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said Bethan, putting an arm round me to support me. ‘Few bruises. Sit on the kerb, Ant. Let me have a look at you.’
    She picked up the gas mask box she’d dropped on the flagstone and clicked the hinge in its centre. Pulling out a small pink handkerchief, she spat on it and rubbed at my eyebrow. ‘Got coal dust in that cut,’ she said, frowning. ‘I can’t take my eye off you for a minute, can I?’ She smiled and I felt a familiar warmth course through me. I wanted to fold into her, but I didn’t want to make a soft show in front of the other Scott Street boys. I sat on my hands and raised my knees upwards. My left wellington had come off in the scuffle and my bare foot was covered in grey muck.
    â€˜Here y’aar,’ said Bronwyn, handing me my lost boot. ‘Does your face hurt?’ She stared down at me.
    I shook my head. I was lying and everyone knew it, but Treherbert boys didn’t moan and I wasn’t about to start.
    â€˜There,’ said Bethan, giving me a short tap on my knee. ‘That’s the best I can do out here. Let’s get you home and I can tidy you up proper.’
    She reached down, took my hand in hers and pulled me up from the kerb.
    â€˜Thanks, Ant,’ said Ade, with a small nod and a manly pat to my back. ‘I owe you one. He fought Gwyn Williams off me!’ he shouted to the kids still clustering round. ‘Did you see him? Did you see?’
    I pulled my wellington back on and let Bethan steer me homewards. My head was hung low, despite the cries of my heroics scattering behind me. I had fought Gwyn Williams and lost. Again.
    â€˜Look at you,’ Bethan said, stuffing the bloodied hanky back into her gas mask box. ‘Fighting again. Father won’t be pleased. If that eye comes up with a shiner, there’ll be no hiding it from him.’
    â€˜I’m already in trouble with Father,’ I said, rubbing blood from my nose with the back of my hand. ‘I went underground. I’ll get a leathering for it when he gets back.’
    â€˜Sorry?’ said Bethan, stopping in her tracks and staring at me. ‘You went underground? How did you manage that?’
    â€˜Alf Davies took me. And then he asked me to say hello to you.’
    â€˜Bloody cheek!’ Bethan rolled her eyes and gave a long sigh. ‘Alf Davies. You stay away from Alf Davies. He’s a bad influence. Took you underground? Of all the irresponsible …’
    I looked up at her, my eyes brimming with tears. I’d managed not to cry in front of the others, but now, as our front door loomed, I felt the weight of the trouble I was in.
    â€˜Shall I tell you something to cheer you up? It’s secret, mind, so no blabbing,’ said Bethan, fixing me with her green eyes.
    â€˜What secret?’ I said, rubbing at my eye with my sleeve.
    She leant down and held her mouth close to my ear. ‘The Americans are coming.’ She straightened and shot me a wink.
    â€˜Where?’ I said, looking up at her. ‘To here? To Treherbert?’
    â€˜Maybe,’ she said, hooking her gas mask box back into the crook of her left elbow. ‘They’re coming to Porthcawl and then they’ll be stationed all over. We were told today. They’re being billeted. But it’s top secret, mind. So no loose lips.’
    â€˜Why are they coming? Are the Germans invading Wales?’
    â€˜Hope not!’ snorted Bethan, pushing open our front door. ‘Can you imagine Emrys if he was ever face-to-face with an actual German? He’d eat him. Eat him all up!’ She dropped her gas mask box over the banister and grabbed me suddenly about my waist and shook me. ‘Eat him up! Eat him up!’
    â€˜Get off!’ I laughed, trying to push her off.
    Bethan stood back up and put her hands on her hips. ‘You’re a good boy, Ant. Looking after Ade.’ She stared down at me, smiling, and ran her fingers through