“Some towns are friendly. They’ll trade with us, give my dad a bit of work sometimes. Others, well, others just don’t like wanderers at all. Even now.” Una’s eyes stayed unfocused. “We hadn’t eaten in a while, Dad says. She crept off while we were sleeping, to find some food. She knew he’d never let her go if he was awake.”

“What happened?”

Una shrugged. “She never came back. That’s all.”

“I … I’m sorry … I didn’t…”

“Don’t apologise. Wasn’t your fault.” Her jaw hardened. “Thing is, you have to be careful when you’re a wanderer. And she wasn’t careful enough.”

I picked at the grass. “Do you remember much about her?”

Una shrugged again. “Don’t remember what she looked like, or what she sounded like or anything. She’s just a sort of shadow, picking me up, setting me down. Shooing a fox from me once – I think I remember it. Or maybe I just heard about it from Grandad. Anyway,” she smiled a little, “it’s fine. We’re OK, me and my dad. We’re fine. Especially with you helping us now.”

I smiled back.

Hey.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “Will you come again tomorrow, Maggie? Please come.”

Tomorrow. 5 September. Jed’s birthday, and still a million things to do for the party. No way Mum was going to let me get away.

“Can’t come tomorrow. But I’ll come Saturday, and Sunday too. For your birthday.”

“My birthday! I nearly forgot. My first proper birthday.”

“I’ll bring cake,” I promised.

FRIDAY
5 SEPTEMBER

CHAPTER 14

The bed sheets were wrapped round my legs.

I untwisted them, pushed them off.

My skin was damp and sweaty.

I blinked.

Opened my eyes up properly.

5th September.

Jed’s birthday.

“Maggie! Trig!” Mum shouted up the stairs. “I’m keeping you both off school today. I need your help for the party.”

Great.

A whole day of preparing for Jed’s party. Because he’s an eldest.

It was good. It was right. It was proper.

Jed’s an eldest. Special and brave.

Spending my whole day getting stuff ready for his party was the right thing to do.

But what if … what if I could do whatever I wanted today?

What would I do, if it was just up to me?

I’d visit Una. Spend all day with her, wiggling ears and talking and singing the boundary song.

And sticking my head and shoulders through the hawthorn.

Maybe going all the way through.

Lying on brighter, fresher grass, looking up at the sky.

No I wouldn’t.

That was stupid.

Course I wouldn’t.

Wanderers were dirty and dangerous and deceitful.

I was only spending time with Una so I could catch her.

No. I’d go up to the butterfly fields. With some paper. A whole clear sheet of paper. Crisp and new. And pencils. Coloured ones.