Secrets and Shadows (7 page)

‘It might mean a bit of fighting.’

‘Yeah?’

‘I’m told that you’re the toughest kid in Brunner,’ said Grace. ‘That you’re afraid of no-one in the school.’

‘Who told you that?’

‘What does it matter? Either it’s true or it’s not.’

‘It’s true.’

‘Sure?’

‘I’ve never backed down from anyone who wants his go!’

Grace nodded. ‘I believe you.’

‘So who do you want me to fight? And why?’

‘I’ve an English friend called Barry Malone. He’s really sound, but he’s being bullied by Shay McGrath. Do you know him?’

‘Yeah, I know him.’

‘Could you frighten him enough to make him stop?’

Keogh looked at her with a wry smile on his lips. ‘I could frighten anyone in that school,’ he said simply.

‘Make him stop and I’ll give you a tart every week.’

‘For how long?’

Grace considered for a moment. ‘I’ll give you one each week for a month.’

She didn’t know how she would explain at home about having only one tart if Miss Kinsella mentioned to Granddad the perk of two free weekly tarts. But she would worry about that if she had to. Right now she had to win over Johnny Keogh. She looked at him, and could sense that he was tempted by the idea of a juicy rhubarb tart each week.
Time to close the deal.

Grace spat on her hand, the way she had seen the drovers do at the cattle market, and she held her hand out to Keogh. ‘A whole rhubarb tart every week. Have we got a deal?’

Keogh looked at her, his eyes calculating. Then he smiled briefly again, spat on his palm, and shook hands on their agreement.

B
arry’s mind was miles away as his class finished their drill routine with Mr Pawlek in the schoolyard. Today the summer air carried the mixed smells from the soap factory and the bakery, but Barry was oblivious to the oddly blended aromas.

The morning newspaper had carried a story regarding the German Army’s successful occupation of the Mediterranean island of Crete. He wondered if Dad’s ship had been involved in evacuating the British troops that had escaped from the island, and he wished, yet again, that his father was allowed to tell them where he was and what he was doing.

Barry’s reverie was broken by Mr Pawlek calling for the attention of the class.

‘Stand easy, boys,’ he said, ‘I’ve an announcement.’

Barry listened with his classmates, curious at what was to be revealed.

‘I’m happy to say that I have the details of the school tour.’

There was a murmur of excitement, and now Barry was fully attentive. From the time he had arrived in his new school the other boys had been talking about this tour. Grandma had cleared his attendance with Mum, to Barry’s delight, for not every pupil in the class could afford to go.

‘We will be leaving the school at eight o’clock sharp on Thursday
morning to get the train to Cork,’ said Mr Pawlek. ‘I’m told that all the money must be paid by the end of this week, and there’ll be no refunds for anyone who misses the trip because he’s late. We really
will
be leaving at eight. We should be back at the school at about nine-thirty that night.’ He paused, then added smilingly, ‘Oh, and I’m also told there’ll be no homework for the next morning!’

The pupils cheered, and Barry joined in happily.

‘All right, boys, dismissed,’ said Mr Pawlek, then he took up his kitbag and headed off across the schoolyard.

Charley Dawson turned to Barry and grinned. ‘Sounds good, doesn’t it?’

‘Great. I’m really looking forward to it.’

‘Yeah, you can sit on Pawlek’s knee, Malone!’ said Shay McGrath.

McGrath’s friends laughed, but Barry ignored it.

‘The pair of youse should catch a ship in Cork while you’re at it – and leave Ireland for the Irish,’ added McGrath.

‘My dad
is
Irish,’ argued Barry.

‘Pity he doesn’t act it. My aul’ fella is a real Irishman, not running off to be Winston bleedin’ Churchill’s lapdog.’

‘My dad’s no-one’s lapdog!’ snapped Barry.

‘He’s fighting for the English, isn’t he?’

‘Against the Nazis. So are fifty thousand other Irish. Are they all lapdogs too?’

‘Yeah! And your aul’ fella is the biggest lapdog of all!’

McGrath pushed Barry as he delivered the insult. Barry couldn’t retreat this time. Despite his fear of the bigger boy, he pushed
back, although he knew that it would probably lead to a beating. He saw McGrath smiling as though he were pleased that Barry had reacted. McGrath slowly moved forward until he was almost eyeball to eyeball with Barry, and the other boys circled around, relishing the prospect of a fight.

Barry clenched his fists, ready to defend himself. But before any blows were struck someone said, ‘Back off, Muttonhead!’ and McGrath was suddenly yanked backwards.

McGrath swung around in fury, but Barry saw that the boy who had man-handled him didn’t look in the least concerned. He was Johnny Keogh, a stocky, rough-looking boy from 6C, the least academic of the classes. Barry had always kept well away from him, knowing his reputation as a lethal fighter and the toughest kid in school.

Despite his obvious anger, McGrath hesitated on seeing who his opponent was. Keogh looked coolly at McGrath. ‘Want your go, Muttonhead?’ he asked.

Nobody in Barry’s class would have dared to call McGrath an insulting name, and Barry watched closely, amazed at this intervention, and curious to see how McGrath would react. To his surprise, McGrath said nothing. The other boy approached him menacingly, just as McGrath had done to Barry.

‘Go on. Try it if you’re so keen for a scrap.’

Keogh wasn’t any bigger than McGrath but he was heavily built and there was an unmistakable air of menace about him. McGrath was clearly affected by it and he made no response.

The other boy nodded. ‘Didn’t think so,’ he said.

McGrath stared hard back at him but still said nothing.

‘So you don’t like the English,’ said Keogh. ‘That’s a pity. ’Cause if you even look crooked at the English kid here, I’ll beat you from one end of the yard to the other.’

Barry could hardly believe his ears.
How had Keogh heard about his troubles with McGrath? And why was he taking his side?
McGrath looked over at him now, real hatred in his eyes.

‘Don’t look at him, Muttonhead, look at me,’ ordered Keogh, and McGrath turned back to him.

‘I’m only going to tell you this once,’ continued Keogh. ‘If I’ve to come back, you’ll end up in a bed in the Richmond.’

The Richmond was the hospital across the road from the school, and rumour had it that a boy from a gang in Thomas Street had been laid up there for a week after a fight with Keogh. McGrath made no answer to the threat, and Keogh casually reached out, pushed McGrath in the chest and was already walking away by the time McGrath regained his balance.

Barry stood there, his mind spinning.
Why had he been protected by somone who had never even looked at him before now?
He couldn’t figure it out, but maybe his prayers had been answered. He knew that he shouldn’t antagonise McGrath, but their eyes met now, and Barry couldn’t help himself. He smiled at McGrath, gave him a wink, then turned and walked casually towards the classroom door.

G
race was really worried, but she kept her voice cheerful as she chatted to her boss in the oven-warmed cake shop. It was Saturday, normally a busy day, but Nellie Kinsella was leaving Grace alone in the shop for the afternoon. The older woman was meeting a bridge friend who was arriving by train in Amiens Street station, and she drew heavily on her cigarette as she prepared to leave. Grace normally disliked the smell of cigarettes, but today she hardly noticed, so distracted was she.

‘Are you all right, Grace?’ asked the shop owner, tilting her head to one side and looking Grace in the eye.

‘Yes, Miss Kinsella, I’m fine.’

‘Don’t worry. You’re well up to running the place, even on a Saturday. I’ve every confidence, or I wouldn’t leave you.’

‘Thanks,’ said Grace, trying for a smile. ‘I’m sure it’ll be grand.’

‘Good,’ said Nellie smiling back at her ‘And here – treat yourself to a jam tart.’

‘Thanks, Miss Kinsella.’

‘Sure we’ll be a long time dead, that’s what I always say!’

Grace forced another smile. ‘I suppose we will.’

‘I’ll be back to lock up at six. See you then.’

‘Bye.’

Graced watched as Nellie made for the door. Her eyes followed
the tall angular frame of her boss as she strode off towards Stoneybatter, then Grace served several customers before there was a lull again and she was left alone with her thoughts.

She had told Nellie that she was fine, but in fact she was terrified that she was going to lose her job. The wages from working part-time in the cake shop weren’t huge, but every penny counted. Ma worked hard in a shirt factory in town, but money was always scarce, and her mother had had to find cash to buy replacement clothes after they lost all their possessions in the bombing. Ma was good at getting a bargain and had got secondhand clothes at the best possible price in the Daisy Market. It was an expense Ma could have done without, however, so Grace’s wages from the cake shop were very welcome. And now they would be stopped if Miss Kinsella sacked her.

Was there any way she could get around the problem?
But however hard she racked her brains she couldn’t see a way out of her predicament. There was a shortfall in the till of five shillings, and Nellie Kinsella would discover it when she locked up at six and tried to balance the cash. Two half crowns were missing from the cash register, stolen that morning during the half hour when Nellie had gone to do her grocery shopping, leaving Grace alone in the cake shop.

Although Grace had an idea of who had taken the money, it would be impossible to prove it. Which meant that Miss Kinsella would think that Grace had stolen the money herself, or that she had been careless enough to let somone else take it. Either way it
was a disaster. She looked at the clock on the wall. One o’clock. She had five hours to come up with a solution. And no idea where to start.

Barry was delighted with himself as he walked down Arbour Hill. He had heard the saying that good things come in threes, and this week it had been true. First there had been the incident when Johnny Keogh had challenged Shay McGrath. Barry still had no idea why Keogh had done it, but whatever the reason, it had worked, and McGrath hadn’t come near him over the last two days. Then yesterday after school, Charlie Dawson had introduced him to some boys who lived near him on Norseman Place, and they had all played football together. The boys were going to play again later this afternoon, and Barry had been invited to that also. And today a letter had come from his mother in the Saturday morning post.

It was a cheery letter that gave lots of news from Liverpool, and she had heard from Dad, who had written to say he was safe and well on his ship. His mother had agreed to thinking about sending him to the summer camp next month, and meanwhile she had included a ten shilling note – enough to cover the cost of the school tour and still have three whole shillings left to spend.

He reached the end of Arbour Hill and turned into Stoneybatter, smiling as he remembered a cheeky piece of Liverpool
humour that Mum had also included in the letter. It seemed that an umbrella shop in Clayton Square had been bombed by the Germans, and a sign had been put up saying, ‘Damaged by Adolf Hitler and Company. Repairs by Tysons.’ It was the kind of humorous, never-say-die response that made him proud of his hometown, and he crossed Stoneybatter and made for Kinsella’s cake shop in good spirits.

Barry looked through the window and saw that Grace was behind the counter. He hadn’t seen her for several days and he entered the shop and greeted her brightly.

‘Grace!’

‘Barry,’ she answered.

‘I’ve great news,’ he said.

‘Yeah?’

‘Remember that bully I told you about, Shay McGrath? Well, he got a taste of his own medicine, and now he’s leaving me alone.’

‘Good.’

‘He was told to back off by a really tough lad called Johnny Keogh.’

‘Yeah, I know him,’ said Grace.

Barry looked at her in surprise. ‘You do?’

Grace hesitated, then sighed. ‘I wasn’t sure whether to tell you, but there’s no point lying.’

‘About what?’

‘I got Keogh to do it.’

‘What?!’

‘I found out who was the toughest kid around, and I got him to threaten McGrath.’

‘I don’t need you fighting my battles, Grace.’

‘What, you’d rather be bullied?’

‘No. But–’

‘But what?’

Barry tried to come up with an answer, but he couldn’t. He knew that on his own against McGrath and his gang he couldn’t have won. But it still hurt his pride that a girl had had to come to his aid.

‘You’re lucky I was able to persuade him,’ Grace said.

‘How did you?’

‘Every week I get two free tarts here. I promised one of them each week to Keogh.’

Barry was taken aback. He realised how far Grace had gone on his behalf and suddenly he felt ashamed of how he had responded.

‘Sorry, Grace. I…I didn’t mean to sound…that was really decent.’

‘It’s all right, I hate bullies.’

‘Even so, giving away half your stuff for me….’

‘Forget it,’ said Grace dismissively.

Barry took in her glum face and he felt even worse. ‘I don’t blame you being annoyed at me,’ he said.

‘It’s not that.’

He looked at her again, realising that she seemed more downbeat than he had ever seen her before. ‘What’s wrong then?’

‘I think I’m going to lose my job.’

‘Why?’

‘There’s five shillings missing from the till. When Miss Kinsella comes back this evening she’ll find out.’

‘Where’s the money gone?’ asked Barry.

‘Three kids came in here this morning when I was on my own for a bit. I had to go into the back to get loaves that had just come out of the oven. I think they must have taken the money out of the till.’

‘Would you not have heard them?’

‘They were singing and messing and making noise. It was probably to cover the sound of the till being opened.’

‘That’s awful. Do you know who they were?’

‘I don’t know their names, but I’ve seen them around.’

‘Could you point them out to Miss Kinsella?’

‘I can’t accuse them when I’ve no proof.’

‘Right,’ said Barry thoughtfully. ‘And you’re certain it’s not just a mistake, that the money is really gone?’

Grace nodded. ‘There were two half-crowns in the till. They’re both missing.’

‘Funny that they didn’t steal more than five shillings.’

‘I thought about that,’ said Grace. ‘Maybe they felt five shillings wouldn’t be noticed during the day, but I’d still get into big trouble when Miss Kinsella did the cash.’

‘Why would they want to get you into trouble?’

‘One of them was a boy with yellow buck teeth.’

‘“Buck’ Nolan?’ said Barry.

‘Is that what they call him? Anyway I remembered you telling me that one of McGrath’s gang had buck teeth. So I thought maybe they did this ’cause I helped you.’

‘But how would they know that you’d helped me?’

‘Keogh might have said something,’ answered Grace. ‘Or he might have been seen when I gave him the tart. Or they might have heard that I’d gone looking for Johnny Keogh last week.’

Barry considered this. ‘It mightn’t have anything to do with Keogh at all. Though I suppose it is a bit of a coincidence.’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Grace. ‘I haven’t an ounce of proof, so it’s all the one.’

‘And when is Miss Kinsella coming back?’

‘We close at six. She’ll be back to do the cash then.’

‘Supposing you didn’t tell her? Could you explain all this to your mum? If she gave you five shillings you could put it in the till and your boss needn’t know.’

‘I can’t ask Ma. She’s spent every penny she has getting us clothes.’

‘What about your granddad or your uncle, then?’

Grace shook her head. ‘We’re already staying in their house and eating their food. I can’t ask for money as well.’

Barry thought of the ten shillings his mother had sent him to cover the school tour. If he gave Grace the missing five shillings it would save her job. But then he wouldn’t have enough to pay the seven shillings for the tour to Cork.
How could he possibly explain 
that to Mum?
And he had been really looking forward to the trip, especially now that he could relax with his classmates without McGrath picking on him. But then again, if it wasn’t for Grace, McGrath would
still
be picking on him.

He bit his lip, trying to find an answer to his dilemma.

‘Anyway, can I get you something?’ asked Grace.

This was letting him off the hook, he realised. Grace was accepting that the situation was her problem, and if he gave his order now for Grandma’s Saturday treat, the conversation would move on.

‘Barry?’

‘Eh, two rock buns and two jam slices, please,’ he said.

‘OK,’ she said, reaching for a paper wrapper.

Barry watched her preparing to fill his order, then suddenly he made his mind up.

‘Forget the cakes for now,’ he said. ‘I got ten bob from England this morning – take the five you need out of that.’

Grace stopped what she was doing and looked at him in amazement. ‘I …I can’t do that, Barry,’ she said.

Barry sensed that Grace might be too proud to accept what seemed like charity. But now that he had decided that he wanted to help, he racked his brains for a way that would allow her to accept.

‘Look at it this way. You did me a good turn, and now I’m doing you one. But it’s not just that. If you don’t keep your job, there’ll be no tarts to pay off Johnny Keogh. And if Keogh isn’t on our
side McGrath will come after me again. So it’s best for both of us if you keep your job. OK?’

‘I…I don’t know what to say.’

Barry grinned. ‘Just say “Thank you, Barry”,’ he said in a funny voice. For the first time since entering the shop he saw a smile on Grace’s lips. ‘We’re in this together, Grace. They thought they were so smart, but this way we beat them. All right?’

Grace’s smile broadened, and she nodded. ‘All right!’

Barry grinned back at her, though he realised that in solving Grace’s problem he had created a problem for himself. But even if he couldn’t raise the money for the school tour, even if he got into trouble with Mum, he had done the right thing.

‘OK,’ he said cheerfully, ‘now that that’s settled, let’s have the two jammiest jam slices in the shop.’

‘Coming up!’