Ruby couldn’t help but smile. She was still getting used to the way the Brummies always referred to their mothers as mom, rather than mum or mam as they did back in her hometown, but then they had a lot of sayings that she was having to get used to. ‘And how is Maddie?’ she asked. ‘When Mrs Petty called to see me the other day, she said that she was very angry when I left.’

‘Angry don’t come close to it,’ Nell admitted with a wry grin. ‘She near on blew her bleedin’ top when she got up to find you gone, but she’s calmed down now. Mrs Petty only did what she did ’cause she knew you weren’t cut out for the life Maddie had in mind for you.’

Ruby felt a pang of disappointment. She had hoped that Maddie would be angry because she missed her. Surely if she was her mother, she would have done? But she had to stop thinking of that now and so she went on to tell them about some of the spiteful tricks Miranda had played on her.

‘You need to give as good as you get an’ she’ll soon bloody stop,’ Bill chided. He hated to think of her being bullied.

Ruby sighed. ‘That’s what Cook said, but it’s easier said than done.’ She wrapped her arms about herself as she shook her head. ‘She’s so much bigger than me for a start off.’

Bill wagged a finger at her. ‘That don’t matter. You know what they say: “The bigger they are the harder they fall.” And bullies don’t like a taste o’ their own medicine, so next time she starts, give her a good old kick in the shins.’

Ruby grinned at the thought. ‘I think she might behave after the episode a couple of days ago when she sent me flying. Her father saw her do it an’ he told her that if she did anything again, he’d send her away to a finishin’ school.’

‘Huh! Best place for her an’ all,’ Nell said grumpily.

They went on to talk of what they’d each been up to and all too soon the afternoon began to darken and a slow drizzle started to fall. Glancing at the sky, Nell said, ‘We ought to be goin’. We’ve got a good old walk ahead of us an’ we’re goin’ to get soaked judgin’ by that sky.’

So they hauled themselves back to their feet, feeling stiff after sitting on the cold boards of the bandstand for so long. At the gates of the park Nell gave Ruby a quick peck on the cheek. ‘You look after yourself now, bab, an’ we’ll come an’ see you again soon as ever we can, won’t we, Bill?’