Lizzie's Secret by Rosie Clarke Page B

‘I wouldn’t have asked, Lizzie, but there’s a pile of ironing waiting for me this evening, and I was going to cook a shepherd’s pie with the rest of the mince we had yesterday. If you could do the cooking, I’ll catch up on my chores. With Madge so ill these last couple of days…’
    â€˜Don’t say any more,’ Lizzie smiled at him. ‘I’d love to help out, Ed, truly I would. You’ve been so kind to me, teaching me so much.’
    â€˜You’re the one that’s helping me,’ Ed said with his sad, gentle smile. ‘Don’t you realise how much more work I can get through now, Lizzie? If I made six or seven good hats in a morning and a half dozen of the basic shapes, I considered I’d done well – but with you here we’re making at least two dozen basics and a dozen of the specials a day. I know that’s far more than Vera makes, and she doesn’t cut.’
    â€˜You work so hard, Ed,’ Lizzie said. ‘It must be tiring and then you have all the work to do when you get home…’
    â€˜All I care about is that I keep this job and my Madge gets better. With my skills I could get a job anywhere, but this place suits me… but if you could help me, Lizzie, I’d be grateful.’
    Lizzie said goodnight to Beth and the others and then went off with Ed. His house was only just round the corner, an end of terrace with two up and two down, and a lean-to with a small yard at the back, leading straight into the kitchen. The kitchen was untidy, with washing on lines at one end and a basket piled with clean clothes that needed ironing and the furniture was old, dark oak and dull from lack of polish. Everywhere smelled slightly of sickness, despite the bowl of dried rose petals in the hall..
    Ed took Lizzie into the sitting room because his wife’s bed had been put in there so that she was close to the kitchen and did not have to be helped up and down the stairs. Ed had told Lizzie that the toilet was in the backyard, but his wife had a commode next to her bed and Lizzie’s nose told her that it had been used recently, but she resolutely ignored it, because it must be embarrassing for Madge to have a stranger in her home at such a time.
    â€˜Madge, my love,’ Ed said and bent to kiss her pale cheek, ‘Lizzie offered to come and cook our tea for us while I get on with some other jobs… you remember she made us those jam tarts.’
    â€˜They were so lovely,’ Madge said and held her hands out, clasping Lizzie’s hands in a moist grip that told of her slight fever. ‘You’re such a kind girl. My Ed told me you were lovely and you help him ever so much at work.’
    â€˜Your husband is teaching me to make hats,’ Lizzie said and bent to kiss her pale cheek. ‘I’m so sorry you’re unwell again, Mrs Biggles—’
    â€˜Oh no, you must call me Madge,’ she cried before Lizzie could finish. ‘You’re a friend, Lizzie. My Ed says he couldn’t have managed recently with all the extra work if you hadn’t been there…’
    â€˜How kind,’ Lizzie said. ‘Is there anything I can do for you before I start cooking?’
    â€˜Oh no, Ed will do all that,’ Madge said, looking shy. ‘Cooking will help him with the rest of it…’
    â€˜I’ll show you the kitchen and where the food is,’ Ed said and led the way. One look told Lizzie that he hadn’t had time to wash the dishes from his lunch and she made up her mind that as soon as she had the pie in the oven and the vegetables ready, she would do as much as she could before she went home. Rolling up her long sleeves, she set to with a will as Ed returned to his wife.
    She’d finished most of her chores by the time Ed brought his wife’s chair through. He saw what she was doing and shook his head.
    â€˜You’ve done enough, Lizzie. I can manage