The Lost Sapphire by Belinda Murrell Page B

centimetre closer to his brother. Frank put his arm around his little sister, drawing her out. ‘It’s all right, Maisie. It won’t bite you.’
    Nikolai stepped behind Violet and pulled some crazy faces to distract the children. Maisie and Billy forgot their nervousness at the novelty of having their photograph taken and moved forward, giggling.
    â€˜Splendid, that’s better. On my count,’ warned Violet. ‘One, two, three …’ She held her breath and pushed the button. She felt a huge sense of exhilaration as she took the photo – she’d done it! – and there were two more shots she was keen to experiment with.
    â€˜Can I take some photographs of you playing?’ Violet asked the children, who happily agreed. ‘You might just need to stay still for a moment when I tell you.’
    Next Violet took a photograph of Ruthie bowling, while Frank aimed the bat in front of the fruit case. The other kids gathered around as fielders in the narrow laneway. The last shot was of Maisie and Billy, crouched in the gutter, rolling marbles down the grimy channel towards Nikolai, who was out of the shot.
    â€˜Is your father sick as well?’ Violet asked the two siblings.
    â€˜It was the Great War,’ Billy said. ‘Ma says he’s got shell shock. He was a soldier, but he lost his arm. When he came home, he couldn’t get work. Now he has funny turns where he trembles an’ gets angry.’
    â€˜Ma says it’s the nightmares,’ Maisie added.
    â€˜Poor man,’ said Violet. ‘Your father must have had a difficult time fighting in the Great War.’
    â€˜Yes, but I wish he’d get better,’ said Billy. ‘He’s been sick for a bloomin’ long time.’
    â€˜Ma says it’s habominable ,’ said Maisie. ‘He fought four years for his King and country, an’ now he’s treated like dirt.’
    â€˜Your ma’s right,’ Violet said. ‘I think it’s abominable too.’
    A minute later Sally came out to call her siblings. She looked surprised when she saw the car still parked and Violet chatting to them. Nikolai by this stage was deep in conversation with the other children. They all had their heads buried under the bonnet of the Daimler while Nikolai explained the various parts of the engine and what they did.
    â€˜What’re you still doin’ here, miss?’ asked Sally, confused.
    â€˜Nikolai and I decided to stay here and play with the kids while we waited for you,’ Violet explained with a laughing glance at Nikolai. ‘I’ve been taking photographs.’
    â€˜Oh, you shouldn’t have waited, miss,’ Sally replied. ‘I can walk back.’
    Violet shook her head. ‘Truly, it’s no trouble – but what about your mother? How is she?’
    Sally sighed. ‘She’s pretty crook. But hopefully a day or two in bed will fix her right up.’
    Violet checked her watch. ‘We need to go in about fifteen minutes to pick up Father, so you can come with us then. Or if you’d rather stay with your mother, I’ll explain it to Mrs Darling.’
    Sally glanced back over her shoulder towards the house. ‘I’ll come back with you, miss. I’ve just made the kiddiessome boiled potatoes for tea, but I want to do a quick tidy up. Ma tries so hard to keep the place spick an’ span, but with four kiddies running riot, it’s turned into a right mess.’
    â€˜That’s fine. I’ll send Frank in when it’s time for us to go,’ said Violet.
    Just before they left, Violet loaded a new film into the camera and set up a family portrait of Sally with Frank, Billy and Maisie against the picket fence outside their home.

8
Hamilton’s Fine Gloves Factory
    Nikolai parked outside the Hamilton’s Fine Gloves factory a few minutes before five o’clock.
    â€˜I’m going to visit my father,’ Violet