The Woolworths Girls by Elaine Everest Read Free Book Online

over and can still get inside to spend their money.’
    Sarah didn’t mention that she’d seen Alan outside and watched him as he worked. In fact, a few times she’d been so busy watching him that customers had to call her for assistance. Thank goodness Miss Billington hadn’t spotted her being slack. Alan seemed to have a word and a smile for every person who walked by. He was certainly a charming young man.
    ‘Now, Alan, don’t you go bothering this young lady; we don’t want her in trouble for getting back to her counter late,’ an unfamiliar woman’s voice said. Just then, a shrill bell echoed through the building. ‘There you go – that’s the bell for the end of this break.’
    Alan pulled a face at Sarah. ‘I can never escape this woman.’
    The older woman cuffed his ear playfully before saying to Sarah, ‘I’m Alan’s mum, Maureen. He won’t tell you, so I’d better do it myself.’
    Sarah could see a likeness between Maureen and Alan. Although Maureen’s hair was as dark as night, they shared the same sparkling eyes and warm smile.
    Maureen added thoughtfully, ‘You’re Ruby Caselton’s granddaughter, aren’t you?’
    Sarah nodded. ‘Yes, I live with Nan. I moved up from Devon.’
    ‘Then George must be your dad. I went to school with him. I even knew your mum from our days working at the Dartford Woolworths. That was a long time ago. We both worked together at one time. Give them my regards. Well, I must get back to the kitchen – there’s lots needs doing there.’
    Sarah grimaced to herself as she bade goodbye to Alan’s mum. She’d pass on the greetings to her mum when she next wrote, but she had a feeling Irene Caselton wouldn’t appreciate them. That part of her life seemed to have been wiped from her memory.
    ‘So we’re almost family, Sixpenny?’
    Sarah frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘My mum went to school with your dad and worked with your mum. That must mean something.’
    Sarah blushed and turned away quickly. She didn’t wish Alan to see that she was so flustered by his words. Was he just joshing with her? She hoped not, as she liked talking to him. ‘I have to get back to work,’ she whispered, before dashing from the canteen.
    ‘Eat up, girls. There’s plenty more where that came from,’ Ruby said as she placed plates piled high with steak-and-kidney pudding in front of Freda and Maisie.
    ‘My goodness, Mrs C., there’s enough here to feed an army,’ Maisie declared. ‘If I eat all this, I’ll fall asleep during the film.’
    ‘It’s delicious,’ Freda said in between mouthfuls.
    ‘I’ve made you up a bowl to take home with you, love. We’ve too much here and it’ll only go to waste. Sarah told me you don’t have much in the way of a kitchen where you live.’
    Sarah threw Ruby a grateful glance. She seemed to know just how to help people out without making a fuss about it. ‘You’ll be doing us a favour, Freda. Nan’ll be giving it to me for breakfast at this rate.’
    ‘Blame your mum, Sarah. If she hadn’t called your dad back to Devon for the weekend to some posh dance, I wouldn’t have so much left over. Trust him to forget to say anything.’
    Sarah giggled. ‘You always make loads of food, Nan.’
    Ruby put a steaming-hot apple pie and a jug of custard in the centre of the table. ‘I like to make people happy.’
    Maisie dipped her finger into the jug and licked it appreciatively. ‘You’ve sure made me happy, Mrs C.’
    Ruby slapped Maisie’s hand playfully. ‘Eat your dinner or you’ll miss the start of the film. What are you going to see?’
    ‘It’s a Jessie Matthews musical at the Odeon, Nan.’
    ‘Now, she is good. I could watch her all day. Such a beautiful actress, and she’s British. None of your American movie stars for me.’
    Freda glanced at Sarah, who knew only too well that she was remembering when they both thought that Maisie had been a movie star when they first met her. Only two weeks later they knew