Mersey Maids

by Anne Baker

same without him.’ As her younger sister Maggie spoke, the first of the ship’s hooters began to sound. ‘It’s here!’ Maggie jumped to her feet, all smiles. ‘Happy New Year!’ ‘Happy?’ Hattie laid aside her sewing. ‘Thirteen’s unlucky anyway.’ ‘Only for some.’ Thirteen-year-old Frances, the third sister, planted a kiss on each of their cheeks. ‘Happy New Year.’ ‘Can’t be worse than the last,’ Hattie sighed. ‘We weren’t asked to even one party.’ The Mersey was filled with a cacophony of sound that could be heard for miles around. Every ship moored in the river was now celebrating the start of another year by making as much noise as it could. Sailing ships used their whistles; those with steam let it blow. ‘It’ll be better, much better,’ Maggie insisted when the sound had died away, but Harriet knew they all shared the same sinking feeling that it might not. The front door slammed. ‘Who’s that?’ Fanny