A Mother Forever by Elaine Everest (free children's online books txt) 📕

she thought to herself. ‘My daughter was born only weeks ago but never took a breath. I’ve been ill since the birth. Stella here has been a diamond, considering I had never met her until I collapsed in front of her the day I was moving into my house down Alexandra Road.’

Marge put down the teapot she was holding and hurried to envelop Ruby in her chubby arms. ‘My love, we could be sisters,’ she said, forgetting that she was twice the size of Ruby and much older. ‘You’ve been luckier than me, as not one of mine gasped a breath. It’s my one regret that I never gave my husband a child. Come on, let’s all sit down and have a cuppa while we work out how you can come here and work for me without your son suffering. I like you, Ruby Caselton. From the little I’ve seen, I know you’ve got pluck and will fit in just fine.’

Eddie gave his wife a broad smile. ‘Well done, love, and with your mother doing her bit we will be living in clover, as they say.’

‘Only if you stay in work and don’t expect the pair of us to keep you in beer,’ Milly sneered. ‘At my age, I shouldn’t have to go to work. My other daughters may have something to say about this.’

‘You are welcome to go live with Fanny or Janie, Mum, but we will miss you. However, if you do intend to stay with us, it would be a great help if you could earn a few shillings to contribute to the coffers.’

Milly was silent for a little while as she pondered what her daughter had said. ‘Who is going to look after the boy if we’re all out grafting? There again, Eddie’s sat there as quiet as the grave and not saying where he’s going to work next . . .’ she added, nodding to where Eddie was mopping up the last of the faggot gravy with a crust of bread. ‘Are you going to find a job, or will you be lazing about here and down the pub?’ When she didn’t get a reply, she kicked him under the table. ‘Oi, answer me. An elderly woman and a sickly wife should not be supporting you,’ she said.

‘Ouch – there was no need for that,’ he moaned, rubbing his shin. ‘I’ll go and find something tomorrow. Is that good enough for you?’

‘Make sure you do,’ Milly said, reaching for the brown earthenware teapot to top up her cup. She turned her attention to Ruby. ‘Tell me, who’s going to be looking after the lad with us all out of the house? Once he goes to school we’ll have to traipse back and forwards to Slades Green to get him there. I’m not sure it’s something I can do at my age.’

Ruby laughed to herself. If she’d been a gambler she’d have laid good money on her mum saying that. However, one gambler in the house was enough. The few times she’d been to a pub with Eddie, she’d seen seedy-looking men sneakily collecting bets from the drinkers and taking them back to their bosses. It was a mug’s game and she’d not be part of it. Now they were settled here in Erith, she would do her hardest to make sure Eddie never lost another penny on a bet. ‘Stella told me that they’re taking men on down the coalyard, and Fraser’s have a board hung on the gate of the factory with a list of jobs that need filling. It seems the town is the good place to find work – that’s if someone is looking,’ she said, giving her husband a hard stare.

‘I said I’d look for some work and I mean it,’ he growled. ‘I’m going out the back to see what needs doing in the garden, and to get away from nagging women.’ He left the table. Ruby flinched as she heard the door slam so hard it almost bounced off its hinges.

He’ll need to do more than look, she thought to herself. ‘As for George here,’ she said to Milly, ‘he can come with me when I start at the cafe the day after tomorrow; the owner said he can sit in the back room. She likes kids. She even said I can work me hours around dropping him off and collecting him. Once he knows the way down the cinder path he can walk to school on his own. However, tomorrow we’re going to ride on a tram to Northumberland Heath. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Georgie boy?’

The lad’s eyes lit up. ‘Can we go on the upstairs part?’

‘If you want,’ she smiled, although she wasn’t looking forward to climbing to the top, not when the tram moved and electricity was involved – she wasn’t sure about these things at all. The thought of the tram made her feel wobbly, but she’d face her fear for the sake of her son – and also to make the journey to see the grave where her daughter lay at rest.

‘Come with us, Mum,’ she said, wanting more than anything for Milly to approve of what she planned to do.

‘If I’m to find myself a job, I’ll have to get cracking before I’m turned out with nowhere to live,’ Milly sniffed, giving Ruby her best hurt expression.

Ruby took a deep breath as she stood beside George, looking at the imposing gate of Brook Street cemetery. They’d watched as an impressive funeral cortege had entered through the gates. Ruby recognized the horses wearing their black plumes and pulling the carriage she’d seen at the undertakers the previous day. In front she could see Ernie leading the procession at a respectful pace. The carriage was followed by many mourners, all dressed in black. Women were weeping openly in the second carriage that followed the one carrying the coffin. Ruby and George waited until they saw the mourners enter a small chapel in the grounds before taking slow