Across the Mersey. Annie Groves

it will be fun.’

      ‘Well, all I can say is that you’ll need to watch out. If you ask me Bella’s up to something. She might act like she’s all sugar and spice but you and me know what she’s really like. Remember how she always managed to get you blamed for things she’d done when we were kids?’

      Reluctantly Grace nodded. ‘But that was years ago,’ she told him, ‘and I dare say she only did it because Auntie Vi can get so cross.’

      ‘A leopard doesn’t change its spots,’ Luke insisted.

      Grace looked up at her elder brother, her heart filling with pride. Luke might tease her sometimes and pretend that having three younger sisters was a nuisance but Grace knew how protective of them all he was.

      ‘You’re the best brother in the world, do you know that?’ she told him, hugging his arm.

      ‘You won’t be saying that when everyone’s calling me a coward for not joining up. If Dad has his way I won’t even get to do my six months’ training. He’ll have me straight in the Salvage Corps and on reserved occupation duties,’ Luke told her angrily.

      ‘That’s because he wants to keep you safe. Dad lost his older brother in the last war,’ Grace reminded him.

      ‘But that should be my decision, Grace, not Dad’s,’ said Luke fiercely. ‘And, anyway, it will be a different war this time. Everyone says so.’

      They had drawn level with a lorry being unloaded opposite a small school. Grace glanced semi-curiously at the activity and then froze before turning to look beseechingly at Luke, hoping he would tell her that she had mistaken what she had just seen, but instead he told her grimly, ‘They’re unloading cardboard coffins. They were telling us at the ARP class tonight that the Government has given orders that emergency mortuaries are to be set up and stocked with them, just in case.’

      ‘Here’s that cousin of yours.’

      Susan’s whisper, accompanied by a sharp nudge in the ribs, had Grace straightening from picking up a stray thread from the carpet and turning to see Bella coming towards her. She was wearing a pretty pale blue linen summer dress and jacket, and a neat little hat trimmed with white flower petals.

      ‘Oh, there you are, Grace, good,’ Bella announced, immediately sitting down on one of the chaises, and then crossing one slim leg over the other. ‘Oh, no, just look at that dirty smudge on my sandals.’ She bent down and kicked off her sandal. ‘Take it somewhere and clean it off for me, will you, Grace? I’m meeting Alan in ten minutes and I don’t want him seeing me looking all grubby.’

      Grace was just about to pick up the sandal when Susan said in a loud voice, whilst grimacing warningly at her, ‘Grace, don’t forget that the manageress said you were to go and pack up that frock for Mrs Lynsey ready for tonight’s post, will you?’

      Grace, who knew perfectly well that she had no such task and that Susan had made it up because she did not approve of her cousin expecting her to clean her shoes, hesitated.

      Bella said irritably, ‘Hurry up, do, Grace. I haven’t got all day.’

      ‘We don’t clean shoes here, love,’ Susan informed her, obviously unable to hold back her irritation any longer. ‘You want to tek them sandals down to the shoe department if they need cleaning, although if you was to ask me a bit of spit on your hanky would do the job just as well.’

      In different circumstances the look of outrage on Bella’s face would have made Grace laugh aloud, but Bella had a spiteful side to her and Grace felt alarmed on Susan’s behalf when she saw the narrow-eyed glare Bella was giving her friend.

      ‘It doesn’t show, Bella, and I don’t think for one minute that Alan will notice it, not when he’s got you to look at,’ Grace flattered her.

      Bella preened and tossed her head. ‘I’m sure you’re right, Grace, but of course one wants to look one’s best. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I just wanted to have a word with you about Saturday night.’

      ‘If it’s been cancelled because of what’s happening—’ Grace began, trying not to sound disappointed.

      ‘Cancelled? Of course it hasn’t! It’s the big dance of the season. How could it possibly be cancelled? No, what I’ve come in for is to tell you that I want you to make sure that you keep this cousin of Alan’s occupied so that me and Alan get a bit of time to ourselves. Alan’s told me that there’s something very important that he wants to tell me.’ Bella looked smug and triumphant. ‘I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what that’s likely to be.’

      She looked down at her left hand meaningfully, and then jumped up from her seat exclaiming, ‘Oh, is that the time? Alan will wonder where on earth I am. It’s lucky that my boss was called away after lunch otherwise I might not have been able to sneak out when Alan rang to say he wanted to see me. I only just had time to ring Mummy and tell her that I’ll be bringing Alan home to tea with me. Now remember, Grace, I don’t want you showing me up, so for heaven’s sake wear something decent. Oh, yes, and Mummy said to tell you that it makes much more sense for you to go home instead of staying overnight.’

      As soon as Bella had left the salon, Susan told Grace firmly, ‘You’ve got to borrow that green dress, and put that ruddy madam of a cousin of yours in her place. Snotty piece.’

      ‘Susan …’ Grace protested weakly.

      ‘Well, she is and you know it. If I was you I’d refuse to go to her ruddy Tennis Club dance.’

      Grace sighed. The truth was that now, after seeing Bella, her initial excitement had quite gone and she was wishing that she could get out of going, whilst knowing that she could not. If she tried, then Auntie Vi would get on to her own mother and that just wouldn’t be fair.

      ‘Who’s this Alan she was going on about, then?’ Susan asked.

      ‘His name is Alan Parker,’ Grace explained. ‘He’s the son of a councillor that Uncle Edwin has got friendly with.’

      ‘A councillor, eh? There’s posh then.’ Susan pulled an unkind face. ‘Your Bella is obviously expectin’ to get a proposal and a ring out of him come Saturday, and I reckon that she won’t be too fussy about how she gets them.’

      ‘A lot of couples are getting engaged on account of what’s happening with Germany,’ Grace pointed out, trying not to show how uncomfortable Susan’s assessment of her cousin was making her feel.

      Susan was the closest to her age amongst those working in the Gown Salon. Grace liked her and had welcomed Susan’s overtures of friendship when she had first come to work there. She had quickly discovered that Susan was intensely loyal to those she cared about, but she was also extremely forthright and could be blunt to the point of unkindness.

      ‘Mebbe so,’ Susan allowed. ‘But I reckon that if that cousin of yours gets engaged it will be because it suits her and not because her chap is going off to war. She’s that kind. And if you can’t see that then that’s because you’re too soft-natured for your own good.’

      ‘I know what you’re saying,’ Grace admitted. ‘But there is another side to Bella. Look how kind she’s been, inviting me to this dance.’

      ‘Kind? Huh, not her. She’ll have some reason for doing it that suits her, you wait and see,’ Susan prophesied darkly. ‘Anyway, after the way she’s just bin looking down her nose at us, I reckon there’s all the more reason for you to borrow that green silk frock. Show her a thing of two, that would. It’s obvious she reckons she’s the bee’s knees. Well, put you in that frock and it won’t be the only thing around wot’s green, I can tell you that. She’ll be choking on her jealousy.’

      ‘Susan!’ Grace felt bound to protest.

      ‘It’s the truth. Twice as pretty as her, you are, or at least you could be. Only you can’t see it.’

      Bella smiled smugly as she surveyed her own reflection in