She had been accepted at Orrell Park Grammar School for Girls, only a stone’s throw from the boys’ school that Max attended. A coach passed through the village each morning to take pupils to Philip Wallace in Maghull, dropping off others at the station to make their way by train to their various schools. Two boys from her class had also passed, but Jeannie was the only girl. It didn’t bother her. She was confident she would quickly get to know the other girls. Colonel Corbett sent ten pounds and his congratulations, not that Jeannie saw the money. It went towards her uniform and other necessary items such as a hockey stick and a tennis racket. Three years ago, a similar sum had been sent to Max who, now that he was reminded of it, launched an indignant tirade against his father. ‘He didn’t even discuss it with us, did he, sis? It was our money, but he just kept it. I bet the colonel meant for us to buy ourselves presents; a bike, for instance. We had to have uniforms, so you and me got nothing out of it.
