was sitting on a wooden box when Billy and Dan came into the outhouse. As soon as she saw them she burst into tears.
‘Mil, what is it? What’s happened?’ asked Dan.
‘He gave me a belting,’ she sobbed.
‘Why? What yer done?’ asked Billy.
‘He saw me talking to Jack.’
‘Is that all?’ said Dan.
Milly nodded.
‘That bloke’s a bloody monster. I fought after Helen died he was getting better, but this . . . D’yer know, I’ve said it before but I will swing fer him one day.’
‘Please, Billy, don’t let him hear you talk like that or else you’ll get a pasting.’
‘Can I do anyfink ter help?’ asked Dan.
‘Just find out where Auntie Doris lives. I’m gonna run away.’
‘I don’t know where to start. We ain’t ever had any letters from her, have we?’
‘Mum must know,’ said Billy. ‘I’ll tell yer what, why don’t I search her room and see if I can find a letter or somefink?’
‘But she don’t go out,’ said Milly.
‘I know, but you could keep her busy out here or with yer sewing.’
‘And I can keep watch,’ said Dan.
‘Just as long as yer keep all the kids out the way. Yer know what Pammy’s like, got her nose inter everyfink,’ said Billy.
Milly brushed the tears from her cheeks and gave them a weak smile. ‘Thanks. But don’t get into any trouble.’
‘We won’t,’ said Billy.
‘This could be the only time you’ll get, Mil,’ said Dan. ‘And you must take the moment.’
She hugged them both. ‘If I get away, I’ll never forget you.’
‘I should ’ope not,’ said Dan with a grin.
Chapter 5
I T WAS VERY LATE on Sunday night when Milly decided to leave the house in Winter Street for good. Billy and Dan stood in the outhouse with her.
‘Go out through the alley, we’ll block the hole after yer; that way yer don’t have ter close the front door,’ said Billy. ‘Dan will go with yer to the end while I tell anybody who wants ter use the bog that he’s in there.’
‘Thanks. I’ll never forget what you’ve done.’
‘Wish I could ’ave found that address,’ said Billy.
‘Still, at least we know Auntie Doris lived in Southwark.’
‘It was only a very old envelope. And it might not ’ave even bin from ’er.’
‘Who else would write to Mum?’
‘Dunno.’
‘At least I’ve got somewhere to head for.’ Milly somehow knew she would find their aunt.
‘Why don’t you leave it till it’s light, Mil?’ asked Dan. He sounded very concerned.
‘No, I’d rather go now. That way I can get a long way away before he wakes up.’
‘I don’t like the idea of you walking the streets alone,’ said Dan. ‘Let me and Billy come with you.’
‘I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. It’s better this way. If Pammy wakes up and sees we’ve all gone, she’ll make a fuss. You know what she’s like.’
‘What yer gonner do if you can’t find Auntie Doris?’ asked Dan.
‘I’m sure I will.’
Milly had been very grateful when Billy had gone into their parents’ room and told her he’d seen an envelope in a box at the bottom of the cupboard with a Southwark postmark. He couldn’t read the letter inside, as Milly was calling that their mother was coming back in from hanging out the washing. She wondered if it was from Auntie Doris. If it was, then all these years her mother had lied to her about knowing where her sister lived. Milly had been very upset and felt that she had been betrayed.
‘Good luck then. Hope you find her. Now go on with yer.’ Billy hurriedly kissed her cheek and eased her towards the back door.
Dan swallowed hard. ‘Come on, ’fore he walks in.’
At the end of the alley, Milly held Dan tight. When would she see her brothers again?
‘Try and keep in touch.’
‘I will.’ She kissed him and he quickly turned and walked away. She stood watching his back. He didn’t turn round. This was it. She was alone. She had saved a few pence from her sewing and she knew how to get to Southwark, but what would
‘Mil, what is it? What’s happened?’ asked Dan.
‘He gave me a belting,’ she sobbed.
‘Why? What yer done?’ asked Billy.
‘He saw me talking to Jack.’
‘Is that all?’ said Dan.
Milly nodded.
‘That bloke’s a bloody monster. I fought after Helen died he was getting better, but this . . . D’yer know, I’ve said it before but I will swing fer him one day.’
‘Please, Billy, don’t let him hear you talk like that or else you’ll get a pasting.’
‘Can I do anyfink ter help?’ asked Dan.
‘Just find out where Auntie Doris lives. I’m gonna run away.’
‘I don’t know where to start. We ain’t ever had any letters from her, have we?’
‘Mum must know,’ said Billy. ‘I’ll tell yer what, why don’t I search her room and see if I can find a letter or somefink?’
‘But she don’t go out,’ said Milly.
‘I know, but you could keep her busy out here or with yer sewing.’
‘And I can keep watch,’ said Dan.
‘Just as long as yer keep all the kids out the way. Yer know what Pammy’s like, got her nose inter everyfink,’ said Billy.
Milly brushed the tears from her cheeks and gave them a weak smile. ‘Thanks. But don’t get into any trouble.’
‘We won’t,’ said Billy.
‘This could be the only time you’ll get, Mil,’ said Dan. ‘And you must take the moment.’
She hugged them both. ‘If I get away, I’ll never forget you.’
‘I should ’ope not,’ said Dan with a grin.
Chapter 5
I T WAS VERY LATE on Sunday night when Milly decided to leave the house in Winter Street for good. Billy and Dan stood in the outhouse with her.
‘Go out through the alley, we’ll block the hole after yer; that way yer don’t have ter close the front door,’ said Billy. ‘Dan will go with yer to the end while I tell anybody who wants ter use the bog that he’s in there.’
‘Thanks. I’ll never forget what you’ve done.’
‘Wish I could ’ave found that address,’ said Billy.
‘Still, at least we know Auntie Doris lived in Southwark.’
‘It was only a very old envelope. And it might not ’ave even bin from ’er.’
‘Who else would write to Mum?’
‘Dunno.’
‘At least I’ve got somewhere to head for.’ Milly somehow knew she would find their aunt.
‘Why don’t you leave it till it’s light, Mil?’ asked Dan. He sounded very concerned.
‘No, I’d rather go now. That way I can get a long way away before he wakes up.’
‘I don’t like the idea of you walking the streets alone,’ said Dan. ‘Let me and Billy come with you.’
‘I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. It’s better this way. If Pammy wakes up and sees we’ve all gone, she’ll make a fuss. You know what she’s like.’
‘What yer gonner do if you can’t find Auntie Doris?’ asked Dan.
‘I’m sure I will.’
Milly had been very grateful when Billy had gone into their parents’ room and told her he’d seen an envelope in a box at the bottom of the cupboard with a Southwark postmark. He couldn’t read the letter inside, as Milly was calling that their mother was coming back in from hanging out the washing. She wondered if it was from Auntie Doris. If it was, then all these years her mother had lied to her about knowing where her sister lived. Milly had been very upset and felt that she had been betrayed.
‘Good luck then. Hope you find her. Now go on with yer.’ Billy hurriedly kissed her cheek and eased her towards the back door.
Dan swallowed hard. ‘Come on, ’fore he walks in.’
At the end of the alley, Milly held Dan tight. When would she see her brothers again?
‘Try and keep in touch.’
‘I will.’ She kissed him and he quickly turned and walked away. She stood watching his back. He didn’t turn round. This was it. She was alone. She had saved a few pence from her sewing and she knew how to get to Southwark, but what would