Free Towards a Dark Horizon by Maureen Reynolds Page B

girl and now I’ve put you on the spot. I’m so very sorry.’
    I was mortified. ‘It’s me that should be sorry, Mrs Pringle. I just hope that, given time, things will work out for them both.’
    She raised her cup. ‘Then let’s drink to that, Ann.’
    I don’t remember much about the homeward journey. On all my previous visits to Maddie’s house, I was always so entranced by all the lovely things that I relayed them to Granny as soon as I got home. Today, however, after my visit, I was oblivious to the warm sun and the flowery perfumes from the gardens and it was as if I walked home with my own personal black cloud over my head. I was also worried about Lily. Was she sickening for something? I hoped not as she would soon be going to school.
    Dad and Rosie were both in the house when we got back. ‘What did Mrs Pringle want to see you about, Ann?’ he asked.
    Rosie didn’t know the full story so I didn’t want to mention it in front of her.
    I smiled. ‘Och, she just wanted Lily to come over and see Joy.’
    Rosie took Lily’s hand. ‘You’ll be staying with us tomorrow when Ann goes to see Greg.’
    Lily snatched her hand away and burst into a flood of tears. ‘No, no, no. I want to go with Ann. I don’t want to stay here.’ She threw herself down on the chair and fresh tears erupted.
    We all looked at one another in amazement.
    I went over to her. ‘I’m just meeting Greg for a wee while, Lily, and then I’ll be home to see you.’
    She flung her arms around my neck. ‘I want to come as well. I want to come.’
    I looked at Rosie who seemed stunned. She was so good to Lily and now she couldn’t understand this outburst. And neither could I.
    Dad decided to be firm with her. ‘Now look here, Lily, your sister is due a day out on her own and that is that.’
    Lily began to cry again and I couldn’t bear the sight of her pathetic sobbing. Her cotton frock was wet with teardrops and her face was red with crying. I picked her up and sat her on my knee. ‘All right, Lily, you can come with me to the train station.’
    Dad looked as if he wanted to say something but instead he put on his jacket and he and Rosie left.
    After they had gone, I spoke to Lily. ‘Now, Lily, what’s brought this on? You’ve stayed with Rosie before and never had this carryon. What’s the matter?’
    ‘I don’t want you to leave me, Ann. I want to go with you.’
    I looked at her crumpled face. ‘Don’t be stupid, Lily, I’ll never leave you. You can come and meet Greg tomorrow and you can even decide where we’ll go for the day.’
    This cheered her up. We decided to have fish and chips for tea and we made a quick trip to the chip shop at the top of the Wellgate. By the time we got back and laid the table she seemed to be back to normal.
    The next day was as hot as the Saturday. Lily, dressed in her summer frock and sandals, was ready long before I was. I hadn’t seen Greg for a couple of months and I wanted to look my best.
    For some reason Lily was agitated. ‘Hurry up or we’ll miss the train, Ann.’
    I didn’t own a large wardrobe of clothes but I chose the best of what I had – a full-skirted cotton dress and white sandals. I brushed my short dark hair until it gleamed then I joined Lily at the door. She was hopping from foot to foot.
    ‘Right then, Lily, off we go.’ I knew we were far too early for Greg’s train but I didn’t want to upset my sister. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand her strange behaviour.
    The interior of Dundee West Station was cool and dim after the bright sunshine outside. We bought two platform tickets and sat on one of the benches. We had an hour to wait but Lily seemed quite happy. The station was full of people either waiting for a train or disembarking from one. The noise was incredible as the smoky steam engines chugged to and fro.
    Lily was fascinated by all this activity. Another thing that entranced her was the chocolate machine and I let her put some money in