gave her before leaving for the army?
I told Kit this and her face darkened at the mention of the beating. She remembered the incident well.
Then, to speak of the devil, Maggie appeared. She looked as if she had been dragged from the kitchen as there was flour all down the front of her apron. She saw my eyes on it and she wiped some of it away with an impatient hand.
‘I’m just making doughboys to put in my mince.’ She looked at Kit. ‘Now have you managed to talk your lassie out of this job, Kit? It’s not the kind of thing we would want in our family.’
I was incensed. Her family consisted of men who regularly drank themselves into oblivion and daughters-in-law who were run down with pregnancies, money worries and men who treated them like drudges. Then I thought of Kathleen and despaired that she had ever married into this family – even although Kitty was on the way when she did. I thought how brave she was to get out of this never-ending struggle to make ends meet and, if her beauty helped her along the way, then so be it. But I stayed silent – after all, this wasn’t my affair.
Kit glared at Maggie. ‘Kathleen does have a mind of her own and, if she likes the job, then that’s fine by George and me.’
‘But modelling in the nude, Kit? Have you gone out of your mind?’
‘She’s not modelling in the nude, Maggie. It’s all professional facial shots and all very high-class work.’
Maggie snorted. It sounded like a steam train. ‘My man Mick was telling me that photos like that were seen during the last war and they were all taken by high-class photographers.’ Her thin face was pinched with annoyance at the thought of any photos of her daughter-in-law being touted around the army barracks. She stood up quickly. ‘Well, I cannae wait here any longer, Kit, because my doughboys will be like gold balls but I’ve said my piece about Kathleen and you know how we all feel.’
I thought Kit would explode but Maggie swept out of the house like a whirlwind to rescue her dinner.
‘Don’t let her bother you, Kit. I think Kathleen is right in making a step upwards for herself and for getting out of the clutches of the Malloys. Sammy is such a wee creep and I could never understand what Kathleen saw in him.’
For the first time since I arrived, Kit smiled. ‘Well, you have to admit he’s a handsome wee creep.’
I nodded. It would seem that good looks won every fair maiden – Kathleen included. But now she had the sense to make something of her life and not be bogged down with a husband who treated her like dirt, plus maybe a handful of children. There would be no escape then.
Lily and Kitty arrived back home. Both were laughing and Kit and I were glad of this lighter mood. Maggie’s appearance had put Kit under a cloud but now the cheerful chatter from the children made her smile. She looked more like the Kit I remembered – even with the grey strands that were now showing through her red hair.
I suddenly thought of Danny. How did he look now? I wondered. Still as handsome with his bright auburn hair? Or was he now a broken man? I sincerely hoped not.
Kit said, ‘I almost forgot, Ann. Ma wants to see you. She says to go round to her house. You know where it is? It’s in the same close as Lizzie and Belle.’
‘What does she want, Kit?’ I knew I sounded anxious but I couldn’t help it.
Kit shrugged her shoulders. ‘I don’t know, Ann. She knew you were coming here today so she asked me to tell you to pop round and see her.’
I left Lily with Kitty and set off down the street towards Ma Ryan’s close. Her single-roomed flat was on the ground floor which must have been a great help to her. Lizzie lived on the first landing while Belle had her head in the clouds on the third floor.
I was taken aback by the spruce appearance of the house. In spite of the lovely weather, a small fire was burning in the brightly black-leaded grate. All her brass ornaments were polished to a high
I told Kit this and her face darkened at the mention of the beating. She remembered the incident well.
Then, to speak of the devil, Maggie appeared. She looked as if she had been dragged from the kitchen as there was flour all down the front of her apron. She saw my eyes on it and she wiped some of it away with an impatient hand.
‘I’m just making doughboys to put in my mince.’ She looked at Kit. ‘Now have you managed to talk your lassie out of this job, Kit? It’s not the kind of thing we would want in our family.’
I was incensed. Her family consisted of men who regularly drank themselves into oblivion and daughters-in-law who were run down with pregnancies, money worries and men who treated them like drudges. Then I thought of Kathleen and despaired that she had ever married into this family – even although Kitty was on the way when she did. I thought how brave she was to get out of this never-ending struggle to make ends meet and, if her beauty helped her along the way, then so be it. But I stayed silent – after all, this wasn’t my affair.
Kit glared at Maggie. ‘Kathleen does have a mind of her own and, if she likes the job, then that’s fine by George and me.’
‘But modelling in the nude, Kit? Have you gone out of your mind?’
‘She’s not modelling in the nude, Maggie. It’s all professional facial shots and all very high-class work.’
Maggie snorted. It sounded like a steam train. ‘My man Mick was telling me that photos like that were seen during the last war and they were all taken by high-class photographers.’ Her thin face was pinched with annoyance at the thought of any photos of her daughter-in-law being touted around the army barracks. She stood up quickly. ‘Well, I cannae wait here any longer, Kit, because my doughboys will be like gold balls but I’ve said my piece about Kathleen and you know how we all feel.’
I thought Kit would explode but Maggie swept out of the house like a whirlwind to rescue her dinner.
‘Don’t let her bother you, Kit. I think Kathleen is right in making a step upwards for herself and for getting out of the clutches of the Malloys. Sammy is such a wee creep and I could never understand what Kathleen saw in him.’
For the first time since I arrived, Kit smiled. ‘Well, you have to admit he’s a handsome wee creep.’
I nodded. It would seem that good looks won every fair maiden – Kathleen included. But now she had the sense to make something of her life and not be bogged down with a husband who treated her like dirt, plus maybe a handful of children. There would be no escape then.
Lily and Kitty arrived back home. Both were laughing and Kit and I were glad of this lighter mood. Maggie’s appearance had put Kit under a cloud but now the cheerful chatter from the children made her smile. She looked more like the Kit I remembered – even with the grey strands that were now showing through her red hair.
I suddenly thought of Danny. How did he look now? I wondered. Still as handsome with his bright auburn hair? Or was he now a broken man? I sincerely hoped not.
Kit said, ‘I almost forgot, Ann. Ma wants to see you. She says to go round to her house. You know where it is? It’s in the same close as Lizzie and Belle.’
‘What does she want, Kit?’ I knew I sounded anxious but I couldn’t help it.
Kit shrugged her shoulders. ‘I don’t know, Ann. She knew you were coming here today so she asked me to tell you to pop round and see her.’
I left Lily with Kitty and set off down the street towards Ma Ryan’s close. Her single-roomed flat was on the ground floor which must have been a great help to her. Lizzie lived on the first landing while Belle had her head in the clouds on the third floor.
I was taken aback by the spruce appearance of the house. In spite of the lovely weather, a small fire was burning in the brightly black-leaded grate. All her brass ornaments were polished to a high
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