A Woman’s Fortune. Josephine Cox

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      ‘I can’t believe we’ve been here over a week and still haven’t met this Mr Bailey,’ said Jeanie as she chopped some of the twisty-shaped carrots Michael had returned with that evening. Sue, Evie and Peter were busy in the front room, cleaning it in preparation for a coat of paint.

      ‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it?’ said Michael as he scrubbed soil from under his fingernails at the kitchen sink. ‘At least he hasn’t come asking for any rent.’

      ‘We’ll have to pay him eventually,’ Jeanie replied. ‘And Mum is full of ideas for our little business and wants to get started. We’ll need to have enough money for the rent when the time comes, and there’s no one else offering a sewing service in Church Sandleton. So far, anyway. We can’t be the only ones with a sewing machine and Mum’s worried someone may pip us at the post if we don’t get started soon.’

      ‘Can’t she set up business without asking Bailey?’ Michael sank into a chair to watch Jeanie work.

      ‘I expect so, but it is his property, after all. It’s only polite to tell him what we want to do, see if it’s all right with him.’

      ‘Why would he object, though? It’s not like you’re opening a – I don’t know – a pub or summat you’d need legal permission for.’

      ‘Or an undertaker’s,’ piped up Robert, at the far end of the kitchen table. ‘That would be horrible and creepy. You’d have dead people in the front room and, Dad, you’d have to wear a tall black hat.’

      ‘Good grief, Bob, I don’t know where you get such ideas,’ laughed Jeanie, pulling a quizzical face at Michael. ‘Anyway, I’ve decided that if Mr Bailey’s not coming to us then I’m going to him. Mum looked out her sewing machine this morning, oiled it and everything. Evie’s written a neat little notice to pin up in the shop, offering alterations, curtain- and dressmaking, and mending. Once that’s up we’ll need to be ready for our customers.’

      ‘I’d leave it if I were you, love,’ said Michael. ‘Wait and see what happens. We’re living rent-free at the moment – no use courting expense and creating problems for ourselves.’

      ‘If you think it’s rent-free here then you’re dafter than you look,’ said Jeanie wearily. ‘Come on, Michael, we’ve lost so much, but let’s start as we mean to go on. The laundry and mending business was what kept us going many a week in Bolton. The boys will need new school uniform come September and we can’t live for ever on what Mum and I saved from the washing.’

      ‘I do my bit—’

      ‘Picking tomatoes!’

      ‘But we get given vegetables, too.’

      ‘Mr Clackett’s been very generous, and I’m grateful, but we can’t eat nowt but vegetables.’

      ‘By heck, Jeanie, you’re a grand cook and few others could make them veggies taste as good as you do, but what I wouldn’t give for a helping of hotpot.’

      ‘Evie and I are to catch the bus to Redmond in the morning and we shall find Mr Bailey, introduce ourselves and make sure our plans are all straight and above board with him. What if there’s been some mistake and he doesn’t even know we’re here?’

      ‘You’re right, of course …’ said Michael, getting up and stretching his stiff back. ‘I’ll just go out and take a stroll up the street while you’re making that carrot thing.’

      ‘Don’t be too long, love. You’re looking tired and the veg doesn’t take much cooking.’

      Michael grunted as he went down the hall, past Sue, Evie and Peter still scrubbing the walls, floor and ceiling of the front room. He stepped out into the street and turned towards the Red Lion, thinking he’d already left it far too long to make the acquaintance of his new local.