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

I’ve seen of Dora, I can believe it,’ Michael chuckled. ‘Anyway, you’re all safe and sound.’ Facing her squarely, he gently tilted up her chin. ‘You did look beautiful tonight, Véronique,’ he said, ‘but you’re just as pretty in your boat clothes – don’t ever forget it.’

And then he bent his head.

As his lips touched hers, Ronnie trembled. His kiss deepened, was so tender … Instinctively, she kissed him back. His arms came around her, holding her close … so close she imagined she could feel his heart beating beneath his coat.

‘I won’t ever forget this evening and especially our quickstep,’ he said finally, holding her a little away from him.

‘I don’t suppose you will, having a partner with bare feet?’ she laughed, a little breathless, but more sure of herself now.

‘That’s not the reason why.’ She could just make out his grin in the darkness. ‘Did you enjoy your birthday?’

‘I’d almost forgotten it was,’ she said, truthfully, not admitting her mind was now on other things. But she wasn’t going to let him know that.

‘And tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Are you going home?’

‘No,’ Ronnie said. ‘We can’t go on leave again until we’ve finished our six-week training.’

‘Are you sorry?’

‘Not really.’ She paused. ‘Well, I am for my mother as she’ll probably be on her own, although Raine might get a couple of days’ leave. But I’m quite looking forward to a more unusual Christmas on the boat.’

‘You must let me know how it goes,’ he chuckled. ‘Well, I’d better wish you a merry Christmas.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘Goodnight, Ronnie,’ he said softly. ‘Sleep tight.’

‘Merry Christmas, Michael,’ she said, but he’d already disappeared.

It was only when she was tucked in bed that night, staring up at the wooden ceiling, and still feeling the imprint of Michael’s kiss, that she wondered why he’d singled her out. Jess and Penelope were undeniably far more glamorous than she could ever hope to be. Or wanted to be, she thought. But Michael seemed to like her for herself. She smiled in the darkness, enjoying the gentle rocking of the boat and comforted by the warmth of Lucky on her now aching feet at the end of the bed and Jessica’s light snoring only inches away. It was at that moment she realised she’d spent most of the evening with another man and hadn’t once given Will Drake a thought.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ronnie opened her eyes the next morning and yawned. She stretched her arms above her head, the events of last night still on her mind. Walking with Jess into the dance hall wearing May’s lovely dress, the effect completely ruined with the Wellington boots instead of Dora’s glittery dance shoes. Then bumping into Michael. He was the last person she’d expected to see. Meeting his sister, Kathleen, whom she’d liked straightaway. But not that awful friend, Penelope. Ronnie wondered not for the first time why the two of them were friends. The hard-faced but glamorous Penelope seemed the very opposite to Kathleen. And did Michael realise how the woman made a beeline for him at every possible opportunity? Maybe he liked the attention. But he hadn’t chosen to dance with her.

Yet he was willing to dance with me, even in my boots. She chuckled to herself as she recalled the look of astonishment on Penelope’s face when she’d removed her boots. Then she felt that same funny little quiver when she remembered the touch of his fingertips on her bare ankles.

She relived those moments in his arms, following his steps in her bare feet, praying no one would step on them. She hadn’t wanted the music to end. She supposed it was the novelty of dancing with a man instead of one of her classmates. But Michael wasn’t just any man. She was certain no man would ever have kissed her the way Michael had.

She shook herself. This wasn’t getting anywhere. What was the time? She turned over to look at the clock but it was too dark to read. It must be early. She wondered what the plans were for this evening and tomorrow, Christmas Day. Dora certainly hadn’t even mentioned Christmas. It would have been fun to put up some decorations in the boat though she doubted anyone had brought any with them. Like her, they’d probably assumed they would be spending Christmas at home.

‘When are you going to give Dora’s shoes back to her?’ Jessica said at breakfast time.

‘What’s this about Miss Dummitt’s shoes?’ Angela said suspiciously, her eyes darting from Jessica to Ronnie.

‘Oh, nothing, Angela,’ Ronnie said quickly. She didn’t feel like explaining to Angela how she’d come to borrow something from Dora.

‘It must be something,’ Angela persisted.

‘Oh, all right. Dora lent me her shoes because I didn’t have anything quite right to go with May’s dress.’

‘You sound like a pauper,’ Angela said, frowning. ‘I understood you came from a decent family.’

Ronnie managed to ignore her. Angela simply wasn’t worth arguing with.

‘There’s no need to be so rude.’ Jessica threw Angela a murderous look. ‘It shows you up, not Ronnie.’

‘Are these the shoes in this bag?’ Before Ronnie could stop her, Angela shot up and grabbed the bag, tugged the drawstring and shook one of the shoes out.

‘Goodness, these can’t be Miss Dummitt’s,’ she said as she handled it, turning it this way and that. ‘They look expensive.’ Angela glanced up at Ronnie. ‘She’s not exactly a glamour-puss, is she, but then, neither are you, I wouldn’t have thought.’

‘Put it back at once!’ Ronnie thundered. ‘It’s nothing to do with you. It was very kind of her to lend them to me – not that you’d know anything about kindness.’

‘Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it you who calls her “Deadly Dora”?’ Angela shot back. ‘That doesn’t sound very kind to me.’

‘Is that what I’m called?’ Dora’s face poked through the hatch.

Ronnie sat stock-still. Jessica’s mouth twitched.

‘Not by me, Miss Dummitt,’ Angela said, desperately trying to push the shoe back into the bag. ‘All the others call