Eddie’s eyes twinkled as he reached out and took her hand. ‘You’ve started to think of another child,’ he said, kissing her fingers.
Ruby snatched her hand back, even though she had felt a thrill run through her body at Eddie’s tender touch. ‘Oh no you don’t, Eddie Caselton. You’re not getting round me with your sweet talk. I want some promises that you will pull your finger out and think about this family. No more stealing, especially from me, and no doing odd and dangerous jobs for Cedric. You’ve got to realize that he owns this house, and come the day we can’t pay the rent he’ll soon have one of his heavies banging on the door and kicking us out onto the pavement. He’s no friend of yours. You need to find a job and toe the line. Do you hear me?’
Eddie squirmed in his seat. ‘I know what you’re saying, love, but who will take me on? Word’s already out about me getting the boot from the coalyard and helping myself to what wasn’t mine.’
‘You mean stealing. Start using the right words, and it might just get into that bloody head of yours why it’s so wrong. I’ll ask people while I’m working at the cafe. We have all sorts come in, and someone is bound to know someone who will take you on without asking too many questions about your past. In the meantime, why don’t you get stuck into the garden and make it somewhere nice for us to sit out in? Later I’ll heat the water in the copper, and you can have a soak in the tin bath.’
Eddie got to his feet and pulled her close. ‘You’re a good’n, Ruby Caselton. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve such a good wife. Will you scrub my back?’ he asked, knowing he could not tell Ruby why he’d stooped to taking what wasn’t his in order to save his own bacon and protect his family. He vowed there and then to make it up to her one day. When that day would be, he wasn’t sure.
She slapped his arm. ‘Be off with you. It takes more than a promise to have me forgive you, Eddie.’ It was only as she watched him laugh out loud before heading out the back door that she realized he hadn’t made any promises. Shaking her head, she cleared the table and started to think about their dinner. Spotting Eddie’s canvas bag he’d left on the floor last night, she opened it to check if there was anything that needed washing. A cold chill swept over her as she pulled out the pay packet he had stolen from her the day before, along with the only two pieces of jewellery she had to her name. It was a reminder that Eddie was far from changing his ways. She clasped the jewellery to her breast and sighed. If only there was a way to bring back the man Eddie had once been. Oh yes, she was angry with him, and would continue to be angry – but she would see things through to the bitter end in order to keep her family together. Without saying a word, she dropped her possessions into her pocket and emptied the bag, chucking it into the cupboard under the stairs. If he mentioned it, she would crown him, and it would be with something heavier than a teapot.
Heavy of heart once again, Ruby returned to her housework, glancing at the clock every now and then as the minutes ticked by. It was long past the time she’d expected George and her mum to be home. There again, it was a lovely day, so why shouldn’t they stay out and enjoy the sunshine?
Having swept the floors in every room of the house and wiped down surfaces with a damp rag, she took the few rugs she owned outside and gave them a good beating. Deciding to have a short rest before tackling the bay window at the front of the house, she poured herself a glass of cold water and sat down at the table to take a look at a newspaper that had been left in the cafe the day before. She dreamt of having time to herself in order to read more. Not only would it set a good example to her son, but she also wanted to finish reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, which had been lent to her by Frank Green. He’d enquired how she was enjoying the book when he’d brought over a copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz for her to read to George. Stella had told her Frank had amassed many books that were lined up on shelves he’d built himself in his bedroom. Ruby couldn’t think of anything better and would have loved to see the books herself, but felt it would have been an improper request. Fortunately, Frank knew Ruby liked to read from the time he’d sat at her bedside when she was still poorly, and was keen to share his books with her. He’d spoken of the excitement in the town as a Carnegie library was to be built, and hopefully up and running within
