an eye on me kids, I’ll stop here and help yer mum have a clean-up.’
Alice nodded but her eyes were mesmerised by the sight of her white-faced sister lying on a bed of blood. Alice found Lucy still on the mattress where she’d left her. It looked as though she’d cried herself out. Now her little eyelids were drooping and she was hiccoughing past the thumb in her mouth. Quickly Alice stooped to gather her up and take her with her next door.
The two women worked together in silence, rolling Sophy gently to one side so they could remove the soiled wadding stuck beneath her hips.
‘I’ll set water ter boil, and get the bath in from out back,’ Margaret said gruffly and received just a nod from Tilly in response. When Margaret returned with the tin hipbath she collected together the soiled sheets and rags. ‘Washin’ or throwin’? she asked bluntly.
‘Washin’,’ Tilly replied roughly.
‘I’ll set ’em to soak then get the copper alight out the back ‘n’ get started,’ Margaret said.
‘I wasn’t pregnant, after all, Mum,’ Sophy stirred to murmur, her drained features displaying a mingling of surprise and relief.
Tilly’s eyes were drawn to the purplish mess in the tin bowl. ‘That’s good then,’ she said gruffly after a long pause. ‘I’ll just get rid o’ this. Won’t be long.’ She picked up the bowl and went down into the back yard where Margaret was getting the washing copper organised. The two women exchanged a long look as Tilly proceeded towards the privy. She opened the door of the filthy brick shit house and tipped the contents of the bowl down the toilet and yanked the chain.
Tilly’s eyes closed just for a moment before she turned and went back inside to fill the bath and help Sophy into it. A moment later she came back out to see Margaret vigorously plunging the washing dolly on the sheets in the copper.
‘Thanks,’ she said curtly.
‘Least I can do,’ Margaret said, equally brusque.
‘Yeah … there’s that to it,’ Tilly said and, turning about, went back inside.
‘Would you do us a favour, Geoff?’
Geoff frowned. He’d emerged in to the street and found Alice still dawdling on the pavement. Moments ago he’d been gulping down his cup of tea while watching her from a window and wondering what was up with her. She’d been pacing restlessly back and forth, frowning and chewing on a thumbnail.
He hadn’t been expecting her to stop him and ask him to help with whatever was troubling her. The Keivers didn’t give the Lovats the time of day and, as far as he knew, hadn’t done so since the almighty ruckus that’d occurred between their families after Danny had got Sophy up the duff. Although, to be fair, he and Alice hadn’t ever fallen out, and would acknowledge each other if they were passing in the street. Whenever he saw her approaching he always hoped she might stop and say a few words rather than walk on by with a gruff mutter or a nod. A couple of times he’d been on the point of putting himself in her way and inviting her to have a bite to eat at the café. But the moment always came and went and took with it his courage. Only once when he turned to look at her did he catch her out looking right back at him. Geoff had known from the day he’d hauled her off fat Louisa’s back that he liked Alice and instinctively he had protected her rather than see her get hurt.
‘What sort of favour?’ Geoff asked. ‘I’m back off to work. Only come home for me dinner.’
‘Won’t take long.’
‘What’s up, then?’ Geoff asked, mildly curious.
‘Are you going Thane Villas way?’ Alice wheedled and looked appealingly at him. He was as tall as his brother Danny although, at nearly fourteen and a half, he was over a year younger. She was sure he’d manage to do what she wanted. Then it was up to her to do better than stutter a stupid excuse for showing up late.
‘Could do, I suppose,’ Geoff casually replied. ‘What’s up?’ he repeated.
‘Nothing really,’ Alice said, quite nonchalant. ‘Just want you to get something for me. I can’t reach it ’cos I’m not tall enough.’
Geoff frowned and shrugged. ‘Alright. But better get going or I’ll be late back.’
‘Where are you working now?’ Alice asked conversationally as they walked briskly along.
‘Got a job in a gents’ outfitters, round in Hornsey Road. Milligan’s, d’you know it?’
Alice hoisted her dark brows. She was impressed. ‘That’s a good place. Good pay, is it?’ she enquired.
‘Nah!’ Geoff grunted a laugh. ‘But it has … perks … if y’know what I mean.’
Alice slid him an old-fashioned look. ‘You’ll regret it, y’know, if you get caught out doing something daft. Milligan’s is good gear and far too rich for me dad’s pocket, so he told me.’
‘That’s why I ain’t getting caught out doing something daft,’ Geoff returned dryly. ‘Ol’ man Milligan ain’t a bad old stick. So I ain’t taking the piss out of him like I could if I really put me mind to it.’
‘Bet Danny’s pleased you got the job,’ Alice said as they marched on towards Thane Villas.
It was as though the hiatus in their fledgling friendship had never occurred. They had fallen back, straight away, into a comfortable camaraderie.
‘’Spect him and your dad get a few nice bits.’ Alice ran an eye over Geoff’s neat appearance. He obviously did alright for clothes himself out of his job. Perhaps he got a staff discount because it would be really dumb in the brainbox to pinch stuff then wear it to work. And Alice reckoned that Geoff wasn’t stupid at all.
‘Me dad ain’t exactly suited to snappy dressing,’ Geoff observed sourly. ‘As for Dan, I ain’t doing him no favours. Me ‘n’ ’im fell out.’ He looked off into the distance.
‘You had a bust-up over something?’ Alice squinted up at his averted face.
‘Sort of …’
Alice continued gazing up at him enquiringly.
‘Weren’t right what he did to your sister.’ Geoff plunged his hands into his pockets after giving his verdict.
Alice blushed.
‘No … not that,’ Geoff said with a grin. ‘That’s up to her. She never accused him of nuthin’.’ He paused. ‘Weren’t right the way he tried to weasel out of it. He should’ve stood up to me mum ‘n’ dad and said he’d get wed to her. I know he’s right upset about it all, and feels guilty at what he’s done.’ He frowned as he explained, ‘Dan just wants to get some money and get away from here, ’fore he gets tied down with a family, and I can understand how he feels. But it still ain’t right giving your own kid away. I don’t reckon so anyhow.’
‘No need to worry now,’ Alice mumbled reflexively, a pink stain lingering in her cheeks. It was the first time she’d discussed
