Read Online Far From Home by Anne Bennett - Free Book Online

blind.’
    â€˜Ooh, that’s horrible.’
    â€˜It is, I couldn’t agree more,’ Kate said. ‘Susie’s dad gets really mad about it. He says they laid their life on the line for Britain and now the government should look after them better. But they don’t. They are like thrown on the scrapheap and surely no one wants to risk that sort of thing happening again.’
    â€˜I’d say not,’ Sally said. ‘But Susie was just talking about getting ready, wasn’t she? Maybe it was sort of in case.’
    â€˜Um,’ Kate said pensively. ‘I’d like to believe you are right. What’s more, I know that even if I talk and worry about this from now till doomsday I will not change the outcome one iota.’ She gave a sudden shiver and said, ‘Let’s hurry, this is a foul day. Good job this sleety rain wasn’t falling last night. Anyway, looks like it’s setin for the day so it’s a good job we have that film at the cinema to see.’
    â€˜Ooh, yes,’ said Sally. And then she added, ‘Thanks ever such a lot for taking me out yesterday. I really did enjoy myself, but I was so overawed I don’t know if I ever said thank you.’
    â€˜That’s all right,’ Kate said good-naturedly. ‘I always like going down the Bull Ring, and I know how much it was appreciated because your face was a picture.’
    â€˜Yes,’ Sally said with a sigh. ‘Donegal will seem dreadfully dull after this.’
    They walked in silence for a minute or two and then Sally said, ‘I understand the reason you came to Birmingham now I’ve seen it myself, though I couldn’t see the attraction at the time.’
    â€˜I could take you to see more of it if the weather is kinder to us,’ Kate said.
    â€˜Ooh, yes,’ Sally said, ‘I’d like that.’ And then she added: ‘Is Susie coming with us tomorrow?’
    â€˜No,’ Kate said. ‘She would like to, especially as she hasn’t seen The Lady Vanishes yet either, but she has to go with her mother and sister to visit her father’s mother. She isn’t that keen on the old lady, but she has just come out of hospital and her mother has insisted that they all go and see her.’
    â€˜Shame,’ Sally said. ‘I really like Susie. But I suppose we’ll meet her at Mass.’
    Kate shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not,’ she said. ‘The Masons all go to St Margaret Mary’s on Perry Common Road – it’s much nearer to them.’
    â€˜Gosh, there seem to be plenty of churches,’ Sally remarked.
    â€˜Well, there are plenty of people.’ Kate smiled.
    Sally gave a sudden shiver and Kate said, ‘Not much further now.’
    â€˜I’m not really shivering because I’m cold,’ Sally said. ‘It’s just … Oh, what I’d do to be able to put the clock back.’
    Kate knew exactly what her sister meant. ‘There’s not many of us that haven’t wished that a time or two,’ she said.
    â€˜Oh, I know,’ Sally said disconsolately. Kate didn’t blame her: she knew she wouldn’t be in her sister’s shoes for all the tea in China. It was no good saying that, though. She gave her sister’s arm a squeeze as she said, ‘If I were you I would pray as you have never prayed before – and maybe light a candle for good measure, too, and I will do the same.’
    Â 
    The only thing that spoiled that magical afternoon was  the weather: a buffeting wind that attempted to wrest the hats from both their heads and had their coats billowing out around them, and a lashing rain attacking them, despite the umbrella, as they scurried arm in arm up the road.
    Sally was astounded by the queues forming all down the side of the cinema when they arrived, and by the sight of the commissionaire standing on the steps. He was the smartest one she had ever seen,