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

‘Really?’ Jessica said with raised eyebrows. ‘It certainly sounds like it to me.’

Dora returned from the pub the following morning, smiling for once.

‘I spoke ter one of the nurses,’ she said, pulling on her pipe, ‘and Margaret’s doin’ okay. They say she’s goin’ to be all right though she’ll be there a bit longer. Her folks know where we’re headin’ so we can now carry on without worryin’. When she’s out I’ll let them know where we are and they can catch us up.’

Ronnie drew in a huge breath of relief, even though she was still reluctant to leave until she knew Margaret was fully recovered. But she supposed Dora was right to want to carry on today. As Angela had pointed out, Margaret had intended to leave the canal this morning anyway.

They had several locks to negotiate but once through Ronnie became more confident with four more under her belt, until Angela began to criticise her for not getting to the next lock gate fast enough. There’d been a long pound between the last two locks and Ronnie had made as fast a progress as she could, hampered by her Wellington boots and the thick muddy towpath. She forced down her temper but Angela’s constant nagging – never in Dora’s hearing, of course – made Ronnie so nervous she dropped the windlass in the canal, much to Dora’s irritation. But when Angela dared to start on Jessica, Ronnie was relieved and cheered to see this time the trainee had overstepped the mark.

‘We only have one boss, Angela,’ Jessica snapped, her nostrils flaring. ‘And it’s not you.’

‘We’re makin’ a few changes here,’ Dora said, her dark eyes narrowing as her gaze swept the little group that afternoon straight after they’d picked up the post from the toll office. ‘May, you’ll be livin’ in the motor from now on, and Angela will go ter the butty.’

Ronnie sucked in her breath. ‘But why?’ she blurted. ‘We make a good team in the butty.’

‘Because I said so.’ Dora’s tone was challenging. ‘Yer need to get used to workin’ with different folks.’

‘I don’t agree,’ Jessica said, an angry frown spoiling her lovely features. ‘We get along perfectly well as we are.’

‘It’s not fer you to question,’ Dora said, not bothering to remove her pipe. ‘Yer need to be flexible in this game – so no more from any of yous.’

‘May, you’re the only one who didn’t object,’ Jessica said as the three of them walked back to the butty.

‘Well, I like Sally, and I liked Margaret,’ May said. ‘I’m not keen on Angela so I’d rather be moved than have to live with her, though it’s damned annoying to have to pack everything up, even though I haven’t brought much.’

‘I know something,’ Jessica said. ‘I’m not going to put up with any of her nonsense. She can bloody well toe the line so far as I’m concerned.’

‘It’s no good getting cross,’ Ronnie said. ‘We all need a cup of tea and to read our letters.’

She was longing to read her two letters, one in Raine’s looping writing and one from Downe, the writing of which she thought she recognised but couldn’t quite place. She was relieved to see that Jessica had a letter, and May had a couple like herself. It would have been embarrassing if one of them hadn’t received anything.

But how she wished she had some privacy, she thought yet again as she filled the kettle from the decorated can of water. Too impatient to wait for it to boil, she opened the letter from Downe.

Dear Ronnie,

I hope this finds you well and the work is going along how you hoped and expected.

Curiously, she turned over the sheet, her eyes flicking to the signature. Her old boss, Mr Lincoln. Oh, dear. Had something bad happened to Rusty? Her eyes flicked down the page. This side said nothing about him. She flipped it over to read from the beginning.

The surgery has been very busy lately, but nothing too major except a Dalmatian this morning who practically filled the room! He was the size of a pony and did not want to be held down while I endeavoured to examine him. His owner, an old boy from the next village, wasn’t much help, so in the end I told him to go and sit in the waiting room – him, not the dog, haha! I managed to quieten the animal with a man-sized shot of phenobarbitone and it did the trick! I should have given the old boy a dose as well!

A giggle escaped Ronnie’s lips as she imagined it.

‘What’s so funny?’ Jessica demanded.

Ronnie swung round. ‘I’ve had a letter from the vet I used to work for on Saturdays,’ she said. ‘He made me laugh about one of the animals – and its owner.’

‘You can share the joke,’ May said.

‘Let me finish the letter first,’ Ronnie answered as the kettle began to boil. ‘Can you make the tea, May?’

Your mother brought Rusty in yesterday.

Ronnie’s heart jumped. She knew something must have happened to Rusty for Mr Lincoln to be writing to her.

Don’t worry – he’s perfectly all right. She said he kept her awake every night howling and whining. I told her he was pining for you and to give him a bit of attention. I suggested she put his basket in her bedroom, as he’s used to company at night. She was horrified and said it was out of the question. Rusty pricked his ears up at that exact moment and gave her such a pleading look that she said, ‘I’ll think about it.’ I looked him over and he seemed fine, but animals do miss people and you can’t explain they’ll come back. I asked if she was taking him for regular walks and she said she was. I think she’s secretly beginning to like his company, but she would never admit it, although the bedroom bit was probably a suggestion too far!

My goodness, what a change.