Without the Moon Read Online Free PDF Page B

first little fissures of middle-age were beginning to show, “boring. You’ve no idea what it’s like trying to make a living out of chickens, love. They smell bloody rotten, they make a right flamin’ row and they fix you with their evil little eyes all the time. I’d sooner face Hitler …”
    Madame shook her head curtly. “I assure you, you would not,” she said.
    Nina blushed, remembering too late from whence Madame had fled. “Eee, I’m sorry, chuck, I let me mouth run away with us sometimes. No, course I wouldn’t. But what are you talking about Harry for? You know I’ve not changed me mind about him. I thought you were gonna tell us some more about my Canadian …” Nina’s expression took on a simpering air and she wriggled in her seat, the patched and faded eider-down she had placed on top of her single bed.
    Madame looked back down at the third, most damning card in the sequence. What she wanted to say and what Nina wanted to hear were two separate things that her mind strained to reconcile.
    â€œYour soldier friend,” she began to recall their previous conversations. “This is why I ask. You said you were going to introduce him to your husband, no?”
    This was not a course of action Madame would have advised, but advice was not really what Nina sought from her. She paid her shilling and sixpence mainly just to air her bewildering plans aloud to someone who was obliged to listen.
    â€œOh, aye.” Nina shrugged. “Well, they got on all right, I s’pose. Nowt Harry could do if he didn’t like it, is there? But leave off about him now, will you, love? Tell me about my Joe. Is he gonna sweep me away to Canada once all this is over?”
    Fortunately, Madame was saved from pronouncing on the likelihood of this by the loud arrival of Nina’s neighbour, whose room was separated from the one they were in only by a pair of wooden doors acting as a shutter. There was a banging, followed by a mewling, as one of the doors came ajar and a huge tabby cat came barrelling through it and pounced upon Nina’s knees.
    â€œHello, Bertie!” Nina greeted the animal effusively, stroking it as it padded around in circles on her lap. “Is that you, Ivy?” she called. “Come through and meet a friend of mine.”
    Madame’s gaze turned to the door. The woman who stood there resembled some kind of ageing variety turn, wearing a fur coat that appeared to have been fashioned from a succession of Bertie’s predecessors and a felt Stetson hat. A cigarette protruded from the corner of her mouth and she spoke without removing it.
    â€œHello, ducks,” she said, the fag beginning to droop as her eyes travelled from Nina to the extraordinary creature sat beside her on the bed, with her scarlet hat and piercing, coal-black eyes. To Ivy, Madame looked just like a witch and it was all she could do not to cross herself.
    â€œIvy, this is Madame Arcana,” said Nina, waving her hand and then returning her attentions to the tabby on her lap, who had made himself comfortable and was now sizing Madame up with a hostile green-eyed glare to rival that of his mistress.
    Madame gave Ivy a curt nod before turning back to her paying client. “Nina,” she reminded her, “our time is almost up for today.”
    â€œOh, course, silly me.” Nina gathered the cat into her arms and stood up. “Sorry, love,” she said to Ivy. “Can you take him? I’ll not be more than five minutes, then I’ll make us both a brew.”
    Ivy nodded, took the furry bundle from Nina’s arms and left, closing the door behind her as firmly as the landlord’s woodwork skills allowed. Madame thrust the cards back into the pack as quickly as was dignified, snapping her handbag shut over the top of them.
    â€œWhat were you saying, now, love?” Nina sat back down on the bed. “He’s gonna take me away