The Rainbow Years by Rita Bradshaw

looked askance at this. ‘I don’t think so, Da,’ she said, ‘but she’ll be punished, rest assured of that. Getting a mite too big for our boots, aren’t we, madam?’ she added directly to Amy. ‘I think someone needs taking down a peg or two.’
     
    ‘I think it might be a good idea for you to have a word with that Kitty, Wilbur, and tell her Amy won’t be going out on a Saturday for a month or two, not till she can control her tongue.’ Terence O’Leary didn’t take his eyes off Amy as he spoke.
     
    Amy stared at May’s father. Not seeing Kitty would mean not seeing her grandma and she couldn’t bear that, and she knew her grandma looked forward to the time they spent together all week. She was always saying so. ‘That’s not fair,’ she burst out.
     
    ‘You to talk of fairness, you ungrateful mongrel.’ Wilbur was fairly spitting out the words. ‘Your aunt and uncle have provided a roof over your head for the last umpteen years and this is all the thanks they get. I knew it’d end up like this. You’re your mother all over, m’girl. That’s the trouble.’
     
    Terence O’Leary nodded slowly. ‘You’re right, Wilbur.’
     
    ‘I’m glad he’s right.’ Amy’s voice was very loud but shaky. ‘I want to be like my mam, so there.’
     
    ‘Glad, are you?’Wilbur snorted contemptuously. ‘Well, there you have it, straight out of the horse’s mouth, Terence.’
     
    ‘Hang on a minute, you two.’ Ronald had gone white; they were all shaken by the scene which had erupted with such suddenness, all except the two older men. ‘She’s only a bairn, it’s natural she’d stick up for her mam. And our Bess shouldn’t have done what she did, none of us would say different, but the fella was more to blame than her in my book. Taking down a bit lass when he had a wife and family tucked away was a dirty trick. It’d have been bad enough if the girl was a rum ’un, but our Bess - pure, untouched.’
     
    ‘You’re sure about that, are you? That she was pure?’
     
    ‘ Da .’
     
    ‘Oh, all right, all right.’ Wilbur flapped his hand. It was clear he and Terence had been surprised by Ronald’s championing of first Amy and then Bess. Surprised and somewhat annoyed. ‘I don’t want to fall out with you, Ronald, but I just hope you and May don’t live to regret taking her in, that’s all. You’ve heard the old adage about biting the hand that feeds you.’
     
    ‘Da.’ The admonition was weary now.
     
    ‘Aye, well, I’ve had my say.’ Wilbur glanced at May. ‘I’ll have me coat and cap, lass, if it’s not too much trouble.’
     
    ‘Me an’ all,’ said Terence with a sour look at Ronald.
     
    ‘You’re not both going?’ May protested. ‘Not yet.’
     
    Their sullen nods sent May to fetch the jackets and caps from their pegs in the scullery after a scathing glance at Amy.
     
    Amy’s cheeks were burning and her stomach was churning, and when the two men left without another word to anyone and by the front door - not the back which was customary for them to use - the seriousness of the row was magnified tenfold.
     
    May saw them out and after a few mumbled words in the hall the front door opened and closed and then she was back in the kitchen. ‘I hope you’re satisfied with all the trouble you’ve caused,’ she snapped at Amy. ‘Upsetting everyone like this.’
     
    ‘Hey, steady on, Mam.’ Bruce’s voice was mild. ‘It wasn’t really Amy’s fault.They’re always going for her for no reason.’ Usually he kept out of any altercations but today Bruce found he was feeling sorry for his cousin. Amy had looked so unhappy when she’d walked in, so fed up, and it was true what he’d said about his grandas. Eva and Harriet could get away with murder but Amy only had to breathe for the two men to be down on her like a ton of bricks. He wondered why it had never really registered on him before what a rough deal she had all round. He looked his mother full in