Daisy didn’t hear the movement behind her; her cousin Will looked like Uncle Leo, she decided, with a shock of fair hair that fell untidily over his freckled face. His legs, which were always on the move under his short school trousers, were even thinner than Sammy’s. Today he was wearing a striped knitted jumper that looked as though it might be the handiwork of Aunt Pat.
‘Hello,’ he greeted, frowning at Sammy.
‘Why are you here?’ Bobby demanded. ‘You should be at school.’
’Got a day off,’ said Will. ‘What’s wrong with his nose?’
‘Nothing to do with you,’ replied Bobby gloomily.
‘A bomb might drop on your factory,’ announced Will in a sing-song voice. ‘They might have to close it down.’
‘Do shut up, Will,’ Daisy snapped. ‘You haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.’
Daisy watched her brother gently clean Sammy's wounds, relieved she wasn’t expected to help.
‘My dad might have to go in the army to take photographs of dead bodies,’ continued Will as he tried to balance on one leg. ‘Though they might not be quite dead. You could bleed and bleed and still stay alive. That’s why soldiers tie knives to the end of their guns, to finish ‘em off.’
‘Oh do stop, Will,’ Daisy protested again. ‘Go and play outside.’
‘There’s nothing to do on my own.’ Will stood his ground as Bobby dabbed at Sammy’s eye and nose. Daisy thought it was as if her brother knew what to do without anyone telling him. She couldn’t possibly have got that close to Sammy who smelled at the best of times.
‘If my dad gets shot,’ prattled Will, spreading himself over the big wooden table like a spider, ‘there’ll be no money for food or toys. We’ll have to leave Soho and move to Iceland or Australia. Or Eastbourne.’
’Will, Uncle Leo isn’t going to get shot,’ Daisy said, almost out of patience. ‘You mustn’t say such things. You mustn’t even think them.’
Bobby drew Sammy’s shirt back into place. ‘That’s as much as I can do,’ he said as he washed the cloth out under the tap. ‘Will, make yourself useful and stay here with Sammy. Me and Daisy will go in and speak to the family.’
‘What are we going to say about Sammy?’ enquired Daisy.
‘I’ve told you before, leave the talking to me.’
Daisy followed Bobby from the room. She wondered how much of what Will had said was true. Although she wanted it to be make-believe, as it usually was, she had a suspicion that Will hadn’t lied about evacuation.
CHAPTER 18
THERE WAS a drift of Aunt Minnie’s perfume hidden in the fog of cigarette smoke. Every seat was taken. Beside Aunt Minnie sprawled Uncle Leo, his arm resting lightly on the back of the couch. His dark hair had grown wild, like Will’s. Daisy noticed that his open-necked shirt was unbuttoned accompanied by a silk paisley scarf her mother would call “arty”.
Aunt Betty and Uncle Ed sat smoking by the window. A vase of cut flowers from the garden and an overflowing ash tray stood on the gate-leg table between them.
Pops reclined by the hearth, one elbow balanced on the mantel. Beside him was Matt, dressed in his sports jacket and white flannels. But there was no Amelia. Daisy felt a selfish pang of pleasure. The family did not yet include an outsider, however pretty.
‘We’ve been expecting you,’ Mother said as she rose from her chair. ‘This morning we received a letter from the board of governors. I’m afraid the schools nearest the docks must close as from today. It’s rather short notice, but I’m sure we’ll manage.’
‘How much have they told you at school?’ Pops said quietly.
‘Not much,’ replied Bobby. ‘Are we going to war?’
‘There’s a chance, a small one,’ said Pops, ‘that we might not, if the PM successfully appeases Hitler.’
‘What’s a-peas?’ Daisy ventured.
‘It’s giving a bully what he wants, little sister, in the vain hope he’ll back off and leave you alone,’ said Matt grimly.
‘Matt,’ cried Mother in alarm, ‘we shouldn’t make light of the Prime Minister’s efforts to avoid war.’
‘Why not, Flo?’ Uncle Leo countered. ‘Let’s face it, we let Herr Hitler make a mockery of the Treaty of Versailles. He took what he wanted and now he wants us.’
Daisy thought how her uncle might have been talking about Peter Brady. Had it not been for Peter’s arrest and banishment to the reformatory he would still be demanding more. It was only the police who had stopped him.
‘London and the docks in particular are Hitler’s next goal,’ continued Matt angrily. ‘He’ll achieve it if Chamberlain ducks out.’
‘Sally’s dad, Mr Watson,’ Daisy broke in, ‘said it will be like snapping the head off a chicken, while its body still runs about. Mr Watson’s going to shoot the first German he sees right between the eyes. And Will told us that Uncle Leo might have to join the army and Aunt Minnie will have to leave Soho.’
‘Heavens, what rubbish has our son been talking?’ cried Aunt Minnie in a fluster. ‘Leo, for goodness sake, we must do something about Will! He’ll put the fear of God into everyone. Where is that boy?’
‘He’s in the kitchen,’ said Bobby. ‘With Sammy.’
All heads turned toward Bobby.
‘Who is Sammy?’ asked Pops.
‘Our friend,’ replied Bobby.
‘Our best friend,’ confirmed Daisy.
Mother narrowed her eyes. ’Why isn’t he with his parents?’
‘Because,’ said Bobby slowly, ‘Sammy’s house was burned down by the Blackshirts and his dad was taken away.’
Daisy looked round the room. By all the startled expressions, it was as if Bobby, like
