Across the Mersey by Annie Groves

Lyons.
    Half an hour later Grace was staring at her reflection in the mirror, feeling horribly guilty and ungrateful, whilst Susan puffed out her cheeks and demanded, ‘Now aren’t you pleased I got it for you?’
    Susan was so pleased with herself, and Graceknew that she had wanted to be kind. It seemed mean not to thank her.
    ‘It is a lovely dress,’ she agreed. ‘But taking it from the Gown Salon—’
    ‘Oh, give over, do. Like I told you, everyone does it, even Mrs James, I reckon.’
    ‘She never!’ Grace protested, diverted.
    ‘Come on, you’d better get a move on, otherwise you’re going to be late.’
    With her own dress packed away along with her work clothes, Grace hugged Susan and then picked up her now quite heavy bag.
    It was good job that her stole and her evening bag were both white and didn’t clash with the silk gown, she decided, feeling very self-conscious as she waved goodbye to Susan and set off for the ferry terminal.
    ‘Just you remember what we agreed,’ Bella told Charlie as she came downstairs, giving him a warning look before opening the lounge door and stepping inside.
    ‘What do you think, Mummy?’ she asked, doing a small pirouette in the new ice-blue gown she had persuaded her mother to buy her for the dance, whilst Charlie grimaced.
    ‘You look beautiful, darling. What time is Alan picking you up? I thought that Daddy and I would ask him in for a drink before you go. We really ought to have his parents round for a bit of supper soon.’
    ‘He should be here soon, but he’ll have thatwretched cousin of his with him, don’t forget.’ Bella pulled a face. ‘Seb and Grace will have to go to the Club with Charlie. There won’t be room in Alan’s car.’
    ‘There won’t be room in mine either,’ Charlie protested, but neither his mother nor his sister was listening to him.
    ‘There’s the doorbell now,’ Vi announced.
    ‘There’s no car outside, though. I expect it will only be Grace,’ Bella said carelessly. ‘You’d better go and let her in, Charlie.’
    If Grace hadn’t already been feeling self-conscious and guilty because of the attention her frock had attracted during her journey to her aunt’s, the look on Charlie’s face when he opened the door to her would have certainly made her feel both those things.
    ‘I say …’ he told her, giving a long appreciative whistle. ‘Bags I the first dance with you, cos.’
    ‘Charlie, hurry up and close the door. I don’t want you standing there when Alan arrives. It looks awfully common.’
    ‘Hark at her ladyship,’ Charlie grinned, cocking his head in the direction of the lounge door. ‘Gawd knows what she’s going to be like once she gets Alan’s ring on her finger.’
    ‘Come on, we’d better do as she says.’
    Grace always felt a bit uncomfortable around her aunt and uncle, and now she really was wishing she hadn’t agreed to come, what with the dress and everything. She’d been tempted to change out of it at the landing stage, but there’d been a queuefor the ladies and another one at the other end, so she’d pushed her guilt to one side and got on the bus instead.
    Now, though, as she stepped into the lounge and its two occupants went completely silent as they stared at her, Grace wished that she had managed to get changed.
    ‘Where did you get that dress from?’ Bella demanded without bothering to welcome her.
    ‘A friend lent it to me,’ Grace told her. She knew that her face had gone red. Bella was giving her a narrow-eyed look whilst her mother was looking very cross indeed.
    ‘Well, I must say I’m surprised that anyone would want to lend out such an expensive-looking gown,’ said Vi.
    ‘Yes, so am I,’ Bella agreed.
    ‘I’m not sure that wearing it was a wise decision, though, Grace dear,’ her aunt announced patronisingly. ‘You don’t look very comfortable in it. That’s always the trouble when a girl tries too hard and steps out of her own class. It always