Hannah helped Katie to wash up after tea and stack the plates and cups away, while Mam changed Davey into his soft blue pyjamas. The twins stood on the seats and got the pillows and blankets and sheets out of the overhead sliding cupboards.
‘No bouncing or pillow fights!’ warned Mam. ‘Tom, will you go over and ask Brigid for a drop of water so we’ll have enough for later. In the morning we’ll have to get the containers filled.’
The sun slowly dipped behind a cluster of trees, tingeing the evening sky with a warm rosy glow. Katie noticed two men bent down lighting the fire.
Mam, satisfied that all the beds were ready, pulled on her warm ‘night’ cardigan and stepped outside. A chance to chat and relax under the stars always put her in a good humour. She helped the other women spread a few rugs on the grass.
It surprised Katie when Maggie appeared, looking very grown-up and pretty. She had changed her clothes, tied up her blond hair, and two golden leaf-shapes dangled from her ears.
‘Come on, Katie! Let’s get out of here and go for a walk.’
‘I’m coming too,’ Hannah announced.
‘No! You’re not!’ groaned Katie in exasperation. ‘Leave us alone.’
She was fed up with her sister always hanging around. She wanted to be with her own friends, free of the younger ones for a while.
‘Bridey, come over here,’ shouted Maggie. A girl of about eight, her jet black plaits flying out behind her, broke away from the gang.
‘Bridey, this is our cousin Hannah. Do you remember her?’ Bridey grinned, showing a mouthful of missing teeth. ‘Now, I’m putting you in charge of minding her and making sure the others play with her!’
Bridey nodded and pulled the reluctant Hannah towards a group of girls pushing a broken-down pram in the fading light.
‘She’ll be fine. Come on.’
Maggie led the way down a dirt path, past the other caravans and trailers, avoiding two rubbish piles. They crossed a long, narrow field where a few ponies and horses grazed. The mares stared drowsily at the girls and the gangly foals whinnied, looking for attention.
Light was fading fast as they wandered into a small wood, keeping their mouths shut as they passed through a curtain of thousands of tiny midges.
Finally, they reached a spot where ancient oak trees almost formed a circle – the perfect hideaway. From the huge, sturdy branches of the largest oak, three old black tyres dangled and a few heavy ropes hung enticingly. The best swing in the whole country.
Katie couldn’t resist it and clambered up on the base of the tree and onto a tyre – forcing it backwards and forwards with her body weight.
‘It’s great.’ She laughed as she whistled through the air and the thick greenness of the leaves. ‘Come on, Maggie.’
Maggie just stood on the grass and looked up at her. ‘Yeah, the kids love it.’ Her voice was wistful.
Maggie would once have been first to climb to the very tip-top of the tree, but something had changed her. Katie let the silence fall between them, unsure what to say.
‘Did I tell you I got a job?’
Katie looked surprised.
‘I’m learning to sew on a big machine. It’s good money, too, and a good training.’
‘What do you sew?’
‘Jeans, shirts, curtains. Someone else cuts them out and we put them together. God, I bet you never thought you’d see the day.’
Katie smiled nervously.
‘It’s up in the town. One of the Caseys works there too. Fellas and girls, so it’s good fun …’ she stopped.
‘Maggie, come up and have a go,’ Katie pleaded, pushing a tyre in her direction.
‘That’s just kids’ stuff!’ Maggie shrugged. ‘Anyway, we’d better get back. It’s getting dark.’
Katie, making a great effort, swung higher and higher, aiming at the tip of a twisted branch that hung out beyond all the others.
‘Suit yourself! I’m off,’ Maggie shouted.
With a lurch, Katie managed to tap the branch at last with the tip of her shoe, then slowed down the movement of the swing till she could jump off and run after her cousin. She didn’t want to be left alone in the dark strangeness of this wood.
* * *
Hours later, in the stillness of the night, something stirred. It roused Katie. The whole camp was quiet. The fire had died down and everyone was asleep. A shadow seemed to flit by the caravan window. Maybe it was a cloud racing across the moon, or a bat.
Katie sat up and peered out. Everything looked blurred. Black silhouettes of bushes and hedges seemed threatening in the dark. She heard a rustling sound. There was definitely something outside. Duffy gave a low growl. The dog was supposed to sleep outside the caravan, but usually ended up snuggled in with the twins in their bed. Mam turned a blind eye.
A footfall. She thought she heard the grass crunch under a shoe.
Who was outside?
Katie was scared. Should she call Mam and Da? Or was she just imagining things? She pulled back from the window, hoping she could not be seen. No one else stirred. She strained her eyes. There was movement outside … definitely … it was … a man … no … a boy. In the moonlight his face looked white, almost like a ghost. His eyes were two dark smudges. His thick hair stood on end. A loose-fitting shirt hung out over cropped jeans.
He was moving nearer. She barely dared to breathe. Oh no! He was standing in front of the blue horse. He stared at it intently. Was he going to steal it? Katie sat mesmerised, watching the boy.
He stretched out his hand towards the wooden horse. He traced the line of its head and back, its legs and long flowing tail. He felt the horse from top to bottom, making no effort to lift it off. He turned around, his eyes searching for something.
It was too late – he’d spotted her through the window in the moonlight. She felt like an animal caught in the glare of a headlight as they stared at each other. This strange boy – he disturbed her. For an instant they studied each other. Then he seemed to drop down towards the ground where something was scrabbling around outside. She hoped it wasn’t rats.
A second or two later he stood up again. He held a young kid goat in his arms and he seemed to be talking to it, soothing it. He began to walk away, and then, without warning, he turned back and waved at her. She wasn’t sure if he was saying hello or goodbye as he disappeared in the dark.