The Lost Sister, Kathleen McGurl [best desktop ebook reader txt] 📗

and not the chipped brown one they usually brought out when it was just for the family. ‘Of course you should go again, lovey. Now you’re trained and everything, it’d be a shame to waste it. We’re all right here, aren’t we, Lily?’

Lily nodded. ‘As long as I get to see Ems every few weeks.’

‘How’s Ruby?’ Emma asked again.

Ma sighed and sat down heavily. ‘That girl. She’ll be the death of me, she will.’ She shook her head.

Lily stared at her mother. Emma tried to catch her eye, to see if that would give her any clues as to what trouble Ruby might be in but Lily just shrugged. Whatever it was, Ma must have kept it quiet from her youngest daughter. Emma’s guess was confirmed when Ma looked at Lily as if remembering she was there, and then closed her mouth firmly. She didn’t look as though she’d say anything more about it now. Emma made a mental note to catch her later, or perhaps when Ruby came home, ask her sister herself what was going on.

Ruby didn’t return home until the dinner had been cooked, eaten, and cleared away. A plate of mutton stew with dumplings sat cooling beside the stove for her. Lily had been down and eaten a reasonable amount before going back upstairs to bed.

‘She’s better now you’re home,’ Ma said. ‘Ruby spends no time with her, the poor thing. She’s been so lonely.’

Emma sent Ma to relax in the front room while she cleared up, and washed and dried the dishes. She was just finishing when Ruby finally came home.

‘Ah, you’re back,’ Ruby said, as she entered the house through the back door, from the alleyway that ran behind the row of houses. ‘Where’s Ma?’

‘In the front room,’ Emma replied.

Ruby nodded and sat at the kitchen table, watching Emma work. ‘So, how was life on board ship? Did you get lots of tips from rich passengers?’

‘It was good. I told Ma and Lily lots of stories about it all over dinner. Which you missed.’ Emma nodded to the congealed stew. ‘Put that in the oven for a bit, it’ll be all right then.’

Ruby glanced at the plate of food and shook her head. ‘Don’t fancy it. I’ve already eaten something anyway.’

‘Where’ve you been? Ma said she was expecting you hours ago – weren’t you on a morning shift today? You should let her know you’re back. I think she’ll be beginning to worry.’ Emma picked up the plate and scraped it off into the scraps bucket. What a waste of food, that they could ill afford.

‘I was out. With … friends. Ma won’t be worried. I’m often out. Might have escaped your notice, Emma, but I’m a grown woman now. I can make my own decisions.’

‘You’re 17. Still a girl.’

‘A girl who deserves some fun! While you’ve been away I’ve had to do all the work here, and nurse Lily who decided to be sick as soon as you went away. I swears she does it on purpose.’

Emma was astounded. ‘What a thing to say! She can’t help it.’ She softened her tone. ‘Look, I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help with Lily but I wasn’t to know that would happen.’

Ruby pushed her chair violently back from the table, knocking it over. ‘Right. I’ll go tell Ma I’m home, then I’m off upstairs. To get away from you and your endless bossiness.’ At the kitchen door she stopped and turned back. ‘By the way, you’re sharing with Lily. I have a room of my own now. Makes sense as you’re hardly ever here.’ She slammed the door closed on her way out.

Emma realised she was still holding the dirty plate and the knife she’d used to scrape the food off it. She felt stunned. She and Ruby had fallen out before, though never for long. They’d exchange a few cross words and then immediately make up. Never like this. Never door slamming and marching out. She didn’t mind Ruby taking over her old room and having it for herself – it did make sense, and it’d be nice to share with Lily who always loved her company. But what was wrong with her? Why was she so aggressive? Just as Ma seemed to have grown older in the few short weeks Emma had been away, so Ruby appeared to have become even more difficult than she had been.

She finished the washing up, put away the plates and wiped the table. Removing her pinny she went through to the front room. Ma was sitting beside the unlit fire, staring at a point on the wall. Although it was dusk the gas lamps were not yet lit. She was alone.

‘Did Ruby come in here to see you?’ Emma asked, taking a seat opposite her mother.

‘She did, yes. For a minute.’ Ma let out an enormous sigh.

‘She didn’t want her dinner. I assume she’s gone upstairs? Ma, what’s going on with her?’

‘Wish I knew, lovey. She’s out till all hours – believe me this is early for her to come home. She won’t talk to me. She just walks out if I ask her where she’s been. I’ve no control. But if I push her too hard, she might walk out and never come back.’

‘She seems resentful that she’s had to help look after Lily. Ma, I’m sorry. I won’t go back to sea if you need me here.’ It broke Emma’s heart to say this, but if Ma wanted her, she’d stay.

Ma stared at her. ‘What rubbish. I’ve nursed Lily, not Ruby. She did the least possible. And Lily wasn’t too poorly this time. I think she’s growing out of it.’ She sighed. ‘I wish I knew what Ruby gets up to when she goes out. Ask around for me, lovey? See if you can find out what she’s up to. Maybe she’ll talk to you.’

Emma took her mother’s hand and squeezed it. ‘Of course I’ll try. I’ll go up now, shall I?’

Ma nodded, and Emma