Free The Likes of Us by Stan Barstow

hair.
    â€˜A busy young man, your Eric.’
    â€˜Oh, here, there an’ everywhere.’ Eva took off her heavy tweed coat. Under it she had on a dark-green wool dress. Round the high neck of the dress she was wearing a necklace of an imitation gold finish with a matching bracelet round her wrist. She brought an air of comfortable prosperity and well-being with her into the shabby room.
    â€˜They made him a foreman at the Works last week,’ she said, with a faint note of complacent pride in her voice.
    â€˜Ah, promotion, eh?’
    Eva lifted her skirt from the hips to avoid ‘seating’ it and sat down in her father’s chair. She levered off her fur-lined winter boots and put her nylon-stockinged feet on the kerb. ‘He’ll be manager one day,’ she said. ‘Everybody says how clever he is.’
    â€˜Well, it’s nice to hear of a young man getting on,’ her mother said; ‘especially when he’s something to you.’
    Eva ran her palms up and down her calves then pushed back the hem of her skirt to expose her knees to the fire. She was a thin young woman, easily chilled, and she could not remember ever being able to keep warm in this house in winter. She stretched out her hands and leaned towards the blaze.
    â€˜Brrrh! What weather... It’s freezing like anything outside.’
    â€˜I hope your Eric’ll be safe on his bike.’
    â€˜Oh, he’ll be all right. He’s a careful driver: and it’s better with the side car on, weather like this... Have you been cutting yourself?’ she asked, noticing her mother’s hand for the first time.
    Mrs Scurridge told her what had happened and Eva said, ‘You want to look after it. Don’t let it turn septic.’
    Mrs Scurridge dismissed the injury with a shrug. ‘It’s only a scratch. I’ve put some salve on it. It’ll heal up in a day or two…’
    â€˜I like your frock,’ said Mrs Scurridge after a moment. ‘Is it new?’
    â€˜Well, nearly. I’ve only worn it two or three times. I got it in Leeds when we were looking at furniture. It was in Creston’s window – y’know, in Briggate – an’ it took me eye straight away. Eric saw me looking at it an’ he bought it me. I knew we couldn’t afford it, what with all the expense of movin’ an’ everything, but he talked me into it.’ She gave a short laugh of feminine pleasure, at this thought of her husband’s indulgence.
    â€˜You’ve got moved and everything, then?’
    â€˜Yes, we’re in, thank the Lord. It’ll take a bit of making comfortable, what with it being so new in’ all that, but it’s like heaven after livin’ in digs.’
    â€˜I dare say it will be. But you got on all right with the folk you lodged with, didn’t you? You never had any trouble or anything?’
    â€˜Oh, no, nothing like that. Not that there hasn’t been times when I could have said a thing or two, mind. But Mrs Walshaw’s much too reserved an’ ladylike to ever have words with anybody. She had a way of looking down her nose at you ’at I never liked. She’d taken quite a fancy to Eric, y’know, what with her an’ Mr Walshaw not havin’ any child of their own, an’ I believe she thought he’d never find a lass good enough for him. No, you can’t quarrel with Mrs Walshaw. Quite the lady, she is. You’d never think to meet her she’d made all her money keepin’ a fish and chip shop an’ taking lodgers in.’
    â€˜Aye, it takes all sorts... You’ll have been kept busy for a bit, then?’
    â€˜Oh, You’ve no idea. What with cleanin’ an’ paintin’ and buying furniture an’ making curtains, we’ve had a real month of it. But it’s such a lovely house, Mother. I walk round sometimes when Eric’s at work and tell myself it’s really ours.