Across the Mersey - Annie Groves [16]
She looked down at her left hand meaningfully, and then jumped up from her seat exclaiming, ‘Oh, is that the time? Alan will wonder where on earth I am. It’s lucky that my boss was called away after lunch otherwise I might not have been able to sneak out when Alan rang to say he wanted to see me. I only just had time to ring Mummy and tell her that I’ll be bringing Alan home to tea with me. Now remember, Grace, I don’t want you showing me up, so for heaven’s sake wear something decent. Oh, yes, and Mummy said to tell you that it makes much more sense for you to go home instead of staying overnight.’
As soon as Bella had left the salon, Susan told Grace firmly, ‘You’ve got to borrow that green dress, and put that ruddy madam of a cousin of yours in her place. Snotty piece.’
‘Susan …’ Grace protested weakly.
‘Well, she is and you know it. If I was you I’d refuse to go to her ruddy Tennis Club dance.’
Grace sighed. The truth was that now, after seeing Bella, her initial excitement had quite gone and she was wishing that she could get out of going, whilst knowing that she could not. If she tried, then Auntie Vi would get on to her own mother and that just wouldn’t be fair.
‘Who’s this Alan she was going on about, then?’ Susan asked.
‘His name is Alan Parker,’ Grace explained. ‘He’s the son of a councillor that Uncle Edwin has got friendly with.’
‘A councillor, eh? There’s posh then.’ Susan pulled an unkind face. ‘Your Bella is obviously expectin’ to get a proposal and a ring out of him come Saturday, and I reckon that she won’t be too fussy about how she gets them.’
‘A lot of couples are getting engaged on account of what’s happening with Germany,’ Grace pointed out, trying not to show how uncomfortable Susan’s assessment of her cousin was making her feel.
Susan was the closest to her age amongst those working in the Gown Salon. Grace liked her and had welcomed Susan’s overtures of friendship when she had first come to work there. She had quickly discovered that Susan was intensely loyal to those she cared about, but she was also extremely forthright and could be blunt to the point of unkindness.
‘Mebbe so,’ Susan allowed. ‘But I reckon that if that cousin of yours gets engaged it will be because it suits her and not because her chap is going off to war. She’s that kind. And if you can’t see that then that’s because you’re too soft-natured for your own good.’
‘I know what you’re saying,’ Grace admitted. ‘But there is another side to Bella. Look how kind she’s been, inviting me to this dance.’
‘Kind? Huh, not her. She’ll have some reason for doing it that suits her, you wait and see,’ Susan prophesied darkly. ‘Anyway, after the way she’s just bin looking down her nose at us, I reckon there’s all the more reason for you to borrow that green silk frock. Show her a thing of two, that would. It’s obvious she reckons she’s the bee’s knees. Well, put you in that frock and it won’t be the only thing around wot’s green, I can tell you that. She’ll be choking on her jealousy.’
‘Susan!’ Grace felt bound to protest.
‘It’s the truth. Twice as pretty as her, you are, or at least you could be. Only you can’t see it.’
Bella smiled smugly as she surveyed her own reflection in the mirror of Lewis’s powder room. She had just finished reapplying her new ‘Paris Pink’ lipstick, her skin was creamily flawless, thanks to a fluff of Yardley face powder, and she had dabbed plenty of Ma Griffe scent on her wrists and her handkerchief before leaving home.
No one seeing both her and Grace in the Gown Salon five minutes ago would ever have guessed that they were cousins. Grace looked so drab and plain in her white blouse and black skirt, and with her hair tied back and only the merest hint of lipstick. Bella knew her cousin would be the perfect foil for her own beauty on Saturday night. There was nothing like a plain