Cast No Shadow, Peter Sharp [books to get back into reading txt] 📗

it was ready, he stretched. “I must get some sleep Dan. You have been such good company, like having Hans here again, but my granddaughter keeps me busy from the time she wakes to the time she goes to bed. I need my rest.”

“When does she go back?” asked Kelly.

“Sadly, Tanya returns to pick her up in two days. The time goes so fast when she is here and so slowly when she has gone.”

“Hans will be sorry he missed Tanya,” suggested Kelly.

“Maybe,” said the old man. He leaned towards Kelly and spoke as if in confidence. “Last time she was here, she went missing for several hours. I was worried so went after her. I managed to track her footsteps in the snow. I found her on the ridge near the border, looking out towards Norway. Sometimes I wonder … Maybe it’s better if we don’t worry about what other people say … Perhaps we should do what our hearts tell us, eh?” With that and a wink, he turned and made his way upstairs.

“Privet, Zdravstvujte!” Kelly was conscious of someone speaking. His head, still filled with cobwebs, emerged from under the ample cover he had used as a blanket. He tried to focus.

“Privet, Zdravstvujte!” The phrase was repeated. As he climbed slowly out of sleep and back into consciousness, he became aware of a young girl standing on the carpet in front of the fire and facing him. She had the characteristics of the Russian female, blonde, clear features, and a thin mouth, and there was certainly a hint of the steppe about the slight slant of her almond-shaped green eyes.

She was dressed in standard peasant garb, wearing an off-white tunic and three-quarter length green woollen skirt. Kelly guessed that the ample thick-soled boots were reindeer skin.

She was in the process of peeling off the tunic, whilst one foot wrestled with the other to remove one of the boots. Once accomplished she set about the other boot, whilst peeling off the grey jumper that had been under the tunic.

What eventually emerged from its winter cocoon was a girl of about eleven or twelve, dressed in a white linen blouse, white wool stockings and green skirt.

Leaning forward to Kelly she extended her hand and repeated the phrase, which was now becoming familiar to Kelly, “Privet! Zdravstvujte!” she said and smiled.

Kelly felt confident that the body language indicated a greeting, so he stood up and pointed to himself, saying, “Dan, my name is Dan,” and taking her outstretched hand as he did so.

The girl wrinkled her nose as if not understanding, and then releasing his hand she pointed to herself.

“Katya!” She said, smiling broadly, displaying a perfect set of even white teeth.

Their, rather stuttering, tete-a-tete was interrupted by the slamming of the rear door and the sound of much rustling and heavy breathing, followed by the emergence of the old man from the small vestibule that served as a store, a pantry and a kitchen.

His face lit up when he saw the girl. He smiled at them both. “Getting to know each other eh?” he smiled.

“Rather difficult,” responded Kelly. “I have no Russian and clearly this young lady has no English.”

Josef spun round to stare at Kelly in surprise for a moment before he exploded into laughter, his whole frame shaking. “She is up to tricks, Dan!” he roared. “She speaks English as well as you.”

The girl lapsed into uncontrollable giggles at Kelly’s obvious discomfort.

The old man pointed at her. “She is what you call ...” he struggled to find the word, then nodded, “a rascal!”

Kelly had to agree. There was certainly something of the imp about her. He looked askance, first at Josef and then at the girl.

Between giggles the girl managed to say, “I’m sorry, I really didn’t know you were English when I first spoke to you, but when I realised you were, I couldn’t help just playing around.” She cocked her head. “Have I offended you?” She sounded worried.

It was Kelly’s turn to laugh. “No of course not. It was a good trick.”

“One of Katya’s main subjects at school is English. Tell Dan what your other main subject is, Katya,” the old man instructed.

The child looked embarrassed and scolded Josef in Russian. His response was to laugh and to advance on her. Grasping the child, he pulled her gently to him wrapping her in a bear hug. The girl nestled her head into his huge chest.

“She doesn’t like to boast,” he said, “but I do. She is a quite brilliant student.” He looked down at her, clearly bursting with pride as he spoke.

“Not only is she good at English, but she is also brilliant at mathematics. Do you know what her hobby is?”

Kelly raised his eyebrows in response.

“She likes doing word and number puzzles.” The old man paused for effect before adding with emphasis, “in English!”

Kelly’s face registered how impressed he was, but for her part the poor girl was dying of acute embarrassment, her face almost crimson as she tried to become invisible.

“This old man talks too much,” she said, the tone scolding, but the look that passed between them was of pure devotion.

After Katya regained her composure, she became chatty and the three exchanged small talk, until, standing up and rubbing his stomach, Josef announced, “I’m hungry! I’ll make us something to eat.” He disappeared into the small kitchen, Katya immediately following.

Kelly felt that he should help too, but there wasn’t enough room in the small kitchen, and he was sent back into the living room with a flea in his ear from the child.

From time to time, one or other of the two would emerge from the kitchen and chat with Kelly before returning to continue with the preparation. Eventually they both emerged, Josef carrying a steaming bowl which he placed on the little table. The dish appeared to be rabbit served with boiled potatoes and black bread.

Kelly was famished and tucked in. The potatoes were well past their best, but