‘What sort of favour?’ Geoff asked. ‘I’m back off to work. Only come home for me dinner.’
‘Won’t take long.’
‘What’s up, then?’ Geoff asked, mildly curious.
‘Are you going Thane Villas way?’ Alice wheedled and looked appealingly at him. He was as tall as his brother Danny although, at nearly fourteen and a half, he was over a year younger. She was sure he’d manage to do what she wanted. Then it was up to her to do better than stutter a stupid excuse for showing up late.
‘Could do, I suppose,’ Geoff casually replied. ‘What’s up?’ he repeated.
‘Nothing really,’ Alice said, quite nonchalant. ‘Just want you to get something for me. I can’t reach it ’cos I’m not tall enough.’
Geoff frowned and shrugged. ‘Alright. But better get going or I’ll be late back.’
‘Where are you working now?’ Alice asked conversationally as they walked briskly along.
‘Got a job in a gents’ outfitters, round in Hornsey Road. Milligan’s, d’you know it?’
Alice hoisted her dark brows. She was impressed. ‘That’s a good place. Good pay, is it?’ she enquired.
‘Nah!’ Geoff grunted a laugh. ‘But it has … perks … if y’know what I mean.’
Alice slid him an old-fashioned look. ‘You’ll regret it, y’know, if you get caught out doing something daft. Milligan’s is good gear and far too rich for me dad’s pocket, so he told me.’
‘That’s why I ain’t getting caught out doing something daft,’ Geoff returned dryly. ‘Ol’ man Milligan ain’t a bad old stick. So I ain’t taking the piss out of him like I could if I really put me mind to it.’
‘Bet Danny’s pleased you got the job,’ Alice said as they marched on towards Thane Villas.
It was as though the hiatus in their fledgling friendship had never occurred. They had fallen back, straight away, into a comfortable camaraderie.
‘’Spect him and your dad get a few nice bits.’ Alice ran an eye over Geoff’s neat appearance. He obviously did alright for clothes himself out of his job. Perhaps he got a staff discount because it would be really dumb in the brainbox to pinch stuff then wear it to work. And Alice reckoned that Geoff wasn’t stupid at all.
‘Me dad ain’t exactly suited to snappy dressing,’ Geoff observed sourly. ‘As for Dan, I ain’t doing him no favours. Me ‘n’ ’im fell out.’ He looked off into the distance.
‘You had a bust-up over something?’ Alice squinted up at his averted face.
‘Sort of …’
Alice continued gazing up at him enquiringly.
‘Weren’t right what he did to your sister.’ Geoff plunged his hands into his pockets after giving his verdict.
Alice blushed.
‘No … not that,’ Geoff said with a grin. ‘That’s up to her. She never accused him of nuthin’.’ He paused. ‘Weren’t right the way he tried to weasel out of it. He should’ve stood up to me mum ‘n’ dad and said he’d get wed to her. I know he’s right upset about it all, and feels guilty at what he’s done.’ He frowned as he explained, ‘Dan just wants to get some money and get away from here, ’fore he gets tied down with a family, and I can understand how he feels. But it still ain’t right giving your own kid away. I don’t reckon so anyhow.’
‘No need to worry now,’ Alice mumbled reflexively, a pink stain lingering in her cheeks. It was the first time she’d discussed the matter with anyone apart from Sophy. After the initial shock of finding out she was pregnant, Sophy hadn’t wanted to talk about the baby any more. It seemed her sister had wanted to forget she had a little life inside her that would never be part of her future. After the hullabaloo her parents had kept schtumm on the delicate subject of Sophy’s disgrace, and if they’d talked about it between themselves Alice had never heard them doing so.
‘I don’t reckon you’d give away your own nipper,’ Geoff said and slanted a penetrating look at Alice.
Alice felt the blood fizz in her cheeks again. ‘I wouldn’t get meself in that sort of trouble for any lad,’ she scoffed. ‘Anyhow,’ she continued quickly, feeling odd, ‘Sophy ain’t in trouble; it’s all come right.’
‘Eh? How’s that then?’ Geoff shot a puzzled look at her.
‘I suppose your mum wouldn’t have told you,’ Alice began then hesitated, feeling foolish and embarrassed. Of course Margaret wouldn’t have said anything. All women’s stuff was unmentionable, especially to men; Alice had picked that knowledge up from Sophy when it was her time to know a few months ago. ‘Sophy ain’t in the family way,’ Alice muttered quickly. ‘So that’s alright, thank Gawd. She’s just been right poorly though.’
‘She got rid of it after all?’ Geoff asked in surprise. He remembered the day Sophy had screeched that no skewer was ever going anywhere near her.
Alice shook her head and averted her burning cheeks. ‘Wasn’t got rid of, but I ain’t saying any more.’ In fact she wasn’t really sure what had happened to Sophy. After it was all cleaned up, and Margaret had gone home, Alice had met her mum coming down the stairs with Lucy balanced on her hip. Her mum had said very little, other than Sophy wasn’t pregnant; but she was allowed to rest in bed for the day to get her strength back. Then Tilly had muttered about going to the back yard to peg out the wet sheets on the washing line.
Aware of Geoff’s thoughtful gaze on her Alice rushed across the road to avoid his questions, and to hide her confusion. She halted outside the factory gate and tipped back her head. She pointed. ‘I want you to get that down for me.’
Geoff joined her and squinted up at the vacancy board. ‘You want me to get that for you?’ He started to laugh. ‘You gone nuts or somethin’, Alice Keiver?’
‘No, I have not!’ Alice said forcefully, her cheeks blooming now with a different sort of embarrassment. ‘It’s my job and I want it. There ain’t a vacancy. I already took it. It weren’t my fault our place was in uproar and I couldn’t get here to start on time. Ain’t fair! Mr Wright give me the work. I want you to take down the notice before someone else sees it and goes in and gets me job.’
‘You was supposed to start work here today?’ Geoff asked in surprise. ‘Didn’t think you was old enough to be out to work.’
‘Nor was you old enough, Geoff Lovat, when you was first out to work,’ Alice came back quickly at him.
Geoff gazed down at her pretty, fierce features then up at the notice. His amusement died. ‘You late turnin’ in ’cos Sophy weren’t well earlier?’
Alice nodded and frowned into the distance. ‘Just my luck, ain’t it, to lose me first job before I even started it.’
Without another word he pulled a penknife out of a pocket and, flicking it open, worked at each corner of the block of wood until the board came loose. A yank with both hands and it was off. ‘There y’are,’ he said and handed it over.
Alice gripped the cumbersome board to her small chest. ‘Thanks,’ she mumbled and gave him a sweetly shy smile.
‘Right, I’m off then,’ Geoff said, having given her a long, contemplative look.