Free The Rainbow Years by Rita Bradshaw

with two million unemployed I’m not complaining. Mind, it bears out what me mam said when I got set on at the laundry after the war. She said the need for munitions might wane but laundries will always do a good trade.’
     
    Ronald nodded but did not pursue the conversation, realising too late he’d probably put his foot in it with May by mentioning Kitty’s job. Her promotion to manageress at the laundry had been a sore point with his wife since she’d heard the news. But then May had never liked Bess’s friend or the interest she took in Amy. He couldn’t understand why. Kitty was a grand little lass and always cheerful, whatever might ail her. May could do worse than take a leaf out of Kitty’s book, in his opinion. He smiled at Kitty and she smiled back at him, her plain face with its slightly pock-marked skin lighting up as it always did when she smiled.
     
    Amy reappeared in the next moment and Ronald reflected for the hundredth time how bonny his niece was. His daughters had inherited May’s sallow skin and straight, thin hair, with the added encumbrance of the O’Leary large nose, whereas his lads had all taken after his own da and had thick curly hair and attractive features, but Amy was in a class of her own.
     
    Amy’s eyes were shining as she fetched her hat and coat from the scullery and quickly pulled them on while Kitty, pleasant as ever in spite of May’s sour face, made her good-byes. Only Ronald answered her, the others merely inclining their heads and the younger children squabbling over the last piece of fried bread.
     
    Ronald left his seat and followed his niece and Kitty into the backyard, pressing a shilling into Amy’s gloved hand after he had glanced over his shoulder to make sure May hadn’t followed him. ‘Late birthday present,’ he said gruffly as Amy stared at him in surprise. ‘Our little secret, lass. All right?’
     
    Dear oh dear. If ever a man was henpecked, thought Kitty, this one was. And it was a shame because Ronald was so nice. More than nice. Kitty kept her thoughts to herself, smiling at Ronald before saying briskly to Amy who had just thanked her uncle, ‘Come on then, hinny, your grandma is on tenterhooks to see you. We might be a little late back the night, Ron, what with going to Binns and all. That won’t upset the apple cart, will it?’
     
    Kitty’s meaning was clear and Ronald shook his head, his voice low as he said, ‘No, no, that’ll be all right. I’ll explain to May.You two have a nice time and give my love to Gran, Amy.’
     
    Out in the narrow back lane which ran between terraced backyards, they slipped and slithered their way along frozen ridged snow, giggling when one or the other of them nearly went full length. This part of Fulwell housed quite a few solicitors, bank managers and the like and was almost middle-class. There were no overflowing lavatory hatches with their accompanying smell as most of the large terraced houses had had similar conversions to that of Ronald and May’s home, and some of the backyards had even been laid to grass.
     
    If Amy’s life had been different, thought Kitty, if the bairn had had even a little affection shown her by her Aunt May, she’d have landed on her feet. As it was, she was nowt but a skivvy and an unpaid one at that. But at least Bess’s da hadn’t had his way. Kitty rammed her hat further on her head as a gust of icy wind nearly took it. Ronald had stood up to him and the others once in his life at least.
     
    ‘My mam wants to see you,’ she said to Amy once they’d exited the back lane and begun the walk to the tram stop. ‘She’s got something for you for your birthday.’
     
    ‘Really?’ Amy gave a little skip and a hop, curbing the impulse to pivot round two or three times as she was wont to do when the peculiar joy of living filled her. Anything could cause these brief explosions of sheer happiness - a beautiful sunset, the blackbird singing his heart out at twilight on the