Read Online Christmas Wishes by Katie Flynn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Katie Flynn
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her for cooking their Christmas dinner. ‘Of course most of the things in the book are on ration now, or unobtainable,’ Gillian remarked, leafing through it, ‘but that won’t always be the case; everyone says rationing will begin to ease off when the weather improves.’
‘Which isn’t yet by a long chalk,’ Joy said gloomily. She had just spent her last sweet coupons – as had Gillian – to buy Grandma a quarter-pound box of Black Magic chocolates to thank her for the theatre trip. ‘I wish we could just post the chocolates through her letter box and then come straight home. But Daddy would be livid if we did that.’
‘No, we’ve got to go in, but we needn’t stay long because the weather’s so frightful,’ Gillian pointed out. ‘I just hope the old devil doesn’t ask us to tea. Last time she did she gave us Marie biscuits whilst she gobbled a huge slice of Battenberg cake, saying rich food was bad for children.’
‘She won’t ask us to tea because the weather’s so appalling,’ Joy said hopefully. ‘If you ask me it’ll snow before morning.’
The two girls had done all their shopping and dropped it off at No. 77. Now they were queuing patiently for a tram which would take them right across the city to their grandmother’s street. Despite upturned coat collars, thick scarves and gloves they were beginning to feel chilly as the sleet was blown into their faces and the gale tried to snatch the hats from their heads. Gillian was about to suggest that they should leave delivering Grandma’s chocolates until the following day when a tram drew up beside them. A quick glance at the destination board told them that it was the one they wanted and they hurried aboard. ‘Not long now and we can hand over the chocs and head for home,’ Gillian said cheerfully, giving her sister’s gloved hand a quick squeeze. ‘Poor old Joy! I know how you hate the cold, but it’s warmer in here than outside and soon enough we’ll be back in our own kitchen putting the kettle on for a nice hot cup of tea.’
Chapter Four
As Joy had predicted, the weather showed no sign of improvement, and after only a few hours of fitful sleep that night she was woken by the sound of hail lashing against the windowpane, driven by a howling wind. For a few minutes she lay on her back in the small bed, listening to the storm outside and mulling over the events of the last few days, until she realised, in the way one does, that her sister, too, was awake.
She sat up on one elbow. ‘Gillian?’ she whispered. ‘Haven’t we had the best Christmas ever? Oh, we used to have fun wi’ the Dodmans, and the Goodys’ Christmas party was grand, but it wasn’t the same. Why, even Grandma didn’t manage to spoil it, though I thought she would. But she seemed pleased with everything, especially the chocolates and the embroidered hankies …’
‘She thought we’d embroidered them ourselves,’ Gillian hissed, giggling. ‘I opened me mouth to tell her different but I caught Daddy’s eye and saw him giving a little shake of the head, so I said nothing. They really were pretty, those hankies, even though they were second-hand – we must have washed them five times at least – so she were right to be pleased.’
‘And Auntie Serena liked the sachets of lavender to put in her underwear drawer,’ Joy hissed back, then spoke in her normal voice. ‘Why ever are we whispering? We can’t disturb Daddy because he’s on Watch, and though Mrs Lubbock says knock on the wall if we need her when Daddy’s on nights, I reckon it would take a regiment of fellers playin’ the trombone to wake her.’
‘Oh, I expect she’d come thumping round to the back door if we screamed at the tops of our voices …’ Gillian was beginning when both girls heard the sound of the fire bells reverberating through the storm. With one accord they leapt out of bed and made for the window, knowing that if they leaned out and looked to their right they would
‘Which isn’t yet by a long chalk,’ Joy said gloomily. She had just spent her last sweet coupons – as had Gillian – to buy Grandma a quarter-pound box of Black Magic chocolates to thank her for the theatre trip. ‘I wish we could just post the chocolates through her letter box and then come straight home. But Daddy would be livid if we did that.’
‘No, we’ve got to go in, but we needn’t stay long because the weather’s so frightful,’ Gillian pointed out. ‘I just hope the old devil doesn’t ask us to tea. Last time she did she gave us Marie biscuits whilst she gobbled a huge slice of Battenberg cake, saying rich food was bad for children.’
‘She won’t ask us to tea because the weather’s so appalling,’ Joy said hopefully. ‘If you ask me it’ll snow before morning.’
The two girls had done all their shopping and dropped it off at No. 77. Now they were queuing patiently for a tram which would take them right across the city to their grandmother’s street. Despite upturned coat collars, thick scarves and gloves they were beginning to feel chilly as the sleet was blown into their faces and the gale tried to snatch the hats from their heads. Gillian was about to suggest that they should leave delivering Grandma’s chocolates until the following day when a tram drew up beside them. A quick glance at the destination board told them that it was the one they wanted and they hurried aboard. ‘Not long now and we can hand over the chocs and head for home,’ Gillian said cheerfully, giving her sister’s gloved hand a quick squeeze. ‘Poor old Joy! I know how you hate the cold, but it’s warmer in here than outside and soon enough we’ll be back in our own kitchen putting the kettle on for a nice hot cup of tea.’
Chapter Four
As Joy had predicted, the weather showed no sign of improvement, and after only a few hours of fitful sleep that night she was woken by the sound of hail lashing against the windowpane, driven by a howling wind. For a few minutes she lay on her back in the small bed, listening to the storm outside and mulling over the events of the last few days, until she realised, in the way one does, that her sister, too, was awake.
She sat up on one elbow. ‘Gillian?’ she whispered. ‘Haven’t we had the best Christmas ever? Oh, we used to have fun wi’ the Dodmans, and the Goodys’ Christmas party was grand, but it wasn’t the same. Why, even Grandma didn’t manage to spoil it, though I thought she would. But she seemed pleased with everything, especially the chocolates and the embroidered hankies …’
‘She thought we’d embroidered them ourselves,’ Gillian hissed, giggling. ‘I opened me mouth to tell her different but I caught Daddy’s eye and saw him giving a little shake of the head, so I said nothing. They really were pretty, those hankies, even though they were second-hand – we must have washed them five times at least – so she were right to be pleased.’
‘And Auntie Serena liked the sachets of lavender to put in her underwear drawer,’ Joy hissed back, then spoke in her normal voice. ‘Why ever are we whispering? We can’t disturb Daddy because he’s on Watch, and though Mrs Lubbock says knock on the wall if we need her when Daddy’s on nights, I reckon it would take a regiment of fellers playin’ the trombone to wake her.’
‘Oh, I expect she’d come thumping round to the back door if we screamed at the tops of our voices …’ Gillian was beginning when both girls heard the sound of the fire bells reverberating through the storm. With one accord they leapt out of bed and made for the window, knowing that if they leaned out and looked to their right they would
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