Lizzie's Secret Read Online Free

labels unsuccessfully, Lizzie decided that the only way to do this was to take all the rolls down and reorganise the whole stockroom. It looked as if everything was muddled, as if people just shoved a roll into the first available space. It would be a long, slow job, but, as her employer said, at least it would help her to know the materials…
    *
    â€˜I thought you weren’t coming,’ Beth said when Lizzie turned up just as she was finishing her lunch. ‘Where have you been?’
    â€˜I was in the stockroom and no one told me it was time for lunch.’
    â€˜Oh well, there’s enough in that pot for a cup of tea,’ Beth said. ‘Have you brought something to eat?’
    â€˜I made some cheese sandwiches this morning, but I’m not that hungry…’
    Beth offered her a sausage roll. ‘Mum packed me three; they’re lovely but I couldn’t eat them all. I was going to give it to the ducks on the river.’
    â€˜Oo, yes, I could eat one of those….’ Lizzie took the sausage roll and bit into the crisp pastry. ‘Your mum is a lovely cook. Aunt Jane only makes these for special occasions.’
    â€˜I’m glad you like them,’ Beth said. ‘I was wondering if you’d like to go out one night – to the flicks or something. I go out with Tony at the weekends; he’s my boyfriend, but he works late most nights. He’s savin’ for the future…’
    â€˜I usually go to the matinee on Saturdays. My aunt doesn’t like me to go out at night…’
    â€˜Not ever? That’s pretty rotten for you – and it’s not fair. You’re older than me. You shouldn’t let her boss you about like that, Lizzie.’
    â€˜Perhaps you could come to tea on Saturday, and then, when she knows you, she might let me go with you to the flicks.’
    â€˜Tony is taking me to a dance that evening, but I can have tea with you first.’
    â€˜I’ve never been to a dance…’
    Beth stared at her in amazement. ‘I’ve been going since I was fifteen – it was just a church social at first and my elder sisters and brother were with me. I didn’t start courting until I was eighteen. Dad wants me to wait until I’m twenty to get married, but I’m hoping to persuade him to let us on my next birthday…’
    Lizzie looked at Beth’s lovely blonde hair, which she wore in a pageboy style clipped back behind her ears at the sides for work. Her eyes were a deep blue and she was so pretty that Lizzie wasn’t surprised she had a serious boyfriend. Her own reflection in the mirror was disappointing, for though her features were regular, her eyes were a melting brown and her dark hair was straight, pulled back in the bun she wore at the back of her head.
    â€˜You’re so lucky, Beth. I wish I could go dancing… and have a boyfriend.’
    â€˜Well, why can’t you? I think you should stand up for yourself more.’
    â€˜You don’t understand. My aunt is very strict… I don’t know why exactly, but Uncle Jack says she’s only trying to look after me. I suppose it’s because I was very ill for a long time…’
    â€˜Oh, well…’ Beth shrugged. ‘I’ve got to get back to the office. I’ll see you tomorrow if I don’t catch you after work. Don’t forget your breaks and your lunch period tomorrow – you don’t want to let them take advantage of you, Lizzie.’
    â€˜No, I won’t. I was so busy and the time just went…’
    Returning to the stockroom, Lizzie looked at what she’d done. All the felt was together on three shelves now. They had mostly red and green and a few half rolls of brown, grey and pink, and just one half roll of a dark blue. She’d found a new place for the tins and reels of cotton and cards of braid, and she’d just started to sort out the grosgrains, silks, velvets and