The Liberty Girls by Fiona Ford

Author:Fiona Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Later that afternoon, Alice along with Mary, Flo, Rose and Dot found themselves standing in Aggie’s front room around a piano, just as they had six months earlier for Flo’s wedding. Today, however, the girls were there to pay their respects to Agatha Taylor.

The ceremony and burial had gone without a hitch thanks to Flo’s tireless organisation, but it was clear that the event had taken its toll. The dark shadows under her eyes revealed Flo hadn’t been sleeping as well as she should, while her fingernails were chewed to the quick.

Now the wake was in full swing, and although Flo wanted to do right by her aunt, Alice could also see that she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep. Without saying a word, she pushed past the throngs of people and found just what she was looking for: a large bottle of unopened port.

Uncorking the bottle, she gave it a good sniff to check it hadn’t been tampered with and then poured five generous measures. Laying them on a tea tray she found by the old butler sink, Alice carried the medicine back into the front room and gestured for each of the girls to take a glass.

‘Here’s to Aggie,’ Alice said, holding her glass for a toast.

‘And all who sailed in her.’ Flo giggled while the others looked at her blankly. ‘Sorry,’ she said sheepishly, ‘it was just something daft Aggie always used to say.’

Dot linked her arm through Flo’s and gave her a comforting squeeze. ‘There’s nothing as queer as folk, and Aggie was as queer and wonderful as they came.’

‘Awfully kind as well,’ Mary pointed out. ‘She would do anything for anyone. Didn’t you say, Flo, she was helping out with the WVS and the Civil Defence League?’

Flo nodded. ‘And she recently applied to work on the buses.’

‘She put us all to shame,’ Mary said wistfully. ‘I’ve signed up to join the Women’s Auxiliary Police Corps in my spare time. David’s furious.’

Dot peered at Mary over her glasses. ‘Why? That’s a very brave thing to do.’

‘He says it’s stupid. That we’re getting married and all I should be thinking about is creating a family for us. Honestly, since his sister was imprisoned it’s all he can talk about.’

‘I suppose it’s understandable,’ Rose reasoned. ‘I mean, he must feel all alone now and want to create that with you. After all, family is so important, isn’t it, Alice?’

The barb in Rose’s tone wasn’t lost on Alice. ‘Yes it is, Rose, it’s extremely important. That’s why I like to ensure my loved ones are not in any danger.’

‘Come on now, you two,’ Dot snapped. ‘This isn’t the time or the place to get into what’s gone on with Joy. Rose, I appreciate Joy is your friend but this wasn’t easy for Alice.’

Rose let out a hollow laugh. ‘You girls always stick up for one another and it’s always me left out in the cold. I should have known it would be no different now.’

‘What are you talking about, Rose?’ Flo asked in bewilderment.

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