Annie's Promise Read Free Page B

just the three of you, again.’ His voice was hard.
    ‘You didn’t let me finish. You’re a businessman, doing well from your property development, we’ll need a financial director. You could fit it in with your other work.’ She was glad to be back in the present, glad to be talking of the future and she wanted to grab the others out of the past too.
    She looked at them all, smiling, listening as Don grunted then pulled out a cigar. Betsy rose, walked to the window and opened it, then pulled the door right back. Don knew Bet hated the smell soaking into her patchwork cushions, her curtains, her rag-rugs so why did he do it?
    Annie watched her brother, and wanted to rip the cigar from his mouth and stub it out in Maud’s mug. That really would be something for her to turn her nose up at.
    ‘Tell me more about it,’ Don said, blowing smoke across the table, leaning back, putting his finger in his waistcoat pocket.
    ‘We’ll operate it, as Tom and I have always said, inWassingham with facilities for those who are mothers. There’ll be a nursery, childbirth leave and so on. There will be a bonus twice a year, a sharing of the profits.’
    ‘That’s it then,’ Don said, his finger still hitched in his pocket, the smoke from his cigar spiralling up into the air.
    He’ll blow a smoke ring in a minute Annie thought and then I’ll slap him and ruin all my good intentions.
    ‘What do you mean, that’s it?’ she asked, trying to keep her voice level as he blew a smoke ring and Tom caught her eye.
    ‘Crazy. It’s your old half-baked nonsense, isn’t it? It’s the “life must be fair” rubbish again,’ Don said, stabbing the air with his cigar. ‘It’s like Albert and I always said, the bottom line is profit – you need to drive your workers, not nursemaid them. What about your union work, Tom, are you coming out of the mine?’
    Tom shook his head. ‘Not right away, we’ve got to get it up and running first. Gracie and Annie are getting the garments made up working from home, then Annie’s got some outlets set up to see which lines go best. Betsy’s helping with the sewing, just so long as her hands cope, isn’t that right, Mam?’
    Betsy nodded. ‘I wasn’t much good to you in the early days pet, it was all so difficult with the shop and everything,’ she said quietly. ‘I want to be useful now.’
    ‘I’ve told you, you were wonderful to us, and yes, we couldn’t do without you but only for as long as it suits you.’ Annie turned back to Don. ‘Just listen. It’s founded on sound sense. Workers will respond to fair treatment. You see, Don, you don’t have to deal with workers in your line of business but because of Tom’s pit work, Georgie’s time with his men, and mine in the wards, we think we know how to treat people.’
    ‘Meaning I don’t.’ Don blew another smoke ring.
    ‘No, not meaning that at all, meaning that in property development you are not producing a product and so haven’thad that kind of experience but you do have financial knowhow.’
    ‘Sounds like amateur night to me,’ Don said.
    Annie saw Maud produce a nail file. Good God, how do you improve on perfection?
    Georgie said, ‘Tell him how experienced you are, Annie.’
    ‘Yes, Annie,’ Gracie called. ‘Tell him about Mr Isaacs in Camberley and the shocked wives.’
    Annie laughed as Maud looked up, her nails forgotten.
    ‘Relax, Maudie, no scandal.’
    ‘Better not be either,’ Georgie grinned.
    Don was scowling, looking at his watch, the gold plate glinting in the sunlight streaming through the open window.
    ‘Sorry, Don, I’ll get on with it. Right, I worked for Mr Isaacs in his rag trade business while Georgie was at Staff College at Sandhurst. The other wives were shocked, not the thing at all, though I probably made the bras they bought.’
    ‘Bras,’ Maud was shocked.
    ‘Oh yes, Maud, they are made, they do not just arrive under gooseberry bushes.’ Annie fingered her cigarettes but knew