A Cuckoo in Candle Lane Read Online Free PDF Page B

girl was nervous and tried to put her at ease. ‘Come and sit down, love. It’s nice to meet you at last, and I’m so pleased you and Ann have become friends.’
    Sally took the seat opposite her and Elsie smiled gently, glad to see her shoulders beginning to relax. ‘Do you like jigsaw puzzles?’ she asked, pleased when Sally nodded her head. ‘Here, Ann, why don’t you go and get that new one. It looks really good, and we can all have a go at it.’
    Her tactics worked and for the next half an hour they sat happily fitting the puzzle together. Then when Sally reached into the box, rummaging about for another piece of blue sky, Elsie decided to seize the opportunity and took her hand, turning it palm up and gently unfurling her fingers.
    ‘What are you doing?’ Sally asked nervously, trying to pull her hand away.
    ‘It’s all right, don’t be frightened,’ Elsie said. ‘I’m just reading your palm.’
    ‘But I ain’t got no writing on it,’ Sally said, a bewildered expression on her face.
    ‘No, dear, it’s not that sort of reading,’ Elsie told her, trying to stifle a laugh. ‘I just look at the lines on your hand and they tell me things about you.’
    As Elsie gazed at Sally’s palm she was shocked by what she saw. This girl was special and she had rarely seen such lines.
    ‘What can you see then?’ the girl asked curiously.
    Elsie’s heart went out to her. She felt they were destined to meet and there would come a time when Sally would need a lot of guidance, but for now she would have to tread carefully. ‘Well now, let me see. Hmm, your lifeline shows me that you’re strong and healthy and this line here tells me that you’re a clever girl. What do you think of that then?’ she ended with a chuckle, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
    Ann reached across and touched Sally’s arm. ‘Don’t take any notice of my mum. You should hear my dad making fun of her. He calls her an old witch, and if she’s been out shopping, he asks her where she parked her broomstick.’
    ‘Oi, you cheeky moo, that’s enough of your lip,’ Elsie laughed. ‘Anyway, it’s nearly nine o’clock and time you girls were in bed. By the way, Sally, would you ask your mum to pop round one morning for a cup of tea? I’d love to meet her.’
    Sally nodded, her head turning quickly as the kitchen door opened.
    ‘Hello you lot,’ Bert called as he walked in, with Arthur trailing behind him. ‘You must be Ann’s new friend from next door,’ he smiled as he stepped towards Sally, startled when the girl backed away nervously.
    ‘It’s all right, love, I don’t bite,’ he told her, his soft voice at odds with his huge build.
    Elsie saw Sally’s reaction and frowned. What was the girl so nervous about? Bert was a gentle giant and wouldn’t hurt a fly.
    ‘Mum, I’m starving,’ Arthur whined, breaking into her thoughts, sniffing loudly and cuffing his nose with the back of his hand.
    ‘How many times have I told you to use a hanky,’ Elsie complained as she bustled over to the bread bin. ‘Right, I’ll make you a sandwich, then it’s off to bed.’
    ‘That’s not fair. Ann’s still up and I’m older than her,’ Arthur complained.
    ‘You’re both going to bed,’ Elsie told him shortly.
    ‘But—’
    ‘Don’t argue with your mother,’ Bert ordered.
    ‘Sorry, Dad, but it’s still not—’
    ‘Goodbye,’ Sally whispered, before Arthur had finished speaking.
    ‘Bye love, see you again,’ Elsie called as she lathered margarine onto thick slices of bread. Does her mother know, she wondered, recalling what she had seen in Sally’s palm. And if not, should I tell her?

Chapter Five
     
    R uth guided her threadbare sheets through the mangle, her mind distracted. She had realised the time would come when Sally would rebel against being confined to her room, but hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
    It had started on Friday evening when she had begged to go next door. When Ruth refused, Sally had