Eve and Her Sisters Read Online Free PDF Page B

obvious Mary was his favourite. Maybe he thought the younger one needed a father figure more but it wasn’t the case. In spite of her size and bulk, Nell was still just a bairn. He sometimes slipped Mary a Saturday penny or two too, and was forever playing little games with her like shuggy boats when he crossed his knees and stuck a foot out and Mary clambered on to his foot and he held her hands as he hoisted her up and down. Admittedly he would find it hard to do that with Nell but if he couldn’t do it for one he shouldn’t do it for the other. She was going to have to say something. What, she didn’t know, because she couldn’t afford to offend him.
    ‘Come on.’ She smiled at her sister, tweaking the end of Nell’s snub nose. ‘Let’s go and see what’s what but quiet mind, Phoebe might still be asleep.’
    They entered the scullery noiselessly and on opening the kitchen door found the room to be empty. Thinking that Josiah and Mary might be upstairs with Phoebe, Eve said to Nell, ‘Put the kettle on, lass. I’ll just go and see how Phoebe is and then I’ll make a pot of tea.And check the oven, would you? Something smells nice.’
    She was still talking as she stepped into the hall. She was conscious of a sound, a sort of a scuffle, and as her head turned to the front-room door, it opened and Josiah stood there, Mary just behind him. ‘Oh.’ Eve blinked. ‘I thought you were upstairs.’ The front room was Phoebe’s pride and joy and sacrosanct, only used on high days and holidays. The day after they had moved in, Phoebe had taken them into the hallowed interior and proudly shown them the stiff horsehair suite, walnut china cabinet and enormous aspidistra on its small table which stood in the bay, the lace curtains behind it starched into permanent folds.
    Josiah smiled. ‘I was showing Mary Phoebe’s figurines in the china cabinet, they fascinate her. Don’t they, Mary?’ he added, turning his head.
    Eve looked at Mary. She was standing quite still and she looked a little white.‘Are you all right, hinny?’ she said gently. ‘You look peaky.’
    ‘She’s got the stomach ache.’ Josiah still kept his eyes on Mary. ‘That’s why I suggested we look at the china cabinet, I thought it’d take her mind off how she was feeling. That’s right, isn’t it, lass?’
    Mary nodded.
    ‘It’s likely the heat,’ he continued, stepping forward. Eve moved aside. ‘It’s getting everyone down. I’m all for a bit of sunshine but you can have too much of a good thing.’
    He was still smiling and Eve didn’t know what had caused the odd feeling inside her, an uneasy odd feeling, but then Nell called that the cow heel pie was in danger of burning and should she lift it out of the oven. In the ensuing bustle to save their dinner, the moment was put aside.
    Later that evening as Nell and Mary were getting ready for bed, Phoebe began to have pains and the midwife was called. At five o’clock in the morning Eve was woken by a baby’s cry. She had been dozing on the settle with a blanket over her after keeping the midwife supplied with hot water and numerous cups of tea most of the night. Josiah was snoring gently in his armchair in front of the range.
    When the midwife appeared to summon Josiah upstairs, he put out his hand for Eve to come too, and so she walked into the bedroom with him to see Phoebe cradling her new son in her arms. He looked to be a tiny baby but he had a lusty cry and Phoebe and the midwife were smiling.
    ‘Another boy,’ Phoebe said softly, stroking the small downy head. As Josiah kissed her and sat on the side of the bed, she looked at Eve. ‘Josiah was hoping for a little lassie this time.’
    Eve was surprised. Most mining families wanted lads who could earn good money down the pit when they grew up.
    Josiah shook his head. ‘As long as you and the baby were all right I said I didn’t mind.’
    ‘But you would have liked a girl.’
    ‘Only if she looked like you.’
    He