Homecoming Girls Read Online Free Page A

troubling you.’
    Dan shook his head. ‘Nowt,’ he said, taking a deep breath.
    ‘Shall we go and wave them off at ’train station?’ his mother said.
    ‘Not if it’s during ’week we won’t,’ her husband said abruptly. ‘We’ve work to do. It’s not everybody who can go gadding off to other countries. Some of us have to earn an honest penny and can’t go gallivanting ’world over like some folk.’
    Ruby and Thomas both looked at Dan but he kept his eyes lowered and muttered, ‘I shan’t go.’
    Thomas grimaced and was about to say something, but his mother cast a glance at him and shook her head. Later she whispered to him that Jewel and Clara were catching the ten o’clock train bound for Liverpool on Friday.
    ‘See if you can arrange an errand or a delivery or something,’ she said. ‘You can mebbe make a quick detour to ’station to see them off.’
    Thomas grinned. ‘Thanks, Ma. I’ll try. I’d like to see Clara off. She’s that excited.’
    ‘You’ll miss her, won’t you?’ his mother said.
    ‘Aye, I will.’ He looked pensive. ‘We’ve allus been – such pals.’
    He and Clara and Elizabeth had shared their childhood, being the same age, but it was Clara with whom he had had an affinity. Dan and Elizabeth had squabbled over the same toys until Jewel had come along and captivated Dan. But now they were both going away and Thomas wondered who he would talk to and discuss the issues of the day with. Not his brother, for Dan was inclined to be opinionated and not open-minded enough to have an intelligent debate. As for his father, he had been increasingly irritable lately and not easy to talk to; he was sure his mother had noticed it too for she always seemed anxious when his father was around, trying to please or pacify him.
    Ruby was indeed worried about her husband and had tried on several occasions to ask Daniel what was bothering him. She had been brusquely rebuffed, though, which generally brought tears to her eyes and apologies from Daniel.
    ‘It’s nowt,’ he had said. ‘You’re imagining it. Give over, Ruby. I’m all right.’
    She knew that he wasn’t. His moodiness had grown worse over the last year and she worried that he would become like his mother, who had been a most disagreeable woman, always niggling that she had come down in the world and that her husband wasn’t given his rightful dues. Because of her attitude and the lack of available work, Daniel had left home when he was seventeen and got a job at sea. Whilst he was away his mother had taken her own life by jumping into the Humber, and Ruby knew that in some way Daniel blamed himself for it.
    On the Friday morning that Jewel and Clara were due to depart, both Thomas and Dan were up earlier than usual, for once coming down to breakfast before their father.
    ‘Thought I’d deliver to Grants in Beverley this morning, Da,’ Thomas said cheerfully when Daniel appeared. ‘Everything’s ready for me to box up and then I’ll drive over. I’ll be back before dinner time.’
    ‘No need for you to go.’ His father sat down at the breakfast table and Ruby served him bacon and eggs from the sideoven. ‘I’ll send Morris. We’ve to finish off them rocking horses for Brownlee. He wants them for Tuesday.’
    ‘Can’t Dan help with them?’ Thomas was disappointed. ‘I wanted to show Mr Grant those new designs of locomotives.’
    His father looked doubtful. ‘I don’t think he’ll be interested. He’s doing well wi’ clowns and circus stuff.’
    ‘I – I mentioned them last time I was over there,’ Thomas said eagerly. ‘He said he’d tek a look at them.’
    ‘Aye,’ his father said reluctantly. ‘All right. But get back by dinner and then we can all crack on wi’ hosses.’
    ‘Dinner’ll be a bit late anyway,’ Ruby butted in. ‘Half past twelve. I’ve some shopping to do at ’market.’
    Daniel gazed at her and then at Thomas, and gently shook his head. ‘You can’t pull ’wool over