The Girl From Barefoot House Read Free

‘Then it’ll look dead pretty.’ She was fond of decorating things with flowers from her book.
    ‘You know, Petal,’ she said thoughtfully as she paused in front of the cutlery, ‘a new bread-knife wouldn’t come amiss. Our one’s so blunt it makes the bread all crumbly. They’re only a tanner, ’cos the handles have got a chip out the wood.’ She picked up several lethal-looking knives until she found the one with the least chipped handle. ‘You can hardly count this as an extravagance.’
    The shop assistant put the goods in a paper bag, and they were quickly making their way towards the exit because Mam was worried she’d spend money she hadn’t got when a voice said, ‘Why, if it isn’t Mabel Flynn.’
    Mam went very red and nearly dropped the tray. ‘Mrs Kavanagh. Hello,’ she said awkwardly.
    ‘You’re looking well, luv.’
    ‘Ta,’ Mam gulped.
    Mrs Kavanagh seemed exceptionally nice, and Josie couldn’t understand why Mam was so embarrassed. She was small and plump, with a round, kind face, pink, cushiony cheeks and brown eyes that shone with good humour. Her blue coat was extremely smart. It had a fur collar and fur buttons, and she wore a little blue veiled hat made from the same material as the coat tipped precariously over her right eye. Her hair was brown and tightly waved. Josie waited to be introduced. It was the first thing Mam did when they met someone new. ‘This is Josie, me little girl,’ she would say proudly. Today, though, Mam said nothing.
    ‘How’s the job going, girl?’ Mrs Kavanagh asked kindly.
    ‘The job?’ Mam faltered. She was holding Josie’s hand so hard it hurt. ‘All right, I suppose.’
    ‘I was surprised to hear you’d given up Bailey’s Chemists – wasn’t Mrs Bailey teaching you to dispense the prescriptions? – to become a live-in nanny, but according to your Ivy you love it there. Where is it over the water, luv? I forget now.’
    ‘Er, Greasby.’
    ‘And I suppose this is one of your little charges.’ The woman beamed at Josie.
    ‘Yes. Oh, yes. This is Josie.’
    ‘You’re very pretty, Josie.’ She bent down and took Josie’s hand. ‘How old are you?’
    ‘I’ll be four in May.’
    ‘I’ve got a little girl who’ll be four next week. Her name is Lily, and she should be standing right beside me, except she’s wandered off, as usual. Lily,’ she called. ‘Lily, where are you?’
    Mam seemed to have found her voice. ‘I didn’t know you’d had another baby, Mrs Kavanagh.’
    ‘Well, five’s an uneven number, luv. Me and Eddie decided to make it six, but that’s our lot. I’d’ve thought your Ivy would’ve told you on one of her visits. Oh, here she is, our Lily. Come on, luv, say hello to Josie here.’
    A girl came bouncing up, a mite smaller than Josie. She was very like her mam, with bright pink cheeks and sparkling eyes. Her slightly darker hair fell to her waist in a mass of tiny waves. To Josie’s surprise, her coat was exactly the same as her mother’s – blue with fur buttons and collar. She wore a different sort of hat, a bonnet tied under her chin.
    ‘Hello, Josie,’ the girl said obediently. Her face was alive with mischief.
    ‘Hello.’ Josie twisted her body shyly. She wasn’t used to children, and had never had a friend. Mam had been the only friend she’d ever wanted, but she would have quite liked to get to know Lily Kavanagh.
    However, that was not to be, because Mam said in a rush, ‘We’d better be getting back to Greasby. I only came over to do a bit of shopping, seeing as it was such a nice day, like. Come on, Josie.’
    Mrs Kavanagh looked disappointed. ‘I thought we could have a little natter over a cup of tea and a scone. I’ve missed you in the street, Mabel. Everyone has.’
    ‘That would have been the gear, Mrs Kavanagh, but I really must get back.’
    ‘Oh, well, some other time, then. Tara, luv. Tara, Josie. Where’s your manners, our Lily? Say tara.’
    Lily’s eyes gleamed