Journey's End by Josephine Cox

Author:Josephine Cox [Josephine Cox]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: UK
ISBN: 9780007369690
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2005-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

IT WAS 8.15 A.M., the morning of 4 January 1955.

The streets of Liverpool were still fairly quiet, some shops were not yet open and only the keenest of shoppers had braved the bitter cold, to catch the early sales bargains.

Warm and cosy inside the offices of Bridget’s empire, Amy and Bridget had been up since the early hours. On a day when the offices were still closed and there was no one to interrupt them, this was the perfect time for the two women to go through the books and prepare them for the accountant.

Having already been ensconced in the office for almost two hours, Bridget was ready for refreshment. Stretching and groaning, she leaned away from the desk. ‘I think we’ll down tools for a while, Amy me darling,’ she said now. ‘It’s been a long two hours, and the old bones are threatening to seize up.’

Pushing the ledger away, she gave Amy one of her winning smiles. ‘I’m ready for a drink, so I am.’

‘I couldn’t agree more.’ Getting out of her chair, Amy began her way across the room. ‘Fancy a nice cup of tea?’

Bridget was horrified. ‘Have ye lost your mind? It’s not tea or coffee I’m needing. It’s a drop o’ the good stuff I’m after. It’s in the top drawer of the filing cabinet, same as always. An’ don’t be sparing with it neither.’

When it came, Bridget took a tiny sip, then another longer one. ‘Ah sure, there’s nothing like a wee dram to warm the cockles,’ she said, smacking her lips. ‘Unless it’s a randy man with a trim body and no clothes on.’

Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, she went on to tell the bemused Amy, ‘Did I ever tell you about the time me and Oliver found a quiet spot in the countryside? Well now, he got to feeling frisky, so we climbed into the back of his car … and ye know there’s not much room there at all.’

Amy couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘Honestly, when will you ever grow up? Don’t you think you’re too old to be rolling about in the back of a car?’

‘You’re right, and I won’t be doing it again, I can promise ye that! Only the dear Lord knows how I ached from top to bottom for weeks after. But y’see, poor Oliver was so frustrated. He tried Gawd knows how many times to get his leg over, and well – you’ve never seen such a carry-on in all yer life! First off, he got his foot caught between the front seats, then he couldn’t get it out …’

She could hardly talk for laughing. ‘When I say that, I’m not just referring to his foot, though that was the divil of a problem, so it was. No, I mean he couldn’t get his little pecker out neither, whichever way he turned.’

Amy tutted. ‘It’s a wonder you weren’t arrested.’

‘Ah, but that’s not all.’ Taking another healthy measure of her good Irish whiskey, Bridget got a fit of the giggles.

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