Young May Moon Read Online Free PDF Page B

you must be in the fashion. At sixteen, I suppose you can call yourself independent , eh?’
    ‘Aunt Min is our legal guardian,’ May stressed. ‘Dad arrangedthat for us.’ He wanted to safeguard us, she thought, make sure we had a permanent base.
    ‘She does not take her duties seriously, it seems, allowing you to go off with your sister like this.’
    ‘It was what Dad wished! For us to carry on with the Punch and Judy at West Wick. We keep in touch with Aunt Min, and she knows we are safe, staying with the Wrens at the Swan. You wouldn’t want us tagging along with you. Anyway, you’ve been away so long….’
    ‘Surely it is natural that I wished to contact you? I see you are as obstinate as your father was, May. I gave up my dancing to help him with his puppets – we were always short of money. I
had
to have my diversions! No, I have my own life back, and I like it, but naturally, I miss my children. Carlos and I, we will be here for the summer, like you. I hope we can all be good friends?’
    Before May could answer, Carlos came into the room. He was wearing a smart, striped blazer, a silk cravat, Oxford bags ((a style of trousers made popular by the dashing Prince of Wales) and spats over his shoes, which made Pomona giggle. These canvas coverings were to prevent splashes of mud from spoiling the shine. He also had a moustache which looked as if it were pencilled over his lips.
    ‘I wish you good morning.’ He nodded to May and Pomona in turn.
    ‘I shall introduce you properly,’ said Carmen, ‘This is my stage partner and manager, Carlos Rivera. He is a master of dancing and puppetry, not to mention the Spanish guitar. You will see! Carlos is from Andalucia, in Southern Spain, as I am – we can both boast of a gypsy great-grandmother and thus a tradition of flamenco. We are booked to appear in the end of the pier show from Saturday night. This is why we were in the audience last evening. I must say the acts were mostly second-rate. No doubt,
we
will be top of the bill.’
    May was incensed at what she thought was a deliberate slur aimed at the O’Flahertys. ‘Why aren’t you appearing in London then? The only write-up you can expect here is in the local paper….’
    Unexpectedly, Carlos Rivera attempted to smooth things over. ‘Our real reason for coming here is simple: I convinced your mother that you would be happy to see her again. She wants an end to quarrelling , a fresh start. Will you not give her the chance to prove thatto you?’ He added, smiling at May, displaying perfect white teeth: ‘In turn, you will show us this afternoon that you have inherited some of her expertise, as well as her fire, eh?’
    Despite her initial misgivings May appreciated his intervention.
    Carmen cried, ‘Oh, what a fool I am! I should learn to keep my mouth shut, and to hug you, instead – come here, May….’
    She still smells of frangipani, May thought, as Carmen clutched her close. I missed that fragrance – I didn’t realize … we both have to learn to forgive and forget, I reckon.
    ‘We really must go,’ she said, ‘We’ll see you after the show.’

    ‘Thank goodness,’ Paddy said, ‘We were worried you wouldn’t be back in time. We had a bit of a kerfuffle soon after we arrived – Toby disappeared! Danny walked up and down the beach, calling, and eventually he spotted a boy pulling her along on a piece of string. Fortunately, he gave her up, saying she had been chasing after a ball he was throwing for his own dog. Whether that was true or not, we don’t know, but she’s back.’
    ‘I’m glad you told me, it’s not like Toby to run off like that. Thanks, Danny, for rescuing her – there wouldn’t have been a performance without her!’ May told him. ‘Maybe I ought to ask you to make a Toby puppet, just in case? They used to have one in the old days, so Dad told us!’
    ‘They’re setting up the deckchairs,’ Pomona reminded her.
    There was another kerfuffle in the booth, the