Free Beyond a Misty Shore by Lyn Andrews Page A

subject.
    ‘It’s for her own good, Jim. She’ll get talked about, you know what people are like.’
    ‘Sophie is no fool, Lizzie. She’s fully aware that he’s a married man.’
    ‘And look what he’s married
to
! I don’t want her being associated in any way with that lot, she’s a decent girl.’
    Jim had sighed. ‘I’ll have a word with her, Lizzie, but we can’t stop her just talking to him on the way home.’
    ‘I wish you would, Jim, she might take notice of you and she’s got to think of Maria’s reputation too. We don’t want people gossiping and speculating about either of them.’
    Jim had pointed out to Sophie that people had begun to talk.
    She had expected it; she’d seen the curtains twitching. ‘But I just chat to him, Uncle Jim, I know full well he’s married. He’s lonely; everyone shuns him, even his own mother, and his life is far from easy.’
    ‘I agree, Sophie, but the women around here do gossip,’ he replied.
    ‘Then it’s a pity they haven’t got more to occupy themthan to be criticising me for just being
friendly
! I think he’s a nice, decent man who just made a mistake.’
    He’d nodded. She’d hit the nail exactly on the head but her attitude wouldn’t please either his wife or Martha Ryan.
    Fortunately for Sophie both women were becoming fully occupied with the preparations for the forthcoming party and Sophie herself was desperately trying to finish the last new dress, which was her own, so the matter wasn’t referred to again.
    Despite the rationing, tins of corned beef, Spam, pears and even pineapple chunks materialised, which had been acquired either from the departing American troops or from a broken crate on the dockside. Such damaged goods had always been regarded as the dockers’
    ‘perks’ and the foremen and the dock police usually turned a blind eye, unless greed took over and the thefts became too large and too blatantly obvious to ignore.
    The red, white and blue bunting was got out again and strung up, and the Caldwell girls, with the help of Katie and Maria, had made a huge banner with the words ‘Welcome Home Our Brave Boys’ in black letters, which was also hung across the street. All the younger children were terribly excited and ran up and down the road and in and out of everyone’s houses until they were chased out by their mothers with dire threats of ‘no cake or jelly unless you behave’.
    Bella was particularly over-excited for not only had she never been to such a big party before but she had a new dress too, and Aunty Maria had bought her a length of red velvetribbon for her hair. It matched her dress, which was by far the nicest she’d ever had. Mam had unpicked one of scarlet velvet that she’d bought in a second-hand shop; the frock was unsuitable but she’d said the material was perfect and of good quality and had made a dress for her from it. It had long sleeves with lacy cuffs so she wouldn’t be cold, a white lace collar, a full skirt and a wide sash. Emily had said she’d never seen anything as grand in her life. Bella would look like a princess, she’d said enviously. Mam had polished her black shoes until they shone and the red ribbon matched the dress perfectly.
    ‘Will you keep still, Bella, while I tie this bow,’ Sophie instructed firmly as she struggled with her daughter’s long curls, but she was pleased with the results of her efforts. Bella looked a picture. The dress was lovely and the colour suited her.
    ‘I’d tie that ribbon really tight or she’ll have lost it by the end of the night, Sophie,’ Lizzie advised as she bustled about the kitchen, resplendent in the russet-brown dress trimmed with cream braid that Jim said made her look years younger. She, too, was delighted with the way the dress had turned out. She felt very smart and quite elegant, especially as Maria had lent her a pair of clip-on earrings and had done her hair in a very flattering style. ‘Bella, if you’re ready, queen, go up