Granddad Bracey And The Flight To The Seven Seas

---

Book excerpt

Chapter One - Something to tell you

Drip, drip, plop…

Sally stirred restlessly in her bed and tried to shut out the sound of the rain on the window by burying her head under the pillow. Autumn had given way to winter and the joint assault of wind and rain was making the half-open window rattle.

After a while, the incessant dripping seemed to grow louder in her imagination until she couldn’t stand it any longer. Leaping out of bed, she rushed to the window as fast as her fifteen-year-old legs would carry her, and fighting her way through the billowing curtains, finally managed to slam the casement window shut.

Heaving a sigh of relief, she climbed back into the familiar warmth of her bed and did her best to get back to sleep again. But as she dozed her mind was still full of the stress of recent events and the faces of the people involved whirled past her like a fairground roundabout.

First it was Mummy and Daddy sweeping round, licking ice-creams, laughing and waving at her as they passed. The next time round, Mummy was by herself looking sad and forlorn in black with her brother Peter clutching his snuffy for comfort, although it was now reduced to a worn-out piece.

Then the music stopped and the memory of her father’s death swept over her once again.

She pressed her face desperately into the depths of her pillow to shut out the memory, and in doing so missed the patter of feet scuttling across the bedroom floor. Something tugged at her bedclothes and the next moment Peter was in the bed snuggling up to her, clasping his snuffy tightly.

‘It’s me, P-Peter,’ he announced, taking an extra sniff at his snuffy for reassurance.

Sally sighed resignedly. ‘I’d never have guessed. Can’t you sleep?’

‘No.’ He accepted the excuse happily. After a while, he came out with the one question she had been dreading. ‘Was it today…?’

‘Yes,’ she said, trying to keep her voice steady, ‘twelve months ago.’

Peter thought for a while, then voiced the thought that had been worrying him. ‘Did he know?’

Sally let out a sigh and hugged him closer. ‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘It happened too quickly, I promise you.’ It was one thing she could be sure about. She still remembered the doctor putting Mummy right on that point.

‘Most extraordinary thing,’ she overheard him explaining in his surgery afterwards. ‘That driver came out of the side turning so suddenly your husband couldn’t have known a thing about it – if that’s any comfort to you, Mary.’

She felt Peter tense up.

‘Why did he have to g-go like that?’

‘I wish I knew,’ said Sally, listening to his stammer sadly, just one more reminder of the trauma the accident had left in its wake. ‘At least we still have each other,’ she added, trying to find a crumb of comfort. ‘We’ll just have to remember all the good times we had together.’

Peter looked up at her. ‘Yes, I suppose so. You know, you sound just like him sometimes – I miss him.’ His voice trembled.

‘I know,’ said Sally quickly, ‘we all do. He was always there to play with us and give us treats.’ She added gently, ‘I’m afraid those days are over – Daddy spoilt us all. He believed that money was there to enjoy – he never thought we might have to do without it one day.’

Peter sighed. ‘I’ll have to t-tell Mummy, I don’t think my shoes will last much longer. I’ve used up all the sticky tape holding them together.’

‘Don’t bother Mummy,’ she said quickly, ‘she’s got enough to worry about as it is. I’ll talk to Gramps.’ She didn’t like to tell him that her own clothes were virtually falling apart.

Mention of their grandfather made his face brighten. ‘G-Gramps is ace. He lets me swing on his braces.’

Amused, Sally asked, ‘Is that why you call him Granddad Bracey?’

‘Yes, he doesn’t mind. Don’t tell Mum, but he’s teaching me how to climb up a ship’s rigging.’

Sally was intrigued. ‘How’s he doing that?’

Peter looked mysterious. ‘He’s building up all sorts of swings in his room.’ He looked around cautiously. ‘Gramps says if I learn the ropes, I can j-join the Merchant Navy when I grow up. I’m going to be a C-Captain like Gramps, and we won’t have to worry about money anymore.’

Sally looked thoughtful. ‘I don’t know that we can wait that long.’

‘B-but Gramps says we don’t need to worry, he’ll take care of us. He told me so.’

‘The question is, whether Mummy will want to let Gramps help us – she’s very independent.’

Peter shot up in bed. ‘But what else can she do? I don’t want to leave G-Gramps. We’re happy as we are.’

But if their mummy had any thoughts about it she was keeping it to herself. When Peter plucked up courage to ask her as she took them to school, she merely smiled and shook her head, saying, ‘We shall have to wait and see.’

It was the same next day as they set off. Mary still wore a smile of blissful anticipation, and it was not until she picked them up later to go home that she let slip a casual remark that was to change their lives forever.

‘Now, my darlings,’ as she let them out, ‘I want you to be extra good this afternoon. I have to leave you here for a little while, and go and do some shopping,’ she hesitated, ‘and one or two other things. But don’t worry,’ seeing the anxious look on their faces, ‘I shan’t be long. Your tea is all ready, and Gramps knows all about it, so he’ll be there to look after you. You never know,’ she added mysteriously as she let out the clutch, ‘I might even have some extra special news to tell you about when I get back that may be the answer to all our prayers.’

And they had to be content with that, little knowing what bombshell awaited them. They found out later that afternoon when she returned laden with shopping and introduced them to a shabby looking man and a stern-faced young woman.

‘Children, I’ve got some exciting news to tell you. I want you to meet my new special friend who’s coming to stay with us. This is Mr Black, and his daughter, Mona. But you can call him, Ned.’

Ned gave an uneasy smile and held out his hand, but the children’s eyes were fixed on their mother in shocked silence.

Her mother broke the uncomfortable pause. ‘Cat got your tongue?’

‘How do you do?’ Sally said politely.

‘Peter?’

Her son gulped and ran from the room.

After a while, Ned withdrew his hand sheepishly and cast a furtive look around, carefully taking in the surroundings.

‘Please forgive him. Peter was very close to his father,’ Mary apologised. ‘Now Sally, I want you to be particularly kind to Mona. Her sister had a nasty accident recently, so I am sure you will make her feel at home.’

Bridging an awkward pause, Mary went on brightly, ‘Now, off to bed and start getting undressed, darling, while I show Ned and Mona around. I’ll be up to see you shortly.’

When she got up to her bedroom, Sally found Peter sprawled across her bed, looking miserable. She patted his head sympathetically.

‘H-how c-could she get someone in like that?’ complained Peter bitterly. ‘I w-want my dad.’

‘I’m afraid he won’t be coming back,’ she said sadly, then added, ‘I don’t like the look of that Mona either.’

Before she could say any more, the door opened and their mother was in the room, gathering Peter up in her arms.

‘I know it was a bit of a shock, darlings, but Ned and Mona wanted to see the house right away and I couldn’t very well refuse.’

‘Why d-did you have to find someone like him,’ wailed Peter. ‘I hate him!’

‘I thought you were happy as we were?’ asked Sally, bewildered.

Her mother reached out and put an arm around both of them. ‘You don’t understand, do you?’ She hugged them compassionately. ‘I loved your father dearly, but things can’t go on as they are. You’ve no idea how the expenses have eaten into our savings, and it’s not fair on Granddad. I haven’t dared tell him how much we owe everyone.’ Then she brightened up. ‘But the good news is that my new friend is very well off, so we won’t have to worry about money anymore.’

‘Well, I hope you’ll be very happy,’ said Sally unconvinced, trying to adjust herself to the news. ‘He doesn’t look very well off to me,’ she added, thinking back to their meeting, remembering Ned’s worn out shoes and patched clothes.

‘You mustn’t judge by appearances, you old disbeliever,’ teased her mother. She studied Sally’s profile. ‘You know, you’re very much like your dear father. He always wished you’d been a boy. You’re such a tomboy sometimes.’ She sighed. ‘You’re growing up so fast, I do believe you’ll be bossing us all around before much longer.’

She caught the obstinate look on Sally’s face. ‘I tell you what, just to prove it, I’ll speak to Ned first thing tomorrow and see if we can work out something about the housekeeping – how’s that?’

Sally nodded reluctantly and her mother got up, satisfied. ‘Right then, into bed both of you. You’ll see, everything will turn out all right. You just wait and see.’