just like to know a bit more about her.’
‘Why?’
Ruby shrugged.
‘It’s this going to work that has started to put strange ideas in your head. What sort of women work there?’
‘They’re all right.’
‘Well, all the time Beth helps out, I’m happy. And she’s good for your father, the way she sits and talks to him. I tell you I’ve seen a big change in him since her and Danny arrived, so don’t you go upsetting the boat.’
‘I ain’t gonner.’ Although Ruby liked Beth, it seemed the rest of the family did even more. Was she deep down getting a little jealous at Beth being so popular - and home all day?
On Christmas Eve Ruby had arranged to go with Elsie to the market when they finished work at four. The women were overjoyed at being let off early. It was a cold, dark, miserable, dreary afternoon as they wandered along the streets but when they turned the corner they found the market was alive, busy and exciting. Women were hurrying home, carrying as much produce as their money allowed them to buy. The stallholders had decorated their stalls with sprigs of holly and were shouting about their wares, all trying to make themselves heard above their competitors. The bright light from the naphtha flares swayed in the breeze. The butcher in his striped apron and boater hat stood outside with his boy selling the feathered birds that filled the front of his shop, taking them down with his long hook as he sold them to the highest bidder.
Elsie nodded towards the butcher. ‘Look at the size of some of them turkeys.’
‘They’d feed us for months,’ laughed Ruby.
‘Me dad said he’ll be down later. We’re gonner have a chicken, he’ll be almost giving ’em away be then. Are you having a chicken?’
‘No, me mum’s got a bit of pork.’
‘That’ll be nice.’
Ruby would have liked chicken, but that was a luxury and her mother’s money wouldn’t stretch to that. She knew that whatever they had it would have to be the cheapest cut with Mr Cox getting the best bit. Why didn’t he get them a chicken? After all, he was willing to share whatever they had. Fortunately, most days he would bring in something for her mother to cook and he’d have that upstairs on his own. Everybody knew he owned the house: he’d inherited it from his father, so the gossips said.
‘Ruby, I was talking to you.’
‘Sorry, I was miles away. What was you saying?’
‘Let’s move on to the haberdashery stall.’
‘Whatever you want.’
‘I love the smell of those spices,’ said Elsie as they passed the grocer’s.
Ruby giggled and rubbed her nose. ‘They make my nose tickle.’ Ruby was so happy she wanted to sing and dance along the street. She’d saved a few shillings and now she was going to spend them. She hadn’t bought Christmas presents for years. Everybody was going to get something, including Milly in the dairy. Although it was cold she was like a child, warm with excitement. She pushed and elbowed her way from stall to stall picking up a handkerchief for Milly, a box of pencils and a writing book for Tom. The penny bone teething ring she bought for Danny had been well chewed by the previous owner. She even bought a pair of second-hand, black lace garters that she noticed Elsie had been admiring.
‘Here, take this,’ she said, thrusting them in her hand.
‘I can’t take these.’
Ruby’s mouth turned down. ‘Why not? I saw you looking at them.’
‘I know. But I was only looking. Oh Ruby, I’m so sorry. I’m so thoughtless. They’re lovely.’
‘I would have liked to wrap them in pretty paper, but I didn’t get time, and I ain’t gonner see you till Boxing Day when we go back to work.’
Elsie threw her arms round Ruby, almost knocking her hat off. ‘You’re such a funny little thing.’
‘I ain’t that little. I’m as big as you.’
‘But not as old or as streetwise.’
‘You ain’t that much older than me.’
‘Ruby, don’t get upset. You’re a lovely
‘Why?’
Ruby shrugged.
‘It’s this going to work that has started to put strange ideas in your head. What sort of women work there?’
‘They’re all right.’
‘Well, all the time Beth helps out, I’m happy. And she’s good for your father, the way she sits and talks to him. I tell you I’ve seen a big change in him since her and Danny arrived, so don’t you go upsetting the boat.’
‘I ain’t gonner.’ Although Ruby liked Beth, it seemed the rest of the family did even more. Was she deep down getting a little jealous at Beth being so popular - and home all day?
On Christmas Eve Ruby had arranged to go with Elsie to the market when they finished work at four. The women were overjoyed at being let off early. It was a cold, dark, miserable, dreary afternoon as they wandered along the streets but when they turned the corner they found the market was alive, busy and exciting. Women were hurrying home, carrying as much produce as their money allowed them to buy. The stallholders had decorated their stalls with sprigs of holly and were shouting about their wares, all trying to make themselves heard above their competitors. The bright light from the naphtha flares swayed in the breeze. The butcher in his striped apron and boater hat stood outside with his boy selling the feathered birds that filled the front of his shop, taking them down with his long hook as he sold them to the highest bidder.
Elsie nodded towards the butcher. ‘Look at the size of some of them turkeys.’
‘They’d feed us for months,’ laughed Ruby.
‘Me dad said he’ll be down later. We’re gonner have a chicken, he’ll be almost giving ’em away be then. Are you having a chicken?’
‘No, me mum’s got a bit of pork.’
‘That’ll be nice.’
Ruby would have liked chicken, but that was a luxury and her mother’s money wouldn’t stretch to that. She knew that whatever they had it would have to be the cheapest cut with Mr Cox getting the best bit. Why didn’t he get them a chicken? After all, he was willing to share whatever they had. Fortunately, most days he would bring in something for her mother to cook and he’d have that upstairs on his own. Everybody knew he owned the house: he’d inherited it from his father, so the gossips said.
‘Ruby, I was talking to you.’
‘Sorry, I was miles away. What was you saying?’
‘Let’s move on to the haberdashery stall.’
‘Whatever you want.’
‘I love the smell of those spices,’ said Elsie as they passed the grocer’s.
Ruby giggled and rubbed her nose. ‘They make my nose tickle.’ Ruby was so happy she wanted to sing and dance along the street. She’d saved a few shillings and now she was going to spend them. She hadn’t bought Christmas presents for years. Everybody was going to get something, including Milly in the dairy. Although it was cold she was like a child, warm with excitement. She pushed and elbowed her way from stall to stall picking up a handkerchief for Milly, a box of pencils and a writing book for Tom. The penny bone teething ring she bought for Danny had been well chewed by the previous owner. She even bought a pair of second-hand, black lace garters that she noticed Elsie had been admiring.
‘Here, take this,’ she said, thrusting them in her hand.
‘I can’t take these.’
Ruby’s mouth turned down. ‘Why not? I saw you looking at them.’
‘I know. But I was only looking. Oh Ruby, I’m so sorry. I’m so thoughtless. They’re lovely.’
‘I would have liked to wrap them in pretty paper, but I didn’t get time, and I ain’t gonner see you till Boxing Day when we go back to work.’
Elsie threw her arms round Ruby, almost knocking her hat off. ‘You’re such a funny little thing.’
‘I ain’t that little. I’m as big as you.’
‘But not as old or as streetwise.’
‘You ain’t that much older than me.’
‘Ruby, don’t get upset. You’re a lovely
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