Breaking and Entering by Wendy Perriam

Author:Wendy Perriam [Perriam, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Chapter Seventeen

‘How long have you been here?’ asked Daniel, swishing another plate in the scummy near-cold water.

‘Oh, it must be over a week now.’ Claire flicked her tea-towel at a midge. She had already been bitten and kept rubbing at the red bumps on her arm.

Daniel scratched his own bite – a large one on his neck. Washing up outside meant not just the lack of running water or a proper sink and draining-board, but being subjected to the attentions of the insect population. On the other hand, the sun was wonderfully warm and he was enjoying the sensation of having the unbounded sky above him, rather than a confining Wandsworth ceiling. He had even gone so far as to remove his shirt, and could feel his grateful skin soaking up the heat. ‘What’s your impression of the place?’ he pressed, hoping to glean some information from a friendly fellow inmate.

‘Well, it’s been quite a strain in some ways, but Rick’s definitely getting better. His stomach pains aren’t half as bad, and he’s not so anti-social. Oh, I admit he can be bolshie, and I almost died when he threw that mud at Jeanette, but he actually apologized when Blue had a word with him. He wouldn’t have done that in a million years if I’d suggested it.’

‘Blue?’

She flushed. ‘That’s my name for the master. I know it must sound silly, but blue’s always been my favourite colour – the colour of big peaceful things like sea and sky and …’ She faltered, as if afraid he’d think her pretentious. ‘What do you call him?’ she asked.

Now it was Daniel’s turn to hesitate. Studiously he attacked a blackened saucepan with his dishmop. ‘I … I haven’t quite decided,’ he replied. ‘I can’t make him out at all. I mean, I really don’t know the first thing about him. Does anyone? Do you?’

‘Oh yes! That’s the only reason I came. I live in Wales myself, you see – only thirty miles away – and someone in our village knows this man who had cirrhosis of the liver, but was cured by Blue within three days of arriving here.’

‘Oh, really? And have you met the chap, questioned him yourself?’

‘No, he lives in Shrewsbury. But apparently it was almost like a miracle, and even his doctor said he couldn’t believe his eyes.’

‘Mm, that’s the trouble, though, isn’t it? It’s always “apparently” or “a friend of a friend”, never anything more precise. I think we need to check up on him – ask to see his credentials, so to speak.’

Claire twisted the damp tea-towel in her hands. ‘But that would look as if we didn’t trust him. And it would be a bit ungrateful, when he does all this for free. Yes, I know a few people make donations, and we all share food and stuff, but basically he’s giving and we’re taking.’

‘Maybe,’ said Daniel tersely. ‘But if it’s our children’s health at stake, then we shouldn’t take any risks.’

‘But what risks could there be? I mean, it’s not as if he uses drugs or surgery.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.