Across the Mersey - Annie Groves [15]
Reluctantly Grace nodded. ‘But that was years ago,’ she told him, ‘and I dare say she only did it because Auntie Vi can get so cross.’
‘A leopard doesn’t change its spots,’ Luke insisted.
Grace looked up at her elder brother, her heart filling with pride. Luke might tease her sometimes and pretend that having three younger sisters was a nuisance but Grace knew how protective of them all he was.
‘You’re the best brother in the world, do you know that?’ she told him, hugging his arm.
‘You won’t be saying that when everyone’s calling me a coward for not joining up. If Dad has his way I won’t even get to do my six months’ training. He’ll have me straight in the Salvage Corps and on reserved occupation duties,’ Luke told her angrily.
‘That’s because he wants to keep you safe. Dad lost his older brother in the last war,’ Grace reminded him.
‘But that should be my decision, Grace, not Dad’s,’ said Luke fiercely. ‘And, anyway, it will be a different war this time. Everyone says so.’
They had drawn level with a lorry being unloaded opposite a small school. Grace glanced semi-curiously at the activity and then froze before turning to look beseechingly at Luke, hoping he would tell her that she had mistaken what she had just seen, but instead he told her grimly, ‘They’re unloading cardboard coffins. They were telling us at the ARP class tonight that the Government has given orders that emergency mortuaries are to be set up and stocked with them, just in case.’
‘Here’s that cousin of yours.’
Susan’s whisper, accompanied by a sharp nudge in the ribs, had Grace straightening from picking up a stray thread from the carpet and turning to see Bella coming towards her. She was wearing a pretty pale blue linen summer dress and jacket, and a neat little hat trimmed with white flower petals.
‘Oh, there you are, Grace, good,’ Bella announced, immediately sitting down on one of the chaises, and then crossing one slim leg over the other. ‘Oh, no, just look at that dirty smudge on my sandals.’ She bent down and kicked off her sandal. ‘Take it somewhere and clean it off for me, will you, Grace? I’m meeting Alan in ten minutes and I don’t want him seeing me looking all grubby.’
Grace was just about to pick up the sandal when Susan said in a loud voice, whilst grimacing warningly at her, ‘Grace, don’t forget that the manageress said you were to go and pack up that frock for Mrs Lynsey ready for tonight’s post, will you?’
Grace, who knew perfectly well that she had no such task and that Susan had made it up because she did not approve of her cousin expecting her to clean her shoes, hesitated.
Bella said irritably, ‘Hurry up, do, Grace. I haven’t got all day.’
‘We don’t clean shoes here, love,’ Susan informed her, obviously unable to hold back her irritation any longer. ‘You want to tek them sandals down to the shoe department if they need cleaning, although if you was to ask me a bit of spit on your hanky would do the job just as well.’
In different circumstances the look of outrage on Bella’s face would have made Grace laugh aloud, but Bella had a spiteful side to her and Grace felt alarmed on Susan’s behalf when she saw the narrow-eyed glare Bella was giving her friend.
‘It doesn’t show, Bella, and I don’t think for one minute that Alan will notice it, not when he’s got you to look at,’ Grace flattered her.
Bella preened and tossed her head. ‘I’m sure you’re right, Grace, but of course one wants to look one’s best. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I just wanted to have a word with you about Saturday night.’
‘If it’s been cancelled because of what’s happening—’ Grace began, trying not to sound disappointed.
‘Cancelled? Of course it hasn’t! It’s the big dance of the season. How could it possibly be cancelled? No, what I’ve come in for is to tell you that I want you to make sure that you keep this cousin of Alan’s occupied