The Long Walk Home by Valerie Wood Page A

like a baby himself. He opened his eyes once and saw the bare feet of the women as they sat round the table, and then he dropped off again. He felt safe and secure huddled into the blanket, and didn't wake until dawn crept in and he blinked as the early sunlight touched his face. He turned over and saw Milly asleep in a chair with her head bent over the child in her arms. One breast was bare as if she had been feeding him, and he thought sadly of his mother, whom he remembered feeding Ben and Tom when they were little.
    I'll try to do right, Ma, he offered up on a silent prayer. I'll not do anything to disgrace your name, even though I've already been in prison. But I've a life to lead, and a living to make, and it'll not be easy to keep on 'straight and narrow. I'll try to make something of myself without harming anybody.
    Milly stirred. Opening her eyes, she saw Mikey and covered her breast. It seemed a modest thing to do, he thought, considering the kind of work she was in. She gazed at him and he saw defiance.
    'Sorry,' he murmured. 'I didn't mean to stare.' He swallowed, half in embarrassment and partly with the need to explain. 'But you look beautiful.'
    She gazed at him, and then shook her head. 'What a strange lad you are, Mikey,' she said softly. 'Nobody has ever said that to me before.'
     

CHAPTER TEN
     
    Mikey stayed with the women for three days. They'd insisted that he did. 'You're still upset about losing your ma,' Sissy told him. 'Stop wi' us for a couple o' days until you feel better. We'll feed you and you can sleep here nice and safe and run errands to pay us back. How does that sound?'
    It sounded good to him, for he was very weary and overcome with emotion. He was comfortable with this band of women. Six of them stayed at the house, and others came and went. Some of them he shrank from for they were coarse, with evil manners and voices, and dirty in their habits. But the others, Milly, Peg and Sissy, did attempt to keep clean, pumping brackish water into the kitchen sink and washing their hands and faces. Sometimes they stripped off their outer garments and then he made an excuse to go out. He saw them smile as if they knew why, but they didn't say anything to embarrass him.
    On the fourth morning, which was bright and sunny but windy, he decided to leave. He folded up the blanket and put it over his shoulder. 'I'm going,' he said. 'Thank you for letting me stop, but I'd best be on my way.'
    'Oh, Mikey,' Milly said. 'We'll miss you, and so will little Walter.'
    Mikey stroked the child's cheek. 'I'll miss him too.' He smiled. 'He was just getting to know me. I'll come and see you if I'm this way again.'
    'If you mek your fortune you won't want to,' Peg said sagely. 'You'll not want to be seen wi' likes of us.'
    'Unless we can help you in any way, Mikey,' Milly said cheekily. 'I'd be happy to oblige.'
    He flushed. 'I'll remember that,' he said, and then grinned. 'I might tek you up on 'offer.'
    'Do,' she bantered. 'It'll be my pleasure and I'll give you a special rate!'
    Whatever would my ma think, he wondered as he left the house and ran down the steps. Would she be mad at me or would she be pleased that they'd looked after me? For that was what they had done. They'd taken him into their care when he was feeling sad and vulnerable. Bridget's mother had taken him in too, but she was quick to blame and not charitable enough to listen or understand.
    So which way shall I go? Shall I set off for London or go to York? York is nearer and I could walk there if I can't get a lift. But will there be work? There'll be work in London; sure to be. But how to get there? He rubbed his chin and set off through the town, avoiding any thoroughfares where he might have been seen by neighbours or people who knew him, such as Bridget or her mother, or even his sister Rose.
    If I had some money I could catch 'ferry to New Holland and go to London that way. That's 'quickest route unless you're lucky enough to afford 'train,