Safe Harbour by Marita Conlon-Mckenna Page A

said Sophie, ‘in case there was any news of Dad and his unit.’ Most of the time Sophie herself had only half-listened, in fact, but now it wasan important link she longed for.
    The wireless whirred as he turned it on, and voices in different languages and accents blurred together until he tuned it and the familiar voice of the English newsreader came reassuringly across the airwaves.
    ‘This is the BBC London with the nine o’clock news.’
    Sophie sat rigid and still, listening to the voice from home.
    Her grandfather continued to write but listened too, every now and then making some comment about one of the politicians or leaders.
    Sophie tried to concentrate her best on all that was being said. It was only at the end of the broadcast that she remembered Hugh. He was probably still awake, waiting to hear how she had got on.
    She stood up to go. ‘Thank you! May I come to listen again please?’
    Grandfather simply nodded.
    Sophie raced off to tell Hugh all about the wireless.

CHAPTER 17
Dolly and Maud
    ‘Like two urchins! Running wild, that’s what people are saying!’ a strange voice in the hall announced.
    ‘Two war orphans dressed in rags,’ another voice added, slightly more hesitantly.
    Sophie stared down over the bannisters on the landing. She could see the tops of two heads. There were two women standing in the hall, and by the sound of it they were giving out to her grandfather.
    ‘Sophie! Come down here and meet your two grandaunts,’ Grandfather called.
    Sophie flushed. How did he know she was standing up above, listening? As she descended, she ran her fingers through her hair and made sure her cardigan was buttoned. Two sets of eyes watched every step she took until she reached the hall.
    ‘Sophie! This is your Aunt Maud and your Aunt Dolores. They are my two sisters.’
    Sophie gave a kind of curtsey.
    The larger of the old women came forward and hugged her clumsily. She smelt of powder and lavender water. She looked like a big black crow with a black suit and a black silk hat, and a big black handbag.
    ‘Welcome to Ireland, Sophie,’ she said gruffly. ‘London is no place for children at the moment,’ she added, staringintently at her grandniece.
    ‘I’m your Aunt Dolores, child, but most people call me Dolly,’ offered the other aunt, shaking Sophie by the hand kindly. ‘I think you look rather like your mother, but I suspect you have the Fitzpatrick chin, just like Maud and your grandfather.’
    ‘She’s a bit pasty-looking!’ said Aunt Maud.
    ‘The sea air and good food will take care of that!’ replied grandfather.
    ‘Do they have nits?’ questioned the black crow. ‘Have you checked for that?’
    ‘No, we do not have nits,’ snapped Sophie.
    ‘I heard a lot of the evacuees were covered in lice and nits,’ Aunt Maud went on.
    ‘If they had been, Maud, I think I am well capable of taking care of that problem,’ said Grandfather firmly. ‘I suppose we had better have tea,’ he muttered, leading them towards the drawing room. ‘Sophie, run down to the kitchen and ask Nancy to organise it!’
    The housekeeper laughed when Sophie told her who the visitors were. ‘Those two windbags always get your grandfather upset when they come. They’ll be shouting and calling each other names before you know it! Run up and rescue him, Sophie!’
    The three of them were sitting stiffly in their armchairs when Sophie pushed open the door. Grandfather was tapping his fingers on the padded armrest of his chair, something he always did when he was impatient.
    Aunt Maud was busy filling her brother in with the localgossip, while Aunt Dolly was humming ever so slightly to herself.
    Sophie smiled. Aunt Dolly looked nice. She had taken off her coat to reveal a pale mauve blouse and two necklaces of enormous beads which she played with as she pretended to listen to the others.
    ‘Do you play an instrument?’ she asked Sophie, nodding over towards the piano in the corner.
    ‘No,’ said