Waiting for Anya by Michael Murpurgo

Author:Michael Murpurgo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Egmont Books
Published: 2011-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

GRANDPÈRE LOWERED THE IRON. ‘WHAT THE devil are you doing here, Jo?’

It was a moment or two before Jo could catch his breath. ‘They’re coming,’ he said. ‘The soldiers, they’re coming this way. They’re searching all the houses.’

‘You sure?’ said Grandpère going to the window.

‘I’m sure,’ Jo said.

‘Well,’ said Widow Horcada. ‘You told us it would happen, Henri, and it has. It’s what we planned for isn’t it?’

‘You’ll be all right will you?’ Grandpère said pulling on his coat.

‘Of course we will,’ she said. ‘Now get going and be quick about it.’ Grandpère had the back door open by now. ‘And Henri, don’t come back till we come for you. If we don’t come you’ll know the worst and you’ll know what to do.’ Grandpère made to come back into the room. ‘No goodbyes,’ said Widow Horcada and she waved him away. ‘Just go.’ And the door closed behind him. ‘Come here, Jo,’ she said and she took his hand. ‘How far away are they?’

‘They were down on the road,’ said Jo. ‘Five minutes, maybe ten, but they could be going further down the valley to Mougin’s place or maybe . ’

‘They’ll be here. Sooner or later they’ll be here,’ said the Widow. ‘We’ll plan on sooner. Now, everyone knows you go shopping for me?’ Jo nodded. ‘That’s what you’ve come for then, money for the shopping. Here.’ She stood up and took a few coins from the mantlepiece. ‘Take it,’ she said. ‘And you’ll be eating when they come. Boys are always eating aren’t they? So, fetch a plate and a knife and cut yourself some bread. We’ll keep it natural. I’ll be knitting, you’ll be eating.’

‘But what about the children?’ asked Jo.

‘Just you let me do the worrying,’ she said. ‘All you’ve got to do is eat.’ And Widow Horcada gathered her stitches and busied herself over her knitting. ‘I’ve done ten of these jumpers now,’ she said, ‘all sizes.’ But Jo wasn’t thinking of the children any more.

‘Why was Grandpère here?’ he said. Widow Horcada did not answer. ‘Does he know all about Benjamin, about Anya, about the children?’ The Widow looked up from her knitting.

‘I didn’t want to tell him,’ she said. ‘He guessed most of it and I had to tell him the rest. He’s no fool, your grandfather, not an easy man to lie to – never was. You remember that day you brought him up here? Well, he kept on at me about why I needed the money. He had to know the truth he said or else he wouldn’t help me, so I had to tell him.’

‘About me too?’ said Jo.

‘Everything,’ she said. ‘Now look what you’ve made me do, I’ve dropped my stitches again.’ She was still trying to gather them when they heard the snorting of a horse outside and the sound of hooves on the cobbles. ‘Eat, Jo, eat,’ whispered Widow Horcada and Jo stuffed a crust of bread in his mouth and chewed on it. Somehow it helped to control the fear rising in the pit of his stomach.

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