Free Backstreet Child by Harry Bowling Page B

winder.’
     
    Alice was beginning to get worried. Her new neighbour’s husband sounded like a lunatic. What was more, her crazy son Wallace had been left alone next door for some time now. If he got a little restless he might well start playing with matches again. All the turning could go up in flames.
     
    ‘’Ere, do yer believe in readin’ the tea leaves?’ Dolly said.
     
    ‘D’yer do it?’ Alice asked.
     
    ‘Yeah, give us yer cup over.’ Dolly straightened her tight dress.
     
    Alice sat down facing her neighbour. ‘I ’ope it’s good news,’ she said quickly, holding out her cup. ‘I fink I’m due fer a change o’ luck.’
     
    Dolly took the cup and moved it round slowly in her hand, her forehead furrowing as she concentrated. ‘Yeah, yer seem ter be due fer some good news o’ sorts,’ she said in a low voice. ‘I can see some money too. It looks like a lot o’ money. ’Ave yer bin worried lately?’
     
    Alice nodded. ‘I bin worried over my Bill.’
     
    ‘What exactly? Yer must tell me the trufe, mind,’ Dolly said searchingly.
     
    ‘Well, yer see, my Bill’s always bin in the buyin’ an’ sellin’ game. ’E was known as Broom’ead Smith. Yer might ’ave ’eard of ’im. Well respected, ’e’s retired now an’ all ’e does is sit round the ’ouse an’ get under me feet all the time.’
     
    ‘It must be nice to ’ave ’im wiv yer all the time,’ Dolly said. ‘I wish my Josiah was sittin’ under my feet all day instead o’ that’orrible place ’e’s in.’
     
    ‘Yeah, but it’s the mumblin’,’ Alice went on. ‘ ’E jus’ sits there mumblin’ all the time, unless ’e’s in the back yard wiv ’is chickens an’ the rabbits. The only time my Bill’s ’appy is when’e’s out the back.’
     
    ‘Where’s ’e now?’ Dolly asked.
     
    ‘’E’s gone ter see ’is youngest sister in the country,’ Alice told her. ‘I’m expectin’ ’im in soon.’
     
    ‘Well, I shouldn’t worry no more,’ Dolly said, smiling. ‘Fings are gonna look up for yer. It all looks bright an’ there’s a warm feelin’, but I can’t quite get a clear picture in the leaves so I can’t say no more.’
     
    Alice suddenly raised her head and sniffed loudly. ‘Can yer smell anyfing?’ she asked anxiously.
     
    Dolly sniffed the air and suddenly panic showed in her eyes. ‘It’s Wallace!’ she blurted out. ‘’E’s found the matches!’
     
    Dolly rushed out back to her house and Alice hurried after her, standing on her doorstep waiting anxiously. She could hear screaming and shouting coming from next door, then Dolly reappeared, her eyes wide with fright. ‘It’s your yard!’ she yelled.
     
    Alice ran down the passage into the scullery and as she opened the yard door, smoke billowed in. She could see the pile of old sacking glowing and she heard a loud clucking coming from the small hen coop. The rabbits too were scratching and rushing around in panic in their cages. She grabbed a pail and quickly filled it, cursing loudly as she doused the smouldering bundle.
     
    ‘I’m ever so sorry, luv,’ Dolly said, her head peering over the yard wall.
     
    Alice saw the idiotic expression on the flat face of a boy next to her before he quickly disappeared. She took a freshly washed towel from the clothesline and waved it about to disperse the smoke while Dolly watched anxiously.
     
    ‘I do ’ope it ain’t ’urt yer pets,’ she said.
     
    ‘So do I,’ Alice growled, fearing the aftermath of this little episode when her husband got home. ‘So do I.’
     
     
    Rachel had mixed feelings as she waited at the tram stop for Derek. She was excited at the prospect of spending the night with him but there was also an angry feeling simmering inside her at his decision to volunteer for the navy. She understood his reasons but still she wished he hadn’t been quite so eager.
     
    She adjusted her silk scarf and smoothed down the lapels of her green costume coat