Across the Mersey by Annie Groves Read Free Book Online

from picking up a stray thread from the carpet and turning to see Bella coming towards her. She was wearing a pretty pale blue linen summer dress and jacket, and a neat little hat trimmed with white flower petals.
    ‘Oh, there you are, Grace, good,’ Bella announced,immediately sitting down on one of the chaises, and then crossing one slim leg over the other. ‘Oh, no, just look at that dirty smudge on my sandals.’ She bent down and kicked off her sandal. ‘Take it somewhere and clean it off for me, will you, Grace? I’m meeting Alan in ten minutes and I don’t want him seeing me looking all grubby.’
    Grace was just about to pick up the sandal when Susan said in a loud voice, whilst grimacing warningly at her, ‘Grace, don’t forget that the manageress said you were to go and pack up that frock for Mrs Lynsey ready for tonight’s post, will you?’
    Grace, who knew perfectly well that she had no such task and that Susan had made it up because she did not approve of her cousin expecting her to clean her shoes, hesitated.
    Bella said irritably, ‘Hurry up, do, Grace. I haven’t got all day.’
    ‘We don’t clean shoes here, love,’ Susan informed her, obviously unable to hold back her irritation any longer. ‘You want to tek them sandals down to the shoe department if they need cleaning, although if you was to ask me a bit of spit on your hanky would do the job just as well.’
    In different circumstances the look of outrage on Bella’s face would have made Grace laugh aloud, but Bella had a spiteful side to her and Grace felt alarmed on Susan’s behalf when she saw the narrow-eyed glare Bella was giving her friend.
    ‘It doesn’t show, Bella, and I don’t think for one minute that Alan will notice it, not when he’s got you to look at,’ Grace flattered her.
    Bella preened and tossed her head. ‘I’m sure you’re right, Grace, but of course one wants to look one’s best. Actually, that’s why I’m here. I just wanted to have a word with you about Saturday night.’
    ‘If it’s been cancelled because of what’s happening—’ Grace began, trying not to sound disappointed.
    ‘Cancelled? Of course it hasn’t! It’s the big dance of the season. How could it possibly be cancelled? No, what I’ve come in for is to tell you that I want you to make sure that you keep this cousin of Alan’s occupied so that me and Alan get a bit of time to ourselves. Alan’s told me that there’s something very important that he wants to tell me.’ Bella looked smug and triumphant. ‘I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what that’s likely to be.’
    She looked down at her left hand meaningfully, and then jumped up from her seat exclaiming, ‘Oh, is that the time? Alan will wonder where on earth I am. It’s lucky that my boss was called away after lunch otherwise I might not have been able to sneak out when Alan rang to say he wanted to see me. I only just had time to ring Mummy and tell her that I’ll be bringing Alan home to tea with me. Now remember, Grace, I don’t want you showing me up, so for heaven’s sake wear something decent. Oh, yes, and Mummy said to tell you that it makes much more sense for you to go home instead of staying overnight.’
    As soon as Bella had left the salon, Susan told Grace firmly, ‘You’ve got to borrow that greendress, and put that ruddy madam of a cousin of yours in her place. Snotty piece.’
    ‘Susan …’ Grace protested weakly.
    ‘Well, she is and you know it. If I was you I’d refuse to go to her ruddy Tennis Club dance.’
    Grace sighed. The truth was that now, after seeing Bella, her initial excitement had quite gone and she was wishing that she could get out of going, whilst knowing that she could not. If she tried, then Auntie Vi would get on to her own mother and that just wouldn’t be fair.
    ‘Who’s this Alan she was going on about, then?’ Susan asked.
    ‘His name is Alan Parker,’ Grace explained. ‘He’s the son of a councillor that