The Glory Girls
Page 29
‘What makes me think that your Aunty Effie would want to hear you talk like that?’
The girl frowned and knelt by her great-aunt’s grave. She pulled up a few weeds and stuck a bunch of daffodils in an old cracked earthenware vase.
‘Is it difficult to get in?’ she asked, keeping her head lowered and doing her best to disguise the interest in her voice. ‘I mean, it’s got to be better than what I do, laying out folks for a living.’
‘You’re an undertaker?’
‘Aye. Just like me aunty Effie was all those years ago. It’s the family business, you see, but I’d give me eye-teeth to get out and see a bit of life, instead of spending me days keeping dead bodies company.’
Matt was again consulting his watch and itching to get away. Sarah smiled and nodded to him, signalling that she was coming, but first she delved into her bag and produced a business card.
‘Here, take this. I’ll be going back to London soon to help with the centenary plans, but if you’re interested in joining the FANYs, give me a ring or come and see me.’
‘Aye, well … mebbe.’
‘By the way, what’s your name?’
The question produced what was probably a rare smile on the serious face of Euphemia Donaldson’s great-niece.
‘Oh, I got the works when I was born, I did, seeing as how aunty Effie was still alive and kicking. Go on, guess.’ She looked at Sarah from beneath dark, heavy brows; Sarah shook her head and the girl took a deep breath before reciting: ‘Mary Effie Iris Anne Donaldson, that’s what. Only people call me Nora.’
‘Well … er … Nora . .’ Sarah said, wondering why ‘Nora’. ‘That’s quite a name, and one to be proud of.’
‘Aye, it is an’ all. Thanks.’
Sarah smiled, nodded, then regarded her watch. She was anxious to get back to her parent’s home where the funeral tea was being held. ‘Well, as I say, get in touch.’
She placed a flower on the graves of Iris, Anne and Effie, and hurried after Matt. Nora Donaldson stood by the graves, watching her go, a strange, excited fluttering inside her. She had been feeling down lately and, when that happened, the only place she liked to be was here, tending old Aunty Effie’s grave. It was a coincidence, meeting Mary West’s granddaughter like that. She seemed an all right kind of girl, too.
‘So, Effie, what do ye think, eh? Me, a FANY? What a laugh. Bloody Nora! I wonder if they’ll let me keep me Harley Davidson? I bet you’d have loved a ride on that, eh?’
She stood back from the row of graves, pulled herself up to her full five feet nothing, and gave a smart salute. A slow smile spread across her face as she lowered her arm, then punched the air.
‘Yes!’ she shouted, and was sure she heard a satisfying response from the Glory Girls.
By the Same Author
The Iron Master
When Tomorrow Comes
The Jealous Land
To The Ends of the Earth
Copyright
© June Gadsby 2007
First published in Great Britain 2007
This edition 2012
ISBN 978 0 7090 9917 8 (epub)
ISBN 978 0 7090 9918 5 (mobi)
ISBN 978 0 7090 9919 2 (pdf)
ISBN 978 0 7090 8244 6 (print)
Robert Hale Limited
Clerkenwell House
Clerkenwell Green
London EC1R 0HT
www.halebooks.com
The right of June Gadsby to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988