Page 44 of Lessons in Life

‘That’s terribly kind of you,’ Eloise said. ‘I can’t tell you how jolly hungry I am.’

‘You look like you could do with some grub down you,’ another said. ‘Blimey, how d’you keep so thin? You could be a model.’

‘Twiggy.’ Another nodded in agreement.

‘She’s taller than Twiggy,’ a girl in a pink-checked overall said, eyeing Eloise from head to toe. ‘Twiggy’s only five foot six. It was inJackielast week.

‘More like Veruschka,’ another said sagely.

‘Who?’ The girls all turned.

‘Veruschka. German model. She’s six foot. Mind you, she’s old. She’s nearly thirty.’

‘D’you want this sandwich or not?’ The first girl proffered the sandwich, its flabby white slices oozing a thick brown paste.

‘Thank you so much.’ Eloise went to sit on the grass beside the girl and bit, cautiously at first, into the bread. The sandwich was absolutely delicious and she demolished it – paying absolutely no heed to how a lady should eat as taught at Château Mont-Choisi – devouring the lot in three greedy mouthfuls.

‘Goodness,’ Eloise said, embarrassed as the ten girls watched in awe as she wolfed down the sandwich. ‘I ate like a gannet there! Sorry!’

‘I wouldn’t say that, love,’ one of the girls said, her face straight. ‘But there was a load of gannets over there tekking notes.’ She started laughing and the others joined in.

‘So, are you new to the office? Are you with Dorothy in the General Office?’

‘Dorothy?’

‘Miss Gray. They’re all so bloody formal up there. Up their own backsides an’ all. They all look down on us weavers.’

‘And menders,’ another girl sniffed. ‘Don’t forget us menders.’

‘Yes, I’m helping out with the filing.’ Eloise smiled.

‘Helping out?’ The girls were curious. ‘Temping, you mean?’

‘Something like that, yes.’

‘Well, if you want to have your dinner with us, we’re always sat here. In the summer, anyhow. Unless it’s cold and raining.’

‘Listen, would you mind awfully if I take your photograph before you go back in? I’ve a new camera and I’m still trying it out.’

‘Ooh, not with me rollers in, love.’

‘You’ve always got your rollers in, Janice.’

‘Yeah, you’re right. Come on, then.’

The ten girls ran hands through their hair, backcombed the sides with their fingers, straightened fringes and reached in bags for lipstick and eyeliner. Two minutes later they were ready and Eloise took the first of several photos before the klaxon heralded the end of the dinner break.

With much swearing and tutting, the girls gathered their bags and headed back to the various sheds.

‘What’s your name?’ Janice turned and called.

‘Eloise,’ she called back, ridiculously happy to have made new friends. And then without thinking added, ‘Hudson. It’s Eloise Hudson.’

15

LISA

‘Mum, she’s getting cold.’ Jess glanced across at Eloise who, having talked non-stop for the last twenty minutes, was looking slightly pale. ‘We need to get her back inside; it’s lunchtime.’ Jess rubbed at her own hands. ‘I need to get back down as well.’ She glanced at her phone where a message had just pinged through. ‘Kamran Sattar’s just arrived and is waiting outside my office.’

---