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Back Sisters of Gold Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. Title page
  3. Dedication page
  4. A Week’s Work in Birmingham
  5. I
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Ten
  16. Eleven
  17. Twelve
  18. Thirteen
  19. Fourteen
  20. Fifteen
  21. Sixteen
  22. Seventeen
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-One
  27. Twenty-Two
  28. Twenty-Three
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. II
  31. Twenty-Five
  32. Twenty-Six
  33. Twenty-Seven
  34. Twenty-Eight
  35. Twenty-Nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-One
  38. Thirty-Two
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. Thirty-Eight
  45. Thirty-Nine
  46. III
  47. Forty
  48. Forty-One
  49. Forty-Two
  50. Forty-Three
  51. Forty-Four
  52. Forty-Five
  53. Forty-Six
  54. Forty-Seven
  55. Forty-Eight
  56. Forty-Nine
  57. Fifty
  58. Fifty-One
  59. Fifty-Two
  60. Fifty-Three
  61. Acknowledgements
  62. Further Reading
  63. About the Author
  64. By the Same Author

There were several of the strange, tapered wooden things lying on the bench, looking like large root vegetables with sawn-off ends. Daisy, with the ease of experience, fixed one sideways in a clamp at the edge of the bench and showed Margaret how to fashion the piece of wire around it according to its size and hammer it into a round shape.

‘You can do it oval as well – see?’ Daisy held up another, different-shaped mandrel. She was alight with enthusiasm.

‘You’d make a very good teacher,’ Margaret said to her. ‘Would you like that?’

Daisy shook her head dismissively. ‘Oh, no – I want to make my own things. Now – you see the two ends are close together. Now you have to solder them. But first we have to put a flux on it – it makes the solder stick.’ She seized hold of what looked like a lump of stone with a flat end, which she rubbed, in a shallow layer of water, against a stone surface. ‘It’s borax,’ she said. ‘D’you want to have a go?’

Margaret was beginning to enjoy herself. She was just reaching for the conical piece of borax when she became aware that someone was watching them at the door. She jumped, then hoped it had not been obvious.

‘I see she’s put you to work,’ Philip Tallis said.

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Two

Margaret returned his smile, realizing, in that second, how glad she was to see him. Even though she hardly knew him, his presence affected her. And any awkwardness there may have been was made easier by Daisy being there. Daisy was the reason for her own presence in his room and this made everything more relaxed.

‘She’s very enthusiastic,’ Margaret said.

‘Can I show Miss Hanson my bowl?’ Daisy said.

‘Paint the flux on the bracelet first.’ Her father came over, still in his own overall. It hung open to reveal his shirt and brown weskit. She could smell the chemical smells of the workshop, the way her uncle smelt.

‘You can show her while it dries. Oh –’ He took hold of the curved piece of wire. Margaret saw his nails, wide and flat, the large hands gently skilful. ‘You need to smooth the ends off first. Did you forget that, Daisy?’

He asked her in mock reproach, his face crinkling humorously. Margaret watched. She could not have said what colour his eyes were – a dark greenish-grey, perhaps – but she liked their quiet warmth and the hint of mischief they held today.

‘No-o-o,’ Daisy said, her own eyes wandering. ‘Can Miss Hanson have a cup of tea?’

Margaret started to protest, but Philip Tallis said, ‘I could certainly do with one.’ He glanced at her. ‘Will you join me?’

Once she had thanked him and he called the request to Mrs Flett, he went to a cupboard and brought out a silver item, obviously unfinished.