Read Online One Blue Moon by Catrin Collier - Free Book Online Page B

my class in Maesycoed seniors in arithmetic,’ she interrupted brightly.
    ‘You’d have to dress the part.’
    ‘I have a white blouse and black skirt.’ She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping she could squeeze herself into Maud’s blouse.
    ‘I suppose I could give you a try.’ He scratched the top of his balding head doubtfully.
    ‘I promise you won’t be sorry, Mr Springer.’
    He looked hard at Tina, who was standing next to the counter studying the pictures of shoes drawn on the side of the boxes.
    ‘I only came back to Pontypridd today,’ Diana explained, following his glance. ‘My friend offered to help me look for a job.’
    ‘She’s not looking for work herself, then?’
    ‘She works in Ronconi’s café.’ Diana didn’t elaborate on Tina’s family connections.
    ‘I’ll give you a trial. One week, starting Monday morning. Seven sharp,’ he warned. ‘I like the shop clean and tidy before it opens.’
    ‘And the wages?’ she ventured boldly.
    ‘Six shillings a week.’
    Diana swallowed hard, only just managing to contain her indignation. ‘That won’t even pay for my board and lodging,’ she said quietly.
    ‘Then your mam will have to cut corners.’
    ‘I don’t live with my mam. I have lodgings to pay for.’
    ‘And I have overheads. I can get any number of girls to work for that money,’ he replied testily.
    She hesitated.
    ‘Tell you what,’ he said airily. ‘We’ll leave it at that for the week’s trial. If it works out, we’ll talk about your wages again.’
    ‘I was getting seven and six and my keep in the Infirmary,’ Diana protested.
    ‘I might go as high as seven shillings, if you prove to me that you’re worth it.’
    ‘It’s a long way short of seven and six and my keep.’
    ‘If you liked the Infirmary so much, why did you leave?’
    ‘You will discuss a pay rise at the end of the week?’
    ‘Are you going to turn up on Monday morning or not?’ He was beginning to regret talking to this girl. Her outward appearance of youth and naivety had proved deceptive, and the last thing he needed was another forceful woman in his life. One Beatrice was enough.
    Diana took a deep breath. She knew she wasn’t going to find anything better, at least not before Monday morning. ‘I’ll be here,’ she conceded with as good a grace as she could muster.
    ‘Six days a week. Seven to half-past six, except Thursdays. It’s half-day and we close at one, but sometimes I’ll need you for stocktaking. There’s no dinner break, but if you bring sandwiches you can eat them in the back when it’s quiet.’
    ‘Thank you.’ She wasn’t quite sure what she was thanking him for.
    ‘Black skirt and white blouse, mind you!’
    ‘Yes sir,’ Diana replied meekly. She had a feeling that her training in the shop business had just begun.

Chapter Five
    ‘You’re not really going to work for him, are you?’ Tina asked as they picked their way through the gritty puddles that filled the pot-holes in Taff Street. ‘He’s an old lech.’
    ‘Beggars can’t be choosers.’ Diana tossed back Tina’s own words. Not even the prospect of being closeted in Springer’s shop with Ben Springer and his funny looks could dampen her spirits. Monday morning was the whole of Sunday away. And there was nothing to stop her from continuing to look for something better. It would turn up. She had succeeded in finding one job when she’d been assured there was nothing about. And everyone knew it was easier to get a position when you were already in work. She’d ask Will, Charlie, Haydn and Ronnie to keep a look-out. Between them they virtually covered the whole town. Somewhere there’d be work that paid more. There had to be. The sum total of her savings amounted to just over five pounds, and that wouldn’t last long with her aunt wanting at least seven shillings and sixpence a week to cover her keep. But she had a foot in the commercial door of Pontypridd. It was a start. The only way