her pocket what was left of her wages after deductions for the scissors and burling iron, et cetera, she knew that at the end of next week she would receive the full twenty shillings, rising as sheâd told her mother to thirty when sheâd learned her new trade.
She was less confident that Evie had settled into her role in the weaving shed, though thereâd been no complaints so far as she knew from the over-looker, and Sybil and Annie had kept their promise of keeping an eye out for her. âEvieâs doing all right,â they had assured Lily at the end of each day. âWe make sure she stays out of harmâs way.â
âYouâre not saying much,â Lily mentioned to her youngest sister as they turned off Ghyll Road on to Albion Lane and called into Newbyâs for Arthurâs sweets. âWhatâs the matter â cat got your tongue?â
âIâm just tired.â Evie sighed, waiting inside the shop door. âMy fingers are sore, my back aches, sometimes I think Iâm going to drop to the floor Iâm so hot and bothered.â
Lily was alarmed. âItâs not too much for you? You can manage the work?â
Evie nodded. âI have to manage it, donât I? What else is there?â
Lily took her change from Alice Newby, an older version of her daughter Ethel with the same polite, smiling manner. She put the sweets in her pocket then walked on with Evie until they came to a stop by the alley connecting them to Raglan Road. Then haltingly she took up the conversation again. âYouâre right â there is nothing else.â It seemed harsh, but it was true â there was no other work for girls like them.
Ten or twelve years earlier, soon after the Great War had ended, some school leavers in the area might have dreamed of office work or going into a bank, even of getting their own small grocery shop or working as a milliner, but not in these hard times. âWe have to grin and bear it, hang on to what weâve got.â
âI do realize that. Only I didnât know it would be so hard.â
Lily took her hand and squeezed it. âYouâll get used to it and then itâll seem easier.â
Evieâs eyes welled up with tears, which she quickly wiped away. âYou wonât tell Mother I was upset? She has enough on her plate.â
Lily knew what she meant â despite her efforts to talk her middle sister out of her bad moods, this past week had included more cheek and sullenness from Margie, which had built up on the Wednesday night to an open argument between mother and daughter and Rhodaâs deadly serious threat to make Margie pack her bag and leave. Only Lilyâs calming influence had stopped this from happening. âI wonât say a word,â she promised Evie as they climbed the hill to number 5 where they found Arthur sitting on the top step clutching a tin full of marbles. He looked hunched and miserable until he spotted his sisters then he jumped up and ran to meet them, marbles rattling inside the tin.
âWhereâs my sweets?â he demanded, dodging in between Lily and Evie, patting Lilyâs pockets until he felt the paper bag then dipping in his hand to retrieve it.
âYou mean, âLily, please may I have my sweets?ââ she teased. She wondered how long heâd been sitting on the cold step. âWere you waiting for someone to have a game of marbles with?â
âNot really,â Arthur said through teeth stuck together by a half-chewed lump of toffee. âI donât care â I like playing by myself.â
Evie smiled and ruffled his hair. âWhoâs in the house? Is Mother in?â
âNo, just Dad and now Margie. Oh, and Uncle George and Tommy.â
âThat means theyâre headed for the Green Cross,â Evie predicted as, just then, their front door opened and their father came out followed by his brother. So far there was