perhaps.’
‘I will,’ said Thelma, ‘and then I’ll bring it back to yours.’
That was a week ago, and now the suitcase was back. She undid the fasteners and lifted the lid. May’s dresses had gone, but some smaller clothes were in their place. There was a man’s pullover and a couple of skirts she didn’t recognize, but there was also a blouse she was sure she’d seen Norah Granger wearing on the day of the outing, when she’d helped Dr Palmer onto the coach. Ruby tugged at the pretty scarf, which had come from Cousin Lily. She had really liked it when she’d put it into the suitcase, but nobody had taken it out. When she’d put in the dress that she’d bought at the second-handshop, she hadn’t taken anything for herself, so Ruby took it for herself now. With the scarf around her neck, she closed the case. It was time to pass it on to Florrie Dart.
‘What do you mean, you were given half a day off?’ Her father was incredulous. ‘What – just for pulling that old man into the coach?’
‘And another two and sixpence in my wage packet,’ said Ruby.
Her mother gave her a hug. ‘Oh, Ruby, that’s wonderful. Well done.’
Percy clapped her on the shoulder. ‘Good on you, Sis,’ he grinned. ‘Do that a few more times and you’ll be a rich woman.’
May stayed where she was, with her elbows on the table and her head resting on her left hand. ‘Will you buy me some sweeties when you get paid?’
They had just eaten their tea. When Ruby got back from Florrie’s place, she had gone straight up to the room she shared with May. She’d put her Post Office book in the wardrobe, right at the back, in an old handbag she never used. It was her secret. She wasn’t going to tell anyone about it; but, after their meal, she had to explain why she wasn’t going back to Warnes to turn the beds down.
Her father stood up and, for one glorious moment, Ruby actually thought he was going to give her a hug, but instead he went to the hearth and picked up hisfisherman’s boots. Sitting back in his chair, he pulled them on.
‘What gets me,’ he began, ‘is that you didn’t even do it yourself. It was Cecil and Albert Longman who did all the work. Where’s their reward then, eh?’
‘Couldn’t you – just for once – say something nice to Ruby?’ Percy demanded.
‘It’s all right for you, swanning around with your extra two and sixpence and a half-day off,’ said Nelson, ignoring his son, ‘but some of us work hard for a living.’
‘I work hard too, Father,’ Ruby bristled.
Her father grunted. ‘Coming, boy?’
‘Trust you to go spoiling things,’ said Percy. ‘You miserable old devil.’
Their father leapt to his feet, his eyes blazing and his arm raised.
‘Don’t you dare lay a hand on me,’ said Percy coldly. ‘Hit me and it’ll be the last thing you do.’
‘You should learn some respect,’ Nelson spat. He began to unbuckle his trouser belt. In an attitude of defiance, Percy stood slowly to his feet, his eyes fixed on his father’s face.
Ruby pulled on her brother’s arm to stop him. ‘Percy, don’t.’
‘Respect is something you earn,’ Percy retorted.
‘Nelson, please,’ cried Bea, standing between them.
‘If he hits me again, Mother, I swear I’ll walk out of that door and never come back.’
‘Don’t tempt me,’ said Nelson, lowering his arm. ‘Getyour boots on. The tide is on the turn.’ He looked away and the atmosphere in the room became less charged.
Reluctantly Percy went to get his boots. Nelson swung round and looked at Ruby. ‘And you can give that two and sixpence to your mother,’ he said. ‘It’s about time you paid your way in this house.’
Ruby’s face flushed.
‘Be fair, Nelson,’ said Bea. ‘It’s Ruby’s money. If she hadn’t seen Dr Palmer and made Cecil stop the coach, nobody would have been any the wiser.’
‘Did anyone ask your opinion?’ Nelson demanded. Bea cowed. ‘No. Then keep your nose out of
‘I will,’ said Thelma, ‘and then I’ll bring it back to yours.’
That was a week ago, and now the suitcase was back. She undid the fasteners and lifted the lid. May’s dresses had gone, but some smaller clothes were in their place. There was a man’s pullover and a couple of skirts she didn’t recognize, but there was also a blouse she was sure she’d seen Norah Granger wearing on the day of the outing, when she’d helped Dr Palmer onto the coach. Ruby tugged at the pretty scarf, which had come from Cousin Lily. She had really liked it when she’d put it into the suitcase, but nobody had taken it out. When she’d put in the dress that she’d bought at the second-handshop, she hadn’t taken anything for herself, so Ruby took it for herself now. With the scarf around her neck, she closed the case. It was time to pass it on to Florrie Dart.
‘What do you mean, you were given half a day off?’ Her father was incredulous. ‘What – just for pulling that old man into the coach?’
‘And another two and sixpence in my wage packet,’ said Ruby.
Her mother gave her a hug. ‘Oh, Ruby, that’s wonderful. Well done.’
Percy clapped her on the shoulder. ‘Good on you, Sis,’ he grinned. ‘Do that a few more times and you’ll be a rich woman.’
May stayed where she was, with her elbows on the table and her head resting on her left hand. ‘Will you buy me some sweeties when you get paid?’
They had just eaten their tea. When Ruby got back from Florrie’s place, she had gone straight up to the room she shared with May. She’d put her Post Office book in the wardrobe, right at the back, in an old handbag she never used. It was her secret. She wasn’t going to tell anyone about it; but, after their meal, she had to explain why she wasn’t going back to Warnes to turn the beds down.
Her father stood up and, for one glorious moment, Ruby actually thought he was going to give her a hug, but instead he went to the hearth and picked up hisfisherman’s boots. Sitting back in his chair, he pulled them on.
‘What gets me,’ he began, ‘is that you didn’t even do it yourself. It was Cecil and Albert Longman who did all the work. Where’s their reward then, eh?’
‘Couldn’t you – just for once – say something nice to Ruby?’ Percy demanded.
‘It’s all right for you, swanning around with your extra two and sixpence and a half-day off,’ said Nelson, ignoring his son, ‘but some of us work hard for a living.’
‘I work hard too, Father,’ Ruby bristled.
Her father grunted. ‘Coming, boy?’
‘Trust you to go spoiling things,’ said Percy. ‘You miserable old devil.’
Their father leapt to his feet, his eyes blazing and his arm raised.
‘Don’t you dare lay a hand on me,’ said Percy coldly. ‘Hit me and it’ll be the last thing you do.’
‘You should learn some respect,’ Nelson spat. He began to unbuckle his trouser belt. In an attitude of defiance, Percy stood slowly to his feet, his eyes fixed on his father’s face.
Ruby pulled on her brother’s arm to stop him. ‘Percy, don’t.’
‘Respect is something you earn,’ Percy retorted.
‘Nelson, please,’ cried Bea, standing between them.
‘If he hits me again, Mother, I swear I’ll walk out of that door and never come back.’
‘Don’t tempt me,’ said Nelson, lowering his arm. ‘Getyour boots on. The tide is on the turn.’ He looked away and the atmosphere in the room became less charged.
Reluctantly Percy went to get his boots. Nelson swung round and looked at Ruby. ‘And you can give that two and sixpence to your mother,’ he said. ‘It’s about time you paid your way in this house.’
Ruby’s face flushed.
‘Be fair, Nelson,’ said Bea. ‘It’s Ruby’s money. If she hadn’t seen Dr Palmer and made Cecil stop the coach, nobody would have been any the wiser.’
‘Did anyone ask your opinion?’ Nelson demanded. Bea cowed. ‘No. Then keep your nose out of
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