Read Online Dancing in the Dark by Maureen Lee - Free Book Online Page B

calling on Josie Driver who’d been off sick and Mr Fritz wanted to know how she was, which had been all she could think of when Martha demanded to know where she was going.
    When she arrived Tommy was already there. He was standing outside the gates, “whistling, wearing a dark blue suit that looked a bit too big, a white and blue striped shirt with a high stiff collar, and a grey tie. A slightly more respectable tweed cap was set at the same jaunty angle on the back of his curly head. The mere sight of the swaggering, audacious figure made Flo feel quite faint.
    “There you are!” He smiled. “You’re late. I was worried you might have changed your mind.”
    The thought had never entered her head. She smiled nervously and said, “Hello.”
    “You look nice,” he said appreciatively. “Green suits you. It sets off your eyes. That was the first thing I noticed when I came into the laundry, those green eyes.
    I bet you have stacks of fellers chasing after you.”
    “Not exactly,” Flo mumbled.
    “In that case, the fellers round here must be mad!”
    When he linked her arm Flo could smell a mixture of strong tobacco and carbolic soap. She got the peculiar feeling in her tummy again as they began to stroll through the park, though the Mystery was more like a playing-field: a vast expanse of grass surrounded by trees. The Liverpool-to-London railway line ran along one side.
    The trees were bursting into life, ready for summer, and pale sunlight filtered through the branches, making dappled patterns on the green grass underneath.
    Without any prompting, Tommy briefly told her the story of his life. He’d been born in Ireland, in the county of Limerick, and had come to Liverpool ten years ago when he was twenty. “I’ve got fourteen brothers and sisters, half of ‘em still at home. I send me mam a few bob when I’ve got it to spare.’
    Flo said she thought that very generous. She asked where he worked.
    “I’m a fitter at Cammell Laird’s in Birkenhead,” he said boastfully. “You should see this ship we’re building at the moment. It’s a T-class submarine, the Thetis. Guess how much it’s costing?”
    She confessed she had absolutely no idea.
    “Three hundred thousand smackeroos!”
    “Three hundred thousand!” Flo gasped. “Is it made of gold or something?”
    He laughed and squeezed her arm. “No, but it’s the very latest design. You should see the instruments in the conning tower! And it’s got ten torpedo tubes. I don’t envy any German ships that come near the Thetis if there’s a war.”
    “There won’t be a war,” Flo said stubbornly.
    “That’s what women always say.” He chuckled.
    She realised he’d omitted to tell her about one important aspect of his life—his wife. There was silence for a while, except for his whistling, as they strolled across the grass and the April sun began to disappear behind the trees.
    Perhaps Tommy had read her thoughts, because he said suddenly, “I should have told you this before, Flo.
    I’m married.”
    “I know,” Flo said.
    He raised his finely drawn eyebrows in surprise. “Who told you?”
    “A woman at work, Olive Knott. She lives in the next street to you.”
    “Does she now.” He made a face. “I’m surprised you came, knowing, like.”
    Flo wasn’t in the least surprised: she’d have come even if she’d been told he had ten wives.
    They’d arrived at the other side of the Mystery and emerged into Gainsborough Road. Tommy steered her inside the first pub they came to. “What would you like to drink?” he asked.
    “I’ve no idea.” The only alcohol that ever crossed Flo’s lips was a small glass of sherry at Christmas.
    “I’ll get you a port and lemon. That’s what women usually like.”
    The pub was crowded. Flo glanced round when Tommy went to be served, worried someone might recognise her, but there were no familiar faces. She noticed that quite a few women were eyeing Tommy up and down as he waited at the bar,