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

that, but it was the only thing I could think of to get rid of her,’ he said, his fingers lightly brushing Ronnie’s as he fondled the cat’s ears. She moved her hand away.

‘Good thing you’re a lucky black cat,’ Michael addressed it. ‘That’s what you might have to be called – Lucky. You could easily have drowned if the other nice lady hadn’t rescued you …’ His smile faded as he looked at Ronnie. ‘I’m not sure Margaret is as lucky. My colleagues decided they would have to take her into hospital.’

‘Oh, no. Why?’

‘Sally – I believe she used to be a nurse – said she was hot and clammy but still shivering, so she’s obviously got a temperature. She told Miss Dummitt hospital was the best place for her.’

‘I’ll go and see Margaret before they leave,’ Ronnie said, quickly moving to the steps. ‘She’ll be worried about the cat.’

‘You’ll be too late,’ he said. ‘They were just leaving. The police car’s parked close by and I don’t think they wanted to waste any more time.’

Ronnie’s eyes widened with alarm. ‘Constable Scott, she’s going to be all right, isn’t she?’

‘She’s young,’ he said. ‘I’m sure she will be.’

Chapter Eighteen

There’d been no point after all in going over to Persephone now that the policemen had taken Margaret to hospital. Ronnie’s head was still whirling after Constable Scott left. What a piece of luck that he’d heard her call out. She sighed heavily. It had been one thing after another and she felt drained. The cat began to meow and weave in and out of her legs. Thankfully, he didn’t seem a bit scared once he was on the boat. She pulled the folding table down to expose the small pantry cupboard to see if there was anything to give him. Yes, a bowl of leftovers from Jessica’s stew. She scooped a spoonful out onto a saucer and put it on the floor. The cat jumped to the floor and began to wolf down this unexpected treat. While he was occupied, Ronnie got undressed and pulled on her pyjamas. Snuggling up in bed, even though the hard mattress couldn’t compare with her one at home, couldn’t come soon enough.

Poor Margaret. What bad luck to have fallen in. And all for one little animal. Ronnie had felt immediate sympathy with her, knowing she, too, loved animals, but Margaret had risked her life to save one little cat. And if she wasn’t much of a swimmer it was an incredibly brave thing to do. A chill snaked down Ronnie’s spine to think of the frail girl in that cold murky water where she’d been herself only a week ago. Childishly, she crossed her fingers, telling herself Margaret would be back tomorrow, good as new.

But then her stomach turned over. Constable Scott hadn’t sounded absolutely convinced. But it was no use worrying. The doctor at the hospital would know what to do. But she needed to find out where Margaret had been taken, and if they kept her in another day she’d ask Dora if she might be allowed to visit her.

She was just pulling back the blanket when a thought struck her. She needed to make a dirt box for the cat. But the last thing she wanted was to go out again and start digging earth up. She was so bone-tired and she’d never get away with not being caught by Dora’s sharp eyes. She looked round the small space of the cabin. There must be something. Her eyes alighted on the stove. Maybe she could collect some ashes if she could find a box to put them in. She hunted around and discovered a small cardboard box that held tinned food. She removed the tins and set them inside the tiny pantry cupboard, then shovelled some ashes into the box, most of them floating in the air before settling. But it would have to do. After Lucky had polished off the scrap of stew and licked clean a small saucer of milk she picked him up and put him in the cardboard box she’d set by the range. He immediately jumped out and leapt onto the bed, just as though he knew that’s where she slept, and his place was going to be with her.

‘So you’ve bagged your sleeping spot, Lucky,’ she said, smiling at Michael Scott’s name for him, ‘but that could all change when Jessica comes to bed.’ She started to chuckle when Lucky began digging his claws into the eiderdown, a blissful expression on his face. He yawned and curled up into a ball, tucking his chin under his hind leg, perfectly content with his new situation.

‘Oh, God, what’s that!’

A terrifying screech, then a hiss, woke Ronnie with a jerk. ‘Wasser matter?’ she said.

‘A cat’s got in … I nearly squashed it.’ Jessica’s voice rose.

Ronnie chuckled. ‘It’s only Lucky.’

‘What’re you talking about?’

Ronnie sat up. ‘Margaret. It’s the reason she fell into the canal. The cat was drowning and she rescued him.’

Jessica shook her head. ‘You won’t be able to keep him – Dora will soon see to that.’

‘She’s not going to know.’

‘Hmm.’ She paused. ‘How silly of Margaret to put herself into such danger over a cat.’

‘I don’t suppose she realised it at the time.’

‘You know the police took her to hospital?’

‘Yes. Mich—’ She caught herself. ‘Constable Scott told me.’

Jessica shot her a look but didn’t comment.

‘What did Dora say about it all?’ Ronnie asked.

‘She didn’t say much until they took Margaret off.’ Jessica picked up her toothbrush. ‘But she gave us another lecture about not wandering around in the dark alone, and you could see she was very cross that her warnings hadn’t been obeyed. I must say, I wish Margaret hadn’t taken off like that.’

‘I suppose she wanted a quiet walk by herself – maybe she was having second thoughts about going home.’

‘Maybe.’ Jessica’s voice was a gurgle as she swilled her mouth and her toothbrush in a mugful of water.

‘Is May coming?’

‘She’ll be