Free A Daughter's Disgrace by Kitty Neale

good or not. Would it take attention away from her? ‘We’ve got to get enough for Kathy’s dress as well so I ain’t sure if there will be enough …’
    ‘Don’t worry, I didn’t mean you’d have to fork out for another one,’ said Linda, helping herself to another sandwich. ‘I only meant if there were scraps left over we could make a bow or a ruffle or something like that. If it’s a problem then Terry will be happy to pay. He’s doing really well at the moment.’
    ‘That’s good,’ said Hazel, secretly seething that Terry was, yet again, such a success. She felt sure Linda was only saying it to emphasise how little Neville earned by comparison. That was so unfair – he couldn’t even join them for tea because he was doing extra shifts this weekend.
    ‘We’re lucky, I know,’ said Linda. ‘Not everyone is a good provider like my Terry.’
    ‘I’m sure we can manage something for June,’ Cora said. She’d love to see the girl be part of the proceedings. ‘Maybe a little waistcoat and hairband?’ She ruffled her granddaughter’s golden curls. ‘Blue or green would go with her colouring.’
    Hazel decided that having Linda, Kathy and now June as her attendants would make it less likely everyone would notice Alison so much. ‘You’re right, Mum,’ she said. ‘She’ll look gorgeous. Could you do that, June? Maybe hold a special bunch of flowers at my wedding?’
    June smiled happily, enjoying being the centre of attention.
    ‘How’s the new job, Alison?’ asked Linda. ‘What’s it like working for Fred?’
    ‘He’s been very kind,’ said Alison. ‘All the blood and stuff turned my stomach to start with but I’m getting used to it. I haven’t been sick for ages.’
    ‘For God’s sake, you never told us that,’ exclaimed Cora. She wondered that her daughter hadn’t been sacked on the spot. ‘You need to toughen up and fast, my girl. If his customers find out you’ve been throwing up round the back they’ll stop coming and then where will you be? Well, you’re used to being out of work, but think of poor Fred. You don’t want to ruin his business when he’s been so good as to help you out.’
    ‘I’m sure it’s hard to get used to it to start with,’ said Linda.
    ‘Big girl like you, being sick!’ Cora went on.
    ‘I just said, I haven’t done that for ages,’ protested Alison. ‘You should see what it’s like with all that dead meat in one place. The smell of it is disgusting. But I’m getting much better. Fred said so.’
    ‘I’m sure you are,’ said Linda. ‘I don’t know how I’d have managed. And you bring home ham like this, so there’s a bonus.’
    ‘Fred asked to be remembered to you,’ said Alison. ‘He’s been teaching me to cook as well. Says one of my lunches sets him up for the rest of the day.’
    ‘Sets him up for food poisoning more like,’ snapped Hazel. ‘Or have you suddenly improved? He’s too good to you by half.’
    ‘Maybe you’re practising to become a housewife,’ Linda gently teased. ‘Is there a boyfriend on the horizon you’ve been keeping quiet about?’
    ‘Of course not,’ said Alison, hoping she wasn’t going to blush. She realised she’d been blushing quite a lot since the visit to the ironmonger’s. ‘Don’t be daft. Who’d look at me?’
    ‘True,’ said Hazel at once.
    But you don’t know everything, thought Alison, not even tempted to rise to the bait this time. Someone has looked at me. And he seems really nice. What’s more, I’m going to make sure I see him tomorrow.
    Cheeky tyke, thought Cora, shooing the last of the paperboys out of the shop early on Monday morning. He’d had the nerve to ask her where her ugly daughter was as he hadn’t seen her around for a few weeks. Suppose he’ll be taking the mickey out of some other poor sod, she said to herself, looking up at the sky. As March approached it was getting just a bit warmer and signs of spring were beginning to appear. She couldn’t