Secrets and Shadows Read Online Free Page A

Secrets and Shadows
Book: Secrets and Shadows Read Online Free
Author: Brian Gallagher
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telling jokes – but he felt really uncomfortable calling on his own to people he had never met.
    ‘Maybe we could both go?’ he suggested.
    ‘No,’ said Grandma, ‘then it would be like we were visiting. I don’t want them having to use their rations feeding us. Better you just pop down.’
    Barry tried to think of an objection, but before he could, his grandmother continued.
    ‘Go on. Yourself and young Grace will be company for eachother. You’ve both had to move home because of the war. You’ll have plenty to talk about.’
    Barry didn’t like to say that the last thing he wanted was to talk about being bombed. He still had nightmares about the roaring fires that raged across Liverpool when the city had been blitzed. He still remembered the distraught look on the face of Georgie Wilson, a boy in his class whose older sister had been killed when a bomb shelter had taken a direct hit, with forty-two lives lost. And it was enough worrying about Mum still being in Liverpool without this Grace girl reminding him of the havoc the German bombers could unleash. He said none of this to Grandma, knowing that she fretted about him, and not wanting to add to her concern.
    Grandma smiled her kindly smile and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘I bet you’ll get on great – you’ll have loads in common,’ she said.
    Barry thought this was crazy. It was like claiming that if he met another boy with fair hair and freckles they would automatically be friends. But there was no point saying this to Grandma. She had already set this up, and he would have to go through with it.
    ‘All right,’ he answered. ‘When did you fix it for?’
    ‘I didn’t say. But now would be a good time.’
    Barry hesitated again, and Grandma smiled encouragingly. He nodded, knowing he was beaten.
    ‘OK,’ he said, ‘I’ll call down.’

    ‘Bit of a sweet tooth, have you, Grace?’ said Uncle Freddie, resting his elbows on the kitchen table as he looked at her enquiringly.
    ‘Eh, yeah, I suppose so,’ Grace answered, unsure where this was leading. They had just finished their meal, but she hadn’t eaten any more of Ma’s tasty scones than any of the adults, so what was Freddie going on about?
    ‘Most kids love sweet things,’ said Freddie, ‘but I don’t. So maybe we could do a deal.’
    ‘What kind of deal?’
    ‘When they bring in this sugar rationing they’re talking about, I could give you some of my sugar.’ He looked at Grace and Ma. ‘For some of your tea ration – I like a decent brew in work.’
    ‘You’re not taking anyone’s tea ration!’ said Granddad.
    ‘No one said anything about
taking
. I’m talking about
swapping
.’
    ‘You swap marbles when you’re ten, Freddie. You’re forty-eight – catch yourself on.’
    Grace wanted to laugh but she kept a straight face. Sometimes it was enjoyable when Granddad and Freddie sparred, and Grace was looking forward to Freddie’s retort when Ma spoke.
    ‘Grace and I would be happy to share. And there’s no need for any swapping, you’ve been more than kind to us.’
    ‘Well done, Freddie,’ said Granddad sarcastically, ‘put our guests under a compliment, why don’t you?’
    ‘That’s not what I meant at all,’ protested Freddie. ‘I just think…’
    But whatever Freddie thought never got said, because there were three knocks on the front door, stopping Freddie in mid-sentence.
    ‘Would you ever get that, love?’ said Granddad.
    ‘All right,’ said Grace, rising from her chair and going out into the hall. She passed the small mahogany table on which Granddad always left his keys and his cap, then reached the hall door and opened it.
    A boy of about her own age stood on the doorstep. He had fair hair and a freckled face and greeny-blue eyes that looked at her slightly sheepishly.
    ‘Are you Grace?’ he said, in an English accent.
    ‘Yes,’ she answered, wondering how he could have known her name. ‘Who are you?’
    ‘I’m Barry.’
    He said it as
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