A Sister's War by Molly Green (the reading strategies book txt) 📕

folding table to disclose the pantry cupboard and moved the items of food around, then closed it back up again. He then pulled open a drawer which Ronnie remembered contained Dora’s undergarments and pulled out a large pair of bloomers. She stifled a giggle, quickly turning it into a cough.

He swung round and caught her eye, raised an eyebrow and looked down at the offending article. A gurgle of laughter stuck in Ronnie’s throat and this time her cough was real.

She shook her head. ‘Not mine,’ she mouthed.

He gestured his head towards Dora who had her back to them, keeping watch on what the sergeant was checking.

Ronnie nodded. The constable grinned and put the bloomers back in the drawer without looking any further. He lifted the lid of the coal box that formed the step down into the cabin but after a quick glance inside let it down again.

‘Where else do you keep your coal?’ he asked Dora.

‘The back end.’ Dora jerked her head. ‘Yer surely not goin’ ter check in there.’ Sergeant Sandford said nothing, merely squeezed past Dora with a mumbled ‘excuse me’, Dora following him.

‘We’ve got to check everything, madam,’ he said, reaching for the shovel and turning over several shovelfuls. ‘Last week we looked into a coal bunker we found a kid hiding in it.’

‘Well, we ain’t got no kid hidin’ in there, as yer can see,’ Dora said.

The sergeant flashed his torch as he poked around a bit in the dark cavity. Finally, he stood up.

‘You have a dekko, Scott,’ he said, pulling back his shoulders with a wince. ‘Oh, hang on a minute – what’s this crate?’ He pushed with his foot a cobwebbed crate with a sack inside.

‘Don’t touch that.’

‘Why?’ The sergeant narrowed his eyes. ‘What’s in it?’

‘My personal belongin’s,’ Dora snapped.

‘Sorry, Miss Dummitt, we shall have to check. Would you care to take the items out?’

‘No, I wouldn’t.’

‘Then I shall have to look.’

Ronnie was desperate to see what Dora had stored in there but after a cursory glance he only brought out a stoneware bottle. Sniffing the contents he nodded, then put it back in the crate.

‘Did you check the coal, Scott?’

‘I didn’t see anything amiss.’

Ronnie wanted to giggle again. A black blob had appeared on the end of the constable’s nose, reminding her of Rusty. Now, anything he said, she wouldn’t be able to take seriously.

‘What exactly are you gentlemen looking for?’ she asked, not daring to catch Constable Scott’s eye. She was curious, but mainly she needed to say something – anything – to stop a cry of laughter.

‘There’s been some smuggling going on along the canals, miss,’ the sergeant said. ‘Expensive goods that are hard to get hold of these days finding their way onto the black market. It’s a serious crime. Even food items that are rationed.’ He looked at Dora. ‘I think that’s it for this boat, so I’ll take a look at the other boat.’ He turned to the constable. ‘You stay here, Scott.’

‘As yer like,’ Dora said. She sucked at her pipe stem. ‘I’d better tell the wenches to come inside the motor as there in’t room for all of us.’

‘After you,’ said Sergeant Sandford.

When the two of them had disappeared, Ronnie exploded into pent-up laughter as she caught sight of the black blob the constable had no idea was smeared all over his nose.

‘What is it?’ Constable Scott said, joining in the laughter which made Ronnie laugh even more as he wouldn’t have known the joke was on him.

‘Your nose,’ she spluttered. ‘Soot.’ It was the only word she could manage before she doubled up again. What with that and Dora’s knickers …

He put his hand up to his face. ‘Is there a mirror anywhere?’

She shook her head. Constable Scott pulled out a clean handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to her. ‘Could you dampen this and wipe it off?’

She took it and poured a few drops of water over one corner. He lowered his head and she wiped the offending mark off the tip of his nose. It was rather a nice nose. She felt her cheeks warm at such a thought.

‘Has it gone?’ he said, not seeming in the least embarrassed.

‘Yes.’ She drew away and handed him his handkerchief.

‘Thank you.’ He put the handkerchief back in his pocket. ‘I thought you were laughing about Miss Dummitt’s bloomers.’

‘That as well,’ Ronnie said, smiling. ‘I just didn’t want you to think they were mine.’

‘Hardly,’ Constable Scott grinned as he looked at her. ‘You could get three of you in that pair. I should have taken everything out but I just couldn’t bring myself to look at Miss Dummitt’s intimate garments a moment longer and then come face to face with her.’

‘I know,’ Ronnie chuckled. ‘The awful thing is, I had to borrow a pair when I fell in the canal on my first day. My things were in the butty. It was really k-k-kind of h-her to offer—’

And this time Ronnie snorted and then let go of all the emotion of the day. She laughed until the tears streamed down her face. It was only when she stopped that she felt the side of her head pound. She put her hand to her forehead and drew in a sharp intake of breath.

Constable Scott’s chuckles immediately died and were replaced by a look of concern. ‘Is something the matter with your head?’

‘I had an accident when I was opening one of the locks,’ Ronnie said. ‘It’s all right now.’

‘May I look?’

She nodded and pushed back the front curls.

‘Nasty at the time, I should think.’ Constable Scott gazed at her. ‘I’m surprised a girl like you wants to do such work. It’s tough – more than even some men can handle.’

‘Thankfully, I’m not “some man”,’ Ronnie retorted.

What was it with men? He knew nothing about her at all. And just as she was beginning to like him. He wasn’t handsome like Will Drake, of course, she told herself hurriedly, but she could see that