Sadie Was A Lady (53 page)

Peter breezed in with his usual cheerful grin. He looked at the plate in front of Sadie and asked, ‘Oh, are yer havin’ yer dinner?’

‘You need glasses, you do.’ Sadie had learned that if you didn’t look in his eyes when you were talking to him, it made it easier not to smile. ‘Having me dinner, indeed! Can’t yer see I’m knitting a pair of socks?’

Peter snapped his fingers. ‘Silly me, of course yer are.’ He looked across at Joe and winked. ‘I hope they fit yer, Mr O’Hanlon. They look a bit on the small side to me, and I can see she’s dropped quite a few stitches.’

Sadie chewed the last of the pie and laid down her knife and fork. ‘Yer’ve always got an answer, Peter Townley, but one of these days I’ll be the winner.’

‘What d’yer mean, one of these days? You are always the winner!’ He held his open hands out and appealed to Sarah and Joe. ‘When you hear my tale of woe yer hearts will bleed for me, so have yer hankies at the ready. I’ve had three dates with Sadie since Christmas and I need another two before I get to the big prize. But will she go out with me? Will she heck.’

Sarah knew she was walking into his trap but she fell for it. ‘What’s the big prize?’

Peter plonked his bottom on the arm of the couch, his eyes deliberately avoiding the warning look on Sadie’s face. ‘It’s a bit complicated, Auntie Sarah, and I’ve never played the game before so I don’t really know the rules. But it goes something like this. On yer first date yer can kiss her cheek – well, I’ve had that one. On the second date yer get to kiss an area somewhere in the vicinity of her ear, and I’ve had that too. I’ve also kissed her nose, which she kindly allowed on our third date. So by my reckoning her chin comes next and after that the big prize.’

Sadie’s face was crimson. ‘I’ll kill you, Peter Townley.’

Peter once again appealed to the old couple. ‘See what I’m up against? All I’m after is a little kiss and she’s talkin’ about murder! Now I ask yer, what chance have I got?’

‘Yer’ve got no chance at all now,’ Sadie told him, ‘yer’ve just blown it.’

‘How about a little compromise?’ Sarah suggested, promising herself a good laugh after they’d both gone out. ‘It’s yer birthday in two weeks, isn’t it, Peter?’

‘Yeah, sweet seventeen and never been kissed.’ Then he wagged his head from side to side, a wide grin on his face. ‘That’s a bit of an exaggeration ’cos I’ve been kissed loads
of
times, but this is a special kiss I’m after, a collector’s item.’

‘Are you buyin’ him a present for his birthday, Sadie?’ Sarah asked.

‘Huh! I’m not buying him anything for his birthday, and he needn’t think I am. I’ve got better things to spend me money on.’

‘I can think of a solution that will make yer both happy.’ Sarah could hear the soft chuckle of her husband that always gladdened her heart. ‘If yer make a date with Peter as his birthday present, that won’t cost yer a penny. And I don’t think yer so miserable yer wouldn’t let him kiss yer chin, are yer? And as for Peter, well, he’d be over the moon ’cos it would be one down and only one more to go.’

Sadie couldn’t hide her smile any longer. ‘Grandma, yer a crafty old lady and you and Grandad are really enjoying yerselves at my expense. But I love every bone in yer bodies and every hair on yer heads.’

‘That goes for me, too.’ Peter stood up and stretched himself to his full height. ‘I think your suggestion has met with the approval of Sadie and meself so that’s me birthday sorted out. And now, Miss Sadie Wilson, are yer comin’ next door with me to help me stock them up with coal? I’ll hold the torch while you shovel it into the buckets.’

‘Some hope you’ve got, soft lad.’ Sadie pushed her chair back and picked up her empty plate. ‘Don’t you be givin’ me orders, I’m no skivvy.’

‘Leave the plate, sweetheart, I’ll see to it. You poppy off with Peter and try not to come to blows in front of Maggie. Remember, she’s a sick woman.’

Lily Wilson’s eyes kept going to the clock as she paced the floor. It was two o’clock on a Saturday afternoon in May and her husband hadn’t come home yet with his wages. She hadn’t a penny to her name and not a piece of bread in the house. If she didn’t get down to the corner shop soon and pay for what she’d had through the week, they wouldn’t let her have any more tick and then she would be
in
queer street. ‘Go and see if there’s any sign of yer dad.’

‘He’ll be in the pub,’ Jimmy said, ‘and they won’t let me go in there.’

‘Ask someone to have a look for yer. Go on, do as yer told and don’t be givin’ me any of yer bleedin’ lip or I’ll belt yer one.’

As Jimmy stepped into the street he caught sight of his father coming out of the pub so he turned on his heels and went back into the house. ‘He’s on his way, I’ve just seen him comin’ out of the pub.’

‘I’ll pub him if he’s spent me wages.’ Lily picked her coat off the couch and was slipping her arms in the sleeves when her husband staggered in. ‘Where the bleedin’ hell have you been until this time? Yer knew I ’ad no money and would be waitin’ on yer.’

George hiccupped and a silly grin spread over his face. ‘I only went in for a pint. I’m entitled to a pint after workin’ hard.’

‘Hard? Yer don’t know what hard work is! Now hand yer money over so I can get to the bleedin’ shops before they close.’

Holding onto the door for support, George fumbled in his pocket and brought out a crumpled pound note. ‘Here yer are, I’ll give yer the rest later.’

Lily snatched the note. ‘When our Dot decides to come home, you can lay the law down with her. She’s to come straight home from work on a Saturday ’cos I need her money. You tell her that ’cos you’re the one who’s bleedin’ spoiled the jumped-up little bitch.’

George flopped into a chair and his head lolled back. ‘Take the baby out with yer. I don’t want her cryin’ and gettin’ under me feet.’

Lily tutted but didn’t argue. ‘Jimmy, put the baby in the push chair an’ I’ll take her with me. Les, you can come as well to help me carry me bits an’ pieces. And you make yerself useful, Ellen – get a pot of tea made for yer dad. There’s no milk in the ’ouse so he’ll have to make do without.’

‘What’s for me dinner?’ George whined as he saw
her
making for the door. ‘Me belly’s rumbling.’

Lily turned. ‘Yer can have the same as we’ve had – sweet bugger all!’

When Jimmy came back into the room, Ellen was handing her father a cup of tea. But George was making no move to take the cup from her, and the look on his face sent cold shivers down Jimmy’s spine. He could see Ellen was terrified because her hand was shaking and the tea was slopping over the rim of the cup. There was complete silence as George leered at his daughter. Then he said in a slurred voice, ‘I can’t drink tea without milk, so why don’t I send Jimmy to the dairy to get some, eh?’ With his mouth wide open he belched loudly, causing Ellen to close her eyes and turn her head. But she was too afraid to move away and remained like a statue. In this mood her father was capable of anything.

George suddenly leaned forward and grabbed Ellen’s free arm. ‘You stay where yer are while I find a penny for the milk.’

There was a look of desperation on Jimmy’s face. ‘Me mam’s bringin’ milk in, she won’t be gone long.’

George handed him a penny. ‘Yer heard what I said, now get goin’ and don’t forget to take a jug with yer.’ When the boy hesitated, he roared, ‘Do as yer told, yer little bleeder, or I’ll take me belt to yer.’

Jimmy didn’t go to the kitchen for a jug, he picked up a dirty one from the table. He didn’t know what it had been used for, but if wishes were granted it would be full of poison. Right then, seeing how distraught his sister was, he wished his father dead. ‘I won’t be a minute.’ His words were directed at Ellen. ‘I’ll run all the way.’ He left the room with his father’s evil laughter ringing in his ears. But he was filled with apprehension for his sister and even with the threat of getting belted with his dad’s buckle, he couldn’t bring himself to desert her. So he didn’t go any further than the front door.

‘Dad, can I put the cup on the table?’ Ellen’s voice trembled with fear. ‘I’ll make yer a fresh one when Jimmy comes back with the milk.’

‘No, you stay right where yer are until I say yer can move.’ The wickedness in George’s voice had the hairs on Jimmy’s neck bristling as he listened outside. ‘You be a good girl and do as yer dad says.’

‘No, Dad! Leave me alone! That’s dirty, that is! Stop it, Dad, please!’

Jimmy had heard enough. He pushed the door open and was filled with anger and disgust when he saw his father leaning forward, a look of pure lust on his face as his hand went further up Ellen’s dress.

‘You dirty, filthy bugger.’ Jimmy grabbed Ellen and pulled her away, placing himself in front of his father. ‘Yer nothin’ but an animal, you are, yer dirty swine.’

George was momentarily taken aback. His brain was numbed by the three pints of beer he’d had and it took him a while to come to grips with what was happening. Then, his hands going to the buckle on his belt, he roared like a lion. ‘I warned yer, didn’t I? Well, now I’m goin’ to flay yer within an inch of yer life.’

Jimmy was too angry to feel fear. He put his two hands on his father’s chest and pushed him back in the chair. ‘I hate you, d’yer hear? I wish yer was dead.’ His eyes blurred with rage, the lad didn’t see the clenched fist coming towards him until it was too late. He took the full force of the blow on the left side of his face and stumbled backwards.

Ellen looked on in horror until she saw Jimmy holding his face, then she flew at her father. The brother she loved had been trying to help her and this man, this evil man, had hurt him. She pummelled his body with her fists, her anger giving her the strength to rain blows that really hurt. ‘I hate you, too, and I wish yer were dead.’ Then, remembering the shame and humiliation he’d caused her over the years, she wanted to see him cower in agony. So she raked her nails down both of his cheeks and delighted in his cries of pain.

‘Leave him now, he’s not worth it.’ Jimmy pulled her away. ‘We can’t stay in the house with him, he’s insane. Get yer coat and let’s get out of here.’

‘Are we goin’ to wait in the street until me mam comes back?’

‘What good would that do? She’ll only stick up for him, she always does. Anyway, yer not going back in there, ever.’ Jimmy held on tight to Ellen’s hand. ‘We’ll go to our Sadie’s, she’ll know what’s best.’

‘She’ll be at work.’

‘We’ll call in the market, she won’t mind.’

They were walking down the street when Ellen said, ‘Jimmy, yer eye’s all red. Another hour an’ it’ll be black and blue.’

He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’ll live.’

‘Thanks for stickin’ up for me, Jimmy, I’ll always love yer for that.’ Ellen stared down as their feet covered the ground. There was something on her mind but she was too shy to know how to say it. ‘Jimmy, we won’t have to tell anyone what me dad was doin’, will we? I don’t want anyone to know.’

‘We’ll have to tell our Sadie, so she’ll know that yer can’t ever go back home. But I won’t say anythin’ – you can tell her in private, like. She’ll understand ’cos she knows what me dad’s like.’

‘But what about you? I’ll worry about you going back ’cos me dad’ll kill yer after this. If you go back, I’m comin’ with yer.’

‘Not if I’ve got anythin’ to say about it, yer won’t. But we can’t do anythin’ on our own ’cos we’ve no money and no one to turn to except our Sadie. But she will help us, I know she will, so let’s wait an’ see what she has to say.’

Sadie smiled and waved when she saw the children coming towards her, but as they got nearer and she saw the distress on their faces she left the stall and ran to meet them. The first thing she noticed was Jimmy’s swollen black eye. ‘What on earth happened to you?’

It was Ellen who told her, the words pouring from her mouth. ‘Me dad did that to him just ’cos he was stickin’ up for me. And I battered me dad and scratched his face. Look – I’ve got blood under me nails.’

Sadie’s mouth gaped. ‘Oh, my God! What brought all this on?’

Jimmy kicked the ground with the toe of his shoe. ‘He asked for it, Sadie, he’s been askin’ for it for years. He was undoin’ his belt to flay me and I pushed him in the chest. The next thing I knew he’d landed this punch on me.’

‘But what started it off, and where was me mam?’

‘Me dad was late gettin’ in with his money, he’d been to the pub as usual, and me mam left to go to the shops as soon as he got in. She took Les and Sally with her, so there was only me an’ Ellen in. He sent me to get some milk, but I didn’t go ’cos I knew he was up to no good. So I stood outside the door and listened. When I heard Ellen cryin’ I went in, and that’s how it started.’ Jimmy looked uncomfortable. ‘Our Ellen’s got somethin’ to tell yer, private like. But I can’t go and talk to Mary Ann, she’ll wonder where I got me black eye from.’

‘Tell her!’ Sadie saw his startled expression but didn’t care. She was so mad, so furious, she wanted the whole world to know what her father was like. She didn’t need Ellen to tell her what he’d been up to, she knew him from old. And to think it took a young boy to put him in his place. ‘Yer’ve no need to tell her everything, not about Ellen. Just say he was going to give her a hiding and yer tried to stop him. For that he gave yer a black eye and he did it deliberate.’

Jimmy hesitated, reluctant to go until he’d said what he knew his sister would be too shy to say. ‘She can’t go back home, Sadie. It wouldn’t be right ’cos she’s not safe where me dad is.’

‘I know that, Jimmy, but it’s all happened so quick I haven’t had time to get me head together. It’s not only Ellen I want out of that house, it’s you as well. But I haven’t the foggiest idea where yer could go. Ellen will be all right, I know Grandma will let her sleep with me, but there’s not room enough for you.’

‘I’ll be all right, Sadie, as long as yer see to Ellen.’

Sadie felt like throwing her arms around him and weeping on his shoulder. At his age he should be enjoying
his
childhood, not having the responsibility of a grown man thrust on him. ‘You go and talk to Mary Ann, we’ll be with yer in a minute. But don’t interrupt her if she’s serving a customer.’