Across the Mersey by Annie Groves

Author:Annie Groves
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780007283736
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2008-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

‘I’ll tell you what, that brother of yours is a good-looking chap, Grace,’ said Hannah.

Grace laughed. ‘Our Luke good-looking? Give over.’ But sisterly pride shone in her eyes as she watched Luke coming back from the bar.

He had been a bit dubious at first when she had suggested that since he hadn’t made any arrangements for New Year’s Eve he came to the Grafton with her, but he was certainly enjoying himself now, and no wonder, with all her friends making such a fuss of him. Even Lillian, who had said that she didn’t think she’d be able to join them after all, but who had turned up at the last minute, just as they were queuing to get in, had demanded an introduction to him.

Grace had been a bit uncertain about wearing her green dress, partly because of her guilt about it and partly because she had thought it might be too dressy for the Grafton, but perhaps because it was New Year’s Eve, or maybe because of the war, or perhaps a combination of both, all the women had really gone to town and were looking very elegant and glamorous indeed.

The Grafton was Liverpool’s most famous ballroom. It had a properly sprung floor and special function rooms on the top floor that could be hired for private parties. The walls were painted a soft red, and the booths surrounding the dance floor were upholstered in matching red velvet.

The band had their own special alcove, and all the top bands played at the Grafton.

The booths round the dance floor were the province of courting couples, who liked the dimly lit privacy they afforded, whilst larger groups of young people opted for the tables and chairs so that they could see and be seen.

The girls had been lucky enough to bag a table right on the edge of the dance floor and within view of the band.

For the student nurses the expense of their tickets had not left any of them much money to spare for drinks and so they were making do with lemonade livened up to make very weak shandy.

Luke had offered to buy them each a drink but everyone apart from Lillian, who had immediately asked for a port and lemon, had shaken her head, out of what Grace guessed was a reluctance to put him to so much expense.

They were a nice crowd, and Grace was as proud of her friends as she was of her brother.

Grace tapped her foot in time to the music. Her mother claimed that her children’s musical ear came from her side of the family, citing her younger sister as proof of this legacy. Grace had no idea if that was true, but they could all sing and dance and had a good ear for music.

Once they had learned that their elder siblings were going dancing on New Year’s Eve the twins had insisted on putting them through their paces and teaching them the steps of the new dances from America;

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