Liverpool Angels Read Online Free PDF Page B

he did understand when I yelled at him.’
    Agnes decided it was time to change the subject for she could see by Maggie’s face that it was upsetting her to talk about it. ‘Did you hear that Nancy Ellis from number sixteen is going to marry that lad, Tommy Farraday, from Northumberland Terrace? Her mam was in the shop today, jangling with my mam. She’s not very pleased about it at all.’
    ‘Is she “having” to get married?’ Maggie asked, thinking that Nancy had always appeared to her to be a bit on the flighty side.
    ‘No, although she was always a one for chasing after the lads. It’s the “intended” that her mam’s objecting to. He’s on the same ship as your John. Apparently he’s a trimmer.’ Agnes rolled her eyes.
    ‘God help her then. I think our John is the only one of that lot who doesn’t get blind drunk, spend his wages and end up in a fight at the end of each trip. They work damned hard but you know what kind of a reputation they’ve all got.’
    Agnes nodded. ‘That’s just what her mam said. That she’d never have a penny to her name, she’d have no guarantee that he’d treat her well, might even belt her when he’s had a drink, probably leave her struggling with a gang of kids. But apparently Nancy won’t be told, says he loves her and doesn’t he bring her fancy trinkets and things.’
    Maggie sighed. Nancy wasn’t the first or the last who would make a big mistake by marrying the ‘wrong’ man.
    When John returned home two weeks later Maggie could see that he was more himself and she was relieved. There was still a look of pain in his eyes, a note of sorrow in his voice when he spoke of Beth, but overall he was brighter and he’d brought a beautiful shawl from New York for Mae to be christened in.
    ‘It’s so delicate!’ Maggie exclaimed, fingering it carefully and thinking that it was far too fine for everyday use. She’d wrap it in tissue paper and store it away after the visit to the church on Saturday.
    ‘She’s grown in the short time I’ve been away. How have you been managing, Maggie?’ he asked as he sat cuddling the baby, who was waving her little fists in the air.
    ‘Fine. Oh, babies are always hard work but well worth it,’ she said, thinking of her baby who had quickened only yesterday. ‘Do you know a lad called Tommy Farraday?’
    John frowned and nodded. ‘I do, he’s a trimmer. Why?’
    ‘Oh, it’s just that he’s going to marry Nancy Ellis from down the street and her mam’s not very pleased about it.’
    ‘I can’t say I blame her. I certainly wouldn’t allow my Mae to get involved with the likes of him. If there’s a fight, and there usually is, he’s always in the thick of it. No, I want far better for her – when the time comes, of course.’ He managed a smile.
    Maggie smiled back – he was clearly so proud of the baby.
    ‘Has Billy been able to get work?’ he asked, for there was no sign of his brother-in-law.
    Maggie shrugged. ‘On and off. He’s been very down lately but he went out early enough this morning; I was just getting up. He hasn’t come back so I suppose he’s been taken on somewhere.’
    ‘He knows I’m home today?’
    ‘Yes, I reminded him last night. Now, pass her over to me, she’s due a feed so she’ll start yelling any minute now. I need to get her down to Annie’s.’
    ‘I really must go and see her, to thank her,’ John said, carefully handing his daughter back to her aunt.
    ‘Come up with me now. You don’t have to stay long. It’s always bedlam in their house but she’s so easy-going and it doesn’t seem to affect Mae. I’ve a cottage pie in the oven; we’ll have it when I get back and Billy should be in by then.’
    John got to his feet. She was right, he wouldn’t need to stay long but he had to thank Annie Taylor. Without her help the Lord alone knew what would have happened to his little girl.
    John wasn’t surprised that there was still no sign of Billy when he got back from