Sadie Was A Lady (37 page)

‘Talk about the hand being quicker than the eye, girl, I missed half of what yer did. Yer make me look as though I’m standing still, like a bleedin’ statue.’

Sadie laughed as she rubbed her hands together. ‘All we need now are the customers.’

‘I’ll see to any customers, girl, don’t you worry. They won’t get past me ’cos I’ve brought me big hook to pull them in. You see to that other bundle, there’s a good girl.’ Mary Ann had deliberately left the second bundle till the last for a reason. It was all good-quality children’s clothing and she knew Sadie would have pounced on some of the items for her brothers and sisters. It didn’t matter now because the girl had bought things for herself, things she badly needed, and Mary Ann had no intention of letting her change her mind. She admired Sadie for caring so much for her family, and for her generosity. But enough was enough and she had to start thinking of herself.

‘Good morning, girl.’

Mary Ann spun round at the sound of the familiar voice. ‘Maggie! Thank God for that. I was beginning to think the whole of Liverpool had emigrated to Australia. The bleedin’ market’s deserted, like a flippin’ ghost town.’

‘It’s hard-up day, girl.’ Maggie put her basket on the ground between her feet and rested her elbows on the clothes piled on the tuppence with a hole stall. ‘It’s two days to pay day, everyone’s skint and happy.’

‘I hope yer haven’t come just to tell me yer’ve no money, Maggie? Yer know I love the bones of yer, being as yer one of me best customers, but I’ve got a living to make. If yer want to feel sorry for someone, then feel sorry for my feller ’cos he’s gone to work this morning with the arse hanging out of his kecks.’

Maggie’s top set of false teeth dropped when she laughed. ‘That’ll be the day, Mary Ann!’ She straightened up, folded her arms across her tummy, hoisted her ample breasts and, feeling more comfortable, settled herself once again to rest on the clothes. ‘If yer trying to tell me yer skint, don’t bother wasting yer breath ’cos I wouldn’t believe yer. I bet yer a pound to a pinch of snuff that
yer’ve
got a long stocking stashed away somewhere.’

‘Maggie, if I had a long stocking stashed away, d’yer think I’d waste me time standing here nattering to someone who has no intention of buying anything? Not on yer bleedin’ life I wouldn’t.’

‘Yer wrong there, Mary Ann, ’cos I have come to buy. So you just be careful how yer treat me or I’ll walk down to the next stall.’

Mary Ann laced her fingers together and held them out as though begging. ‘Forgive me, Saint Margaret, I make myself humble before you. Your wish shall be my command.’

The table was pushed forward a few inches as Maggie’s tummy shook with laughter. ‘Yer a head-case if ever there was one, Mary Ann. That’s the first belly laugh I’ve had since I was here on Saturday.’

‘Right! That laugh is goin’ to cost yer an extra penny on whatever it is yer goin’ to buy. And if yer don’t hurry up and tell me what yer after, I’ll add another penny on for me time.’

Maggie was unmoved by the threat. ‘Yer can add on what yer like for all I care, girl, it won’t make no difference to me ’cos all I’ve got in me purse right now is sweet Fanny Adams.’

‘I wish yer’d make up yer mind, Maggie. First yer want something, now yer don’t. Yer’ve got me fair flummoxed trying to keep up with yer. And while yer going through this “I will, I won’t” lark, Sadie’s had to leave what she was doing to serve a real live money-in-the-hand customer.’

‘The bloody cheek of you! I’m a real live money-in-the-hand customer, Mary Ann, so you just mind yer manners. I’ve come on a message for the old lady who lives next door to me. She can’t get out herself ’cos she’s crippled with rheumatism. She wants a nice thick cardi to keep her warm; she feels the cold something chronic.’

‘What size is she, Maggie, and how much does she want to pay.’

‘It’ll have to be one without a hole ’cos she can’t darn.
I’d
say she was about your size, near enough. Do what yer can for her, Mary Ann, she’s a nice old soul.’

‘Let’s see what we’ve got on the thruppenny stall.’ Mary Ann moved to the next table and Maggie left her comfortable perch to follow. ‘How about this one? It’s in pretty good nick, not a break in it.’

‘Nah!’ Maggie’s chins moved in the opposite direction to her head. ‘Pale blue is not a good colour for her. She needs a dark one that won’t show the dirt.’

‘We’ve got a fourpenny stall now, Maggie, with a better selection. Could the old lady run to fourpence?’

Maggie looked doubtful. ‘She only gave me a thruppenny joey and I wouldn’t like to ask her for more ’cos she’s as poor as a church mouse.’

Mary Ann raised her eyes to the heavens. ‘Tell me, God, why do I get all the sob stories? Have I got a sign on me forehead with “sucker” on it?’

‘Don’t you be taking off on me, Mary Ann Worsley! I only came for a thruppenny cardi, like I’ve been doin’ for years and never had this malarky before.’

‘And yer won’t be having any malarky today, Maggie, me old friend. I see Sadie has finished with her customer so I’ll call her over. Two heads are better than one.’

Sadie was told the story of the little old lady who was so crippled with rheumatism she couldn’t walk, was as poor as a church mouse and wanted a nice warm cardi for the winter to keep body and soul together because she could only afford to buy half a bag of coal a week. And as Maggie listened to Mary Ann, her face showed real concern, as though she’d never heard the tale before and didn’t know the old lady from Adam. In fact, so convincing was the stall-holder, if she’d asked for a whip-round to help the poor old soul, Maggie would have been the first one to get her purse out.

‘I think we’ve got just the thing for her, Maggie,’ Sadie said. ‘It only came in today and hasn’t been put out yet.’

‘What’s that yer say, girl?’ Maggie’s eyes blinked rapidly as realisation began to dawn. ‘Oh yeah, that would be champion.’

The cardigan was a thick woollen one in black cable stitch. It buttoned up to the neck and had two deep pockets. It had obviously been worn a lot ’cos it had that lived-in look, as though someone had found it comfortable to wear. But there was still plenty of life in it. ‘That should keep her nice and warm, Maggie,’ Mary Ann said. ‘Just the job for the winter.’

Maggie was highly delighted but had no intention of letting it show until they’d told her the price. ‘How much?’

Sadie looked at Mary Ann for guidance. ‘What d’yer think, Auntie Mary?’

‘Well, it was goin’ on the fourpenny stall, but seeing as it’s for Maggie’s neighbour she can have it for thruppence. But only on one condition, Maggie.’

‘What’s that, Mary Ann?’

‘That yer promise to come and visit me when I’m in the bleedin’ workhouse.’

‘I’ll visit you any time, any place, girl.’ Eager to be off to show her neighbour how clever she’d been, Maggie pushed the cardigan into her basket and backed away. ‘Even in Walton Jail.’

‘You cheeky sod!’ Mary Ann shouted after her. ‘That’s the last favour I’ll do for you.’

Maggie turned and waved. ‘See yer on Saturday, Mary Ann.’

‘Okay, Maggie. You look after yerself now.’ The stall-holder was smiling when she turned to face Sadie. ‘She’s gone home as happy as Larry, thinking she’s pulled a fast one on us and got herself a bargain.’

‘She has, Auntie Mary. That cardi was going on me sixpenny stall.’

‘Yer what? Why didn’t yer open yer flamin’ mouth an’ tell me?’

‘I did ask yer, but yer sounded so sorry for the old lady I wasn’t going to argue with yer. Anyway, why worry? We’ll make up the difference on the new stall, so yer haven’t really lost anything.’

‘No, yer right, girl, I’m getting ahead of meself. Too greedy, that’s my trouble.’

‘No, yer may be many things, Auntie Mary, like Long John Silver, but never greedy.’ Sadie looked around to make sure there were no customers waiting before asking, ‘Can I buy some of the children’s clothes that were in the other bundle?’

Mary Ann shook her head vigorously. ‘No, you can not. We agreed a sale over the other stuff and I’m keeping yer to it. On no condition am I going to let you change yer mind, so put it out of yer head.’

Sadie looked puzzled. ‘I haven’t changed me mind, I still want the clothes I picked for meself. But I’d like some of the kids’ things because we don’t often get them in such good condition, and there’s a strong pair of boots that would fit our Jimmy.’

‘You can’t afford to clothe four children, sunshine.’ Mary Ann’s face was sad as she took a deep breath. ‘You’re sixteen, love, only a child yerself. With your looks yer should be dressed in all the latest fashions, and God knows yer work hard enough to deserve to.’

‘I’ve got the money to buy them, Auntie Mary – I’ll use me savings.’ Sadie saw the troubled look in the green eyes and hurried to reassure her. ‘I’ll make it up in the next few months ’cos I’ll have nothing else to buy. I’d give our Jimmy the boots for him to wear in the bad weather, but I’d put the other clothes away to give them as Christmas presents. Please, Auntie Mary?’

Mary Ann was in a dilemma. She’d encouraged Sadie to put some money away each week in case of emergency. Anything could happen to Sarah and Joe at their age, and Sadie would find herself out on the streets because no landlord would rent a house to a sixteen-year-old who only earned ten bob a week. But she’d never voiced her fears because she knew how much the girl loved her adopted grandparents and she didn’t want to mar her happiness. For the first time in her life, Sadie was enjoying a warmth and love she’d never known before, in a house that was truly a home.

Mary Ann sighed. ‘Yer can have the clothes by all means, girl, but I want yer solemn promise that from this
Saturday
yer’ll put a certain amount aside every week, without fail, come what may.’

‘I’ll do better than promise yer, Auntie Mary, I’ll give yer half-a-crown out of me wages each week to mind for me. How about that?’

‘I’m goin’ to be strict with yer, sunshine, but it’s for yer own good. I’ll mind the money for yer on the understanding yer add to it every week, and not ask for it back, until yer’ve got a little nest egg behind yer.’ Mary Ann wouldn’t rest easy until she knew Sadie had a few pounds at the back of her. Then, if anything did happen to Sarah and Joe, God forbid, she’d be in a position to find decent lodgings. ‘If I hang onto the money yer won’t be tempted to spend it, and mark my words, yer’ll be surprised how quick it mounts up.’

Sadie grinned. ‘First yer were me friend, then me boss, after that me Auntie, and now yer me banker.’ Her smile faded. ‘I wish most of all that yer were me mother.’

‘I’m as good as yer mother, aren’t I?’ Mary Ann decided to keep the tone light, otherwise they’d both be as miserable as sin all day. ‘Who else but a mother would look after yer financial affairs, now tell me that?’

Sadie’s smile reappeared. ‘Yeah, yer do look after me like one of yer own, and I love yer to bits.’

‘Just don’t start calling me “Mam”, that’s all. Otherwise I’ll be doing an inspection on yer every morning like I do with my two, making sure they’ve washed behind their ears and haven’t got a tide mark around their necks.’

‘Ay out, Auntie Mary, we’ve got two customers. You take Lizzie and I’ll see to Florrie.’ Sadie winked broadly as she walked away. ‘Yer see, things are picking up. I bet we have a good day after all.’

‘Huh!’ Mary Ann grunted. ‘Forever the bleedin’ optimist, you are. Two swallows do not a summer make, sunshine – have yer never heard that old saying?’

‘I have that, Auntie Mary, and I’ve also heard the one that goes “Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone”.’

‘Well, I never! Did yer hear that, Lizzie? She’s gettin’
too
big for her boots is that young assistant of mine from the superior-quality clothes stall. I’ve a good mind to put her back on the tuppence with a hole stall. That would put her in her place, bring her down a peg or two.’

Lizzie caught Sadie’s eye and winked before saying, ‘Go on, Mary Ann, yer’d be lost without her and you know it.’

‘Keep yer voice down, Lizzie, or she’ll be asking me for another bleedin’ rise.’ Mary Ann’s tummy was shaking with laughter at what she was going to say. ‘Now, Lizzie, before we start, have you got a neighbour who is very old, who is so crippled with rheumatism she can’t walk, is as poor as a church mouse and can only afford to buy half a bag of coal a week?’

Lizzie scratched her head and frowned in bewilderment. ‘I haven’t got no neighbour like that, Mary Ann.’

‘Thank God for that, Lizzie! You and me are very lucky women that you haven’t got a neighbour like that. So what can I do yer for?’

Sadie was laden down as she walked home that night. All the clothes she’d bought were wrapped in a sheet Mary Ann had lent her, and her arms were aching as she carried the heavy load in front of her. But she was so delighted with her purchases she kept herself going by saying it wasn’t that much further and a few aches and pains were neither here nor there. She couldn’t wait to show off her new coat to her grandparents, and in her mind’s eye she could picture herself posing by the sideboard, all dressed up to the nines.

‘Here, I’ll carry that for yer, Sadie.’

Sadie was so startled she missed a step and nearly went flying. ‘Oh, not you again, Peter! Will the day ever come when I can walk in this street without seeing your ugly mug?’

‘There’s only one way I can help yer there, Sadie, and that’s to ask me mam to move to another street. She wouldn’t take kindly to the idea, seeing as she’s lived here for over twenty years and likes it, but I’ll see if she’ll discommode the whole family just so you won’t be inconvenienced.’

Sadie smiled in spite of herself. He really was very funny. ‘I can’t stop to argue with yer, Peter. As yer can see, I’ve got me hands full.’

‘Let me take it off yer, don’t be so flippin’ stubborn.’

Sadie knew she’d be cutting her nose to spite her face if she refused, because her arms were nearly dropping off. ‘Thank you, Peter,’ she said primly. ‘I could have managed but I appreciate your offer and accept.’

Peter took the bundle from her and when he felt the weight, asked, ‘What on earth have yer got in here?’