Sadie Was A Lady by Joan Jonker

Author:Joan Jonker
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780755390267
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2012-03-30T10:10:27+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Mary Ann stood shaking her head as she watched Sadie going through the bundle of clothes she’d just opened. It was a ritual with her now, checking each bundle for clothes that would suit her brothers and sisters. This was her sixth week working at the market and once or twice a week she’d find something suitable and it would be put away until the weekend when she got her wages and could pay for them.

‘It’s none of my business, girl, but surely to God yer’ve got enough clothes now to kit the bleedin’ army out! Isn’t it about time yer started getting some gear for yerself? It’s nippy this morning, yer could do with something warm on.’

‘I’m only young, Auntie Mary, and young ones don’t feel the cold like you oldies.’ Sadie grinned. ‘Anyway, I’m saving up until a fur coat comes in.’

‘Huh! Yer’ll have a long ruddy wait, sunshine. If a fur coat comes in … and it’s a big flamin’ “if” … yours truly will be first in line. I don’t mind yer havin’ the superior-quality clothes stall, even if it does make yer sound more posh, but when it comes to yer havin’ a fur coat, well, I draw the line at that.’

Sadie handed her a boy’s grey shirt that had obviously been worn as part of a school uniform. ‘Will yer put it away for me, Auntie Mary, please? I can pay yer for that today and that’ll keep us straight.’

Mary Ann huffed as she took the shirt. ‘I think it’s bloody ridiculous that yer spendin’ yer hard-earned coppers on clothes when it’s yer mam’s place to buy them.’

‘I know she should buy them, Auntie Mary, but the trouble is, she doesn’t. And I don’t spend all me money on them – I always put at least one and six away every week. And don’t forget I’ve bought some beddin’ for meself, as well, so I haven’t done too bad. And now I’ve got enough clothes for the kids I’ll start to see to meself.’

‘Now yer’ve got all this gear, what d’yer intend doin’ with it? Have yer thought of a way to get it to them without yer mam and dad seein’ yer?’

Sadie nodded, ‘Yeah, I’ve got it all figured out.’ She was looking very pleased with herself. ‘If you’ll let me have an hour off one afternoon, I can be outside our Jimmy’s school when he comes out.’

Mary Ann looked suitably impressed. ‘Ay, that’s a good idea. Yer not just a pretty face, are yer, girl?’

‘No, I do have a few loose brains rattling around in me head.’ The grin slipped from Sadie’s face. ‘Can I go tomorrow, Auntie Mary? I’m dying to see him, and to find out how all the others are.’

‘Of course yer can, girl, it’s only natural yer want to see him. Are yer goin’ to tell him where yer live, and that yer work here?’

‘No, it wouldn’t be fair on him. He’s only ten, and me mam and dad would easy get it out of him.

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