Sadie Was A Lady (52 page)

Sadie curled herself into a ball to keep warm, while her mind wandered. Nine months she’d been living here with Grandma and Grandad, and every day she counted her blessings. Since Christmas, Ellen and Jimmy had come every Sunday for tea and they loved it. Those few hours were the highlight of their lives, and the change in the children was nothing short of miraculous. They had blossomed in the warmth and the love they were given so generously. Especially Ellen. Gone was the shy girl who hung her head when spoken to. Now she was talkative, and when Peter came in for the Sunday tea, she gave him back as good as she got.

Their visits gave Sadie the opportunity of keeping up with the events at home. She knew the place was still a hovel, that food and heating were always in short supply and that their father still spent every night down at the
pub.
But, thankfully, Les and Sally were never at the wrong end of his temper because they were usually in bed when he came home from work. Her sister, Dot, hadn’t changed from all accounts. She was off flying her kite each night with every Tom, Dick and Harry, her face caked in makeup, and coming home all hours. She wasn’t popular with the children because she was too handy with her fists. Jimmy said you only had to look sideways at her and she’d land you a fourpenny one.

Sadie lifted her head from the pillow and cocked an ear. Yes, there it was again, the creaking of a stair. Surely Sarah wasn’t getting up before she’d had time to light the fire? Pushing the clothes back, Sadie swung her legs over the side of the bed and moved her feet around until they came into contact with the warm slippers. Then she drew the curtains back so she could see her way around. It wasn’t broad daylight out, but it was light enough to find the cardi which had slipped from the bed onto the floor. And as she struggled to get her arms in the sleeves, she made her way to the door. She was on the landing when the light in the living room went on and she hurried down the stairs.

‘Grandma, what are yer doing up this time of the morning? Why didn’t yer stay in bed until I had the fire going?’

‘The old lady next door knocked on the wall, she mustn’t be well.’ Sarah was pulling her long black skirt on over her nightdress. ‘She looked terrible when I saw her yesterday and I told her to give me a knock if she wanted anything.’

‘Yer mean Mrs Benson? What’s wrong with her?’

‘She was as weak as a kitten and the sweat was pouring off her. I told her to make a bed up on the couch and keep the fire going, but yer might as well talk to the wall. She never has a decent fire in the grate and the whole house is damp, yer can smell it as soon as yer go in.’ Sarah’s blouse was topped by the thick black woollen shawl she was never without in the cold weather. ‘I know she has a hard time making ends meet, but I’m fed up telling her
that
keeping herself warm is more important than anything. When yer get to our age a cold can quickly turn to pneumonia.’

‘I’ll go into her, Grandma – you stay and get me breakfast ready.’

‘No, sweetheart, it’s best if I go. Maggie might be embarrassed with a young girl like you. I can let meself in ’cos she’s left the key hanging on a string inside the letterbox. I’ll just see how she is and come right back.’

‘Don’t you go gettin’ a cold, Grandma. Take yer own advice and keep yerself warm.’

Sarah kissed her cheek. ‘I’ll do that, sweetheart. You see to things here while I nip next door.’

When Sadie had the fire crackling merrily, she swilled herself down at the kitchen sink before getting dressed. Still there was no sign of Sarah and the girl was beginning to worry. Her grandma was too old to be rushing out in the cold this time of the morning. She was debating whether to go next door or put the toast on for breakfast, when she heard the key in the lock.

‘About time, Grandma, I was beginning to get worried.’

‘I’m that anxious about Maggie, love, I don’t like the looks of her at all. That bedroom of hers is in a terrible state – the walls are wringing wet with damp.’ Sarah shivered and moved to stand by the fire. ‘I think she should be brought downstairs and a big fire lit, but she’d never make it on her own and I’m not strong enough to be of any help.’

‘Can’t she have a fire in the bedroom? That would save a lot of trouble.’

Sarah sighed. ‘She’s never had a fire in the grate up there since she moved into the house fifty years ago. Her son-in-law has nailed a piece of wood across it to stop the draught coming down the chimney.’

‘I’ll light a fire in her living room for her, then I’ll help bring her downstairs. Mary Ann will understand if I’m late.’

Sarah shook her head. ‘No, sweetheart, it’s best if you go to work. But what yer can do to help is run next door
and
ask Mrs Townley to come here. She knows where Maggie’s daughters live and I think they should be sent for in case a doctor’s needed. So go and give her a knock, there’s a good girl, while I put yer toast on.’

It was Peter who opened the door and his face broke into a smile. ‘I’m sorry, Sadie, but I can’t come out to play right now, I’ve got to go to work.’

‘Get yer mam for us, Peter – quick, it’s urgent.’

‘What’s up?’

‘Old Mrs Benson’s ill.’

Peter was down the hall like a flash to return with his mother. ‘What is it, Sadie?’

‘Me grandma said could yer go an’ see her, Mrs Townley? The old lady next door is ill, yer see, and me grandma’s worried.’

Betty Townley patted the dinky curlers in her hair. She’d put up with the agony of sleeping in them all night and now wished she hadn’t bothered. She and Peter were very alike in colouring, features and humour. ‘I’m not lookin’ me best this time of the morning, girl. I do wish people wouldn’t be so inconsiderate as to get sick before I’ve had time to take me curlers out and doll meself up.’

‘I’ve offered to stay off and help, but me grandma won’t hear of it. It’s her I’m worried about. She’s too old now to be seeing to someone sick.’

‘I’ll just get me coat, girl, then I’ll be with yer. And don’t worry about Sarah – I’ll make sure she doesn’t overdo it.’

‘Thanks, Mrs Townley,’ Sadie said as she hurried away, too upset to even say ta-ra to Peter. Her tea was poured out when she got home and a plate of toast was waiting. She’d just taken her first bite of the golden crispy bread when Peter’s mother arrived and began to question Sarah.

‘Right,’ Betty said when she’d heard the story. ‘I’ll get in there and light a fire. As soon as the room’s warm, I’ll help her downstairs.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Sarah said, reaching for her shawl, ‘and give yer a hand.’

‘Will you heckerslike! It doesn’t take two to make a
blinkin’
fire! You get some hot tea and toast down yer, then get your feller out of bed. By that time I should have Maggie downstairs, please God, and you can sit with her while I fetch her daughter. Doreen only lives off Westminster Road, I’ll be there and back in no time.’

Sadie threw her a look of gratitude. She felt better already, seeing the way Peter’s mam had taken charge. ‘Thanks, Mrs Townley.’

‘Yer welcome, girl. And don’t you worry about Sarah here, I’ll see she doesn’t go doin’ cartwheels down the street showin’ her fleecy-lined bloomers off to all the men.’

‘You can go home if yer want, girl.’ Mary Ann was wearing a man’s heavy coat which nearly reached the ground and her black shawl was wrapped tightly around her head and shoulders. She said she was keeping her hair covered ’cos it was a different red to her nose and the two colours clashed. ‘It’s slack here for a Friday, so I’d manage on me own.’

‘Me grandma would kill me if I went home,’ Sadie told her. ‘When I was coming out she said I got paid to do a day’s work an’ I should earn me money.’

‘I don’t think yer’ve any need to worry about Sarah. She knows her limits and won’t try to do anything too strenuous.’ The stall-holder gave her a gentle nudge. ‘Ay, out, here comes Maggie and Florrie. Even if they don’t have any money to spend we’ll get a laugh. And my old mam, God rest her soul, used to say that a good belly laugh does yer more good than a full pan of scouse.’

Florrie, having heard the last part, said, ‘I remember yer ma, Mary Ann, she was the salt of the earth. Always bright and cheerful, she was, and a kind word for everyone.’ When her false teeth had settled back into place, she jerked her head at her friend. ‘I’m not mentioning any names, mind, but she wasn’t like some of the miserable sods that are around these days.’

Maggie’s folded arms hitched up her mountainous bosom. ‘Ay, Florrie, I hope that wasn’t intended for me? I agree I might be a miserable sod for six days of the week,
but
on pay day yer won’t find a happier or more sociable person if yer travelled the length and breadth of Liverpool.’

‘Yer’ve done it now, Florrie,’ Mary Ann laughed. ‘She’s cut to the quick, is Maggie.’

Florrie shrugged her shoulders. ‘Yer know what they say, Mary Ann, if the cap fits then wear it.’

Maggie’s bosom was now nearly up to her chin as she eyed the felt hat Florrie was wearing. When it was new, donkey’s years ago, it had been a lovely navy blue. Now it was several shades of blue with a hint of green. ‘If yer don’t apologise, Mrs Florrie bloody-Know-it-all, I’ll ram that bloody hat down yer mouth.’

‘Ah, don’t do that, Maggie.’ Sadie held up her hands in mock horror. ‘It’s the only one the poor woman’s got!’

‘Listen to me, you two,’ Mary Ann said, hands on hips, ‘if yer going to have a fight then I’m goin’ to be referee. And yer’ll fight by the rules, all fair and square. If you dare lay a finger on her, Maggie, before she’s had time to take those bleedin’ false teeth out, that’ll be counted as hittin’ below the belt and a point against yer.’ Oh, how the stall-holder was enjoying this. It had quite livened up an otherwise miserable day. ‘And if yer play yer cards right, yer could both be winners ’cos I’ve got a proposition to put to yer. If yer put yer heart and soul into it, and have a good go at each other, yer could draw a big crowd to me stall. So for every article we sell while you two are bashing each other, I’ll give yer a farthing each. Now I can’t be fairer than that, can I?’

‘Well, the bloody cheek of you! Did yer hear that, Florrie?’

‘I most certainly did, Maggie. I never thought I’d live to see the day when Mary Ann would encourage two gentle, well-brought up ladies like ourselves to have a scrap just so she can make a few coppers. D’yer know what, Maggie, if her dear mother was alive she’d turn in her grave.’

The four of them doubled up with laughter and the happy sound had Sadie thinking it was a sign that spring was in the air.

Sadie ran all the way home and was gasping for breath when she burst into the room. ‘How is Mrs Benson, Grandma?’

‘She’s bedded down on the couch, sweetheart, with a fire up the chimney and a hot water bottle on her tummy. Betty Townley was a godsend, I can tell yer. I’d never have managed on me own, I wouldn’t have known where to turn. Betty went for the old lady’s daughter, and as soon as Doreen saw the state of her mother she ran around for the doctor. He played merry hell over the house being so cold and damp, said he was surprised Maggie hadn’t died of pneumonia before now. Anyway, he said he’ll call again in the morning and if she’s no better she’ll have to go into hospital. He would have sent her today but she flatly refused. She said if she’s goin’ to die she’d rather die in her own home.’

Sadie had taken her coat off and draped it over her arm. ‘She’s not going to die, is she, Grandma?’

‘No, I don’t think so, sweetheart.’ Sarah wasn’t going to voice her misgivings and upset the girl. ‘Hang yer coat up while I fetch yer dinner in.’

Sadie gave Joe a kiss before going out to the hallstand. ‘She’s not in the house on her own, is she?’

‘No, she’s not on her own, queen, so don’t fret yerself,’ Joe said. ‘Her daughter’s staying the night with her. Sarah’s told her to knock if she needs us.’

When Sarah came through from the kitchen, Sadie closed her eyes. ‘Don’t tell me, let me guess.’ She sniffed up. ‘Steak and kidney pie.’

‘Right first time, sweetheart. With mashed potatoes and carrot and turnip.’

‘I’ll make short work of that, I’m famished.’ Sadie pulled her chair nearer the table and picked up her knife and fork. ‘I bet Mrs Benson doesn’t make herself a proper dinner every day like you do, Grandma.’

Sarah lowered herself onto the end of the couch. ‘That’s her whole trouble. She’s got her priorities wrong, but will she listen to yer? Will she heck! Instead of buying
nourishing
food and coal, she saves her pennies to give to her grandchildren when they come. She’s soft-hearted, is Maggie, and she gets a lot of pleasure out of giving them money for sweets. I can understand that, but not when she’s killing herself in the process.’

Joe nodded his head in agreement. ‘Yer told her daughter that, didn’t yer, love?’

‘I did, and she went mad. She said she’ll put a stop to it and make sure her mother spends what little she gets on herself. In fact, the first thing Doreen did was to run around to the coalyard and asked them to drop two bags of coal off. There’s a fire roaring up the chimney right now, and that’s a sight I’ve never seen before in that house.’

‘I’ll give a knock when I’ve had me tea, shall I, and see if they want any messages from the corner shop?’

‘That would be neighbourly, sweetheart, Doreen would appreciate that. And Betty said she’d send their Peter to fill a couple of buckets of coal for them. They’ll have to keep the fire banked up day and night while Maggie’s so ill, and it’ll save Doreen havin’ to go down the yard in the middle of the night.’

Sadie grinned. ‘D’yer know what the soft nit said to me when I knocked this morning? Seven o’clock it was, I was half-asleep and he was as bright as a button. “I’m sorry, Sadie, but I can’t come out to play now ’cos I’ve got to go to work”.’

‘He’s a hero, that lad,’ Joe chuckled. ‘Whoever gets him will be getting a good one.’

There was a loud rat-tat on the window and all three gave a start. ‘Speak of the devil and he’s bound to appear.’ Sarah was smiling as she eased herself up. ‘This’ll be him now – he’s the only one who ever knocks on the window.’