Ruby McBride Read Free Page B

the Queen? And the Prince and Princess? Oh, weren’t it grand?’
    ‘They went too fast to see them properly,’ Pearl complained.  
    ‘They can’t hang about for one little girl when they’ve a whole city to visit,’ her mother told her, softening the words with a smile. ‘Come on, time to go.’ For a moment Molly McBride did lose her sparkle and stood absolutely still, gazing down at her three children. looking for all the world as if she were about to burst into tears. for no reason that Ruby could see for hadn’t it been a smashing day. The best she could ever remember. But then, following another fit of coughing, Mam blew her nose and fixed a bright smile on her face.
    ‘Are we going home for the cocoa and bun-loaf now, Mam?’ Ruby wanted to know.
    But Mam only said, ‘Best foot forward. We’re off somewhere very special, though it’s a bit of a route march.’
    And so indeed it proved. They walked for what seemed like miles, not back to their own buildings but past Buille Hill Park, out towards Brindleheath and into the countryside beyond. Several times one or other of the three children would stop to wail or whine, to complain of a stitch in their side or to enquire about where, exactly, they were going.
    ‘Aren’t we going home yet, Mam?’
    ‘When do we get us cocoa?’
    ‘Has our Pearl pinched it all for her dips?’ This was a favourite treat for them all, a mix of cocoa and sugar in a twist of paper to take to school, but Pearl had a knack of helping herself to the cocoa tin when she’d a mind. But then Pearl was good at making sure she didn’t miss out on whatever was going. On this occasion she vehemently denied doing any such thing. Molly said nothing, allowing them to rest for short periods and then urging them on again, giving no answers to their many questions.
    They finally came to a stop when they reached twin gate posts set into a high wall. Beyond, Ruby could see the grey stone walls of a large house. ‘Where’s this, Mam? Where have you fetched us?’
    When no reply came, Ruby glanced up at her mother and her heart gave a little thump of fear to see Mam’s pale face awash with tears. What was wrong? Why was Mam crying? She usually only cried when they talked of the useless men in her life. Ruby couldn’t ever remember seeing her shed a tear for any other reason, particularly not when they were out enjoying themselves. The skin on her mother’s face had gone a sickly grey-green colour and Ruby began to feel truly frightened. Something must be dreadfully wrong. Was she ill? Had her cough grown worse, just in the course of one day, and Ruby hadn’t noticed?
    Molly McBride pushed open the big wrought-iron gates and ushered her three children through. The drive was long and straight and by the time they reached the end the last of the light had faded and dusk had fallen. She ordered Pearl and Billy to sit on the step in front of the massive front door, then taking Ruby’s hand led her a short distance away.
    ‘I want you to be a brave girl and listen to what yer mam has to tell yer. It’s very important, so don’t say a word, just listen carefully.’
    Ruby was so terrified by what her mother might be about to say that she couldn’t possibly have found her voice, even if a gun had been held to her head.
    Mam’s face was now on a level with Ruby’s own as she hunkered down before her. ‘I’ve got to go in the sanatorium, for me cough. You understand, love? And I’ll not get out next week, nor next month. It’s going to be a long job, months at best, so I must ask you to look after our Pearl and Billy for me. Can you do that?’
    Ruby, mesmerised by the tears welling up in her mother’s eyes and yet not spilling over, could only nod.
    ‘I’ve fetched you here to this lovely house, to be looked after proper. You’ll be safe in this good, clean place, with fresh air and. . .’ She gave a little sob, as if the effort of holding back her tears was almost too much for her.