Lizzie's War Read Online Free PDF

with brassy blonde hair. She churned the tickets out without a smile and passed on.
    Beth looked at Lizzie thoughtfully. ‘You had a bad dream last night, didn’t you? I heard you cry out but I didn’t like to come in…’
    â€˜I wish you had,’ Lizzie said and shuddered. ‘It was the old one I used to have. I hadn’t had it for ages, but after that incident last night… it got to me a bit. I woke up shivering and shaking… so ridiculous. It isn’t going to happen again.’
    â€˜No, of course not, but it must have been horrid being followed,’ Beth said sympathetically. ‘You’ve had a lot to put up with, Lizzie. When I think about all you’ve been through, I consider myself lucky. I lost Mark but I have the twins – and Dad has almost forgiven me. I know he wishes I was married, but I’m still considering Bernie’s proposal. I’m not in love with Bernie, but I suppose he’s kind, and I know my family approve.’
    Lizzie nodded and made an appropriate answer, but Beth had the feeling that she was preoccupied. It wasn’t surprising really after what had happened the previous evening. It was bound to play on her mind even if she tried not to worry about it.
    Lizzie didn’t have a family to turn to. She treated Beth’s family as her own, but it wasn’t the same. It was rotten luck the way her parents had died when she was young, and then both her uncle and aunt had let her down – though her uncle had done what he could to make amends. Lizzie’s Aunt Jane had been a misery and she’d revealed the shattering secret of Lizzie’s past on the eve of her wedding. If she’d told her the truth years before perhaps Lizzie would have had time to tell Harry – and then he would not have discovered it on their wedding night…
    Beth knew most of the story, though Lizzie had not told her everything about their quarrels. Yet she knew Harry had hurt Lizzie badly. He’d been jealous and cruelly suspicious of her. Lizzie hadn’t complained at the time, but Beth reckoned it had been rotten for her back then.
    â€˜You’re living your dream now, aren’t you, Lizzie – you’ve got your chance to design beautiful hats like you always wanted?’
    â€˜Yes, I’ve got the shop, and I’ve got you and my lovely little Betty…’ Lizzie hesitated for a moment, then smiled. ‘It’s what I wanted and I’m happy in my work, but…’ she sighed and Beth guessed she was thinking about Sebastian Winters. Lizzie hadn’t told her she was in love with him, but she’d seen it in her eyes when his name came up in conversation, as it did from time to time. Sebastian’s manager was still one of their best customers, even though he hadn’t heard from his boss for months.
    â€˜You don’t know where Sebastian is, do you?’ she asked and saw Lizzie frown. ‘Is he in the Army – or what?’
    â€˜Sort of, I think,’ Lizzie said softly. ‘It’s not something I can talk about, Beth – you know what they say about walls having ears.’
    Beth looked at the woman in the hairnet and wool scarf sitting in front of them. She was clearly listening to their conversation and Beth made a face at her back.
    â€˜No, you can’t be too careful,’ she said and grinned at Lizzie. ‘They say spies are everywhere. Did you hear about that woman who got sent to prison for helping one? All she did was give him a meal and a bath… I think they might hang her…’
    The woman in front was sitting to attention now, straining to hear, but Lizzie gave Beth a poke in the ribs, because she knew she was taking the mickey out of their eavesdropper.
    â€˜You’re a wretch, Beth,’ Lizzie said when they got off the tram. ‘That poor woman will be dying to know what that was all about and no one can tell her because you