Moonlight and Ashes Read Online Free PDF Page B

in the fireside chair, instantly looked up. ‘An’ what uncle would that be then?’
    ‘Uncle David,’ Lizzie piped up brightly. ‘He’s home on leave fer a couple o’ days an’ he popped round to see us.’
    ‘ Did he now!’ When Sam’s head snapped round to glare at Maggie, who was sitting opposite to him, she tensed and her knitting needles seemed to click even faster.
    ‘Oh yes. I er . . . forgot to mention it, what with getting the dinner out an’ seein’ to Lucy, an’ one thing an’ another.’
    ‘It’s time you pair were in bed,’ their father suddenly said, turning his attention back to the twins.
    ‘But Dad, it’s only just gone seven,’ Danny protested.
    ‘I don’t care if it’s only just gone six. I said bed. Now get up them stairs if yer know what’s good fer yer.’
    When their dad used that tone of voice the twins knew better than to argue. They hastily washed in the cold water that stood on the washstand in their unheated bedroom, then changed into their night clothes and clambered into Lizzie’s bed. Almost immediately, the sound of raised voices came up the stairs to them, and Lizzie began to cry.
    Danny cuddled her close. ‘Don’t cry, Lizzie. Happen Dad just got out o’ bed the wrong side this mornin’, eh? Or perhaps he’s tired. They’re makin’ parts fer tanks an’ all manner o’ things at the Dunlop now, yer know. They don’t keep the parts in the factory though. Once they’re made they send ’em to what they call shadow factories on the outskirts o’ the city.’
    ‘How do you know all this, an’ why do they send ’em away?’ asked Lizzie, greatly impressed with her twin’s knowledge.
    ‘I know ’cos I heard Mr Massey tellin’ one o’ the other neighbours about it. They do it to stop houses with people in ’em from gettin’ bombed.’
    While both children tried to puzzle this out, they eventually went to sleep with the sound of their parents’ raised voices in the background of their dreams.
     
    The following day brought the first snow - and cries of delight from Danny when he got up and drew aside the bedroom curtains.
    ‘Hey, Liz, come an’ look at this. Everywhere looks brand new.’
    Lizzie yawned and stretched before reluctantly leaving the warmth of the bed to join him at the window, where she peered out into the eerie grey light. The rows of sooty rooftops were sparkling white and everywhere looked clean and bright.
    After quickly washing and struggling into their school clothes they hurried down the stairs to find their mam stirring a big pan of porridge on the stove. Bursting into the room, Danny asked, ‘Mam, have yer seen the—’ He stopped abruptly when he caught sight of the big purple bruise that covered the whole of her left eye.
    Seeing his horrified reaction she self-consciously raised her hand to cover it. ‘Clumsy Clogs has been at it again,’ she smiled. ‘I reckon I’m becoming a walking disaster.’
    ‘How did you do it?’ Danny asked as Lizzie looked on in silent horror.
    ‘Never mind that now. Your breakfast is ready, so come to the table and get it, else you’ll be late for school.’
    Hearing the note of impatience in her voice, the twins silently did as they were told. Breakfast was a quiet affair and they were almost glad when they set off for school in their shiny Wellington boots. But somehow the snowfall didn’t seem quite so important now.
     
    It was almost lunchtime when Maggie’s back door opened and David appeared, clutching a rather bedraggled Christmas tree.
    ‘It looks as if it’s taken a bit of a bashin’, I’m afraid, but there aren’t that many to . . .’ The words died on his lips when he saw her eye. ‘Looks like you have, an’ all. Just how the bloody hell did you get that - as if I need to ask.’ He was lit up with anger like a beacon.
    ‘David, I think you’d better sit down. We need to talk,’ Maggie told him wearily.
    Without a word, he sat down on the hard-backed chair at the