Ninepins Read Free Page A

someone lined up this year, in fact, coming from India to do an MPhil, but her funding fell through at the last moment and she had to drop out.’ She knew she was babbling now but, having begun, she couldn’t seem to stop. ‘And by then the university term had started and I knew there weren’t likely to be any students still looking for accommodation, not that late. They’d all be fixed up. So that’s why I decided to advertise more widely.’
    Turning, she placed their mugs on the table in front of them, followed by the milk and sugar. ‘Help yourselves. Biscuits? I think there are some Hobnobs in the tin, if my daughter hasn’t pigged them all.’
    Both of them looked up at that.
    â€˜You have a daughter?’ said Vince. ‘How old?’
    â€˜Beth. She’s eleven – twelve next month. She’s just started at Elswell Village College.’
    Willow smiled. She had an artless, lopsided smile: it made her suddenly less daunting.
    â€˜Now then,’ said Vince, as she took a chair opposite them. ‘You’re aware, aren’t you, that Willow is only seventeen?’
    Laura glanced at the girl’s thin, goosebumped arms, the pale concavities in her elbows. Even seventeen was hard to credit.
    â€˜I hope it won’t be an obstacle. The rent will be paid directly by the department. We can set up a direct debit.’
    â€˜Oh?’ Laura had no direct experience with benefit claimants, but it sounded a surprising arrangement.
    â€˜And there will be a small enhancement, too, an additional payment on account of Willow’s age and circumstances.’
    â€˜Really? Is that usual?’
    â€˜Pretty much so, yes – with young people like Willow who are still looked after.’
    â€˜Looked after?’ Her thoughts flew back first to the kindly uncle, before light began to dawn.
    â€˜In care,’ he explained. ‘It’s the term we use for children and young people who are in local authority care.’
    Local authority. Of course: he’d said Cambridgeshire on the phone. She had assumed he meant Housing Aid.
    â€˜You’re from Social Services.’
    â€˜That’s right. From Children’s Services. I’m Willow’s social worker.’
    â€˜I see.’ Seventeen. In care. With a social worker.
    â€˜I’m sorry if I’m rather springing this on you. Usual practice is to consult about prospective placements in advance, but I’ve encountered some reluctance when I raise it on the phone. A lot of landlords look askance at kids from the care system. Won’t even consider them, sometimes.’ Vince caught and held Laura’s gaze. ‘There’s a lot of prejudice about.’
    Prejudice? Perhaps. But a lot of landlords didn’t have Beth.
    â€˜I prefer to come and speak to people face to face. Introduce the young person.’
    â€˜May I ask – ?’ But it was impossible, with the poor child sitting there. ‘I mean, where has she – ?’
    â€˜I’ve been in the bin.’ It was the first time Willow had spoken since they’d all sat down. Her eyes were a penetrating green. ‘That’s what we call it. Children’s home, to you.’
    Vince laid a hand on her arm. ‘Willow came into care when she was thirteen. She was in various foster placements at first, and then, most recently, in a residential facility. But at seventeen we like to get young people out of institutional care and into independent accommodation, if they’re ready for it. And Willow is absolutely ready.’
    Independent accommodation . She still looked such a child: fragile, despite the startling eyes, which were now once more cast down and away.
    â€˜Will there be any support?’ Laura asked. Would Vince be in and out, keeping an eye on his charge? Or would Laura herself be expected … to do what? Whatever it might be, she was certainly ill-equipped for it. And there