Free Young May Moon by Sheila Newberry

a long night,’ Paddy said to May, as they sipped the hot tea. ‘D’you want to put something warmer on, while I hold the fort?’ He’d hastily dressed, pulling on a heavy jumper over his short-sleeved shirt. It might be August, but, after all, they were near the sea, which made for chilly nights.
    ‘I’ll borrow the knee blanket from the old chair,’ May replied, ‘and put that round my shoulders.’ She added, ‘Jenny’s right; you do look as if you know what’s what.’
    ‘My grandfather keeps a pair of collies, I helped with a litter last time we were staying with him. Don’t interfere unless necessary, but be there, that’s what Grandad says. It’s just occurred to me – are you squeamish? I mean.…’
    ‘You mean,’ she said, sounding sharp and defensive, as she had when they first met: ‘Have I seen an animal give birth before? Well, of course I have, being brought up on Aunt Min’s farm!’ She wasn’t going to tell him she’d not hung around to see the house cow drop its calf, but had rushed to fetch her capable aunt. She’d only been about Pomona’s age at the time.
    ‘Shush,’ he advised her. ‘We ought to whisper.’
    ‘I am whispering,’ she returned crossly. ‘You started the conversation !’
    There was a sudden upheaval in the dog’s box, Toby was panting and whimpering alternately.
    May poked Paddy in the ribs. ‘Go and see!’ she hissed.
    ‘Nothing happening as I far as I can tell,’ he reported. ‘There might be a big pup causing the hold-up.’ He stroked the dog soothingly ,and moistened her mouth with a drop of water from her bowl. ‘Pass that old newspaper, May – she needs to be doing something.’
    May watched as Toby shredded the paper with her teeth and rearranged it to make a cosy nest. All was quiet now, apart from the loud ticking of the kitchen clock. The hands were moving on to two o’clock.
    Almost an hour later the first pup arrived, but was instantly rejected. ‘I’ll move that one away,’ said Paddy tactfully. Then in swift succession, came two smaller white pups, with distinctive black and brown markings, which Toby accepted.
    May and Paddy were joined by a sleepy Pomona, who had been alarmed to find herself alone in the bedroom. Jenny reappeared behind her.
    ‘Why didn’t you call me?’ Pomona demanded, put out. Jenny sat down in the rocking-chair and invited Pomona to sit on her lap. ‘You’ll catch cold, dearie – where’s your dressing-gown?’
    ‘I was –
abandoned
!’ Pomona said, glaring at May.
    ‘Sorry – but haven’t you noticed what Toby has in her box?’ May replied. ‘Stay where you are. Toby doesn’t want any fuss.’
    Pomona rested her head on Jenny’s shoulder as May and Paddy tidied up. ‘If there’s a girl pup, I’ll call her Gertie,’ she murmured.
    ‘How I would have loved one like you,’ Jenny said softly, cuddling her close. ‘Now, shall we all go back to bed? Toby’s cleaned the pups up, and they’ve snuggled down together. It’ll be time to rise again, before we know it.’
    Paddy tugged gently at May’s long plait, which was hanging over one shoulder. ‘Goodnight, May. See you at breakfast.’

    A substitute Toby, a joint effort by Brigid and Paddy: a wooden head and cloth glove, danced on stage.
    ‘You see,’ Paddy said to May, ‘we make a good team, don’t we?’
    May had to agree, they did. Tucked in her pocket was a little poem, another secret between them both, called – what else?
The
Punch and Judy Lady.
    At the end of the show, Pomona called boldly: ‘Three cheers for Young May Moon, Professor Jas Jolley’s daughter!’
    The audience clapped and cheered as May poked her head shylythrough the curtains. There was a clicking of cameras, including the girls’ box Brownie. It would always be Jas Jolley’s show, but May, emerging to take a bow in her green dress and Mary-Jane shoes, was definitely in charge.

Twelve
    ‘I SEE YOU made the front page of the local paper,’ Carmen