Read Online Across the Mersey by Annie Groves - Free Book Online Page A

Grace asked.
    ‘Only that she’s working hard and that there’s a lot of sunshine. But then she’s never been one to say very much, unless it’s to make a bit of a joke of things. Oh, that’s your dad and Luke back, and they’ll be wanting their teas. Go and call the twins in for us, will you, love?’
    ‘Teatime, you two. And you’d better make sure you eat it otherwise you’ll get me into trouble,’ Grace warned her siblings, ‘and then I won’t bring you any more biscuits.’
    ‘Aww, Grace.’ Sasha pulled a face whilst Lou giggled and demanded, ‘Look at this, Grace,’ and then licked one of the iced gems and stuck it on her face. ‘If I go to school like this do you think Miss Richards will send me home sick?’
    ‘More like she’ll keep you behind and have you writing out lines,’ Grace warned her, grimacing when Louise removed the biscuit and sucked the icing off before eating the biscuit base.
    ‘Come on, and don’t forget to wash your hands.’
    ‘What’s this about you telling folk we’re on the breadline?’
    Jean frowned at the grim note in Sam’s voice. It was rare for him to get angry with his children, especially Grace, who had always been such an eager-to-please girl, but Jean could see that he was angry now.
    Grace put down her knife and fork, her stomach tensing. ‘I never said that, Dad.’
    Ignoring her, Sam continued, ‘Captain Allen came to see me today. He said as how Sister Harris had told him she’d recommended that you should train as a nurse but that you’d said that your dad was too poor to pay for your training.’
    Jean looked anxiously from her husband’s face to her daughter’s.
    Grace flushed and bit her lip, tears welling inher eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Dad; I didn’t mean to do anything wrong, but—’
    ‘Well, you can go back and tell her that I’ve said you’d no business talking to her about our private family business.’
    ‘I’m sure Grace didn’t mean any harm, Sam,’ Jean tried to intercede.
    ‘Mebbe not, but she’s caused plenty.’
    Pushing back her chair, Grace stood up, demanding shakily, ‘Well, what was I supposed to say? You’ve always told us we’ve got to tell the truth and with Sister Harris saying that she was going to put me forward for training …’
    Unable to finish her sentence, Grace turned and ran out of the room and up the stairs in tears.
    Everyone round the table had gone silent.
    Sam pushed away his plate. ‘I’m going to the allotment.’
    ‘All right, you two, no leaving this table until you’ve finished your teas,’ Jean told the twins, smiling gratefully at Luke as he continued to eat.
    She had to wait until Luke had gone out to his ARP meeting and the twins were back outside in the garden before she could go up to Grace.
    ‘I’m sorry, Mum,’ Grace apologised tearfully, ‘but I was that taken by surprise when Sister Harris said about me training as a nurse.’
    ‘I understand, love, and so I’m sure does your dad really, but men have their pride, you know, especially your dad.’
    ‘I was going to tell you about it before tea … I wish that I had now,’ Grace admitted.
    ‘Well, then, in future you’ll know better, won’t you? Now dry your eyes and come downstairs and do the washing up for me, will you? I’ve got to go out.’
    Grace tried not to look surprised. Her mother never went out in the evening unless it was to pop round to see a neighbour.
    Jean stood watching Sam for a few seconds. He had his back to her, bending over his spade as he turned over the soil, his movements sure and steady.
    On the raspberry canes at the far end of the neat allotment the fruit was beginning to ripen. In front of the raspberries, cloches covered a neat line of cucumbers. In the small greenhouse were the tomatoes that were Sam’s pride and joy, and alongside the greenhouse the immaculately tended beds filled with lettuce, radish and the like.
    Nearly half the allotment was given over to Sam’s potatoes, and the