A Moment to Remember by Dee Williams Read Free Book Online Page A

wanted to stay for a few more days. She looked over at Betty who had settled herself down in the wooden rocking chair next to the fire and closed her eyes. She seemed a nice, friendly woman, and Milly hoped that she liked her. How old was Betty? she wondered. And why did she live here? Did she have any family, and if so, where did they live?
    Milly was busy washing up and daydreaming when the sound of a bell made her jump. There were bells on a board on the wall, and each bell had the name of a room under it. Betty stood up, straightened her overall and hurriedly left the kitchen. She returned a short while later with a trolley piled high with dirty plates.
    ‘You start on these while I take ’em their coffee.’ With that she was off again.
    Milly knew she could be very happy working here and she would do her best to please everybody. At this moment she wasn’t sure if she still wanted to find her aunt. If she behaved herself and worked hard, perhaps she would be allowed to stay here for ever. But deep down she knew this was just a dream. Things like that didn’t happen to girls like her.

Chapter 7
    O VER THE NEXT few days Milly quickly began to fit in with Betty and Jane’s routine, and she was more than anxious to please. Elsie, who came to do the fires, was a very quiet, smiling young woman. Betty had told Milly that Elsie had four children and a husband who was very poorly. In the morning Elsie would come up to the room that Milly had been given and wake her. Milly’s room was in the attic, with a low sloping ceiling that had a window set in it, and although it was very cold, she had a bed with clean white sheets, a pillow, a warm blanket and a lovely multicoloured bedspread, and to her this was heaven. At night when she went up to bed Betty gave her a stone ginger beer bottle filled with hot water to put her feet on. Milly had never known such luxury. There was a small table in the corner of the room for her knick-knacks, not that she had any, just the brush and comb that Jane had given her. The bed was against the wall and she could stand on it and look out of the sloping window. The garden below had grass and what looked like a lot of dead trees, though Betty had told her that come spring it would look a picture. But would she be here in the spring to see it? Milly wondered She was so happy, and she often had to pinch herself to make sure this wasn’t all a wonderful dream.
    After Milly had helped Elsie to clean out the fireplaces, light the fires and fill the coal scuttles, Walton, Elsie, Betty and herself would sit in the kitchen and have their breakfast, then Walton would take Jane for her walk before Miss Dance came and it was time for Jane’s lessons. Miss Dance seemed to be a nice young lady, but Jane told Milly that she was very strict.
    ‘I do wish Mama would let you come and have lessons with me.’
    Milly just smiled. She never replied, as she didn’t want to get in the way.
    After Jane had had her afternoon rest and walk, Milly always had tea with her and Walton. Milly learnt that Walton was a nurse who washed and dressed Jane and generally looked after her. During afternoon tea the girls would sit on the sofa laughing and talking while Walton read or did some sewing.
    ‘I am so happy you are here,’ said Jane.
    ‘And I’m happy I’m here.’
    Jane wanted to know all about the things Milly had seen, and Milly told her about the suffragette march.
    ‘I’ve seen pictures of them. Richard said all the boys at school thought they were very silly women wanting the vote.’
    ‘They looked so nice in their white frocks and hats with their white, green and mauve sashes.’
    ‘But some of them have been very naughty, chaining themselves to railings and breaking windows. I believe a few of them have even gone to prison. People don’t like that sort of thing.’ Jane shuddered. ‘I couldn’t do things like that.’
    Milly thought she had better get off this conversation, as she approved of women