bestowed a glittering smile on Bernadette and left.
‘So, you’ve got to find a new tenant for upstairs,’ Bernie said.
‘I’ve already got one. The teacher taking over Miss Caddick’s class at St James’s is taking over the flat as well. Nell Greene, her name is, with an “e” on the end. I take it she’s a “miss”. She comes from London.’
‘What’s she like?’
‘Dunno, I haven’t seen her. It was all arranged by letter.’
Bernadette worriedly regarded her hair. ‘Does this look too boyish? And I don’t like the look of me ears.’
‘Peter Pan was a boy, so it’s bound to. As for your ears, I’ll give them a trim if you like.’
‘You say the nicest things. Albert’ll have a fit tonight when he sees it. We’re going to Reece’s to a dance.’
‘Albert Eley hasn’t got the strength to have a fit. And I’m surprised he can dance, if you must know.’
Bernadette pretended to look angry, then her face collapsed in a loud sigh. ‘He’ll probably not even notice me hair or me new dress. He’s a good dancer, though. He had lessons in some place in Spellow Lane.’
‘Tap-dancing? Like Daisy O’Leary?’
‘’Course not, idiot.’ She giggled. ‘Ballroom dancing. He went with his mam.’
‘I don’t know what you see in him,’ Alice said bluntly. Albert Eley was a bachelor of forty who lived in Byron Street with his mother. He was the most uninteresting man she had ever known.
Bernie shrugged. ‘He’s company. At least he’s never tried anything on.’
‘Only because he wouldn’t know how. Seriously, Bernie. You’re only thirty-seven, you’re still dead pretty. There must be loads of men out there who’d be an improvement on Albert Eley.’
‘Until I met Albert, I never came across a single onewho didn’t want to jump into bed with me within the first five minutes. He’s easy to be with, very polite, free with his money. The only thing that gets me down is him going on and on about his bloody mother. It’s mam this and mam that until I could scream.’ Bernie giggled. ‘Anyroad,
you’re
only thirty-seven and still dead pretty. There’s a few men around who’d be an improvement on John Lacey.’
‘Shush!’ Alice put her finger to her lips and nodded towards the kitchen where her daughter could be heard washing dishes. ‘Me and John get on fine nowadays.’
‘Not all that fine,’ Bernie said in a hoarse whisper. ‘He still sleeps in the parlour. The kids must have guessed there’s something up by now.’
‘They think it’s his back, he ricked it and he has to sleep on his own.’
‘A likely story!’
‘It
is
a story, Bernie, and as long as the kids believe it, that’s all that matters. Anyroad, it doesn’t bother me, not much. I’ve got used to it by now.’ She gave her friend a little shove. ‘Stop trying to make me miserable. I love having me own salon. I’m dead happy, even if things aren’t exactly perfect at home. Now shove off and make yourself beautiful for Albert. Oh, and by the way, when you come to Christmas dinner tomorrer, try not to rile me dad. All you two ever do is argue.’
Bernadette opened the door. ‘Tell him not to rile me,’ she said pertly before closing it.
‘Phew!’ Alice locked the door and collapsed in a chair. ‘It’s been a day and a half, today has. Have you nearly finished, Fion?’ she called. ‘It’s time us two went home.’
‘I’ve only got to dry the dishes, Mam.’
‘Just leave them on the draining board to dry themselves.’
Someone tried the door. ‘We’re closed,’ Aliceshouted, but the person banged on the glass. ‘Oh, Lord,’ she groaned. ‘It’s only your Auntie Cora.’
‘Tell her to sod off, Mam.’
‘Don’t be silly, luv.’
‘I’ve just come to wish you Merry Christmas and discuss the lease,’ Cora said when Alice reluctantly let her in. Her light skin was becoming sallow and her colourless hair was scraped back in its usual sparse bun. She wore an unflattering
‘So, you’ve got to find a new tenant for upstairs,’ Bernie said.
‘I’ve already got one. The teacher taking over Miss Caddick’s class at St James’s is taking over the flat as well. Nell Greene, her name is, with an “e” on the end. I take it she’s a “miss”. She comes from London.’
‘What’s she like?’
‘Dunno, I haven’t seen her. It was all arranged by letter.’
Bernadette worriedly regarded her hair. ‘Does this look too boyish? And I don’t like the look of me ears.’
‘Peter Pan was a boy, so it’s bound to. As for your ears, I’ll give them a trim if you like.’
‘You say the nicest things. Albert’ll have a fit tonight when he sees it. We’re going to Reece’s to a dance.’
‘Albert Eley hasn’t got the strength to have a fit. And I’m surprised he can dance, if you must know.’
Bernadette pretended to look angry, then her face collapsed in a loud sigh. ‘He’ll probably not even notice me hair or me new dress. He’s a good dancer, though. He had lessons in some place in Spellow Lane.’
‘Tap-dancing? Like Daisy O’Leary?’
‘’Course not, idiot.’ She giggled. ‘Ballroom dancing. He went with his mam.’
‘I don’t know what you see in him,’ Alice said bluntly. Albert Eley was a bachelor of forty who lived in Byron Street with his mother. He was the most uninteresting man she had ever known.
Bernie shrugged. ‘He’s company. At least he’s never tried anything on.’
‘Only because he wouldn’t know how. Seriously, Bernie. You’re only thirty-seven, you’re still dead pretty. There must be loads of men out there who’d be an improvement on Albert Eley.’
‘Until I met Albert, I never came across a single onewho didn’t want to jump into bed with me within the first five minutes. He’s easy to be with, very polite, free with his money. The only thing that gets me down is him going on and on about his bloody mother. It’s mam this and mam that until I could scream.’ Bernie giggled. ‘Anyroad,
you’re
only thirty-seven and still dead pretty. There’s a few men around who’d be an improvement on John Lacey.’
‘Shush!’ Alice put her finger to her lips and nodded towards the kitchen where her daughter could be heard washing dishes. ‘Me and John get on fine nowadays.’
‘Not all that fine,’ Bernie said in a hoarse whisper. ‘He still sleeps in the parlour. The kids must have guessed there’s something up by now.’
‘They think it’s his back, he ricked it and he has to sleep on his own.’
‘A likely story!’
‘It
is
a story, Bernie, and as long as the kids believe it, that’s all that matters. Anyroad, it doesn’t bother me, not much. I’ve got used to it by now.’ She gave her friend a little shove. ‘Stop trying to make me miserable. I love having me own salon. I’m dead happy, even if things aren’t exactly perfect at home. Now shove off and make yourself beautiful for Albert. Oh, and by the way, when you come to Christmas dinner tomorrer, try not to rile me dad. All you two ever do is argue.’
Bernadette opened the door. ‘Tell him not to rile me,’ she said pertly before closing it.
‘Phew!’ Alice locked the door and collapsed in a chair. ‘It’s been a day and a half, today has. Have you nearly finished, Fion?’ she called. ‘It’s time us two went home.’
‘I’ve only got to dry the dishes, Mam.’
‘Just leave them on the draining board to dry themselves.’
Someone tried the door. ‘We’re closed,’ Aliceshouted, but the person banged on the glass. ‘Oh, Lord,’ she groaned. ‘It’s only your Auntie Cora.’
‘Tell her to sod off, Mam.’
‘Don’t be silly, luv.’
‘I’ve just come to wish you Merry Christmas and discuss the lease,’ Cora said when Alice reluctantly let her in. Her light skin was becoming sallow and her colourless hair was scraped back in its usual sparse bun. She wore an unflattering
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