The Runaway Summer Read Online Free PDF

had one last week so he got breakfast this morning and we done the shopping.’
    ‘I don’t live with my mother. I live with my Aunt,’ Mary said.
    ‘Why didn’t your Auntie give you some then?’
    ‘Why don’t you live with your Mummy?’
    The twins spoke together, solemn eyes fixed on Mary; two solid, determined little girls who liked to get to the bottom of things. They were like steam-rollers, nothing would stop them, Mary thought, and glanced at Simon for help, but he had his back to her, bending over the shopping basket.
    ‘My Aunt don’t care if I have breakfast or not!’ Mary knew that this was a bit hard on Aunt Alice who cared desperately,convinced that Mary would die of starvation if she left so much as a half slice of toast or a spoonful of egg, but it was the only explanation she could think of at the moment. As for the other question, it was too embarrassing to answer truthfully, and she couldn’t think how else to answer it, so she pretended it hadn’t been asked. She walked down the beach, picked up a handful of stones, and began to throw them at an old tin can, half buried in the shingle.
    ‘Perhaps her Mummy’s dead,’ Poll whispered behind her.
    ‘ Is your Mummy dead?’ Annabel asked, coming up and peering into her face.
    ‘Mind your own business.’ Mary threw another stone at the can. It missed and she said ‘Damn,’ very loudly.
    ‘You shouldn’t say that word, it’s rude,’ Annabel said in a reproachful voice. ‘And you shouldn’t be rude. I was only asking. And I was asking nicely .’
    Mary felt trapped and frantic. ‘All right then, yes. Yes, yes, yes. She’s dead.’ She felt, suddenly, quite hollow inside. She glared at the little girl. ‘In fact, my father is, too. I’m an orphan. Anything else you want to know?’
    Annabel shook her head. She ran away, up the beach to Simon and Poll. Mary knew they were all whispering about her. She went on, throwing stones and missing the can, because her eyes had blurred over. Perhaps if she took no notice of them, they would go away.
    But Simon said, beside her, ‘I’ve got something. I mean, if you’re hungry …’
    He was holding a chunky sandwich.
    ‘Sardines. I bought some for our tea, so I opened a tin and made a sandwich.’
    Mary had never felt less hungry in her life. And she hated sardines.
    Simon was looking wretchedly shy. ‘I’m sorry there isn’t any butter.’
    Mary took the sandwich. She hadn’t meant to: her hand seemed to move of its own accord. She bit at it apprehensively and was not comforted: it tasted quite as nasty as she had feared.
    The twins had come up behind Simon and were standing on either side of him, gazing at her. Suddenly Annabel said, ‘Manners!’ She spoke in a loud, stern voice.
    ‘ Ssh …’ Simon said, at once. He turned on his sisters. ‘Clear off now. Quick sharp. Up the steps.’
    They protested, ‘She oughter say something ,’ and, ‘You’re always telling us about Manners, it’s not fair , ‘but they went obediently enough.
    Simon apologised. ‘I’m sorry, they’re only little.’
    ‘No. It’s my fault.’ Mary swallowed a lump of bread and sardine and said, quite humbly, ‘I should have said thank you.’
    ‘I expect you were just too hungry. It must be awful …’
    He looked, and sounded, so troubled, that Mary couldn’t laugh. Besides, she had the horrible feeling that he intended to stand there watching her eat, as if it were feeding time at the Zoo.
    She said, ‘I can’t eat it all at once. When you’re really hungry, it’s best to eat slowly. If you don’t, it can be quite dangerous. It’s the shock to the stomach.’
    He looked doubtful for a moment, then his face cleared and he grinned at her. ‘It’s all right. I’m not staying.’
    But he didn’t go, either. His grin faded and he shifted from one foot to the other, looking uncomfortable. Finally he said, in a rush, ‘I say, it’s none of my business, but I suppose you will get some