‘I got it!’ she whooped to Ivy who was standing discreetly out of sight just along the road. ‘What with both of us working we’ll be able to get out of Soho and rent our own little place in no time.’

Ivy smiled at her excitedly. ‘Well done, miss … I mean, Holly.’ She herself had been working since she was fourteen years old but she knew that this was a huge step for her friend and she couldn’t have been more proud of her.

Chapter Six

When Ivy arrived home from her first day in the match factory the next day, Holly stared at her hands in horror. They were sore and red and covered in splinters and tiny cuts.

‘You’ll need to soak them in warm water and let me get all those splinters out for you otherwise they could get infected,’ she warned.

Ivy smiled bravely, although her back ached and her hands were throbbing. ‘They’ll harden up, no doubt,’ she answered nonchalantly, taking the welcome cup of steaming tea Holly had ready for her.

‘I made us a bit of dinner too,’ Holly told her. ‘Although I’m afraid it’s not much. Just jacket potato and cheese. I think you’re going to have to give me some cooking lessons.’

Hurrying to the oven she took the potatoes out but when Ivy tried to cut into hers she found it was still hard in the middle, although she didn’t say anything.

It was Holly herself who commented, ‘These are awful, aren’t they?’

She looked so downhearted that Ivy chuckled. ‘A bit chewy admittedly, but as me mam used to say, “What don’t fatten’ll fill”. They’re better than nowt an’ you’ll get the hang of it.’

Holly sighed despondently. She had spent the whole afternoon trying to clean the filthy oven but was sure that she hadn’t made half as good a job of it as Ivy would have done.

‘I don’t seem to be much good at looking after myself at all,’ she groaned. ‘Goodness knows what would have happened to me if you hadn’t come with me.’

A tear trickled down her cheek and, glad of an excuse to leave the potato, Ivy hurried over to comfort her.

‘It was you who taught me to read and write enough to get by so it won’t be any hardship for me to teach you a few practical housekeepin’ things, will it? We’ll make a good team, you just wait and see. But now is there any hot water left in that kettle? I must admit I’m worn out an’ all I really want is a good wash an’ an early night.’

Outside the wind was rattling the windowpanes but Holly had kept the fire going, so although the room was sparse at least it was warm and cosy.

‘I’ll put some in the bowl for you,’ Holly offered obligingly, wishing she could have started her new job today as well. ‘But then I insist on getting those splinters out for you before you go to bed and then you can soak them in salt water.’