Alice's Girls Read Online Free PDF

above them, and the squabbling of the farm jackdaws at the top of the kitchen chimney stack, were the only sounds.
    ‘We’re very happy, Alice,’ Georgina said solemnly, andAlice told her she had always believed they would be and asked whether they had got as far as making any plans for the future.
    ‘Chris has a plan, and of course, I’m included in it now. I can tell you but we are not going to make any announcements to our parents until—’
    ‘Announcements?’ Alice queried. ‘That sounds a bit, well, formal!’
    ‘It’s just until … until things are more definite. Dates and things. Dates of sailings, Alice. Of ships.’ She was watching Alice’s face.
    ‘Ships?’ Alice echoed.
    ‘Yes. To New Zealand.’
    Alice was speechless. Then Georgina was explaining that Christopher, always fascinated by trees, had been studying arboriculture intensively over the past year. ‘He’s completed all the practical stuff and got some sort of diploma which he needed in order to qualify for a job he’s applied for with the New Zealand Forestry Commission.’ She paused, watching Alice’s astonishment. ‘He’s working on his final thesis now and it’s almost finished … We don’t want to tell anyone until everything’s settled …’
    ‘And …’ Alice was hesitant, ‘you’re going with him?’
    ‘Of course I am! I can’t just walk out on the ATA, of course. But as soon as I can, we’ll just … get married and go!’
    ‘Have you thought … really thought, about leaving everything – everyone – behind? Your parents, Georgie?Christopher’s father?’ She paused, watching Georgina’s face. ‘Oh, dear! That’s what’s at the bottom of all this, isn’t it! This wretched problem between father and son.’ Georgina sighed. After a moment’s silence she admitted that it was true that Christopher now found his relationship with his father impossible and felt the only solution was to get away from it.
    ‘He’s always been a bit weird, apparently, but since Chris was chucked out of the RAF his father can’t even look him in the eye, Alice! You saw what he was like when it happened. It’s no better now. Chris has had enough of being treated as though he was a coward when he was not a coward! Of feeling a failure when he never failed! It’s just … intolerable! His father has virtually driven him away, Alice! Chris loves this place! Post Stone valley is his home! He would probably have taken on the farms when his father wanted him to. But now he says he simply cannot bear to spend the rest of his life facing that look! The accusation, Alice! The reproach! So he’s going. And I’m going with him. Only you must promise not to breathe a word just yet.’
    It was at this point that Rose, having finished sweeping the bedrooms, entered the kitchen.
    ‘All right, Georgina?’ she enquired, curtly.
    ‘Yes, thanks, Mrs Crocker.’
    ‘Well that’s good then, isn’t it?’ Rose continued, making an irritable clatter with dustpan and brush as she returned them to their cupboard. Whether Rose disapproved ofGeorgina’s recent behaviour, or whether she was miffed because she felt excluded from the latest developments in the story, Alice was unsure. ‘Only, your father was very worried about you, the night of the storm when no one knew where you was,’ Rose continued, shooting a sharp glance at Alice who contrived to avoid it. ‘Very worried indeed, he was, poor gentleman.’
    ‘The track was blocked,’ Georgina said, truthfully, if lamely, ‘by a fallen tree …’ She floundered on, unsure of precisely what Alice had told Rose about the deception of that night.
    ‘A fallen tree, was there?’ Rose muttered, sourly. ‘Well, that’s as maybe, I daresay.’ She had replaced her plimsolls with the rubber boots she wore in the yard and was moving towards the kitchen door. ‘I’d best go see if them ’ens ’as got round to layin’ again. Proper tardy they be, lately …’ Her voice trailed into