Free The Soldier's Daughter by Rosie Goodwin Page A

needed to take on at present.
    ‘Oh, and what does Mum think about it?’
    Alfie shrugged as Sarah hopped happily from foot to foot. ‘Don’t know. We asked her if we could keep him when we got in from school but she was asleep and she ain’t woken up yet.’
    ‘
What?
You mean you walked home from school all by yourselves?’ Briony was desperately trying to keep the shock from her voice but failing dismally.
    Alfie’s face fell as he clutched the kitten to him. ‘Yes, we did,’ he muttered. ‘Mum wasn’t there to meet me so I waited by the gate for Sarah and walked home with her.’
    ‘I see.’ Briony forced a smile. The fire had almost burned out and she knew that she would have to see to it straight away else valuable time would be wasted having to relight it. As she had expected, the coal scuttle was empty, so after glaring at her mother’s comatose figure she snatched it up and marched back out to the coal-house, telling Alfie, ‘I need to see to the fire and get the dinner on the go then we’ll talk about the kitten, all right?’
    He nodded and her heart lurched as she saw the tears brimming in his eyes. She was filling the scuttle when Mrs Brindley’s back door across the yard opened and she hissed, ‘Is everythin’ all right, luvvie?’
    ‘Not really,’ Briony answered, throwing some more coal into the bucket.
    ‘Well, I could do wi’ havin’ a little word on the quiet with yer, pet,’ Mrs Brindley said timidly. ‘Would yer just step inside fer a minute?’
    Sighing, Briony crossed the yard and walked into Mrs Brindley’s kitchen, wondering what was so important that the woman had to speak to her straight away.
    ‘The thing is . . .’ Mrs Brindley looked decidedly uncomfortable. ‘There ain’t no easy way to say this but I’d rather yer heard it from me than somebody else so I’ll just come out with it. It appears that yer mam got the sack from her job this morning.’
    ‘But
why?
’ Briony gasped.
    ‘Well, from what I could make of what the women outside the shop were gossipin’ about, it seems she turned into work smellin’ o’ drink an’ wobblin’ about all over the place. Apparently it weren’t the first time, so Mr Finn told her he’d not be needin’ her any more . . . I’m so sorry, love.’
    ‘It’s not your fault and I appreciate you telling me,’ Briony said dully. ‘To be honest I’ve been expecting something like this.’
    Mrs Brindley patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. ‘If there’s anythin’ I can do, yer only have to ask.’ She felt desperately sorry for the girl and more than a little angry at her mother. From where she was standing it seemed that just because Briony was the firstborn, she had to take the weight of the family on her shoulders.
    ‘I’d better get back,’ Briony said. ‘I’ve got the children’s dinners to see to. Goodnight, Mrs Brindley.’
    ‘Night, luvvie.’ Mrs Brindley watched Briony cross the yard again and lift the heavy scuttle before closing her back door with a heavy sigh.
    The meal, which was a hastily put-together concoction of mashed potatoes and corned beef, was a solemn affair and when it was over Alfie asked tentatively, ‘So can we keep the kitten then, Briony?’
    ‘I suppose we shall have to wait and see what Mum has to say about it. It’s not really up to me, and you know Mum isn’t really that keen on pets,’ she answered. Lois had snored her way through the entire meal and Briony had left her dinner in the oven to keep warm. But then, seeing the children’s crestfallen faces, she looked at the kitten, which was fast asleep in front of the fire, and relented. It was a lovely little thing and she supposed it wouldn’t be too much trouble. ‘Leave it with me and I’ll see if I can’t talk her round.’
    ‘Oh
thanks
, Briony, you’re the best sister in the whole world.’ Alfie covered the space between them in two leaps and wrapped his arms about her neck, closely followed by his