A Child of Jarrow Read Online Free PDF Page B

back. Time to come in. Jack!’
    No reply came. She edged further up the track towards the trees. It was cold without her jacket and she rubbed her arms.
    â€˜Jack. Come home now. Mam wants you. You know how she frets. Haway, Jack, show yourself.’
    Still the boy did not answer and Kate wondered if he had gone off on one of his rambles, forgetting the time. He could disappear for hours, stalking the unkempt embankment for birds’ eggs and berries, or pestering the nearby farmer to let him help shoot the rooks.
    She turned to look back towards the railway cottages. In an instant, somebody jumped out of the long grass and grabbed her from behind, clamping a dirty hand over her face.
    Kate gave a muffled scream and tried to wriggle from his hold.
    â€˜You’re captured!’ Jack cried in triumph, tightening his wiry grip.
    â€˜Jack man, leave go. You’re hurting me!’
    Abruptly he let go and pushed her away.
    â€˜You little beggar!’ Kate gasped. ‘I nearly died of fright.’
    â€˜I’ll make a canny scout, won’t I?’ he crowed.
    Kate smoothed down her clothes as she eyed him. He had unexpected strength in his slim gawky body. He gave her one of his resentful looks from under puckered dark brows.
    â€˜What’s wrong, kiddar?’
    He hunched his shoulders and began to walk away from her.
    â€˜Tell us, Jack,’ Kate said, catching up.
    â€˜What you have to gan away for?’ he accused.
    â€˜To help Aunt Lizzie, of course.’ They carried on walking. ‘It’ll not be for long, maybes a month.’ She swung an arm round him but he shook her off.
    â€˜You’ll not come back,’ he said.
    â€˜Course I will.’
    Jack shook his head. ‘No you won’t. You want to gan away -just like Sarah. Everyone wants to gan. You’re leaving ‘cos of me; Da said so. You’re not to play in the woods with me no more.’
    Kate took hold of him. If only she could tell him that it was John she couldn’t wait to get away from. She was running from his critical words, his smothering strictness and now that lustful look in his eye, the memory of his predatory hands. From these she had to escape and she suspected that was why her mother was so keen for her to be gone too.
    â€˜Not because of you! You’re me little soldier and I’ll miss you, honest I will. But it’ll not be for ever, I promise. Bet I’ll be back by the time you finish school for the summer. We’ll gan picking wild raspberries together, eh?’
    But he just looked at her as if he did not believe in her promise. Then he turned away and ran home without her.
    Mary’s reaction was much more vocal. She tossed on the flock mattress they shared and dug sharp feet into Kate’s back.
    â€˜It’s not fair! Why can’t I go? You’ve already got work in Shields. Why should you get to go?’
    â€˜Cos Mam said,’ Kate sighed. ‘Any road, you’d hate being stuck in their tiny cottage, washing dirty gardener’s clothes -and you don’t even like George and Alfred.’
    â€˜Only cos they put a worm down me back and blow their noses on their sleeves.’
    â€˜See, you’d not be there five minutes before you’d be crying to come home.’
    â€˜No I wouldn’t!’ Mary wriggled and poked her sister.
    Kate shifted in irritation. ‘Leave off and get some sleep. I’ve got to be up early, even if you don’t.’
    But Mary wouldn’t be quiet. ‘Why should I be the one stuck out here in this mucky little hovel at Mam’s beck and call all day long? It’s just not fair.’
    â€˜Cos she needs your help. She can’t be doing all the fetching and carrying with her bad chest and swollen legs. And there’s Jack to give a hand.’
    â€˜Jack,’ Mary gave a petulant snort, ‘he’s never here. Might as well build himself a house in those trees and go and