Missing

depends. I’m not at all sure what the final sum will be.’
    ‘Please let me know as soon as you have an idea. My daughter will not join in the selling, but naturally I’ll make a financial contribution.’
    Miss looked at Sibylla. She was focusing on the geography book in front of her. There are four rivers in Halland County . Then she heard how Miss tried her best.
    ‘But the children are so looking forward to the selling part. They think it’s really exciting.’
    ‘Quite so, but you mustn’t include Sibylla. Just tell me what would be appropriate and I’ll give you the money there and then. Don’t worry about that.’
    ‘You must realise that we took this initiative precisely so that parents shouldn’t have to pay extra for the school-trip.’
    Suddenly Beatrice Forsenström looked pleased. Sibylla understood that her mother had manipulated Miss into saying exactly what she had hoped to hear. Now Mrs Forsenström took the chance to express her precise views on the whole matter.
    Sibylla shut her eyes.
    ‘Nothing personal, but I must say it seems extraordinary that the school should make decisions of this nature without consulting all the parents. I don’t doubt that some of them thought this arrangement might be the best way to deal with their problems, but personally I prefer paying what’s due as and when. Just do remember in future that my husband and I wish to be informed of anything involving our daughter. And of course, we expect to be listened to before any venture is agreed.’
    Miss didn’t say any more after that.
    She had wanted to go selling with Erika. Miss had paired everybody off so that no one would go alone. Sibylla had been looking forward to it for a whole week. She heard her mother turn round and leave.
    The first protests came the moment the door slammed shut.

    ‘Miss. It isn’t fair if Sibbie is excused from selling.’
    ‘Miss. Can I go round with Susanne and Eva instead now?’
    Erika had sounded hopeful.
    Torbjörn who was sitting just in front of Sibylla turned round to her and said: ‘If you’ve got such a lot of money your mum could pay for the whole class to go on the trip.’
    She felt the tears burn behind her eyelids. There was nothing more hateful than suddenly being the target of everyone’s eyes.
    ‘Listen class, it’s time to take a break now.’
    The banging of chairs being pulled back. When Sibylla looked up again she was alone in the classroom. Only Miss was still there, standing behind her desk. She smiled wanly at Sibylla and sighed.
    Sibylla felt something running out of her nose. She had to sniff to stop it from dripping on the desk.
    ‘I’m really sorry, Sibylla. There’s nothing I can do.’
    Sibylla nodded and looked down again. The picture of the harbour fortress in Varberg became bubbly in two places when her eyes overflowed. Miss went over to her, putting her hand on Sibylla’s shoulder.
    ‘You can stay in this break, if you like.’

S he felt quite dopey when she woke up. Must have been a bad dream. Her throat was swollen and it hurt to swallow. The heater had gone out and there was no more paraffin. She reached for her boots. They were freezing. A raw chill was spreading from the boots up through her legs. She was already wearing her anorak.
    Lifting the hem of the curtain, she peered outside. The other allotments looked quiet and empty. She grabbed an apple on her way out and then opened the front door. It wasn’t raining any more but the sky was such a dark grey it seemed strange that light could penetrate it at all.
    The small garden had been neatly prepared for the winter months. The Johanssons had been very careful to follow recommendations in their gardening books. All dead plants had been cut back and put on the compost heap just inside the wooden fence. They had put fir branches over the borders, presumably where their most tender specimens were hidden during the winter.
    ‘Are you looking for somebody?’
    She started, turning quickly to see who had spoken. There was a man standing on the other side of the fence at a point outside the scanning range from her window. He was holding some cut branches.
    ‘Oops! You really made me jump!’
    He looked at her suspiciously and she couldn’t blame him. It was well known that the Eriksdal Park area was frequented by junkies.
    ‘Kurt and Birgit asked me to look after their cottage for a couple of weeks. They’re off to the Canaries.’
    She walked over to him and held out her