A Rare Ruby by Dee Williams Page B

That ain’t bad for a young girl.’
    ‘I only spent one and six on me boots, and the flowers were ever so cheap.’
    ‘Don’t look so worried. I ain’t gonner tell you off.’
    ‘I did need some boots, me others were . . .’
    ‘As I said, I don’t mind.’
    ‘You can have the rest.’
    ‘You just give me seven shillings. That’ll be like a King’s ransom. What with your money and Mrs Norton’s, looks as if we could be having a decent Christmas.’
    Ruby felt her heart lift. She was at last contributing. She was going to keep one and fourpence for herself. She knew she would be able to help make their Christmas the best they’d had for many, many years. ‘I’ll be able to buy lots of Christmas presents,’ she said.
    ‘Now don’t you go wasting your money,’ said her mother.
    ‘But I want to. You’ll want a present, won’t you, Dad?’
    Her father looked at her. ‘Christmas presents?’
    ‘I will,’ said Tom.
    Ruby smiled at her brother, remembering her certainty a week ago that from now on things would only get better. She’d been right.

Chapter 6
    For the next two weeks Ruby was as happy as she could be working in the laundry’s washroom. The thing that kept her going, apart from the wages she was bringing home, was the fact that Beth Norton was now helping Tom do some of the delivering of the clean laundry, and collecting the dirty washing for her mother.
    ‘Mum, if Beth is charging you too much to go out with Tom, I can still do it, you know.’ Ruby was in the washhouse with her mother, busy sorting and peeling the potatoes she’d brought in the day before.
    Her mother looked up, putting a strand of hair behind her ears. She smiled. ‘D’you know, she said she didn’t want paying.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Seems she’s quite happy taking the baby for a walk, and she said she might as well be doing something useful at the same time.’
    ‘Why’s she doing that?’
    ‘She said it was because she was so grateful we took her in.’
    ‘That’s nice of her.’
    ‘I know. At least it saves you a job. And she’s good with your father. He thinks the world of that baby.’
    ‘See. I told you it would be all right her living here.’
    ‘Yes, you did.’
    Ruby smiled as she continued doing the potatoes. It was nice having Beth here. Perhaps next year, when the weather got better, they could go for a walk round the park or something. Danny was a nice little baby. But would Beth still be living there in the spring? ‘Mum, has Beth said when her husband might be home?’
    ‘No. In fact she don’t say anything about him.’
    That evening, Ruby was sitting at the table with Tom making paper chains. They had a bowl of flour and water paste and were busy sticking the strips of coloured paper Ruby had cut up.
    ‘Look, Dad. Don’t they look pretty?’ Ruby held up the length of paper chains. ‘They’re for Christmas.’
    He smiled and sat up. A faraway look came into his eyes. ‘I remember a Christmas a long while ago. Played football with the Germans, we did . . .’ There was a short silence. Then he added, ‘They killed me mate the next day,’ and slumped back into his chair and pulled his blanket tighter round his shoulders.
    Ruby felt sad. It was the first time she’d heard him say that. She wanted to ask him more, but knew it wasn’t any good. He always clammed up if they spoke about the war, and only told them things out of the blue, like just now.
    ‘I’ll make a cup of tea,’ said Mary Jenkins, jumping up.
    ‘Beth should finish feeding Danny soon.’
    ‘I’ll do it,’ said Ruby.
    ‘No, you carry on helping Tom.’
    Tom sat looking at his father, then turned to Ruby and said softly, ‘I miss going with you to get the washing.’
    ‘I can’t be in two places at once. ’Sides, you’re all right with Beth, ain’t you?’
    ‘Yes. But . . .’ He hesitated and looked at his father again, who now had his eyes closed. He then glanced at the washhouse door: his mother was out