The Factory Girl Read Online Free

The Factory Girl
Book: The Factory Girl Read Online Free
Author: Maggie Ford
Pages:
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shared by all three. How families with even more children managed was a mystery to Geraldine, though friends had at times mentioned four or more to a bed. After evening meals, if not going out, everyone would end up in the front room, most of which were spent around the gramophone, allowing the boys to go to bed when they were ready.
    â€˜Mum, let Fred come down,’ pleaded Geraldine, following her mother into the back room.
    â€˜It’ll do ’im good ter stew up there for a bit,’ said Mum, laying out plates. ‘Teach ’im a lesson.’ By this, she knew Mum would relent before the meal was finished.
    Mum turned to her as Dad came creaking downstairs. Every stair creaked, as did the beds, chairs and cupboard doors. There were no secrets in this house.
    â€˜I didn’t get you any fish ’n chips, Gel. Didn’t know when you’d be ’ome. I could take a bit off each of ours if you like.’
    â€˜No, I’m fine, Mum. We ’ad a big dinner, remember. I’d much sooner ’ave a sandwich. Fish and chips make you fat.’
    Her mother smiled, glancing at her daughter’s slim figure, still in the best dress she’d put on for going up West, one she’d made herself in slate grey some while back. Geraldine had more dresses than most, being skilled on the sewing machine, artistic. She was proud of her.
    â€˜I got some in for Evie. She’s at ’er friend’s ’ouse down the street – should be ’ome any minute now. You could ’ave a bit of ’ers.’
    â€˜No thanks, Mum.’
    â€˜Well if yer don’t want any there’s some cheese in the larder. Yer could ’ave that. I weren’t sure when you’d be ’ome, that’s why I didn’t get yer any.’
    She eyed the parcel Geraldine had put down on a chair on coming in. ‘Is that what yer went up the West End for? Spending yer ’ard-earned money on more stuff ter make. What yer goin’ ter make now, as if you ain’t got enough?’ This at least was a secret. No secret that she’d gone off up the West End – it was a rule of Mum’s that her family always said where they were going in case they were needed urgently at home or had an accident out. Though how they’d have contacted each other if there had been any trouble had never been explained. The police coming round, she supposed, or some messenger from a hospital.
    But the dress was a secret, at least until she had it all finished or the moment she started treadling away on the machine, the noise rumbling all over the house and Mum coming up to see what it was she was doing. She’d want to know all the ins and outs of what she was making, and in the end when it finally came out, she would inevitably say, ‘Yer’ll be wearing a bridesmaid dress, so why make somethink else? Yer’ll upset Mavis thinking yer don’t like what she got yer.’ Though Mavis knew that already. She’d told her so, that she hated rose pink.
    â€˜Did yer go with a friend then?’ Mum was asking.
    Geraldine shrugged. ‘No, on me own.’
    Her mother moved past her to get the food from the oven as Dad went into the back room to seat himself at the table. ‘’Bout time you got yerself a boyfriend,’ she said.
    â€˜I’ve got boyfriends.’
    â€˜I mean a real boyfriend, someone steady. You’ll find yourself left on the shelf if you ain’t careful.’
    â€˜Mum, I’m only eighteen. I’ve got time.’
    Not bothering to reply to that, Mum hurried off into the back room, each hand now carrying a loaded plate, a tea towel protecting her skin from the oven’s heat. ‘Fred!’ she called out as she went. ‘Yours is on the table.’
    As Fred came thumping down the stairs, all forgiven, the back door burst open to admit Evie. ‘Blimey!’ exploded the twelve-year-old. ‘It don’t ’alf stink out
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