Read Online Peggy's Letters by Jacqueline Halsey - Free Book Online

away,” he says. “Pin them up wherever you like. I’ll just sit here and watch.
    The decorations are old and faded, not bright like ours used to be. I stand on a chair and twist streamers along the picture rail. I loop paper chains around the doors. By the time I get to the concertina bells, a warm spicy smell is filling the house.
    â€œOh, Grandad, it’s so Christmasy!”
    â€œYou’ve done a good job, luv,” he says. “You’ve cheered this house up in more ways than one.”
    There’s a knock on the door.
    It’s Mrs. Mashman and Spud with his arm in a sling.
    â€œGood afternoon, Peggy,” she says. “Stanley has something to say to you.” She gives him a nudge. “Go on, Stanley.”
    â€œEr…I’m sorry about nearly blowing you and Tommy up,” he says. Then he groans under his breath. “I’m not allowed to touch another piece of shrapnel as long as I live.”
    â€œIt was half my fault,” I say. “We’re all okay. That’s the main thing.”
    Grandad comes into the hall, and I introduce him to Mrs. Mashman.
    â€œSomething smells awfully good,” she says.
    â€œI do believe it’s our Christmas cake trying to get out of the oven,” jokes Grandad. “Come through to the kitchen.”
    Grandad finds the oven mitts, while I clear a space. A mouth-watering smell fills the kitchen as he opens the oven door. The cake is golden brown and has risen to the top of the pan. It looks perfect.
    â€œStand clear everyone,” says Grandad,swinging the cake out of the oven and on to the table. He stands back. And right in front of our eyes, the beautiful Christmas cake sinks in the middle.
    â€œLooks like a bomb hit it,” says Spud with a laugh. Mrs. Mashman scowls at him but can’t keep a straight face and clamps her hand over her mouth to keep a laugh in.
    Grandad and I stare at the disaster.
    â€œOn no! We’ve wasted all that fruit. What’s Mum going to say about us using up all the egg and milk rations?”
    â€œShe’ll skin us alive,” says Grandad.
    We look at each other and splutter into laughter. It does look a funny sight.
    â€œYou must have got your proportions all wrong,” says Mrs. Mashman. “Never mind, get me a basin and a sixpenny piece.”
    Grandad frowns but gives her what she needs. She breaks up the warm cake with a fork, pops the sixpence in the middle and pats it firmly into the basin. You might not have a Christmas cake this year, butyou will have a Christmas pudding.”
    â€œBravo, Mrs. Mashman,” says Grandad.
    â€œEveryone makes mistakes,” she declares, wiping her hands on the dishcloth. “The important thing is putting things right again.”
    She gives me a wink and hands me a dish of warm curranty cake crumbs to share with Spud.
    â€œI have the best adventures when I’m with you,” mumbles Spud through a mouth full of crumbs.
    I roll my eyes and smile. “I just seem to get into trouble when I’m with you.”
    Dear Dad
    Our first Christmas without you is over.
    Grandad said we’d be having roast pigeon for Christmas dinner, but he was teasing. He bought us a turkey, although we weren’t allowed to ask any questions. Tommy found a beautiful wooden train (made by Grandad) by his bed on Christmas morning, and I found a skipping
rope - no trousers though. I also won the sixpence in the Christmas pudding, so I’m in for a lucky year. I had another treat too. Nora came to visit for a whole day.
    The best surprise of all was from Mum. She gave me a parcel, tied with a big red bow, just before I went to bed on Christmas night. Inside was my battered old biscuit tin full of your last letters. I had left it on the doorstep at Mrs. Jones’s house that terrible afternoon. It didn’t get destroyed with the pram after all. I was so happy we both cried.
    It’s nearly a year since Mum got