Free Primrose Square by Anne Douglas Page A

roosty – how the old days came back! Some of the boys were playing kick the can again. Hadn’t that been the game Barry Howat had joined in? Said he played football, and he looked fit enough. But her thoughts were only with what she’d find at home, and how relieved her mother would be to see her.
    Her father was still at work in his little shop when she looked in – with a customer, too, so that was promising. Not that Mrs Angus from one of the tenements, wearing a shabby shawl, looked as if she’d be paying out much. Elinor could hear her asking her dad if he could do anything with the ancient boots he was studying. ‘All I’ve got,’ she was saying. ‘I’ve had to come out in just ma slippers, look. Now, see what you can do, Mr Rae, and I’ll come in Monday. They’ll no’ be too dear, eh?’
    â€˜I’ll do what I can,’ Walter replied, looking over a pair of half-moon spectacles at Elinor and, to her relief, appearing pleased to see her. ‘Off you go, then, Mrs Angus, and I’ll see you Monday. Here’s my daughter coming home.’
    â€˜Wee Ellie?’ Mrs Angus exclaimed, turning to look at Elinor with a smile on her worn face. ‘Seems no time at all since you were playing peevers wi’ Jeanie. Now you’re both grown and Jeanie’s married. A babbie on the way, and all.’
    â€˜Hadn’t heard that!’ Elinor cried. ‘Will you remember me to her, Mrs Angus? Tell her I hope all goes well.’
    â€˜I surely will.’ Mrs Angus, letting herself out, waved goodbye as Elinor approached her father.
    â€˜Here I am, then, Dad. I said I’d come.’
    â€˜Aye, and I’m glad to see you. You go on up and see your ma – I’ll be up when I shut up shop.’
    For a moment, they exchanged long, steady looks, then Elinor hurried up the stairs.
    She was, of course, greeted with rapture as Hessie hugged her, then held her at arm’s length to look at her, then hugged her again, and burst into tears.
    â€˜Now, didn’t I tell you your dad was missing you?’ she cried. ‘Didn’t I say he’d come round?’
    â€˜Come round in more ways than one,’ Elinor answered, laughing, as she released herself and took off her hat. ‘Did he tell you he came to the Primrose? Just when I was setting off for evening class, too.’
    â€˜Told me when he came back, said everything was fine. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather. I mean, I knew he wanted to make things up, but I never dreamed he’d go round to your club. That took some doing, for him.’
    â€˜So, how’s he been?’ asked Elinor, filling the kettle. ‘The way he was when I saw him on Thursday, you’d never think he could be in a bad mood.’
    â€˜Aye, that’s the way he is.’ Hessie shrugged. ‘Blew up a bit this morning, to be honest. Found a hole in his sock and you’d have thought it was the end of the world. Then he settled down and was all right again. But tell me about this class you’ve joined. I want to hear all about it.’
    And of course, Hessie wasn’t the only one who wanted that. When Elinor had finished giving her the details over a cup of tea, she had to repeat them all over again when Corrie came in, and then yet again when Walter came up, by which time tea was on the table and the atmosphere was the happiest she’d known at home for a long time.
    â€˜Seems funny to me, lassies going out to that sort of work,’ her father remarked. ‘But I suppose it’s as good as being in service, as long as you take care and don’t get mixed up with any fellas, eh?’
    â€˜Why, Walt, Elinor might meet some nice young man with a good job!’ Hessie cried. ‘She’s never likely to meet any at the Primrose Club. They’re all women there.’
    â€˜Any men on this new course?’ Walter asked, and Elinor had to