War Babies by Annie Murray Page A

get out of him was a grudging ‘All right?’ or
‘’Ullo.’
    ‘Come on, our Danny,’ Gladys would tease. ‘Spit a few more words out – we won’t charge yer.’ But Rachel saw that when she said things like that, her eyes were
sad and she wondered why. No one had told her where Danny had been all this time and she was afraid to ask. It was as if Gladys Poulter felt ashamed, or just could not bear to talk about it.
    And Danny would half-smile and turn away with the air of a very busy man. The more she saw of Danny, the more determined she was to get him to talk to her. It was not just nosiness – her
heart seemed to be hooked onto him somehow.
    Rachel walked towards them, her heart thudding. She made a great show of looking at some of the women’s clothes, a pile of bloomers in varying colours, a coat in dark red wool, a blouse
with a lace-trimmed collar. She was just behind Danny who, she saw, was standing on a wooden box. His thin body was full of urgency.
    ‘Oh – you’re back again!’ Gladys Poulter turned to her when she had finished dealing with her customer. ‘You don’t give up easy, do yer?’ she laughed.
Rachel blushed. She had not realized that it was so obvious she came to the stall to see Danny. ‘Eh, Danny!’ she called. ‘Your little friend’s here again!’
    In that second Rachel made a decision. If Danny turned now and saw her just standing there she would feel silly, the way being a girl was somehow silly if all she did was to wait there with her
face glowing red, as if it was all up to him to come and see her or not. So she leapt into action and strode towards him.
    ‘Hello!’ she offered, planting her feet side by side.
    Danny stepped down off the box. Rachel saw a pink flush spread across his cheeks as well and it changed everything. Maybe Danny wasn’t so tough after all.
    ‘’Ullo,’ he said, sticking his hands in his jacket pockets. He seemed to droop suddenly, unsure of himself. She got the feeling that he was holding something in his pocket, as
if for comfort.
    ‘I brought you something,’ Rachel said.
    Danny looked suspicious, his brows pulling into a frown. Now that his face was thinner, she saw that he had prominent cheekbones and a strong jawline. ‘What d’you mean?’
    ‘It’s nothing much –’ She tried to sound casual. ‘I thought you’d like it.’ From inside her coat she brought the folded comic she had bought. It was a
new one that had only started coming out a few months ago. She felt afraid then. Would Danny think he was too old for comics? ‘Here –’
    Danny took it. He seemed wary, but then another expression came into his large eyes – a wondering interest. ‘The
Beano
.’ He stared at it, then opened it up. A chuckle
made its way out of him. ‘It’s good, that is. Funny.’
    Rachel beamed. ‘Tin Can Tommy,’ she said.
    ‘Ping the Elastic . . .’ Danny gave a sudden cough of laughter. ‘Comics are the
best
.’
    ‘What you got there, Danny?’ Gladys asked.
    ‘The
Beano
,’ he grinned, then his face sobered again, unsure. ‘This ain’t for me?’
    Rachel was so happy at the sight of his smiling face – she had made him smile! – that she was grinning all over. ‘It is.’ She shrugged. ‘Yes. For you.’
    ‘Well, that’s nice, Danny.’ Gladys laughed. ‘There was a time she had to come and buy them off you! Tell you what – have a break, lad.’ She fumbled in her
pocket. ‘Go and get yourself and this young lady some chestnuts – and bring me some back while yer at it.’
    Danny looked uncertain, but Rachel said, ‘Ooh, thank you, Mrs Poulter, can we?’
    Danny fished around at the back of the pile of sale clothes for his cap and put it on at a jaunty angle. As they turned to walk towards the man with the barrow selling chestnuts she heard Gladys
Poulter say, ‘Cheeky little minx.’
    They bought three twists of paper full of hot, delicious-smelling chestnuts and hurried back to give Gladys hers.