Sadie Was A Lady (55 page)

Peter was none too pleased. ‘I’d have gone with Sadie – why didn’t she ask me?’

‘Well, she didn’t see yer to ask yer, did she? They’re goin’ straight from the market so they’ll be back in time to get ready for the dance. Sadie said to tell yer to go on an’ they’ll meet yer inside.’

‘Will I thump! I’ll be here when she gets home to find out how they got on,’ Peter huffed. ‘I should be with them, never mind gettin’ told to go on to the dance. Just wait until I see Sadie, I won’t half give her a piece of me mind.’

‘Don’t you go shoutin’ at our Sadie,’ Ellen said with
spirit.
‘She’s got enough on her plate, worryin’ about me an’ our Jimmy.’

Joe chuckled. He could see Peter having a lively time with the two sisters to contend with. Ellen was as timid as a dormouse most of the time, but now and again she showed that there was steel under the surface, and when push came to shove she could hold her own. ‘I think yer in for a rough ride, Peter. It’ll be battle stations, with two against one.’

‘Nah, I can handle two of them, easy-peasy.’

Sarah pursed her lips. ‘Don’t put yer money on it, son, don’t put yer money on it.’

Sadie bought Jimmy a tuppenny bag of chips and scallops from a chippy in Mill Street, knowing there was little chance of him getting anything to eat at home. And the speed with which he was devouring the delicacy showed not only how hungry the boy was, but also what a rare treat it was to walk along the street eating chips from a piece of newspaper in the company of people who treated him like a human being.

Spike had his arm loosely across Jimmy’s shoulder as they strolled along, quizzing him without seeming to. ‘Who’s yer favourite cowboy, Jimmy? Is it Tom Mix?’

‘I dunno, I’ve never seen him.’

‘Never seen Tom Mix! Don’t yer ever go to the Saturday matinée?’

Jimmy shook his head. ‘No, I’ve never been.’

‘What d’yer spend yer pocket money on, then? Don’t tell me yer’ve got a girlfriend and yer spend all yer money on sweets for her?’

Jimmy pushed two fingers into the hole made in the newspaper wrapping and pulled out a long chip which he blew on before popping it into his mouth. ‘Don’t get no pocket money an’ don’t have no girlfriend.’

‘Yer must get some pocket money – every kid gets pocket money.’

Jimmy shook his head. ‘Not in our ’ouse, they don’t.’

‘Go ’way,’ Tommy said. ‘The poorest kids in our street
get
money to go to the matinée to see Tom Mix. They mightn’t have no arse in their kecks but they’ll find the money from somewhere to go and see the cowboys and Indians, even if they ’ave to take empty jam jars back to get it.’

‘Our Jimmy’s tellin’ yer the truth,’ Sadie said quietly. ‘None of us have ever had pocket money. When I left home I was sixteen years of age, had been working for two years, and I received the grand amount of a shilling a week. Out of that I had to buy me own dinners, me own clothes, and even soap to keep meself clean.’

‘Bloody hell!’ Tommy snorted. ‘The more I hear, the more I wonder what’s wrong with yer old man.’

They reached the corner of Pickwick Street and by silent consent they stood and waited until Jimmy had finished eating. Although he wouldn’t for the world show it, now the time had come to face the music he was quaking inside with fear.

‘Come on, let’s go and get it over with,’ Sadie said. ‘I’m not looking forward to it but it’s got to be done.’

Spike put a hand on each of Jimmy’s shoulders and looked down into his face. ‘Remember this, lad. Never let the enemy see that yer frightened, ’cos if yer do, yer’ll lose the battle.’

‘Come on, Spike, let’s move.’ Sadie slipped her arm through her brother’s. ‘We’ll stick to the plan, me and Jimmy go in first. Oh, and Jimmy, I’ll see yer at Grandma’s tomorrow, same time as usual.’

Young Les opened the front door and his jaw dropped in horror. ‘Ooh, our Sadie, I wouldn’t come in if I were you.’

‘Shush.’ Sadie put a finger to her lips. ‘Is the baby in bed?’ When Les nodded, she said softly, ‘You go upstairs and sit on the bed out of the way.’

‘Me dad’s in,’ the young lad warned. ‘He’s not goin’ to the pub ’cos of his face.’

From the living room came an angry roar, ‘Shut that bleedin’ door or I’ll knock yer bleedin’ teeth down yer throat.’

Sadie bent to kiss Les. ‘Don’t forget I love you.’ She patted his bottom. ‘Up the stairs yer go and don’t come down again, there’s a good boy.’ Then Sadie took Jimmy’s hand and squeezed it tight. ‘Ready, sunshine?’

George Wilson was slumped in the chair, picking his teeth with the end of a dead match. Sadie was taken aback when she saw the red scratches down both of his cheeks, but there was no pity in her heart because she knew why they were there. Lily was sprawled on the couch and was the first to see the two children. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. It was the expression on her face that caused her husband to turn his head. ‘Why, you pair of bastards.’ He jumped from his chair but before he reached them, Sadie said, ‘There’s someone outside waitin’ to see yer so I would keep me hands to meself if I were you.’

George’s eyes narrowed. ‘Who wants to see me?’

‘I dunno.’ Sadie shrugged her shoulders. If she didn’t lie, he’d never go out to see who it was. ‘It must be one of yer mates from the pub.’

George ambled towards the door, hoping no one would be able to see his face. How could he explain the scratches away? As he passed Jimmy, he hissed, ‘Just wait till I start on you, yer little bleeder, yer won’t know what day it is.’

Sadie held the living-room door open to see what happened. Her father was standing on the top step and she heard Tommy’s voice. ‘Are you Mr Wilson?’

‘What the hell’s it got to do with you? Now bugger off, I don’t know yez from Adam.’

Then Spike’s voice. ‘We’d like a word with yer.’

The next thing Sadie saw was her father’s feet leaving the floor, then he disappeared from sight altogether. She shut the door and led Jimmy to stand in front of their mother. ‘Yer haven’t seen yer son’s face, have yer? Well, take a good look at what yer brave husband did to a young boy.’

‘He asked for it.’ Lily’s eyes were like slits. ‘What about yer dad’s face, eh?’

‘Now if anyone asked for it, he did. Jimmy tried to get
him
away from our Ellen, and I don’t need to tell yer what he was doin’ ’cos your mind’s in the muck midden with me dad’s.’

Lily lowered her eyes without answering. She hadn’t believed her husband’s story about Ellen going for him just because he’d asked her to make a cup of tea. But she’d had to pretend to believe him because he was her husband, after all.

‘Can I ask yer a question, Mam?’ Sadie addressed the top of Lily’s head. ‘Why did yer have six children when yer didn’t want them? When yer didn’t love them and weren’t prepared to give them a decent life?’

Lily’s head jerked up. ‘I don’t have to answer any of your questions! Who the bleedin’ hell d’yer think you are? Snotty-nosed little upstart.’

‘I am, unfortunately, one of the children you didn’t want and don’t love. And no, Mam, yer don’t have to answer me question. Yer don’t have to do anythin’, do yer? Don’t have to keep the house clean, don’t have to feed or clothe yer family properly, don’t have to wash or iron, don’t have to speak without using filthy language and don’t even have to keep yerself looking respectable. You’re a disgrace, Mam, and I’m ashamed that I was ever born to you an’ me dad. I wouldn’t care if I never set eyes on either of you again, and that’s a terrible thing for a daughter to have to say.’

Sadie waited to see if her mother would respond. When she didn’t, the girl went on: ‘I don’t suppose it’ll worry yer, but yer’ve lost another daughter now. After what happened this afternoon our Ellen’s not coming home again. And I’m warning yer in advance that as soon as Jimmy’s fourteen, I’ll take him away from this hell-hole.’

Lily raised her head and for the first time showed some emotion. ‘You get our Ellen back here or I’ll go to the police. It’s you what’s puttin’ ideas into their heads, they wouldn’t be talking of leavin’ only for you enticing them.’

‘Bring Ellen back so she can be a skivvy for yer, like I was? Not on your life! You go to the police by all means, if that’s what yer want. I’m more than prepared to talk
to
the police, and so are Ellen and Jimmy.’

‘Sadie’s not puttin’ ideas into our heads.’ Jimmy’s voice was deep with anger. ‘Our Ellen doesn’t want to come back ’cos she doesn’t like it here. I don’t like it, either, an’ I’ll be glad to get away.’

‘If yer like, Mam, I’ll call into the police station and tell them meself. I can take Jimmy with me so they can see his face.’ When there was no answer, Sadie went on, ‘Two of me friends are outside with me dad, giving him a last warning. I’ll tell you what it is so yer’ll know to be careful in future. If either of yer lay one finger on Jimmy, or the other two children, then just watch out. I’ll not stand by and see them used as punch bags, and neither will me friends.’

Sadie turned her head so her mother wouldn’t see her wink at Jimmy. ‘I’m goin’ now, sunshine, but I’ll meet yer outside school one day to find out how you and Les and Sally are. Don’t worry, I’ll be keeping me eye on yer.’ She put her arms around him and hugged him tight. ‘I love you, Jimmy.’

‘And I love you, Sadie.’ There were tears in his eyes but he refused to let them fall. Grown boys didn’t cry, only cissies did that.

Sadie was stepping into the street when her father pushed past her, holding a hand to his face and making whimpering sounds. ‘Oh dear, what happened to him?’

‘He’s a very unreasonable man, your father.’ Tommy’s hand was clenched and he was rubbing his knuckles. ‘We couldn’t get him to see sense, could we, Spike?’

‘Wouldn’t have none of it, Sadie. We tried to be reasonable with him but it was no use. They were his children and it had nowt to do with us.’ Spike knew it was no time for joking, but he couldn’t help it. ‘I’ll tell yer what he’s brilliant at, though, and that’s swearing. Workin’ on the market I thought I’d heard everything, but some of the choice words your father came out with had me baffled. Never heard nothing like them. If the circumstances had been different, if we’d had more time, like, I’d
have
asked him to explain what some of them meant.’

The scarf Sadie was wearing over her head as a disguise began to slip back and she was re-tying the knot under her chin when Tommy said, ‘He wasn’t so bad after we’d taught him the error of his ways though, was he, Spike? More understanding altogether, he was.’

‘What did yer say to change him?’

‘Well, we’d done our level best to get him around to our way of thinkin’, but we weren’t gettin’ anywhere, and we decided, me and Spike, that talkin’ wasn’t the answer. So we gave him a demonstration, and it worked a treat.’

Sadie stood between them, linked their arms and started to walk down the street. ‘How d’yer mean, yer gave him a demonstration?’

‘You know what a demonstration is, Sadie,’ Spike said. ‘It’s when yer show somebody with actions instead of words.’

‘I know that, soft lad! What I meant was, what did yer demonstrate?’

‘How to give someone a black eye.’

Sadie came to a halt. ‘Yer gave me dad a black eye?’

Tommy’s face was serious but there was laughter in his voice. ‘I can’t promise he’s got a black eye right now, probably more of a pink. But give it an hour or so an’ he’ll have a better shiner than Jimmy’s. In fact, if me knuckles are anythin’ to go by, he’ll put yer brother in the shade.’

‘Oh dear,’ Sadie said. ‘I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.’

‘Well, while yer makin’ up yer mind on that, I’ve got a bone to pick with the feller on yer other arm.’

‘Oh aye, Tommy, what’s that then?’

‘Considerin’ yer supposed to be so clever, how come yer told young Jimmy never to let the enemy see that yer frightened? Even I know it should have been that yer never let the enemy see the whites of yer eyes.’

‘I’m afraid yer in for a let-down if yer think yer’ve caught me out on that,’ Spike told him. ‘I was afraid that if I told him not to let the enemy see the whites of his eyes, he might walk around with his eyes shut, bump
into
a lamp-post and end up with another black eye.’

Sadie pulled on their arms. ‘I’ll make up me mind whether to laugh or cry when yer tell me our Jimmy’s not goin’ to get a hiding.’

‘Then yer can laugh yer head off, Sadie, ’cos yer dad has given us his solemn promise not to touch him again.’ Spike looked over her head. ‘Isn’t that right, Tommy?’

‘That’s right, Spike. And don’t forget to tell her he was on his knees when he made the promise, with his hands together as though he was praying.’

‘Yeah, but he wasn’t praying for forgiveness from the Good Lord, he was beggin’ you not to hit him again.’

‘Oh, you two.’ Sadie clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. ‘Can’t yer ever be serious?’

‘We were dead serious tonight, Sadie,’ Tommy told her truthfully. ‘After seein’ the state of young Jimmy’s face, and listening to him sayin’ he didn’t know who Tom Mix was – well, it really got to me. But we accomplished what we set out to do, made sure the kids were safe, so I think we’re entitled to be pleased with ourselves.’ He squeezed her arm. ‘If yer have a mind to return the favour, Sadie, we’ll call it quits if yer save me the first tango.’

Sadie cried in mock horror, ‘Oh, no! Not the tango!’ Although Tommy’s dancing had improved considerably, they never let him forget the mayhem he caused during his first dance with Sadie. ‘Have pity on me, please, I beg you. Any dance but the tango.’

‘Oh, go on, then. Seein’ as yer nice-lookin’, I’ll make it the rumba.’

‘Ay, lad, don’t do her no favours, will yer?’ Spike said. ‘I would have thought Sadie had had enough problems for one day without having to cope with your idea of how the rumba should be danced.’

‘Oh, aye, hark at Fred Astaire! Yer supposed to enjoy dancing, not be as stiff as a board like you, with a dead earnest expression on yer gob as though one wrong step an’ yer’d be sent to the gallows.’

Sadie grinned. If these two weren’t with her she’d be a nervous wreck after what she’d just been through. But
they
didn’t give her time to think, which was just as well. She wasn’t proud or happy about what she’d done, but it was the only way she knew to help her brothers and sisters. And she’d do it again if one of them was in danger.