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going to say as it’s hard work, and I reckon you could find sommat a bit easier, if you were serious
about it.’
    ‘I’m sorry, lass, I shouldn’t have taken offence. But, look, I don’t want easy. I want sommat as’ll take all me energy and keep me mind occupied in the day, and
drain me so that I fall asleep at night.’
    ‘By, working in the munitions will do that alreet, lass. Me and Mabel can hardly keep awake on the train going to, or coming home from, the factory. I’m dead on me feet now.
We’ve been on early shift and started at five this morning, and that meant catching the train at four.’
    ‘Aye, I can see as you’re tired. Look, come in and have a cuppa. I’ve a pot on. I want to ask you more about it, and whether you think I stand a chance of getting set
on.’
    ‘I’ll pass on the cuppa, if you don’t mind . . .’
    ‘Aye, and me too. Look, Ada, all me and Agatha want to do is get home. But, aye, you’d get set on. Crying out for workers, they are. I’ll put a word in for you tomorrow and
stop by tomorrow afternoon and let you know. But I reckon as you’ll be on that train with us the next morning, so prepare yourself.’
    Some of her despair lifted with this and made her step lighter. Closing the door once she was inside, Ada leant heavily on it.
What have I done? But then, Paddy will have to lump it.
It’s Barnbow Munitions Factory for me, no matter what he says!
    A proud man, Paddy maintained that
he
was the breadwinner in the family.
Huh, I’ve yet to see the day!
She’d never known a time without worry over money, though it
had eased a little when her lads had found work . . . No, she mustn’t think of that time. They were gone, and that was that.
    Even to her own mind that sounded harsh, but it was the only way she could cope.
    Taking her cardigan and coat down from the peg behind the door, she pulled them on. It might be a bit chilly down here, but up the hill where her sister Beryl lived, it could fair cut you in two
at times. But she needed to go there to talk about her plans.
    The houses at the top of the hill were superior to the rows where Ada lived. The folk up there had jobs – or, rather,
positions.
Beryl’s Bill was a bank clerk, and he was
forward-thinking, in that he allowed Beryl to work. She managed the local grocery store for the owner, who had retired.
    This meant they could have holidays each year and go to places like Llandudno. Beryl said that was in Wales, so it was like going abroad.
Eeh, what does it feel like to have a holiday and to
see such places?
Nevertheless, Ada would not have swapped her life with Beryl’s. Never to have had young ’uns? Naw, that was sommat as she wouldn’t have wanted to miss out
on.
    As she neared Beryl’s house, Ada saw her sister just going into her front gate. Looking at Beryl was like looking at herself, except that Beryl’s figure was slighter and almost
boyish-looking and she wore her hair short, whilst Paddy made Ada keep hers long. Not that Beryl’s bob tamed her curls; if anything, they were worse than Ada’s long ringlet ones,
especially now, when the wind caught and ruffled them. A smile formed around Ada’s lips at the thought of Beryl’s hair looking like a dozen coiled red springs, stuck on her head.
Eeh, it must be the new hope in me, as that’s the first time I’ve spread me face in a smile for a long time!
    Calling out to Beryl made her sister wave and beckon Ada over. When she reached the door Beryl said, ‘Come in, love. Eeh, our Ada, I feel your sorrow every time I see you, lass, and it
wakens up me own. Have you heard from Jimmy? Has he got there yet?’
    ‘Naw. Lad won’t write for a while, I shouldn’t think. And if he did, it would take weeks to reach me.’
    ‘I wonder how he is – if he’s scared, bless him. I mean, he’s bound to be really, when you think . . .’
    ‘That’s enough of that talk, Beryl. I can’t take it. We have to keep thinking of him having the time