watched her walk away, and he felt sad. But at least he knew she delivered letters daily to somewhere in the vicinity, and his father was always in need of cigars. He would see her again, he had to. She had affected his heart and his mind like no other girl. And he needed to find out why.
Chapter Six
David was in the kitchen talking to his mother when they heard the key in the door. He hurried through the living room and was in the hall when his sister closed the front door. ‘Where have you been till this time, Poppy? Our mam’s been worried to death. She wanted me to go out looking for you, but I wouldn’t have known where to start. She had you under the wheels of a bus, and other things just as dramatic.’ He took his sister’s coat and hung it up. ‘Where have you been?’
‘I’ll tell you when we’re sitting down. I’m not going to tell it twice over.’ Poppy patted his cheek, then pulled a face. ‘You need a shave, brother. I nearly cut me hand on yer stubble. It’s easy to see yer haven’t got a hot date tonight.’
Eva’s voice came through from the kitchen. ‘It’s sausage and mash tonight, so sit yerselves down and I’ll bring the dinners in. Oh, David, get the HP Sauce out of the sideboard, save you getting up once we’re settled.’
When they were seated, brother and sister next to each other and their mother facing, Eva picked up her knife and fork and cut into a sausage. ‘Well, sweetheart, are yer going to tell us why ye’re so late? You had me worried to death.’
‘Let’s start on our dinner first, before it goes cold. Ten minutes isn’t long to wait, and I hope you’ll be happy with what I’ve got to tell you. Surprised and happy.’
David finished his dinner first, and as he carried his plate out he said, ‘I’ll put the kettle on for a pot of tea, Mam, then when the tea’s made I’ll fill it again to wash the dishes. You stay where you are and finish your dinner in peace.’
Finally, dishes were washed, the white tablecloth had been shaken in the yard, and a maroon chenille cloth now covered the table. ‘I’ve sugared the tea, Mam, so all you and Poppy have got to do is drink it. I’ve spoiled yer tonight, but don’t expect it all the time.’
‘Your effort has been much appreciated, son, and now if you can manage to stay quiet for a few minutes, we can hear what Poppy has to say. Go on, sweetheart, tell us what you’ve been up to.’
‘It’s a long story, so it’s a good job we’d all planned a night in. Anyway, I’ll start by saying that on the bus going to work this morning, I finally grew up.’ When Poppy saw her mother about to speak, she put up a hand and said, ‘No, Mam, let me get it off me chest, then yer can ask me anything yer want. What started me off was that ruddy raincoat, and my need for a decent winter coat. And you, Mam, you need one just as much as me. Anyway, I got to thinking that if I had stuck to that shorthand course when I was sixteen, life would be much easier now. I’d have a better job as a secretary, earning a good wage. As it is, typists are two a penny and I’ll never get anywhere in life.’ Poppy’s laugh held little humour. ‘I made up my mind that it wasn’t too late to start again. I’m still only nineteen. And if I had any misgivings, they soon disappeared when my boss gave me two letters to hand-deliver to another firm in Old Hall Street. I’ve been a messenger for three years, but today was the final straw. I haven’t given me notice in or anything, ’cos I can’t afford to. But when I got off the bus tonight, I went straight to the school where they have nightclasses, and I’ve signed up for a course, starting next Monday night. Two nights a week, Monday and Thursday, and it’s a three-month course.’ She faced her mother. ‘I’ll stick to it this time, Mam, I promise. You were right, I was wrong.’
Eva and her son exchanged glances. This didn’t sound a bit like their Poppy, the beautiful girl who
Chapter Six
David was in the kitchen talking to his mother when they heard the key in the door. He hurried through the living room and was in the hall when his sister closed the front door. ‘Where have you been till this time, Poppy? Our mam’s been worried to death. She wanted me to go out looking for you, but I wouldn’t have known where to start. She had you under the wheels of a bus, and other things just as dramatic.’ He took his sister’s coat and hung it up. ‘Where have you been?’
‘I’ll tell you when we’re sitting down. I’m not going to tell it twice over.’ Poppy patted his cheek, then pulled a face. ‘You need a shave, brother. I nearly cut me hand on yer stubble. It’s easy to see yer haven’t got a hot date tonight.’
Eva’s voice came through from the kitchen. ‘It’s sausage and mash tonight, so sit yerselves down and I’ll bring the dinners in. Oh, David, get the HP Sauce out of the sideboard, save you getting up once we’re settled.’
When they were seated, brother and sister next to each other and their mother facing, Eva picked up her knife and fork and cut into a sausage. ‘Well, sweetheart, are yer going to tell us why ye’re so late? You had me worried to death.’
‘Let’s start on our dinner first, before it goes cold. Ten minutes isn’t long to wait, and I hope you’ll be happy with what I’ve got to tell you. Surprised and happy.’
David finished his dinner first, and as he carried his plate out he said, ‘I’ll put the kettle on for a pot of tea, Mam, then when the tea’s made I’ll fill it again to wash the dishes. You stay where you are and finish your dinner in peace.’
Finally, dishes were washed, the white tablecloth had been shaken in the yard, and a maroon chenille cloth now covered the table. ‘I’ve sugared the tea, Mam, so all you and Poppy have got to do is drink it. I’ve spoiled yer tonight, but don’t expect it all the time.’
‘Your effort has been much appreciated, son, and now if you can manage to stay quiet for a few minutes, we can hear what Poppy has to say. Go on, sweetheart, tell us what you’ve been up to.’
‘It’s a long story, so it’s a good job we’d all planned a night in. Anyway, I’ll start by saying that on the bus going to work this morning, I finally grew up.’ When Poppy saw her mother about to speak, she put up a hand and said, ‘No, Mam, let me get it off me chest, then yer can ask me anything yer want. What started me off was that ruddy raincoat, and my need for a decent winter coat. And you, Mam, you need one just as much as me. Anyway, I got to thinking that if I had stuck to that shorthand course when I was sixteen, life would be much easier now. I’d have a better job as a secretary, earning a good wage. As it is, typists are two a penny and I’ll never get anywhere in life.’ Poppy’s laugh held little humour. ‘I made up my mind that it wasn’t too late to start again. I’m still only nineteen. And if I had any misgivings, they soon disappeared when my boss gave me two letters to hand-deliver to another firm in Old Hall Street. I’ve been a messenger for three years, but today was the final straw. I haven’t given me notice in or anything, ’cos I can’t afford to. But when I got off the bus tonight, I went straight to the school where they have nightclasses, and I’ve signed up for a course, starting next Monday night. Two nights a week, Monday and Thursday, and it’s a three-month course.’ She faced her mother. ‘I’ll stick to it this time, Mam, I promise. You were right, I was wrong.’
Eva and her son exchanged glances. This didn’t sound a bit like their Poppy, the beautiful girl who
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