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Gabbitas had taken over the cooking he was always hanging around at this time, knowing she would be feeding them a meal fit for a king. Larry wished he was older. He would have asked Nellie to marry him – she was a right good-looking lass and nobody could cook like her.
    ‘Right then.’ Mrs Cooper came and sat at the head of the kitchen table. ‘That’s me done for the day, so come on, let’s eat.’ The four of them served themselves, Nellie making up for the measly meals her mother had served. She fought back tears as she thought about her sisters and brothers. She missed them so much and the daft thing was, she actually missed her cantankerous old mother too.
    ‘Oh, Jane. You’ll have all the lads in Millington after you.’
    ‘I don’t think so – it’ll be you they’re after. You look beautiful, Lucy. Not that there’s many lads in Millington worth having,’ Jane giggled, ‘unless you’ve suddenly taken a shine on Lew Marshall.’
    ‘Oh! For heaven’s sake. He drives me mad, hanging round me all the time.’
    ‘There’s nothing wrong with him; the poor lad’s mad about you.’
    Lucy wrinkled her nose. ‘I know, I suppose I do care about him in a way, I just don’t fancy him.’
    ‘Then for goodness sake tell the poor soul so that he knows to find himself another girl.’
    Lucy blushed. ‘It’s not my fault. I’ve never encouraged him. He just won’t take a hint. Will you tell him, Jane? Let him down gently I mean.’
    ‘Oh yes, and then he’ll hate me for the rest of his life. I don’t think so.’
    ‘Oh go on, please.’
    ‘No, I can’t.’
    ‘Well then, he’ll just have to wait until I find someone else, then he’ll have no option but to make himself scarce.’
    ‘Come on, or we’ll be late.’
    Annie was waiting, as usual wearing her grey coat and best Sunday hat. She stared as her daughters came into the kitchen. Even her hard heart softened at the sight of them. She couldn’t hide the pride from her voice – even though she was always stressing the evils of pride and vanity. ‘Well, I must say our Mary’s made a good job of them frocks.’ She bent to examine the stitching on the hem of Lucy’s new dress. ‘Aye, it suits you, lass; you chose the colour well, and our Jane’s.’
    Lucy couldn’t believe her ears and Jane’s eyes widened; it was the nearest thing to a compliment Annie had paid either of them, or their Mary, for many years.
    ‘Come on then – the bell’s been ringing this last ten minutes.’
    The church bells could be heard all over Millington. The congregation liked to hear them, except at eight o-clock on a Sunday morning. Most people tended to attend the evening service, so the church was usually packed. Annie preferred to sit near the back where she could see what the other worshippers were wearing. The conversation on the way home would usually consist of who had a new hat, or who was courting who. The same conversation would be repeated the next morning for the benefit of any neighbours who hadn’t attended the service. Reverend Goodman always gave an interesting sermon; he preferred to emphasise the qualities of goodness and kindness rather than the evils of sin. Tonight he began by welcoming three newcomers into his fold.
    ‘I hope you will all make them feel wanted and welcome in our church and community,’ he said, causing every eye in the place to turn in the direction of the Grey brothers, much to their embarrassment. Jane nudged her sister. ‘I bags the one nearest the aisle.’ She winced as her mother dug her in the ribs with a bony elbow.
    ‘They’re all lovely.’ Lucy’s eyes shone. Even the young one had the makings of a handsome man in a few years’ time. Neither girl heard much of the service, concentrating all their attention on the newcomers. Both were glad to be wearing their new dresses, the first new one either girl had ever owned. Annie wasn’t sure about Jane’s – it looked a bit short and flirty to her – but