Red Sky in the Morning (19 page)

‘Oh no—!’ She flung back the bedclothes and dressed hurriedly. She climbed down the ladder and was pulling on her warmest coat when Maisie, bleary-eyed with sleep, appeared at
the top.

‘Mammy—’

‘Go back to bed,’ Anna began and then, with only a second’s hesitation, she said, ‘no, get dressed. As quickly as you can and come down.’

‘Why? We’re not going now, are we?’ Maisie’s lower lip trembled.

‘No, but can you hear that awful noise? There are some dogs attacking the sheep. You must run to the farm for me and knock on the door as loudly as you can and fetch Mr Eddie. Can you do
that?’

Maisie nodded eagerly, turned and ran back into her room to dress, whilst Anna lit a hurricane lamp and found her crook. She opened the side door and, as the child climbed down the ladder again,
they stepped out into the darkness together, Buster streaking out ahead of them.

Outside the noise was even more frightening.

‘Thank goodness,’ Anna said. ‘They’re down there towards the stream. They won’t see you. Now run, Maisie. Run as fast as you can.’

The little girl disappeared into the darkness and Anna braced herself to walk towards the terrifying noise.

In the moonlight, she could see two dogs attacking one of the ewes still in lamb. Already it was overthrown and unable to rise, helpless against the snapping jaws. Buster was barking and running
at them, doing his best to drive the attackers away from the sheep. His sheep. Anna moved closer and hit one of the dogs on the back, yelling at the same time.

The dog yelped in surprise. Intent upon their kill, neither dog had sensed her approach. The first ran a few yards and stopped, turning to stand and stare at her, panting hard. Now she lashed
out at the other dog, but it jumped out of the way and turned to face her, head down and snarling.

They were big dogs, much bigger than poor Buster and in the darkness as terrifying as a couple of wolves. Crouching low, the second dog crept towards her. Buster stood beside her, growling a
warning, but the aggressor took no notice of him. Anna held her crook horizontally in front of her to fend it off as it leapt up at her. She felt a sharp pain in her left hand and knew its white
teeth, flashing in the moonlight, had bitten her. Now the other dog, emboldened by its companion, came closer. They lined up side by side in front of her, ready to spring. Beside her Buster whined
and barked again.

‘Down!’ Anna cried in the firmest tone she could muster.

They took no notice and leapt in unison, but not at her. With one accord they fell on Buster, knocking him over. They attacked him cruelly, biting and tearing at his flesh. Now Buster was
yelping in pain and fear. Anna hit out at the dogs with her stick and managed to frighten one away. But the bolder of the two turned and snarled at her. It grabbed her crook in its mouth, growling
all the time. Gradually she drew it away from Buster, but then the other dog crept closer once more towards the injured sheepdog lying on the ground.

‘No!’ Anna shouted, feeling helpless to deal with both dogs at once. At that moment she heard a shout from behind her. ‘Stand clear, Anna.’

She glanced back to see Eddie just behind her, pointing his shotgun at the dog nearest to her.

‘Don’t hit Buster. He’s on the ground.’

‘I won’t. Drop your crook and move away.’

Anna did as she bade him. A shot rang out. Her attacker shuddered and fell to the ground. At the sound, the other dog ran, but Eddie levelled his gun and fired again. The dog stumbled, rolled
over and lay still.

Now there was an ominous silence.

Eddie threw down his gun and held his arms wide to her. With a sob, Anna ran into them and was enfolded in his safe embrace. Behind them, watching, Tony stood holding Maisie’s hand. As she
became aware of them, Anna drew back.

‘Are you hurt?’ Eddie asked anxiously.

‘Just my hand. It’s nothing—’

‘Let’s take a look—’

‘No, no—’ Anna pulled away from him and stumbled towards Buster, lying motionless on the ground. Maisie ran forward.

‘Oh, Mammy. What’s happened to Buster?’

‘The bad dogs hurt him, darling.’

Maisie squatted down beside the animal she considered her pet and touched his coat. ‘It’s all wet, Mammy.’

‘Leave him, darling. We’ll carry him home in a minute.’ Anna rose and moved to where Eddie was bending over his sheep. ‘I don’t think we can save her,’ he
said, ‘but she’s gone into labour. Tony,’ Eddie looked up and called across to his son, still standing motionless a few feet away, ‘help Anna take Buster back to the
cottage.’ His glance rested on the little girl crying beside the inert animal. ‘And take Maisie away from here.’

Silently, Tony did as he was asked. He spread out his coat on the ground and together he and Anna gently lifted Buster onto it.

‘I ought to stay here and help your dad,’ Anna said. She couldn’t see Tony’s expression in the darkness, but his voice was harsh. ‘I’ll come back and help
him. He doesn’t need you.’

Anna gasped and knew at once that Tony had read far more into the comforting hug his father had given her than had been meant.

‘Tony, you don’t understand—’ she began.

‘Don’t I?’ he muttered in a low voice so that his father should not hear. ‘Oh don’t I? Seems me mam was right all along.’

Anna shuddered and groaned. ‘No,’ she cried. ‘It’s not like that—’

‘What’s the matter?’ Eddie’s voice came out of the blackness.

‘Nothing,’ Tony called quickly before Anna could speak. ‘I’ll just help Anna and I’ll come back.’

Without speaking to each other now, Anna and Tony carried Buster back to the cottage where they laid him on the hearth in front of the dying embers of the fire. Maisie knelt beside him. Now they
could see that his black and white coat was matted with blood. The animal lay still, whimpering occasionally, his dark eyes wide and full of suffering.

‘He’s not going to die, is he, Mammy?’ Maisie sobbed.

‘Darling, I don’t know.’ Anna always tried to be honest with her child, even if the truth was painful.

Maisie sobbed louder. ‘Can’t we take him to the doctor?’

As if against his will, Tony’s arm crept around the child’s shoulders. ‘We’ll take him to the vet in the morning.’ His glance at Anna was resentful, but he still
kept his tone gentle towards the little girl. ‘Dad’ll take him.’

Suddenly Tony got up. ‘I’ll go back to him.’ He left the cottage, slamming the door behind him. Anna winced but Maisie, unaware of the undercurrent of emotion between her
mother and Tony, continued to stroke the dog’s head. ‘Don’t die, Buster. Oh please don’t die.’

A while later Anna heard the distant sound of a single shot. Shortly afterwards, the outer door to the kitchen opened and Eddie and Tony came in.

‘The ewe’s dead. I had to put her out of her misery. They’d nearly torn her throat out. There was no way even the vet could have saved her,’ Eddie said as he came to
where Buster was lying. ‘How is he?’

Anna shook her head. ‘He’s still alive but covered in blood.’

‘Right,’ Eddie said, taking charge. ‘Let’s see to your hand first, love.’

He rummaged in the cupboard and produced bandages and a bottle of Dettol. As he bent over her hand bathing it and applying the bandage, Anna was acutely aware of Tony’s morose expression
as he watched his father’s tender ministrations.

‘You go home, Tony, lad. Thanks for your help, but—’

‘No, Dad,’ the young man said quickly. His glance rested upon Anna and his eyes narrowed. ‘I’ll wait for you.’

The following morning, Eddie arranged for the vet to visit Anna’s cottage. He stood by whilst the man examined the dog. ‘He’ll live,’ the vet
pronounced. ‘He’s been badly mauled, but with tender care he’ll be fine.’

He stood up and looked about him, noticing the bundles of belongings piled high on the pram at the side of the room. ‘Going somewhere, were you?’

‘We – we were leaving today.’

‘Well, if you were planning on taking the dog there’s no way he’s walking any distance for quite a while.’

When the vet had left, Maisie looked up at her mother. ‘Are we staying, Mammy?’

Anna sighed. ‘It looks like it, Maisie,’ she said flatly.

Despite the terrible events of the previous night, Eddie could not stop his smile stretching from ear to ear.

‘You’ve found another excuse to stay a bit longer then?’

Later that afternoon Tony stood in the centre of her kitchen, eyeing Anna belligerently.

She sighed, glancing down to where Maisie was sitting on the hearth beside Buster, lying in his basket. The little girl had not left the dog’s side all day. Anna opened the front door and
motioned to Tony to follow her. Once outside she said, ‘Look, what you saw last night meant nothing. It’s what anyone might have done in the circumstances. I’m sorry you saw
it—’

‘I bet you are.’ The boy was disbelieving.

‘It meant nothing,’ she insisted. ‘I’d have run to you if you’d held out your arms to me at that moment.’

‘You’re a bit old for me,’ Tony said nastily and Anna closed her eyes, saddened to think that their friendship was at an end. Wiped out in an instant by an innocent hug of
comfort between two friends.

‘We’re friends,’ she tried again to explain. ‘Your father’s been very good to me.’

‘Why?’ Tony snapped. ‘Just why did he bring you here in the first place? I can still remember how upset me mam was when he brought you home. I didn’t understand it all at
the time.’ He paused and added pointedly. ‘Now I do. She always thought there was summat more to it than he said. She even thought Maisie was mebbe his. Now – I think she was
right.’

‘I swear to you, on Maisie’s life if you like,’ Anna retorted angrily, ‘that she is
not
Eddie’s daughter.’

‘Then whose is she? Tell me that.’

Anna’s face blanched. She shook her head. ‘No,’ she whispered. ‘I – can’t tell you that.’

Tony’s mouth twisted. ‘You mean,’ he said unkindly, ‘you don’t know.’

Before she had realized what she was doing, Anna’s hand flew up and she smacked Tony’s left cheek. ‘How dare you say such a thing to me? If you only knew the
truth—’

The boy had not even flinched or moved. ‘Then tell me,’ he persisted.

‘No.’ Anna stepped back as if even the thought of having to drag up the memories was abhorrent. ‘It has nothing to do with you. Or –’ she added with a last vestige
of spirit – ‘or with your father.’

Tony shrugged. ‘Well, if you won’t tell me, you can hardly expect me to believe you, can you?’

As he began to walk away, she cried after him, ‘Why can’t you just trust me?’

He paused and glanced back. ‘Why can’t
you
trust
me
enough to tell me the truth?’ he countered. ‘I know I’m only fourteen, but I’m not a
child any longer. I’d understand, whatever it is. Unless,’ he added pointedly, ‘it’s because you’ve something to hide. Something that you’re really ashamed
of.’

When she did not answer, he turned and walked away, leaving Anna staring after him.
If only you knew
, she thought,
how close to the truth you are
.

Of course, there was no way that Anna could leave now, even though after Tony’s change towards them she would dearly have loved to go. But she could not leave Buster
behind and it was impossible for him to travel in his weakened state.

Mid-morning she heard someone calling outside the cottage and opened the door to find Pat Jessop with her hand raised ready to knock.

The nurse beamed at her. ‘Oh, you’re still here. I was so afraid you might have set off early. I didn’t want to miss saying goodbye, even though I do wish you weren’t
going.’

Anna sighed and gestured for Pat to step inside. ‘We’re not,’ she said and quickly explained all the night’s events that now kept them here.

‘I really don’t see why you have to go at all,’ Pat said, lifting Maisie onto her lap and cuddling her. ‘You’re tired, my little love, aren’t you?’
Maisie leant against the comforting bosom of the district nurse, sucking her thumb. ‘Why don’t you go upstairs and have a little nap, eh?’

Maisie took out her thumb and looked up at Pat. In a serious, adult voice she said, ‘I can’t leave Buster. He needs me.’

‘Of course he does, but your mammy’s here and so am I just now. Nurses have to rest and look after themselves too, you know, else they can’t care for their patients, can
they?’

Maisie regarded Pat solemnly and then slid from her knee. ‘All right, but you promise to look after him?’

‘I promise and if I have to leave before you wake up, your mammy will stay with him until you do.’

They listened whilst the child climbed the ladder and then Pat leant across the table towards Anna. ‘There’s something you’re not telling me that’s upsetting
you.’

Anna smiled wanly. ‘You’re too sharp by half, Nurse Jessop.’

‘It’s me job, ducky,’ the nurse grinned. ‘Besides, I’m a nosy owd beezum. Everyone in the village ses so.’

Yes
, Anna wanted to say,
but they all know too that their secrets are safe with you
. She sighed. ‘It’s Tony,’ she began and found herself confiding in the
friendly woman. ‘He’s begun to believe his mother’s vicious lies. He can’t understand why I can’t talk about the – the past. I just can’t. Not to
anyone.’

Pat touched her hand. ‘Not even to me?’ she asked softly.

Anna pressed her lips together and tears welled as she shook her head. ‘No, not even to you,’ she said huskily. ‘But if I – ever did – you’d be the first.
Even before Eddie.’

Pat nodded. ‘Well, you know I’m always ready to listen if you ever decide you do want to unburden yourself. And I use that word purposely, ’cos it is a burden you’re
carrying. I can see that. A very heavy burden. And you know I’d never tell a soul—’

Now Anna smiled. ‘I know.’

Pat stood up. ‘I’ll have to be on my way, but I’ll take a look at Buster first.’ She wagged her forefinger at Anna playfully. ‘Just so long as you remember to tell
Maisie I did so.’

A few moments later the nurse said, ‘He’s doing fine.’ She stood up again. ‘I wouldn’t have wished for any of this to happen, but I have to say I’m glad
you’re not going.’