can’t afford them on the allowances I get. You can take any toast that’s left over from breakfast. I’m sure you can get by on that.’
‘Yes, Auntie. What about weekends?’ asked Robin.
‘I’ll try to make a Woolton Pie on Sundays.’
‘Woolton Pie? What’s that, Auntie?’ asked Billy.
‘It’s a pie made of carrots, turnips and potatoes.’
‘Sounds like good fodder,’ whispered Robin.
‘And at weekends I don’t want you under my feet either - so you can play outside.’
‘What if it’s raining, Auntie?’ asked Titch.
‘Then you can go to the garden shed and play in there.’
‘Maybe we could keep out of your way by going into the bedroom,’ suggested Titch.
‘You may not. You must not go upstairs until it’s time for bed. And you must never, never go into my bedroom or the children’s. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, Auntie.’
‘I didn’t ask for three boys, as you know. So the best thing you can all do is keep right out of my road.’
‘You mean “seen and not heard”,’ said Robin.
‘No,’ she said. ‘I mean both. Not seen. Not heard.’
‘What about the bathroom?’ asked Titch. ‘Are we allowed in the bathroom?’
‘There’s a toilet out in the garden which you can use during the daytime.’
‘What about baths?’ asked Robin. ‘What do we do if we need a bath?’
‘There’s not enough hot water for all of us. My back boiler’s not big enough. You must take your bath after me and the children have finished.’
‘You mean in the same water?’ asked Billy incredulously.
‘I do, young man. We’ve got to save water and energy.
Don’t you know there’s a war on?’
‘I think we’re beginning to realise it,’ said Billy.
‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘I hope you’ll all be very happy here. If you’re not, it’ll be your own fault, because I’ll do my very best to make you feel at home.’
‘Are we allowed to go out for a walk now?’ asked Titch nervously.
‘I don’t mind what you do as long as you don’t come bothering me and as long as you’re back by nine o’clock.’
‘Thank you. Auntie,’ said Robin. ‘Right, boys, let’s go.’
As soon as they got outside, Billy said:
‘The bloody old battleaxe. We may as well be in Strangeways. And we’ve not even committed a crime.’
‘And there’s no bail,’ said Robin.
‘I knew we’d be in trouble as soon as we left Manchester this morning,’ said Titch. ‘I felt it in my bones.’
‘You thought we were going to be machine-gunned by German planes,’ said Billy.
‘Living with this Mrs Mossop is nearly as bad,’ said Titch.
‘I’m still hungry,’ said Billy. ‘Let’s see if we can find a shop open and buy a bar of chocolate.’
‘A bar of chocolate!’ said Robin.
‘Don’t you know there’s a war on?’ they chorused.