The Grace Girls Read Online Free PDF Page A

it’s usually the serious, brainy types like Heather that they go for in a chemist’s.’
    Kirsty swallowed the last of her crumpet, ignoring the inference that she wasn’t as clever as her sister. ‘It’s because of me that all the fine young fellas come in lookin’ for Brylcreem and bottles of hair oil they don’t even need,’ she said, winking knowingly at her aunt. ‘Joe Simpson should be grateful to me for all the custom I bring in, for he would have hardly any business except for doctors’ prescriptions if it was left to the miserable-faced older ones just like yourselves.’
    The two older women now hooted with laughter.

    Chapter 4

    A small group stepped off the rattling bus at the shops in Rowanhill, and back out into the drizzly dark night. The bus engine revved up and it pulled away, leaving clouds of steamy grey exhaust fumes billowing into the nippy Novem­ber air.
    ‘Are you two going for chips?’ Liz called over the bus noise, moving as quickly into the bus shelter as her high heels would allow. ‘Jim says he’s starving.’
    The thought of the Italian shop’s newspaper-wrapped chips made her mouth water, but Heather shook her head. ‘I don’t want any . . .’ she said in a voice that sounded surprisingly convincing even to herself. She looked at the grinning, sandy-haired Jim first and then at Gerry.
    ‘No, I’m not bothered about chips either,’ Gerry said quickly, taking Heather’s hand and putting it into his coat pocket.
    Immediately, the claustrophobic feeling started again. ‘We’ll walk over to the chip shop with you, anyway,’ Heather said. Then, Liz caught her eye and gestured with a nod of her head that she would prefer it if she and Jim were left to themselves.
    ‘Well, maybe –’ Heather started to say when Gerry interrup­ted, his hand tightening around hers.
    ‘Tell you what,’ he suggested to his friend instead, ‘we’ll walk on to Heather’s house, and then I’ll catch up with you at Liz’s and we’ll head home together.’ The two boys lived another half-mile on from Liz’s house, which was just off the main street in Rowanhill.
    ‘Fine,’ Liz said, thrusting her arm through Jim’s before he had a chance to voice any objections. She wasn’t too bothered about the chips, but the chance of spending any time on her own with Jim was definitely not going to be turned down – especially when there was an empty bus shelter. Especially when the last bus had gone and there would be nobody around to disturb them.
    ‘I’m glad we’ve got a bit of time on our own,’ Gerry said quietly as he and Heather walked down the drizzly lamp-lit street. ‘You can never say too much with Liz’s big ears taking in everything.’
    ‘I don’t actually think she’s too interested in anything about you or me,’ Heather said. She moved her hand away from him now, to allow herself to put the umbrella up. ‘I think Jim takes up all her attention.’
    ‘Here, I’ll hold that for you,’ Gerry said, taking the umbrella out of her hand. His arm slid around Heather’s waist, pulling her closer to him. ‘I’ve something I want to tell you.’
    Heather looked up at him. ‘What?’ she asked.
    ‘I got a letter from my uncle in Australia this morning,’ he told her, ‘and he said if I want to go over next year to work for him, that he’ll vouch for me. It’s easier to get in if you have a work sponsor.’
    ‘And are you going to go?’ Heather asked, surprised at the news. Gerry had mentioned his uncle in Australia several times before, but she hadn’t realised that he was seriously considering a move there.
    ‘I don’t know . . .’ he said, pulling her to a halt under the yellow-orange light of a lamp-post. ‘It all depends . . .’
    ‘On what?’
    ‘You and me,’ he said, looking her directly in the eye. ‘I need to know how the land lies with us first.’
    Heather took a deep breath. ‘Well . . . I wouldn’t want to hold you back.’
    There was a little