The Girls of Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

Author:Rosie Clarke [Clarke, Rosie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786692573
Publisher: Aria
Published: 2017-06-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

In November Hitler had narrowly escaped being killed in a bomb blast, which German intelligence was blaming on British agents. While knowing nothing of the truth, Peggy thought it a pity it hadn’t succeeded. Perhaps if Hitler had left at his usual time instead of going early he would be dead and the world might have drawn back from disaster. In December, the Germans had scuttled the pride of their fleet when she was trapped by British warships, but nothing much seemed to change. Except that in London the theatres reopened after closing in the initial blackout; it seemed that people had decided it was best just to live and get on with it.

Peggy looked in her housekeeping pot and realised there wasn’t much left over to pay for her Christmas party this year. She could rustle up some food for her guests and a few drinks, but unless Laurence was willing to contribute she wouldn’t be able to provide the free drinks she’d lavished on her guests in previous years.

‘Have you thought about Christmas?’ she asked him that evening before they opened the bar. ‘It’s only a couple of weeks now and I haven’t got much put by for drinks this year.’

‘Well, you might have to give it a miss then,’ Laurence said. ‘You know the brewery told me I would be getting less of everything next year. We can’t afford to just give our stock away, Peggy. I’ll let you have a bottle of sherry and two dozen bottles of mild ale at cost and that’s it.’

Peggy turned away, biting her lip. He knew how much she looked forward to the Christmas party, but unless she could get more drinks it would hardly be worth having. She didn’t argue with Laurence, because the atmosphere had been a little better between them of late, and she knew there was no changing his mind once it was set.

It was Maureen who gave Peggy the idea when she went in for her shopping the next morning. She was looking through a pile of magazines, which she’d put together in a folder, and on the cover she’d pasted a picture of sunshine, wine and fruit in Spain. The people were drinking from glasses and in the bowl shown there were oranges and lemons as well as other fruits.

‘Is there an article to go with the picture?’ she asked Maureen, and was given the magazine to look for herself. The writer of the article had given her readers a recipe for a drink made of fruit juices and wine mixed with sugar. It said that a small amount of brandy could be added if wished but was not necessary.

‘Are you thinking of trying it out?’ Maureen asked as Peggy scribbled notes in the little book she kept for her shopping list.

‘It would be cheaper to make than straight drinks of whisky and sherry – for the Christmas party. Laurence can’t spare much this year and I spent a lot helping Janet get

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