Page 16 of Strangers in Time

B OY M EETS G IRL

H ULLO?” SHE SAID SUDDENLY , having just now spotted him once more, lurking this time behind a sickly, leaning maple instead of a hedge.

The same boy turned to stare at her.

“Hullo,” Charlie Matters said back.

“Why are you hiding behind that tree?”

“Just takin’ a rest,” said Charlie, stuffing his grimy hands into his dirtier pockets.

“Come now, were you hiding from that police motorcar that passed by earlier? Are you in trouble?”

He looked her up and down and came away annoyed. “Just out for a stroll. No law against that. And if I find somethin’ along the way, what business is that of anybody ’cept me?”

She looked over his thin frame and shoddy clothes, and her expression softened. “I could provide some food for you.”

Charlie took a hand from his pocket and waved this offer away. “I don’t take charity.”

“But it would be no trouble. I live right here.” She pointed to the door of her home.

Charlie looked up at the tall white brick face. “What, you mean in all ’a it?”

Her eyes narrowed at his very odd query. “I don’t understand. In all of what?”

He pointed at her home. “I mean do you live in all ’a it or just one of them rooms?”

“Well, I have my own bedroom, but my parents own the whole house.”

“Blimey, you must be rich then, Miss.”

Molly blinked. “What’s your name?” she asked.

“Charlie.”

“Charlie what?”

“Charlie Matters.”

Molly glanced across the street. She didn’t see the man who had been smoking earlier. But part of the darkness seemed a shade darker, as though someone… Her gaze dropped to Charlie’s right hand, where there was a long, reddened cut.

“That’s infected,” she admonished. “You need to wash it thoroughly with soap and then apply topical medicine and cover it with a bandage.”

“Why, I’ve had worse’n that,” scoffed Charlie.

“I have experience with such things and I’m telling you that it is infected. You don’t want it to turn into septicemia.”

“Septi-what?”

“Septicemia. It’s an infection of bacteria in your bloodstream. That bacteria can then be swiftly carried over your entire body from within. You can actually die from blood poisoning.”

Charlie now stared down at the cut with interest. “How’d you know stuff like that?”

“I just do . Now, were you hiding from the constables because you’ve stolen something?”

Charlie frowned under this interrogation. “Look here, what’s your name?”

“Molly Wakefield.”

“So why are you standin’ outside your house when you should be in bed, eh?”

“I’m not sure that’s any of your business,” she replied primly. “But never mind that. My father works at the Ministry of Food. Do you know where that might be? I would like to go there. It might be in Whitehall, but I’m not at all certain.”

A bemused Charlie said, “So there really is such a thin’?”

“What thing?”

“A Min-stry of Food.”

“Well, people do need food .”

“But if there’s a bloody min-stry of it, then where’s the food got to? You sees my point?”

“You shouldn’t say ‘bloody.’ It’s coarse and disrespectful, especially in the presence of a lady,” she added firmly.

“I beg pardon. But I’m not the only one wonderin’ ’bout the food, I can tell you that.”

“Well, I am sorry. Where do you live?”

“Nowhere’s near here and I’ll leave it at that.”

“Well, if you can take me to the Ministry of Food, I can give you something in return.”

“Somethin’ like what?” he said, now clearly intrigued.

Molly withdrew from her coat pocket a coin. “This.”

“What’s that, a farthin’?” he said in a deprecating tone. “I daresay my time’s worth more’n that.”

“Does this look like a farthing?”

Charlie peered more closely. “A half crown! Where’d you get it?” he demanded. “Did you steal it?”

“Of course not! My parents gave it to me for emergencies when I left here.”

“Left?”

“To go to the country. But I never had an emergency where I was sent to live.”

“You left before the bombs, then?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes. Did you?”

He shook his head. “Mum wouldn’t put me on the train. Wanted me to stay with her,” he added with a touch of defiance.

Molly’s face went pink. “I see” was all she could think to say. She held up the coin. “So, can you take me to the Ministry of Food? I suppose they have an office in London.”

“Surely you know where it is if your father works there?”

Molly started to shake her head, but then something occurred to her. She took out the letter her father had left. The address was right there at the top of the stationery. She silently chided herself for not thinking of this before. She held it out for him to see.

Charlie read off the address under the illumination of the moonlight.

“Do you know where it is?” she asked.

He nodded. “But it’s quite a ways off, Miss.”

“You needn’t call me Miss. I’m simply Molly. And it doesn’t matter to me how far it is. Can we get there somehow? We used to have a driver, Mr. John, but he’s no longer with us. And I obviously can’t drive our car.”

“What kinda car is it?” Charlie asked quite eagerly.

“A Singer.”

“You mean one of them big’uns with the long bonnet?”

“It is quite large, yes,” replied Molly.

“You say it’s yours?” he said.

“Well, it belongs to my father. It’s in the garage behind the house.”

“Well, then there’s no doubt a’tall, is there?”

“About what?” she asked.

“That you’re rich.”

“Well then,” she said. “Take me there and the money is yours.” She suddenly looked at him warily. “But I know London well enough to figure out if you’re taking me to the wrong place.” Her eyes narrowed and her jaw set firm. “And you won’t be able to take the money from me by force, I can assure you. I’m older than you and quite strong.”

“I never would do such a thin’,” said a shocked Charlie.

She replaced the coin in her pocket and eyed him expectantly. “Well then, how can we travel there? I’ve never been on the Underground. How about that as a way?”

Charlie gaped. “What, never on the Underground?”

Molly now looked embarrassed. “My parents preferred the car, you see. And my mother didn’t care for being… down there with so many people.”

“Fact is, most stations close after ’bout nine or so. Last trains leave and folks settle in for the night in case the Germans come. But there’s a bus stop not too far off that goes near where your dad works. It’s a shillin’ each.”

Molly pulled from her other pocket two coins.

“You got money in all them pockets?” said Charlie.

“Shall we?” replied Molly.