Her Father's Daughter by Beezy Marsh

Author:Beezy Marsh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

15

Ethel

Newcastle upon Tyne, January 1924

It was such a grand place, with its chandelier, arched alcoves and polished wooden floor, that Ethel felt like a princess as she twirled around in Harry’s arms. The room was so elegant, with high ceilings and ornate plasterwork, it was like the inside of a palace.

Ethel knew, from the ladies who came to the haberdashery counter at Fenwick’s, that a dance at the Assembly Rooms was the place to be seen in Newcastle. She’d never have dreamed that she might one day get to dance in the footsteps of all those rich folk, who arrived in their furs and fine jewels. Harry must have saved up for ages to afford it and that only made her feel more special.

Mam had worked her fingers to the bone to get her beautiful dress ready on time. It wasn’t silk like the dresses of the wealthy ladies but that didn’t matter one bit. Hers was in gold-coloured rayon but it had been cut to the latest pattern from Fenwick’s, with a dropped waist, fluted hem and scooped neck.

Luckily for her, Da had been out at the football when she left the house, or he’d have sent her back upstairs to change.

‘You look lovely,’ said Harry, as the orchestra struck up another tune and the pace quickened into a foxtrot. Ethel was light on her toes and although she’d never had lessons, she was a natural on the dance floor.

‘Why doesn’t Kitty get up and dance?’ whispered Ethel in Harry’s ear.

His sister was sitting at their table having another one of her long chats with Mr Philpott, her editor from the newspaper.

‘Oh, she’s enjoying herself fine,’ said Harry. ‘She’s not one for showing off and socializing, our Kitty.’

For the life of her, Ethel couldn’t fathom that relationship out. Kitty and Mr Philpott seemed to spend a lot of time in each other’s company, but she’d once made the mistake of asking if they were walking out together and Kitty had shot her a look that could have curdled milk. Ethel had only once heard Kitty call him by his first name, Charles, in all the times they’d been out together as a foursome, and he called her Catherine rather than her pet name.

Yet there were little signs of tenderness between them: he’d brush some hair out of her face when he thought no one was watching or touch her gently on the arm as they spoke. Once Ethel had caught them holding hands in the parlour at Harry’s house but that left them both incredibly flustered.

‘Are you worn out with all this dancing yet?’ asked Harry, as he pulled her closer to him. She felt her heartbeat quicken. There was something about him that just made her go weak at the knees. Her friend Ada at work reckoned it must be love.

The music stopped, and the band leader held up his hands and called for ‘a bit of hush’.

He flicked his tailcoat as he addressed the crowd. ‘There’s a very special announcement to make, so if we could all just clear the dance floor for a minute.

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