Read Online Beyond a Misty Shore by Lyn Andrews - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lyn Andrews
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down at her. She was a very attractive young woman, he thought. Not as strikingly lovely as her younger sister but more what people called a ‘classical’ beauty.
‘What do you do now, for a job?’ Sophie asked. She’d noticed the overalls beneath his jacket.
‘I’m a joiner. I’d just finished serving my time when war broke out.’
They had finally reached Lizzie’s house and Sophie stopped. ‘Here we are. Thank you, Frank, for helping me and . . . and I’ve enjoyed talking to you.’
‘I’ve enjoyed your company too, Sophie.’ He hesitated a little. ‘I walk home from the tram each night about this time. Maybe I’ll see you again?’
‘Perhaps, Frank. Well, goodnight.’
Reluctantly he turned away and crossed the road, feeling more miserable and frustrated than ever. He liked Sophie Teare very much and he made up his mind to try to see her again as she walked home. He’d even wait by the tram stop for her.
‘In the name of God, what happened to you?’ Lizzie cried as Sophie came into the kitchen. Sophie was relieved to see that Bella and Emily were sitting at the table, heads bent over a book.
‘I fell over some bricks on the bombsite. I saw some kids and thought these two were with them. They were building a bonfire for Guy Fawkes’ Night.’
Lizzie tutted. ‘Sit down while I find the Dettol. We’d better clean those grazes or they’ll turn septic.’
Sophie nodded. ‘I’d sooner have a cup of tea first, Aunty Lizzie.’
‘You’ll not get much sewing done tonight with those hands,’ Maria commented, examining the palms of her sister’s hands.
‘I won’t have to if you and Katie can finish tacking Bella’s dress. I can get it machined in my break tomorrow. I managed to get most of Aunty Lizzie’s and yours done today. Do you think you can manage the hems? These cuts should be much better by tomorrow.’
Maria nodded. ‘We’re well on the way to having them ready by Bonfire Night. I hope it won’t be really freezing, I don’t want to have to wear a cardigan or worse still a jacket over mine. I’ve seen a lovely pair of earrings at work that will set it off and they don’t cost a small fortune.’
‘Those glittery black ones we were looking at today?’ Katie queried. They’d spent their lunch break searching for cheap but smart accessories. Maria’s dress was of scarlet material (what kind neither of them was really sure), and hers was of emerald green and royal blue check. They were two colours that Maria said really suited her and she was delighted with it, even though it wasn’t quite finished.
Maria nodded. ‘I’ll put my hair up, that way it might not go too frizzy.’
‘It’s never frizzy! It’s always gorgeous,’ Katie enthused, wishing her own hair curled like her cousin’s. Maybe Maria would put her hair up for her; she had a way with things like that.
‘Will the pair of you give poor Sophie a few minutes’ peace, for heaven’s sake! Maria, get her a cup of tea while I see to these cuts and Katie, you’d better start dishing out that scouse, your da and John will be in any minute now. Emily, luv, I think it’s time you went home for your tea too. Yourmam won’t be very happy if she has to keep it warm for you,’ Lizzie instructed as she bustled about with the Dettol and a pad of cotton wool.
Sophie sipped her tea thankfully and said no more. She had the distinct feeling that she shouldn’t mention Frank Ryan or the fact that he’d helped her up and walked home with her.
Chapter Six
O VER THE NEXT COUPLE of weeks Sophie walked home with Frank Ryan most nights. If she was a little later leaving work she found him waiting patiently in the cold for her to alight from the tram. He was pleasant and she found it easy to talk to him; her liking for him grew steadily.
They talked mainly about her. He asked her all about the island, her childhood, what life had been like before and during the war and in turn he told about growing up here in
‘What do you do now, for a job?’ Sophie asked. She’d noticed the overalls beneath his jacket.
‘I’m a joiner. I’d just finished serving my time when war broke out.’
They had finally reached Lizzie’s house and Sophie stopped. ‘Here we are. Thank you, Frank, for helping me and . . . and I’ve enjoyed talking to you.’
‘I’ve enjoyed your company too, Sophie.’ He hesitated a little. ‘I walk home from the tram each night about this time. Maybe I’ll see you again?’
‘Perhaps, Frank. Well, goodnight.’
Reluctantly he turned away and crossed the road, feeling more miserable and frustrated than ever. He liked Sophie Teare very much and he made up his mind to try to see her again as she walked home. He’d even wait by the tram stop for her.
‘In the name of God, what happened to you?’ Lizzie cried as Sophie came into the kitchen. Sophie was relieved to see that Bella and Emily were sitting at the table, heads bent over a book.
‘I fell over some bricks on the bombsite. I saw some kids and thought these two were with them. They were building a bonfire for Guy Fawkes’ Night.’
Lizzie tutted. ‘Sit down while I find the Dettol. We’d better clean those grazes or they’ll turn septic.’
Sophie nodded. ‘I’d sooner have a cup of tea first, Aunty Lizzie.’
‘You’ll not get much sewing done tonight with those hands,’ Maria commented, examining the palms of her sister’s hands.
‘I won’t have to if you and Katie can finish tacking Bella’s dress. I can get it machined in my break tomorrow. I managed to get most of Aunty Lizzie’s and yours done today. Do you think you can manage the hems? These cuts should be much better by tomorrow.’
Maria nodded. ‘We’re well on the way to having them ready by Bonfire Night. I hope it won’t be really freezing, I don’t want to have to wear a cardigan or worse still a jacket over mine. I’ve seen a lovely pair of earrings at work that will set it off and they don’t cost a small fortune.’
‘Those glittery black ones we were looking at today?’ Katie queried. They’d spent their lunch break searching for cheap but smart accessories. Maria’s dress was of scarlet material (what kind neither of them was really sure), and hers was of emerald green and royal blue check. They were two colours that Maria said really suited her and she was delighted with it, even though it wasn’t quite finished.
Maria nodded. ‘I’ll put my hair up, that way it might not go too frizzy.’
‘It’s never frizzy! It’s always gorgeous,’ Katie enthused, wishing her own hair curled like her cousin’s. Maybe Maria would put her hair up for her; she had a way with things like that.
‘Will the pair of you give poor Sophie a few minutes’ peace, for heaven’s sake! Maria, get her a cup of tea while I see to these cuts and Katie, you’d better start dishing out that scouse, your da and John will be in any minute now. Emily, luv, I think it’s time you went home for your tea too. Yourmam won’t be very happy if she has to keep it warm for you,’ Lizzie instructed as she bustled about with the Dettol and a pad of cotton wool.
Sophie sipped her tea thankfully and said no more. She had the distinct feeling that she shouldn’t mention Frank Ryan or the fact that he’d helped her up and walked home with her.
Chapter Six
O VER THE NEXT COUPLE of weeks Sophie walked home with Frank Ryan most nights. If she was a little later leaving work she found him waiting patiently in the cold for her to alight from the tram. He was pleasant and she found it easy to talk to him; her liking for him grew steadily.
They talked mainly about her. He asked her all about the island, her childhood, what life had been like before and during the war and in turn he told about growing up here in
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