled. ‘Look at them, playing just like little children in a playground.’

‘Yeah,’ Bruce murmured, draping his arm across her shoulders. ‘But they’re worth a bit more than a load of screaming kids.’

Anna said nothing. She felt uncomfortable that Bruce kept referring to how much things were worth. The sheep, the crops they were growing – even the fish in the river. Everything seemed to
have a price tag as far as Bruce was concerned.

‘We ought to come fishing one day,’ he’d remarked. ‘Me dad could get a good price for fresh fish in the markets.’

Maybe it was because his father was a businessman, Anna told herself, finding excuses for him. It was just his way, that was all.

As they began to walk back towards the farmhouse, Bruce glanced back over his shoulder. ‘Yeah, your old man’s got a bob or two coming his way next week when he sends this little lot
to market.’

The following Sunday Bruce came again with his father.

‘Come on,’ he said, catching hold of Anna’s hand. ‘Me dad says I can take you for a drive in the car while he’s talking to your mam.’

‘Drive?’ Anna gasped. ‘Can you drive?’

‘Course I can.’ The youth swaggered. ‘Come on. We’ll have some fun. Get your mam to pack us a picnic hamper. We’ll go off for the day.’

‘I don’t know,’ Anna said doubtfully. ‘I ought to stay and help Grandpa. The lambs are going tomorrow. I told you.’

Bruce blinked, as if he had forgotten. ‘Oh. Oh yes, I remember. You said last week.’ He frowned. ‘Why do you have to help? What have you got to do?’

‘Grandpa sometimes round them all up and brings them down to the barn. It saves time in the morning, if they’re all together. Ready for when the lorries come.’

‘Oh.’

‘I’ll ask him, though. He might not bother.’

‘You’re not going and that’s final.’

‘But Grandpa—’

‘Don’t argue, lass. I don’t want you going in that car with him. He’s not safe.’

‘You can’t say that. You don’t know what sort of a driver he is.’

‘I can make a pretty good guess. It’s bad enough your mother going off in the thing wi’ ’im.’ He jerked his thumb towards the farmhouse. ‘There’s not a
lot I can do about that—’

‘Except not speak to her for days on end when she comes back,’ Anna said rashly.

‘Now, now, lass. That’s not like you to be cheeky to me.’

Anna was ashamed. ‘I’m sorry, Grandpa, but we only wanted to go for a picnic.’

‘Well . . .’ Luke was still reluctant. He didn’t like Douglas or his son. But he could hardly stop the youngsters spending time together. Even though in his heart of hearts he
would like to have done so. ‘That’s all right,’ he said now. ‘You can walk down to the river bank. There’s some nice spots there for a picnic. Me and your grannie
often used to take a picnic down there—’

He turned away abruptly and Anna gazed after him, sorry to have revived poignant memories. ‘We won’t be late, Grandpa. I’ll be back in time to help with the milking.’

As he walked away, Luke raised his hand in acknowledgement but he did not look back.

It had been a lovely afternoon down by the river. They’d sat on a rug close together, their shoulders touching. It was peaceful and quiet.

‘You wouldn’t think there was a war on, would you?’ Bruce said. Then he’d turned and kissed her, pressing her onto her back. ‘You’re lovely,’ he’d
murmured against her mouth. His hand caressed her waist and then moved up to her breast.

‘Don’t!’ Anna said sharply and sat up.

For a moment, Bruce’s face was like thunder and Anna felt a tiny shiver of fear. But then he was smiling. ‘Sorry. I keep forgetting you’re only thirteen. You look older.’
He sat up too, resting his arms on his knees.

Anna was relieved, yet there was a little tinge of regret. After all, he was her boyfriend. At least, that was what she told Jean and the other girls at school. He lit a cigarette and sat
smoking it.

‘Can I – can I have a puff?’

He turned and looked at her. ‘You’re not old enough to smoke – ’ he paused deliberately and then added – ‘either.’

Anna felt the colour suffuse her face and she hung her head.

She heard him laugh softly. Then he was holding out the cigarette to her. ‘Here, have a go.’

She took it and drew on it. The smoke stung the back of her throat and she began to cough, feeling as if she were choking. He slapped her hard on the back.

‘Don’t take it down the first time, you daft thing.’

She was purple in the face and it took some moments for her to recover enough to speak. ‘What on earth pleasure is there in that?’ she wheezed. ‘It’s horrible.’

Bruce was grinning at her. ‘You’d probably get to like it.’ He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. ‘Given time.’

Anna had the distinct feeling that he was not talking just about smoking.

That night Anna was restless and sleep was fitful. She tossed and turned, thinking over what had happened between her and Bruce. She felt as if she had behaved like a silly
little schoolgirl. He’d only wanted a harmless cuddle, she told herself. He would never ask her to go too far, she was sure. And now she’d probably lost him. He’d find another,
more mature girl who would let him love her.

She sat up in bed suddenly. Her bedroom window faced out over the yard and she could hear Buster barking. Maybe there was an intruder. There’d been a lot of thefts from nearby farms
recently. Chickens, ducks and geese, even a piglet or two, anything that would sell on the black market to give hard pressed housewives a little extra meat for their families.

Anna was about to get out of bed to wake her grandfather, when she realized Buster had stopped. She listened for a few moments longer and then lay down. It couldn’t have been anything
serious or the dog would still be trying to raise the alarm. Her anxieties over Bruce diverted by the brief disturbance, within minutes Anna was asleep.

As she stepped into the kitchen the following morning, Luke and May turned to greet her.

‘What is it?’ she asked at once. She could see by the look on their faces that something was wrong.

‘It’s Buster,’ Luke began, putting his hand on her shoulder.

‘Buster? Why? What’s happened?’ She made as if to rush outside, but Luke’s hand restrained her.

‘There’s summat the matter with him. I don’t know what. He was spark out when I went out first thing this morning, just lying in the yard near his kennel. But not inside it.
Looks as if he’s been out there all night.’

‘He’s not—. You don’t mean he’s—?’ She couldn’t bring herself to voice her worst fear.

‘No, he’s not dead. In fact, he’s woken up, but he’s staggering around. If he were a man, I’d say he was drunk.’ Luke shook his head. ‘But he’s
not right. I’ll have to take him into the vet as soon as they’ve been for the lambs.’

‘Can’t we go now?’ Anna was frantic.

Luke shook his head. ‘No, we’ll have to round up the lambs ourselves. Buster’s going to be no use this morning. Ya mam’s agreed that you’ll have to stay off school
today to help.’

‘I wouldn’t have gone anyway,’ Anna said firmly. ‘Not until I know what’s the matter with Buster.’

‘Get your breakfast and then go with your grandpa—’ May began, but Anna was already hurrying from the house. ‘I’ve got to see Buster.’

The dog was staggering about near his kennel looking very sorry for himself. She ran her hands over his coat and he made a half-hearted attempt to lick her.

‘What is it, boy? What’s the matter, eh? I wish you could tell us.’

Luke appeared and came to stand beside her, scratching his head in puzzlement. ‘I can’t mek it out, love. We’ll have to get him to the vet. Only thing is – I
haven’t much petrol.’