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Chapters (59)
  1. Cover
  2. ABOUT THE BOOK
  3. Dedication
  4. PREFACE
  5. CHAPTER ONE
  6. CHAPTER TWO
  7. CHAPTER THREE
  8. CHAPTER FOUR
  9. CHAPTER FIVE
  10. CHAPTER SIX
  11. CHAPTER SEVEN
  12. CHAPTER EIGHT
  13. CHAPTER NINE
  14. CHAPTER TEN
  15. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  16. CHAPTER TWELVE
  17. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  18. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  20. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  22. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  23. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  54. CHAPTER FIFTY
  55. ENDING
  56. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  57. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  58. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  59. Also by Val Wood

As she walked along Queen’s Road, she saw two ladies walking arm in arm towards her; she recognized them from the house at the end of her terrace. They hadn’t yet spoken, though they had both politely nodded when they had seen her in the front garden. She had been outside telling Harry where she wanted carrot seed sowing on the tiny vegetable plot. All the old vegetation had been cleared before they moved in and the soil was ready for planting. It was too late for most seed, but she knew that carrots would survive, and in an old rusted bucket he had already planted a few green potatoes that had begun shooting and couldn’t now be eaten. Waste not, want not, she’d said. She’d thought of what Mr Tannerson had said about poor people eating the green potatoes in Ireland and the tragedy that had ensued from it and told Harry about it.

The ladies were coming nearer. She thought they were probably sisters for they were very alike, both of slim build with fair skin and hair that was tucked neatly under prim bonnets, and she determined to speak to them. She said good morning and commented on the weather, to which they both murmured something, and then they chorused ‘Good day to you’ and moved on.

A few yards further on, she turned and saw them turning right on to Beverley Road. One of them turned her head slightly and looked back towards her.

Ah, well, she mused, not everyone wants to talk, but I’ve broken the ice. Maybe they’ll speak another day. She wondered where they were going and if they had an occupation, for it was still early; and she tried to imagine what had brought them here to Mrs Lucan’s property. Had they been subjected to difficulties too?’

Lizzie was putting on her coat as Ellen went in. ‘Kettle’s on ’boil,’ she said, adjusting the scarf round her neck and putting on a velour hat. ‘Harry’s given ’children their porridge, but Thomas says he wants toast as well.’

‘Thank you, Lizzie,’ Ellen said gratefully.

‘No, thank you, Ellen.’ Lizzie plonked a kiss on her sister’s cheek. ‘My liberator.’

‘What?’ Ellen laughed. ‘What does that mean?’

Lizzie tapped the side of her nose. ‘You’ll see.’

She called goodbye to the children and to Harry, saying she would see him at the office later, and went to the door. ‘Must dash or I’ll miss my lift and have to walk.’ Mr Tannerson always waited for her in his trap at the top of Sculcoates Lane on the other side of the Beverley road.

Ellen followed her to the front door. ‘It’s a special day today, isn’t it, Lizzie? Do you think everything will turn out the way we want it to?’

Lizzie turned and smiled at her. ‘Don’t worry, Ellen,’ she told her. ‘It will.’

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE