The Workhouse Sisters by Kay Brellend

Author:Kay Brellend [Brellend, Kay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Sagas, Historical, World War I, General
ISBN: 9780349425184
Google: flNREAAAQBAJ
Published: 2022-02-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Greg pulled the van onto the warehouse forecourt. While he and Lily were getting out of the vehicle the unmistakable sound of people arguing drifted to their ears. Margie’s voice was identifiable but whoever she’d been shouting at had fallen quiet.

‘Margie must have turned up early and one of the lads let her in.’ Lily frowned. ‘Perhaps Eric came back for some reason and is in there with her.’

‘Sounds like unrest in the camp,’ said Greg. ‘They like a ding-dong, do they?’

Lily shook her head, baffled. ‘Margie gets on well with the lads.’

The couple exchanged a dubious glance as they approached the sturdy wooden barn-like building that easily spanned seventy feet in length. There were windows inset along the flank but nothing much could be glimpsed within. A skeleton framework of market poles and stacked pallets obscured the view.

Inside, Margie was pacing about, rocking her whimpering daughter in her arms. Her husband was perched on the orange box that was utilised as a stool, his head lowered into his hands.

‘What a lovely surprise!’ Lily exclaimed into a leaden atmosphere. ‘Didn’t know you’d got leave as well, Smudge!’

He jerked to his feet with a surprised hoot of welcome but strain was apparent on his face and Margie’s too.

‘Sorry to be late for work this morning, love.’ Lily acted normally to save the couple any embarrassment. She hadn’t seen Margie in nearly a week and gave her a hug and little Rosie a peck on the cheek. The child was a friendly little thing and brightened up now her parents had stopped yelling at one another. Rosie held out her arms and Lily took her, bouncing her on a forearm.

‘Wasn’t expecting you in today; thought you’d be getting ready to welcome Greg home this afternoon.’ Margie had turned away to discreetly wipe her eyes with the hanky discarded on the desk. It looked sodden.

Lily maintained a breezy demeanour though her friend’s bloodshot eyes and thick-throated voice told their own unhappy story. ‘Greg’s dates changed and he turned up early.’

‘When did you get back, Smudger?’ Greg extended a hand, following Lily’s lead in ignoring the elephant in the room.

‘Arrived at Dover on Wednesday on a ten-day pass.’ Smudger shook hands then jangled the warehouse keys in his fingers. ‘I still had these so thought I’d pull on me work clothes and put in a shift this morning.’ He smiled wryly and ran a hand through his cropped hair. ‘Had a lie-in first, though.’

‘Stroke of luck, this is,’ said Greg. ‘I’ve a couple of favours need doing and you’re just the man for them. The motor’s playing up, so if you’d take a dekko under the bonnet, that’d be handy. You’ve always understood what makes the old gel tick better’n me.’

‘What’s the good news?’ Smudger asked ironically. He was relaxing into the spirit of being back with his pals in Wilding’s warehouse.

‘Ah . . . now that really is good news. We’re getting married before I go back, and I want you to be my best man.

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