an artist when I grow up – just like Joy.’
Joy, Maddie’s sister, being born on the same day as Lily was also looking forward to leaving the primary school behind but in her case she was going to the secondary section of the High School and not changing schools like Lily. Lily would soon leave Rosebank School behind and move on to Rockwell School.
As usual, Atholl Street was full of people and they were all enjoying the warm sunshine. I couldn’t but help notice the change in the atmosphere in the street. Although all the young men were away fighting in the war, the remaining families were now all in jobs and there was a more prosperous feel to the area. Kit and her family were certainly better off. George was still working at the foundry while Patty was doing an apprenticeship at the Caledon Shipyard. Kit still looked after Kitty while Kathleen went to work. When we arrived, Kit seemed so pleased to see us.
‘Lily, would you like to take Kitty for a walk?’ she asked.
I got the impression Lily would rather have stayed and listened to the gossip but she took the little girl’s hand.
‘Don’t go too far, Lily – just up the street and back,’ said Kit.
I was now beginning to be really worried – first the unusual letter and now the request to get Lily and Kitty out of the house. I looked at her. ‘What’s the matter? Is there anything wrong, Kit?’
Kit looked harassed as she put the kettle on. ‘Och, it’s Kathleen.’
‘What’s wrong with her?’
She ran her hand through her hair, making it stand up on end. I had noticed on my last trip that she had cut her hair short and it suited her.
‘Kathleen’s left her job at Hunter’s Store, Ann.’
I was bewildered. Surely leaving a job wasn’t the end of the world. Maybe it had been during the long years of the depression but not now. I said so.
‘No, it’s not that. It’s just the new job she’s got that’s the worry.’
By now, I was totally perplexed. Why did Kathleen’s new job warrant an urgent letter?
Kit placed my cup of tea on the table and gave me a worried look. ‘She’s got a new job with that photographer chappie who took Maddie and Danny’s wedding photos. You must remember him? He’s got a posh studio on the Perth Road.’
‘But surely that’s a good move, Kit – a step up in her life? Is she learning the photography side or is she a receptionist?’
Kit’s eyes slid away from me and her cheeks reddened. ‘Well, she is a receptionist. She takes bookings that come in but that’s not all.’ Kit stopped and gazed painfully at me, deciding whether to continue while I stayed silent. ‘No. She also does modelling work for him. It’s all high-class stuff but it’s still modelling.’ She made it sound like a dirty word.
I said, ‘Surely it’ll just be facial photographs he’s taking.’
‘She says it is but you know what a bad name some of these pictures get – you know … if she’s hardly got any clothes on.’
I could see Kit was on the verge of tears and I tried to reassure her. ‘He’s a very high-class photographer, Kit, and, if Kathleen tells you it’s all above board, then you have to believe her. She is a beautiful girl after all and he’s probably struck with her lovely face.’
Kit looked relieved. ‘That’s what he said when he came here to offer her the job and I don’t think Kathleen would tell lies.’
I was puzzled. ‘So you’ve met him, Kit.’
She nodded. ‘He’s very professional and he seems like a nice man but Maggie is going on and on about it.’
Maggie, I might have known – Sammy Malloy’s mother.
‘She’s going on and on about how Sammy will react when he comes home from the prisoner of war camp. She says he’ll go mad if he finds out his wife is a nude model.’
I almost burst out laughing but stopped when I saw how distressed Kit was. I was also annoyed at Maggie. Did she think her precious Sammy was ever going to get back with Kathleen after the beating he
Joy, Maddie’s sister, being born on the same day as Lily was also looking forward to leaving the primary school behind but in her case she was going to the secondary section of the High School and not changing schools like Lily. Lily would soon leave Rosebank School behind and move on to Rockwell School.
As usual, Atholl Street was full of people and they were all enjoying the warm sunshine. I couldn’t but help notice the change in the atmosphere in the street. Although all the young men were away fighting in the war, the remaining families were now all in jobs and there was a more prosperous feel to the area. Kit and her family were certainly better off. George was still working at the foundry while Patty was doing an apprenticeship at the Caledon Shipyard. Kit still looked after Kitty while Kathleen went to work. When we arrived, Kit seemed so pleased to see us.
‘Lily, would you like to take Kitty for a walk?’ she asked.
I got the impression Lily would rather have stayed and listened to the gossip but she took the little girl’s hand.
‘Don’t go too far, Lily – just up the street and back,’ said Kit.
I was now beginning to be really worried – first the unusual letter and now the request to get Lily and Kitty out of the house. I looked at her. ‘What’s the matter? Is there anything wrong, Kit?’
Kit looked harassed as she put the kettle on. ‘Och, it’s Kathleen.’
‘What’s wrong with her?’
She ran her hand through her hair, making it stand up on end. I had noticed on my last trip that she had cut her hair short and it suited her.
‘Kathleen’s left her job at Hunter’s Store, Ann.’
I was bewildered. Surely leaving a job wasn’t the end of the world. Maybe it had been during the long years of the depression but not now. I said so.
‘No, it’s not that. It’s just the new job she’s got that’s the worry.’
By now, I was totally perplexed. Why did Kathleen’s new job warrant an urgent letter?
Kit placed my cup of tea on the table and gave me a worried look. ‘She’s got a new job with that photographer chappie who took Maddie and Danny’s wedding photos. You must remember him? He’s got a posh studio on the Perth Road.’
‘But surely that’s a good move, Kit – a step up in her life? Is she learning the photography side or is she a receptionist?’
Kit’s eyes slid away from me and her cheeks reddened. ‘Well, she is a receptionist. She takes bookings that come in but that’s not all.’ Kit stopped and gazed painfully at me, deciding whether to continue while I stayed silent. ‘No. She also does modelling work for him. It’s all high-class stuff but it’s still modelling.’ She made it sound like a dirty word.
I said, ‘Surely it’ll just be facial photographs he’s taking.’
‘She says it is but you know what a bad name some of these pictures get – you know … if she’s hardly got any clothes on.’
I could see Kit was on the verge of tears and I tried to reassure her. ‘He’s a very high-class photographer, Kit, and, if Kathleen tells you it’s all above board, then you have to believe her. She is a beautiful girl after all and he’s probably struck with her lovely face.’
Kit looked relieved. ‘That’s what he said when he came here to offer her the job and I don’t think Kathleen would tell lies.’
I was puzzled. ‘So you’ve met him, Kit.’
She nodded. ‘He’s very professional and he seems like a nice man but Maggie is going on and on about it.’
Maggie, I might have known – Sammy Malloy’s mother.
‘She’s going on and on about how Sammy will react when he comes home from the prisoner of war camp. She says he’ll go mad if he finds out his wife is a nude model.’
I almost burst out laughing but stopped when I saw how distressed Kit was. I was also annoyed at Maggie. Did she think her precious Sammy was ever going to get back with Kathleen after the beating he
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