Even at six o’clock in the morning it had been warm, Emily had thought as she’d walked to work. ‘Headachey weather’ Mam called it. She and Phoebe-Ann had left Upper Huskisson Street just after twelve and were home by fifteen minutes past. The house looked oddly bare, Phoebe-Ann thought, glancing around. Emily had told her that most of the things they wanted to take had been loaded on to a borrowed handcart and moved four doors up. What had been left would benefit the new tenants who would move in that evening. They’d be glad of the stuff. ‘Mam’s upstairs,’ Jimmy stated as they walked in. ‘It’s too damned hot for this collar!’ he muttered, stretching his neck and running a finger around the stiffly starched collar. ‘It’s just too hot!’ Phoebe-Ann complained. ‘At least you don’t have to dress up like the organ grinder’s monkey!’ Jimmy mopped his face with his handkerchief. ‘Stop complaining. You’ll probably lead the stampede into the nearest pub once it’s all over,’ Emily chided, laughingly.
