Read Online Maggie's Girl by Sally Wragg - Free Book Online Page B

Peter’s still your granddad, and you love him, don’t you?’
    â€˜Of course I love him!’ she protested.
    â€˜That’s all that really matters.’ He turned towards her, smiling. ‘It’s the only important thing, in fact, as you’ll realise when you’re older….’
    Holly hated it when grown-ups said that kind of thing. To her horror, he began to tell her off for bunking off school, and her lips settled into a line of stubborn determination. She looked more like Maggie than ever.
    â€˜Your mother would be furious if she knew you’d behaved so irresponsibly. She trusts you to behave.’
    He had to rush off to afternoon surgery, and Holly watched him go.
    He was right about one thing, at least. She would have to talk to someone, and she hadn’t got it in her to wait until her mam got home. So it would have to be Gran.
    Holly had a healthy respect for her gran, and the mere thought of confronting her with what Gramps had come out with this morning made her feel trembly inside.
    Â 
    â€˜Would you like me to run through things again?’
    Alice Pardew finished her tea, and put her cup and saucer on the little inlaid table at her side that looked as if a puff of wind might blow it away. She smiled encouragingly.
    â€˜Once was quite enough,’ Silas Bradshaw growled.
    The smile slid from her face. She blanched under the expression in his eyes.
    â€˜Silas,’ Adèle cautioned, seeing it. ‘It’s very kind of Mrs Pardew to spare the time to explain this all so well.’
    Her husband snorted.
    Alice Pardew, from Castle Maine WVS, had been dreading having to tell the richest man in town he was obliged by law to take in evacuees – and schoolchildren, at that.
    â€˜There’s so much room here! And how wonderful that the children will be able to keep together …’ Alice knew she was gushing, but was unable to stop it.
    â€˜Wonderful?’ Silas rocked back on his heels.
    Alice Pardew had heard plenty concerning Silas Bradshaw, and at this precise moment she was quite prepared to believe every word of it. She wished she had the nerve to ask for another cup of tea.
    â€˜Silas, please give the poor woman a chance to explain,’ Adèle said quietly.
    Outside in the meadows, a voice was giving orders as the Home Guard – she liked the LDV’s new nickname – practised drill.
    â€˜Of course you’ll be provided with extra rations.’ Alice Pardew was still going on.
    How exactly did this nice Mrs Bradshaw cope, and her so fine a lady? She shot her a look, mustering every ounce of sympathy she could find, and Adèle smiled back.
    â€˜The WVS will organise beds and extra bedding, of course. You won’t be inconvenienced during the day. The children will be attending local school. It’ll be a tight fit there, admittedly .’
    Alice was a firm believer in the maxim that where there was a will, there was a way.
    â€˜The school is bringing its own staff along, so you see there’s simply no need to worry. Think of helping all the sweet little children!’ She beamed, and Silas snorted.
    â€˜I won’t allow this house to be overrun by a rabble of schoolchildren !’ Silas’s brows shot up into his thick brush of hair.
    â€˜There’s nothing you can do, Silas. The country’s at war, in case you hadn’t noticed, and it’s the law,’ his wife remarked.
    â€˜Of course I’ve noticed the country’s at war! Don’t you lecture me …’
    At some point during his diatribe, Mrs Pardew departed. Adèle listened with as much patience as she could muster until Silas began to run out of steam.
    â€˜Silas, I’m as surprised as you are,’ she began.
    â€˜Surprise doesn’t describe it!’ He stood by the French windows looking out over the gardens. ‘It’ll ruin the house.’
    â€˜Not necessarily! We’ll be here to see