Here is another extract from my children’s story set in 1952, about Peggy, a young girl who goes to stay with her grandma along with her sister Barbara. The previous day Peggy had been out with grandma’s friend Mr Benbow, she’d had a busy and exciting day with him exploring a castle overlooking the sea, so now she and Barbara are having a quiet day at home.
There was a knock on the door and it was one of Granny’s neighbours. She was called Mrs Walker and she had been away on holiday staying with her son who lives near London. She came to ask Granny if she had a cup of milk she could borrow because the milkman hadn’t left any because she didn’t know when she would be coming home.
Granny asked Mrs Walker if she would like a cup of tea while she was here, so they sat at the kitchen table for a good gossip. I don’t suppose anyone ever has a bad gossip! Barbara was playing with her bead patterns and I was drawing some pictures, I was still quite tired and it wasn’t very nice weather outside so I was happy just to do some quiet things. Granny said we would make some magic moments later which would be nice.
Mummy says it’s rude to listen to other people’s conversations but Mrs Walker had a very loud voice and i think she must be a bit deaf because she kept asking Granny to say things again so it was difficult not to hear their conversation.
I must confess my ears did prick up when I heard her say something about smugglers! I wasn’t really confessing anything as I was sitting quietly at my bureau but writers say that sometimes. Also my ears didn’t move at all but I was listening very attentively. Mr Benbow had told me about smugglers just yesterday but I didn’t think there would be smugglers near here. Maybe I could ask grandma about it later – I would say that I didn’t mean to listen to their conversation but Mrs Walker did talk quite loudly and Granny had to answer her quite loudly too.
“I’m sure you don’t need to be scared, Mrs Walker, if there is anything going on it will be at night when we are tucked up safe in bed. Make sure all your doors and windows are closed, but no-one will be coming past us here, they will be going up to the top road, up the back.”
My little bedroom is at the back of Granny’s house. When I helped her take the rubbish out and we met Mr Jimmy that was at the back and his dustcart was parked on the road there. Supposing there were some smugglers, maybe they would go along that road.
It’s interesting writing something set in a different age, so many things I’d take for granted when I normally write I have had to look up!
Lois Elsden 