Read Online There'll Be Blue Skies by Ellie Dean - Free Book Online Page B

he’d informed her, he was old enough to sleep in his own bed like his new best friend Charlie.
    Sally luxuriated in being able to stretch out, to have the pillow to herself, and not be kicked and nudged throughout the night. She snuggled beneath the eiderdown ready for sleep – but it was too quiet, and she found herself listening for some sign that there was life in the streets below.
    Back in Bow she’d become used to hearing the men fighting outside the pub at closing time, and had learned to sleep through the neighbours’ screaming matches, the banging of doors and the thuds of heavy boots on wooden floorboards. Those sounds had been her lullaby since childhood, and now the silence seemed to creep in on her, making her wakeful and restless.
    Sally stared at the slither of moonlight that knifed across the ceiling from between the curtains, her thoughts on home and the life she’d left behind. The girls at the factory in Bow would be out on the town still, and looking forward to the weekend. She missed them, especially Ruby, and hoped she would find it easy to make friends with the girls in the factory down here. She wasn’t usually shy, and could stand up for herself, but as the new girl she would have to keep her head down and her mouth shut, until she’d worked out the order of things.
    Factory life had its hierarchy, just as everyday life did. The boss sat in his office high above the factory floor, his overseer marching back and forth along the lines of machines as he barked out the orders, and organised the cutters, packers and machinists. But the real power lay with the women who sat at their machines day after day, and although Sally had only been fourteen when she’d started working there, she’d quickly learned she must stand her ground, and prove herself if she was to survive that first week.
    There were always those who led, those who bullied and formed intimidating cliques, and those who simply faded into the background. Sally had firmly avoided getting roped into the sometimes malicious gossip, had learned to laugh at the smutty jokes she didn’t understand, and to get on with her work. For every item of underwear finished and passed earned her another few pennies.
    She experienced a flutter of nervous excitement as she thought about her new job. Goldman’s factory had once made underwear too but, according to her old boss, they had secured a licence to make uniforms. But the best news was that the wages were higher, set each week and not reliant upon how many garments were made. Not having to pay rent here, or give half her earnings to Florrie, would be her chance to save some money, rent her own machine and get her home dressmaking business up and running again.
    It had just started to flourish in Bow when she’d had to leave, and she hoped it wouldn’t be long before she could begin again, here, where people had more money. If successful, she could then look after Ernie and give him all he needed without having to rely on anyone else. With this pleasant thought, her eyelids fluttered and sleep began to claim her.
    ‘Sal? Sal, I don’t like it on my own. I’m cold.’
    Sally dragged herself awake and reached for him. ‘Come on, luv,’ she murmured. ‘It’s toasty warm in here with me.’ She lifted the bedclothes and he crept in beside her.
    But as she cuddled him close, she came fully awake. He was soaking wet.
    ‘Ernie,’ she whispered fiercely, as she frantically threw off the bedclothes and hauled him out of her bed before his sodden pyjamas could wet that too. ‘Oh, Ernie, no wonder you’re so cold.’
    ‘I’m sorry, Sal. I didn’t mean to.’ He clung to her, his legs wrapped round her waist, his face buried in her neck.
    ‘I know you didn’t, luv,’ she said, swiftly stripping off the borrowed pyjamas and bundling him in a towel. ‘Sit on the chair while I clean up. If you want to go again – then use the po.’ She pointed at the china chamber pot Mrs Reilly had placed