Keeping My Sisters' Secrets by Beezy Marsh

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

16

Eva, January 1936

The woman in the long black coat had a suspicious look about her. Eva had clocked her a few days ago, hanging around on the street corner and she knew then that there was something amiss. Alice Diamond had taught her always to be on her guard in case the cozzers came calling and so she took more notice than most of the comings and goings in the neighbourhood.

Eva had hopped the wag from school to go pinching down East Street Market with Alice earlier on. She took her mate Gladys with her, to start showing her the ropes. Gladys was a year younger but she was game for anything and she looked up to Eva and admired the way she was earning good money hoisting. It was easy stuff, just a few scarves to start with, some tins from the grocer’s and a bottle of perfume from the snooty pharmacy, just because Eva didn’t like the way that old matron behind the counter looked down her nose at them.

Now she was back home, lurking in the living room and peering out through the net curtains at the activity in the street. It was bloody freezing but she didn’t dare light a fire because their coal was running low and then she’d have to explain to Dad why the fire had been lit so early, when he got home from work. He’d probably give her another belting for it. She watched her breath form in little droplets in front of her and took another peek through the net curtains instead.

The woman looked around, as if she was waiting for someone. From the other end of the street, Eva saw Mary bundled up against the cold, and her little daughter, Florrie, toddling along, holding her hand. Everyone had been so happy for Mary when she got pregnant again so quickly after losing Billy to diphtheria. The baby was delivered safely and Florrie looked so much healthier than her late brother. In fact, she was positively chubby and well dressed for the weather in a knitted coat, hat and a fur muff, with stout little boots on her feet. Mary fed her the best cuts of meat and she never went without milk – the real stuff, from the dairy, not evap. In fact, the milkman’s horse and cart had become a familiar sight outside Mary and Joe’s front door, turning up on a Saturday for payment. But Mary hadn’t got a new job or anything like that. She still worked pulling the fur from rabbit skins and was permanently coughing from the fluff which got down her throat and everywhere.

The woman approached Mary, catching her by the sleeve. Mary pulled her daughter close, with a look of panic on her face. This stranger pulled out a notebook and pointed to it. Mary pulled off her wedding ring – a thin silver band – and handed it over. The woman went to stroke the little girl on the cheek but Mary slapped her hand away.

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