Across the Mersey. Annie Groves

the bag towards Grace.

      ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t, Susan.’

      ‘Of course you can, and you’d ruddy well better an’ all after all the trouble I’ve bin to to get it for you. You’ll look a real treat in it and no mistake. I just wish I could be there to see the face on that snotty cousin of yours when she sees you in it.’

      Susan had really taken a dislike to Bella, Grace acknowledged.

      ‘You can get changed into it in the ladies in Lyons. I’ll come with you and give you a hand.’

      ‘No, Susan, I can’t, honestly.’

      ‘Come on,’ Susan ignored her protests as she took hold of Grace’s hand and virtually dragged her along the road and into Lyons.

      Half an hour later Grace was staring at her reflection in the mirror, feeling horribly guilty and ungrateful, whilst Susan puffed out her cheeks and demanded, ‘Now aren’t you pleased I got it for you?’

      Susan was so pleased with herself, and Grace knew that she had wanted to be kind. It seemed mean not to thank her.

      ‘It is a lovely dress,’ she agreed. ‘But taking it from the Gown Salon—’

      ‘Oh, give over, do. Like I told you, everyone does it, even Mrs James, I reckon.’

      ‘She never!’ Grace protested, diverted.

      ‘Come on, you’d better get a move on, otherwise you’re going to be late.’

      With her own dress packed away along with her work clothes, Grace hugged Susan and then picked up her now quite heavy bag.

      It was good job that her stole and her evening bag were both white and didn’t clash with the silk gown, she decided, feeling very self-conscious as she waved goodbye to Susan and set off for the ferry terminal.

      ‘Just you remember what we agreed,’ Bella told Charlie as she came downstairs, giving him a warning look before opening the lounge door and stepping inside.

      ‘What do you think, Mummy?’ she asked, doing a small pirouette in the new ice-blue gown she had persuaded her mother to buy her for the dance, whilst Charlie grimaced.

      ‘You look beautiful, darling. What time is Alan picking you up? I thought that Daddy and I would ask him in for a drink before you go. We really ought to have his parents round for a bit of supper soon.’

      ‘He should be here soon, but he’ll have that wretched cousin of his with him, don’t forget.’ Bella pulled a face. ‘Seb and Grace will have to go to the Club with Charlie. There won’t be room in Alan’s car.’

      ‘There won’t be room in mine either,’ Charlie protested, but neither his mother nor his sister was listening to him.

      ‘There’s the doorbell now,’ Vi announced.

      ‘There’s no car outside, though. I expect it will only be Grace,’ Bella said carelessly. ‘You’d better go and let her in, Charlie.’

      If Grace hadn’t already been feeling self-conscious and guilty because of the attention her frock had attracted during her journey to her aunt’s, the look on Charlie’s face when he opened the door to her would have certainly made her feel both those things.

      ‘I say …’ he told her, giving a long appreciative whistle. ‘Bags I the first dance with you, cos.’

      ‘Charlie, hurry up and close the door. I don’t want you standing there when Alan arrives. It looks awfully common.’

      ‘Hark at her ladyship,’ Charlie grinned, cocking his head in the direction of the lounge door. ‘Gawd knows what she’s going to be like once she gets Alan’s ring on her finger.’

      ‘Come on, we’d better do as she says.’

      Grace always felt a bit uncomfortable around her aunt and uncle, and now she really was wishing she hadn’t agreed to come, what with the dress and everything. She’d been tempted to change out of it at the landing stage, but there’d been a queue for the ladies and another one at the other end, so she’d pushed her guilt to one side and got on the bus instead.

      Now, though, as she stepped into the lounge and its two occupants went completely silent as they stared at her, Grace wished that she had managed to get changed.

      ‘Where did you get that dress from?’ Bella demanded without bothering to welcome her.

      ‘A friend lent it to me,’ Grace told her. She knew that her face had gone red. Bella was giving her a narrow-eyed look whilst her mother was looking very cross indeed.

      ‘Well, I must say I’m surprised that anyone would want to lend out such an expensive-looking gown,’ said Vi.

      ‘Yes, so am I,’ Bella agreed.

      ‘I’m not sure that wearing it was a wise decision, though, Grace dear,’ her aunt announced patronisingly. ‘You don’t look very comfortable in it. That’s always the trouble when a girl tries too hard and steps out of her own class. It always shows.’

      ‘Alan’s here, Mummy. Just remember,’ Bella hissed at Grace as her mother went into the hall, ‘it’s Seb you’ll be partnering, so that me and Alan can have a bit of time to ourselves, so don’t start hanging around me all night. Charlie’s going to drive you and Seb there, aren’t you, Charlie?’

      Without waiting for her brother to reply, Bella turned to check her reflection in the mirror above the new tiled fireplace, whilst her mother went to answer the door.

      Grace couldn’t help noticing the speed with which Bella’s cross expression and demanding voice changed the moment her mother called out, ‘Bella darling, Alan’s here.’ Almost miraculously a smile replaced her earlier frown, her voice as soft and sweet as fresh cream as she jerked her head warningly to Grace, mouthing, ‘Come on’ before hurrying into the hallway.

      To Grace’s surprise Alan Parker, instead of being the swooningly handsome matinée idol type she had imagined, was a rather ordinary-looking young man of around medium height and build, with a pugnacious expression, slightly protruding pale blue eyes, and brown hair.

      ‘Seb, do come inside properly and be introduced to my cousin,’ Bella instructed the young man who was half hidden by the open front door. ‘I should warn you that Grace isn’t actually a member of the Tennis Club. She works in Lewis’s,’ Bella added disparagingly. ‘I’ve told her that she’s not to disgrace you, though.’

      Grace could feel her face starting to burn with misery and humiliation, which was made even worse when her partner for the evening stepped into the hallway. Alan Parker’s cousin was everything that Bella’s boyfriend was not. He was tall, broad-shouldered and very good-looking, the uniform he was wearing making him look distinguished and smart, despite the fact that his leg was in plaster and he was having to use crutches. His hair was thick and dark and nicely barbered.

      ‘I can see that your cousin is teasing us both,’ he told Grace, offering her both his hand and the kindest smile she had ever seen. It was so warm and understanding that she could feel her earlier misery melting away. ‘And I’m going to be escorting the prettiest girl at the dance.’

      Bella flashed them an angry look. ‘You wouldn’t say that if you could see her in her Lewis’s uniform,’ she tittered angrily. ‘I really don’t know how you can work there, Grace, especially with that horrid common girl who works in the Gown Salon with you.’

      ‘Come on, Bella, otherwise we’re going to be late,’ Alan interrupted her irritably, thrusting a box containing a corsage of flowers towards her.

      ‘Oh, how lovely. Look, Mummy, my favourite flower. Alan darling, you are so thoughtful.’

      ‘Bet she ordered it herself and told him what she wanted,’ Charlie muttered irrepressibly in Grace’s ear as they all watched whilst Bella begged Alan with prettily sweet insistence to pin the corsage on for her.

      ‘Thank