A Liverpool Legacy by Anne Baker Read Free Book Online

can’t. I’ll have to advertise for another school leaver to help Mr Knowles.’
    She was going to lose her job! ‘I have to earn . . .’ she was saying but everything was going black, the room was spinning and she was sliding off the chair.
    She knew he’d stood up and was coming round his desk towards her. ‘Be careful,’ he called but he seemed a long way away.
    She came round to find she was lying flat on the floor and Mr Maynard was standing over her. ‘You fainted,’ he told her. ‘It proves my point, you can’t go on working now. You’re not eating enough, are you? Lie there for a minute until you feel better and I’ll run you home in my car.’
    ‘I’m all right, really I am.’ She insisted on getting to her feet by herself although he offered her a hand to help her up. ‘I can’t trouble you to drive me home.’
    ‘It’s no trouble. How d’you get here, by bus?’
    ‘No, I walk, it isn’t far. I feel much better now, I’ll be fine.’
    ‘I’d be afraid you’ll faint again and fall under a bus. Come on, let’s go. Where is Wilbraham Street? Is that the Scotland Road area?’
    ‘Yes.’ Millie had never ridden in a car before and would have enjoyed it if she hadn’t been so worried about the future. He drew up outside the house where she and her mother had rooms and she got out.
    A flight of five steps rose to the peeling front door, and the stout figure of Mrs Croft, her landlady, came bustling down to greet her. ‘About your rent,’ she said in ringing tones so half the street could hear.
    Millie cringed. ‘I’m sorry . . .’
    ‘Sorry isn’t enough. I’m tired of having to ask for it. You owe five weeks now. You said you’d pay something on account but you’re making no effort. I know your mother’s sick but I have to live too. I’m sorry, but it’s now a question of pay up or get out.’
    Millie was struggling not to burst into tears, she couldn’t take any more humiliation. She felt searing indignity that her landlady had said that in front of her boss, and had to hold on to the railings that fenced off the steps to the basement.
    She heard him say, ‘How much is owed?’ but couldn’t listen to any more of that. ‘Millie, have you got your rent book?’
    He had to ask twice before she took in that he meant to pay off her debt. ‘I can’t let you—’
    ‘I don’t think you have much choice,’ he said.
    He was right, she hadn’t. She crashed down the steps to the basement, pushed her key into the door and called, ‘It’s only me, Mum,’ so she wouldn’t be scared. She rummaged in the sideboard drawer for her rent book and was back up on the pavement with it in moments.
    ‘It’s twelve shillings a week,’ Mrs Croft demanded, ‘and five weeks is owed.’
    Millie was mortified to see Mr Maynard getting out his wallet. He handed over three pound notes and Mrs Croft scribbled in the rent book.
    ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’ Millie wanted the pavement to swallow her up. She went down to the basement door which she’d left open.
    He followed her. ‘I can’t believe you’re battling against all this,’ he said. ‘You’re so full of smiles and bubbling high spirits in the lab. It never occurred to me you were in a situation like this.’
    They were in the dark living room, the door to the bedroom was open and her mother was lying on the bed. Millie went to see her as she always did when she came home. ‘Hello, Mum, how are you feeling?’
    Her eyes opened, she was sweating and listless, her skin was a greyish yellow, but she tried to smile. ‘A little better, I’ve dozed all day.’
    ‘Good.’ It wasn’t yet lunchtime, Mum had no idea what the time was, she’d lost track. ‘This is Mr Maynard my boss, Mum. He brought me home.’
    Miriam Hathaway tried to lift her head from the pillow but it required too great an effort. ‘Hello,’ she said. ‘Pleased to meet you.’ The bedclothes moved and it seemed she was about to put out her