‘I’ll wait until later, Mam, when it’s cooled down a bit.’ ‘All right, luv, but I can’t open the window any wider or we’ll be inundated with flies. I’ll have to get some more fly papers tomorrow. At least our Rose won’t be tormented with them like we are.’ ‘I wouldn’t bank on that, Kate. They get plenty of flies in the country too,’ Bill had remarked. ‘Yes, but the houses all have plenty of space around them and no stinking, overflowing ashcans a few yards away in the jigger,’ Kate had replied, thinking of the rubbish in the entry that ran behind the houses. ‘Did Florence get her tram all right?’ Iris asked as her brother arrived home. ‘Of course she did. One arrived almost straight away,’ Charlie assured her, taking off his jacket and tie and loosening his collar. ‘Isn’t it warm? I can’t remember the last time it rained. I have to say I’d prefer it to be cooler than this.’ ‘Wouldn’t we all?’ his father remarked tersely. ‘I’d prefer not to have the damned range lit but we’d have nothing to boil the kettle on or cook on either,’ Kate added.
