Read Born to Trouble for Free Online Page A

whistle, Seth’s voice and Walter’s too.
    Constable Johnson’s colleague had wrenched open the back door and she and her mother followed them into the yard, Kitty shrieking obscenities. The yard vibrated to screams and yells and to the thud of blows, and in the tangle of fighting bodies Pearl saw her brothers and several policemen. Even as she watched, a policeman caught Fred a vicious blow on the side of his head with his truncheon and her brother went down like a felled tree, another policeman falling on top of him.
    The next-door neighbours on either side had come to their back doors and were adding to the din, shouting encouragement to their own and screaming abuse at the policemen. Even the dogs in the immediate area were joining in and barking ferociously.
    Pearl’s only thought was to get to her beloved Seth. She had flung herself into the fray before Constable Johnson, who was having his work cut out to hold Kitty, could stop her. Seth had undoubtedly been getting the worst of it – there were two big burly policemen to each brother – but he was still on his feet when Pearl reached him. The policeman who had been about to club Seth with his truncheon managed to stop in the nick of time as the small figure came between them, and Seth, his arms opening instinctively to receive her, staggered back a pace or two to land against the yard wall.
    It was all over within moments. Fred was yanked to his feet where he stood dazed and bleeding next to Walter, who was being restrained by the simple expedient of having his arm twisted behind his back so far he was doubled up in agony. Kitty had stopped struggling and had collapsed on the icy ground, wailing like a banshee and slapping at Constable Johnson’s hands when he tried to pick her up.
    Pearl was now wrapped around Seth’s chest like a small monkey, her body heaving with silent sobs as the blood from a cut above his eyebrow dripped on to her hair. When one of the policemen tried to take her from Seth she clung all the tighter, nearly strangling her brother in the process. It was a signal from Constable Johnson that made the other policeman step back.
    ‘It’s all right, lass, it’s all right.’ Seth’s head was swimming and he felt nauseous from the blows he’d received. ‘This’ll get sorted, don’t you worry.’
    She didn’t believe him. She had seen the cloth bag and the expression on the face of Constable Johnson when he had looked at her mother. They were going to take Seth away and she couldn’t bear it.
    ‘I need you to look after James and Pat for me.’ The fight had gone out of Seth as he stood swaying with Pearl in his arms, and he knew he was in a bad way. He had never passed out in his life but he was a breath away from it. ‘Will you do that, eh, lass? Till I’m home?’
    She didn’t answer for a moment and then a trembling, whispered, ‘Yes,’ reached him.
    ‘There’s a good girl.’ He didn’t want to give way and let himself slide to the ground, the coppers would love that, but he felt as weak as a kitten. He managed to unwind her from him and set her on her feet a moment before the ground rushed up to meet him, the last sound he heard before losing consciousness her frantic cries.

Chapter 4
    Seth came to in the police wagon. He was propped between two big policemen, and Fred and Walter were sitting opposite him. As he raised his head and tried to focus, he remembered what had happened and in answer to Fred’s, ‘You all right, man?’ he nodded before shutting his eyes again, as much to think as anything.
    ‘They’ve found the stash up the chimney.’
    Walter’s voice brought his eyes opening again. He felt muzzy and sick, but his mind was clearing. ‘Shut up, Walt.’
    ‘It’s no good, Seth.’
    ‘I said shut up.’ As his brother did as he was told, Seth looked at them both, his voice softer as he said, ‘You know nowt, all right? Nowt. Anything I did, I did on my own. Got it?’
    ‘You don’t seriously think the