Beyond a Misty Shore Read Online Free

dock areas. A lot of the houses have been pulled down as being unsafe.’
    Maria raised her eyes skyward impatiently; she was grateful for his help but it was difficult trying to keep up a conversation in such a crowd. ‘Our aunt lives in Harebell Street and a woman told us those houses were fine.’
    ‘I hope she was right. Still, it’s all over and we got our own back in the end. Sometimes I feel a bit sorry for them now, their whole country’s destroyed, according to the newspapers.’
    ‘And so is ours and they should ’ave thought of that before they started the flaming war!’ The woman in the black coat had elbowed her way to their side and was ruthlessly pushing forward.
    ‘I suppose you’re right, missus. Let’s get you all off now,’ the deck hand called as they reached the top of the gangway. He turned to Sophie. ‘Can you manage this case and I’ll carry the little lass down on my shoulders so she won’t get crushed?’
    ‘Oh, that’s so good of you! I was wondering how I was going to manage,’ Sophie replied with relief as he effortlessly hoisted Bella on to his shoulder.
    ‘Hold on tightly to this kind man, Bella. We’ll soon be off and your mam and I will be right behind you,’ Maria urged her obviously apprehensive niece.
    It was a relief to be off the ship at last and at the bottom of the gangway they parted company with both the woman in the black coat and the young deck hand, Maria flashing him a genuine smile of gratitude. People were still milling aroundbut they made their way towards the line of green and cream waiting trams. Sophie made some enquiries of a man in a uniform, whom she took to be some sort of official, and was directed towards a tram at the front of the line. They climbed aboard and Maria showed the conductor the piece of paper bearing her aunt’s address.
    ‘I’ll give yer a shout when we get to the nearest stop, luv,’ he promised and they settled thankfully on to the wooden slatted seat, Sophie with Bella on her lap and her suitcase at her feet.
    ‘I just hope she’s going to have a pot of tea ready for us, I’m worn out,’ Maria commented, gazing out of the window.
    Sophie smiled tiredly. ‘I’m sure she will. She knows what time the ferry was due in. Mam put it all in the letter and she said she was a friendly enough soul and should make us very welcome.’
    ‘How does she know that? We never got a reply and she only met her the once, years ago before the war, when they came over on a day trip,’ Maria reminded her. She didn’t know Uncle Jim Quine, her mother’s brother, at all. He’d gone to Liverpool to work before she’d even been born. Sophie didn’t either, she’d only been a small baby.
    Sophie didn’t reply, she was too tired, heartsore and filled with misgivings to enter into an argument with Maria.
    The tram had filled up and when the conductor came for their fares Sophie held out the pennies.
    He took them but gave her one back, grinning conspiratorially. ‘It’s supposed to be half-price for the little ’un, butwhat the ’ell! She’s sitting on yer knee an’ I reckon that penny is better in your pocket than the flaming Corporation’s.’
    She thanked him and put it back in her purse. She
would
need every penny she had until she got a job. She had sold everything to come here, even her precious wedding ring. She wore one made of brass now. She had to make all her hopes and dreams for a better future come true, for Bella’s sake. She hugged the pale, weary child to her, fighting back the tears of exhaustion and sorrow. Oh, Andrew! I still miss you so much, she thought. He’d been dead three years yet each time she had passed the harbour, where what was left of the fishing fleet was anchored, it broke her heart. Mam had been right to urge her to leave Peel and its bittersweet memories behind, but to have to face the future without him was daunting in the extreme. In truth she would never forget him or the brief happy years