by Joan Jonker
Lizzie began busily looking for a label on the dress. When she found it, she waved it in the air triumphantly. ‘There yer are, clever clogs! This label doesn’t say Bon Marché, it says Phillips of London.’
The stallholder pushed a lock of her red hair back under the scarf she was wearing, then, shaking her head with a sad expression on her face, said, ‘Lizzie, ye’re as thick as two short planks. Of course Bon Marché don’t make their own clothes, they buy them in. And in that case they bought the dress from Phillips of London, what makes clothes for the toffs. And while it was hanging in their shop with a five-guinea price tag on, along came a wealthy lady and bought it. After a while she got tired of it, as rich people do, and it eventually ended up on my stall. But I’m not going to charge yer five guineas for it, I’m not even going to charge yer one. Seeing as ye’re one of me regulars, I’ll let yer have it for a shilling, and I’ll throw a hat in for nothing.’
Lizzie bristled, or pretended to. ‘Yer can stuff yer dress, and yer hat, where Paddy stuck his nuts, Mary Ann. I’m not giving yer no shilling for no bleedin’ second-hand dress, even if it was made for a toff.’
‘How much are yer willing to pay for the dress then, Lizzie?’
‘A tanner, and not a penny more.’ Lizzie’s lips formed a straight line of determination and her bosom took on a life of its own.
‘Okay, that’s fine by me.’ Mary Ann took the sixpenny piece before saying, ‘If yer’d used yer eyes, Lizzie, yer would have seen that everything on this table is fourpence. What a pity, eh? Still, I’m sure you and the dress will get on well together, if yer ever get it over those two mountains that stick out in front of yer.’ Mary Ann saw the corners of Lizzie’s mouth turn down, and although she knew the woman was putting on an act, like herself, she felt a moment’s tenderness for her. It was people like Lizzie, Aggie and Sarah who put the bread on her table. ‘Here’s yer tanner back, so hang on to it while I look for something more suitable for yer.’
Lizzie kept her smile back because it wouldn’t do to let everyone see that Mary Ann was going to give her special treatment, ’cos then they’d all want it.
Sadie had spotted the four friends and waved. ‘I’ll be with yer as soon as I can. We’ve had a bit of a rush on since half-past eight.’
When she finally had time to go to them, Beth said, ‘Yer don’t look as though yer’ve been at it all day, yer look very pretty and healthy.’
‘That’s because I’m very happy.’ Sadie’s bright blue eyes shone. ‘I got engaged to me boyfriend Harry last week. I haven’t got the ring on so I can’t show it to yer. I won’t wear it for work in case it comes off and I lose it.’
There were sincere congratulations from the four friends who had grown fond of the blonde-haired girl with the film-star looks who always went out of her way to help them. ‘And when’s the wedding to be, then, girl?’ Flo asked. ‘Soon?’
‘I wish it was tomorrow, I can’t wait to marry him. But we have to save up for the wedding first so it’ll be next year some time.’ Sadie saw Mary Ann struggling to keep up with the hands reaching out to her to be served. ‘I’ll have to leave yer for ten minutes, but I’ll be back. In the meantime yer could try looking through that rack over there, there’s some nice things on it.’
‘How come there’s not crowds around it, like the stalls?’ Beth asked.
‘Because everything on it is dearer than the clothes on the stalls. With it being a weekday, there’s not much money around. But come the weekend that rack will be busy. The clothes are worth the difference in price, they’re good quality.’ Sadie raised her brows at Beth. ‘Remember yer son’s overcoat? That was worth the money, wasn’t it?’
‘It certainly was, sunshine, he’s had plenty of wear out of it. Anyway, you go and help yer boss and we’ll see yer a bit later when ye’re not so busy.’ Beth jerked her head. ‘Come on, gang, let’s see if there’s anything on the rack that takes our fancy.’
Chapter Twenty-Five
The four friends walked down their street with bags and baskets full. Their trip to Paddy’s Market had been fruitful and enjoyable, but also very tiring.
They reached Beth’s house and she put her basket down to get the front door key out of her pocket. ‘I’ll be glad to get in and take the weight off me feet and have a nice quiet cuppa. I’ll see yer tomorrow.’
‘Are yer not going to ask us in?’ Flo looked and sounded put out. ‘If ye’re making a pot of tea it’s not going to kill yer to put an extra spoonful of tea in the ruddy pot!’
Beth turned on the step. ‘Have none of yer got homes to go to?’
‘I’m all right for another hour,’ Dot said. ‘I prepared the dinner this morning before I left the house, so I’m in no rush.’
‘And I’ve nothing to worry about until four o’clock when the girls come home from school.’ Lizzie couldn’t look Beth in the face because she knew she’d burst out laughing. ‘And, sure, I’m dying for a decent cup of tea, and that’s the truth of it.’
Beth shook her head as though in disbelief. ‘Well, why can’t we go in one of your houses? Why does it always have to be mine?’
Flo tutted. ‘Because, soft girl, you’re the one making the pot of tea, that’s why! And what a waste it would be to make it just for one. Not only a waste, but flamin’ selfish as well when yer know yer best mates are dying of thirst. Now hurry and get that bleedin’ door open, the string handles on this bag are digging into me hands.’
With a resigned sigh, Beth opened the door and they all trooped in after her. ‘One of these days I’m going to put me foot down with you lot. Anyone would think I was running a ruddy cafe!’
‘Just go and put the kettle on, girl, and stop yer moaning. I’m going to empty me basket and have a proper look at what I bought today. Yer can’t always tell when ye’re at the market, there’s always too many people want serving.’
Beth filled the kettle and put a light to the gas ring. Then she set the cups and saucers out ready, and stood the milk jug near. While she was waiting for the kettle to boil, she told herself she may as well go and look through the clothes she’d bought. But first she’d better look to see if she had enough biscuits to go round. If she remembered correctly, there’d be just enough for one each.
When she walked into the living room, Beth’s mouth opened wide with horror. The room looked like a second-hand clothes shop! There were clothes draped everywhere: on the backs of chairs, on the couch, the table, and there were mounds of them on the floor where they’d been tipped from bags. ‘In the name of God, will yer just look at the place! I hope yer intend to clear it up before my husband comes home from work, ’cos he’d have a fit if he saw it in this state.’
Flo sidled up to her, holding out a green woollen dress. It had long sleeves and a plain round neck with a lace-trimmed collar. ‘Ay, look at this, girl, wasn’t it a bargain for one and six? I’ll be all dolled up for Christmas Day, yer won’t know me.’
Dot was busy holding a deep mauve dress up to herself. It had a shaped waist which would suit Dot with her being so slim, three-quarter sleeves and a square neck. ‘Look at this for two bob! I mean, yer wouldn’t be without for that price, would yer?’
Not to be outdone, Lizzie lifted up a dark brown woollen dress. It was very plain, with long sleeves, a high round neck and a belt covered in the same material. ‘I think we hopped in lucky, so we did. Each of us has got at least one bargain. I’m going to put this away until Christmas Day and give me darlin’ Paddy a surprise. I bet he’ll fall for me all over again, so he will.’
‘Aren’t yer going to get yours out, girl?’ Flo asked. ‘Let’s have a proper look at it. All I can remember is that it’s blue.’
‘No, that one’s not mine, sunshine, that’s the one I got for Ginny. The one I got for meself is beige, trimmed with brown. I’ll show them to yer some other time. But what I’m really thrilled about is getting a pair of long trousers for our Joey! There’s not a break in them, they’ve hardly been worn. And for t
wo bob, I’d have been daft not to get them.’
‘Yeah, but as Sadie said, in the posh houses they get their best stuff from, those folk have money to burn and can buy new. They don’t wear things out like we do, they go out and buy new when they’re fed up with or grow out of something.’
‘It’s no good telling us what the things are like, girl,’ Flo said, ‘we want to see them!’
‘Well, yer can’t, can yer, ’cos there’s the kettle whistling. And while I’m making the tea, I want you three to pack all those clothes back in yer bags and make me room look a bit more presentable.’ Beth stood with her hand on the kitchen door. ‘I’ll show yer my things some other time, but for now they’re going straight upstairs, out of the way of prying eyes.’
‘What about this bag of children’s clothes that we got for Vera Duffy?’ Dot asked. ‘They’ll need washing before we give them to her.’
‘Wait until I pour the tea out, then we can sit comfortably and discuss how to go about that. Right now, all I want is a nice cup of tea.’
‘Hear, hear,’ said Lizzie, pushing the clothes back into a large bag. ‘Me mouth and throat are as dry as sandpaper.’
By the time the tea was brewed and poured out, Beth’s living room was back to normal. All the bags had been put in the tiny hall out of the way, except Beth’s, which had been put on the bottom stair. ‘That’s more like it, I can see what I’m saying now.’
Dot took the cup she was handed, sat back and crossed her slim legs. ‘Now, what are we going to do about the things for Vera’s kids?’
Beth sipped on her tea before answering. ‘I don’t think we should be the ones to give them to her. She’d be really embarrassed if we knocked on her door to say we had some clothes for her kids. I mean, it’s not as though we know the woman very well. She might think we’re giving her them ’cos we don’t believe she looks after her children properly.’
Lizzie nodded. ‘I think Beth is right, so I do! I’d not be happy if someone knocked on my door, right out of the blue, and handed me some clothes. Especially if I hardly knew them. I’d be insulted, and that’s the truth. Me pride would be hurt, I know that.’
‘Then what did we get them for, if we’re not going to give her the bleedin’ things?’ Flo asked, as her chins went the way of her shaking head. ‘Surely we’re not going to waste them?’
‘No, of course not, not when the kids really need them! I just wondered if we could get them to her some way that wouldn’t make her feel bad. We could do it through Aggie, that might be the best solution ’cos they’re good mates. Aggie could say a friend of hers had some stuff that her children had grown out of, and she was going to give it to the ragman until Aggie stopped her and said they were too good to throw away and she knew someone who would be glad of them. They’ll probably all want altering, but Vera Duffy can do that, it’s easy to turn hems up. And I’m sure she’ll be glad of them.’
Dot thought this was a very good idea. ‘We’ll wash and iron them first, to make them look nice and fresh.’
Beth glanced at Flo. ‘You know Aggie better than any of us, sunshine, so yer could have a word with her on the quiet. Just explain that we wanted to help Vera, but didn’t want to be seen pushing our noses in. See what she thinks.’
According to Flo’s reckoning, this put her a little bit ahead of her friends. So she sat up straight, as did her bosom and tummy. ‘I’ll give her a knock later, girl, and let yer know what she has to say.’
Beth shook her head. ‘Don’t bother telling me tonight, leave it until tomorrow. I’m feeling whacked now, and I want an easy night with me feet up.’
The creaking chair warned them that Flo was up to something. ‘Oh, aye, girl, are yer having an early night in bed? Is your feller on a promise?’
For all Beth had been neighbours with Flo for nearly twenty years, and should be used to her by now, the little woman still had the power to make her blush. ‘Yer’ll get me hung one of these days, you will. Yer mind is never long out of the bedroom, it’s no wonder Dennis always looks worn out.’
Flo and the chair chuckled. ‘Ah, but have yer never noticed my feller always has a smile on his face? That’s ’cos he enjoys himself so much making himself tired.’
‘I think we’ll leave that subject, if yer don’t mind, sunshine, we’ve more important things to talk about than your love life.’ Beth bit on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing when she saw the devilment in her neighbour’s eyes. But it wouldn’t do to encourage her ’cos if yer gave her an inch she’d take a yard. ‘Now, I want a volunteer to wash the children’s clothes. I’ve got enough on me plate with seeing to things for the party on Saturday. I can make the jellies tomorrow, they’ll be all right for a few days in the pantry and will be one thing off me mind. But there’s so much to think of, and I really want everything to go off just right, ’cos it’s the first grown-up party for any of the kids.’
‘I’m going to make a large sponge cake, girl, and I’ll ice the top and put the three girls’ names on,’ Dot said. ‘And I’ll make a dozen fairy cakes as well, to help out.’
‘I’m buying a dozen sausage rolls, me darlin’,’ Lizzie said. ‘They can be cut in two and they’ll go further.’
Beth was wondering how the sausage rolls would go further if they were cut in half. All the kids would do would be to take two halves. But her train of thought was interrupted by Flo, who had no intention of being left out. ‘I’m giving yer a hand with the sandwiches, girl, so that’ll be a big help. I’ll get a quarter of the best boiled ham, a quarter of corned beef and a jar of meat paste. That should be plenty, but just in case, I’ll make it a large jar of meat paste.’
Beth smiled. ‘That sounds great, sunshine, the table should look nice. Our Ginny is really looking forward to having a party with all her friends here. She knows it’s not just her party, that Joan and Marie are celebrating their birthdays as well, and she’s not going to hog the limelight. But she’s never had a party before, and at fifteen years of age it’s a big thing.’ She kept glancing at the clock to make sure she was leaving herself enough time to get the dinner on the go. ‘I think me and Andy will make ourselves scarce once the kids have settled down. They’ll enjoy it better without two grown-ups watching their every move.’
‘Well, why don’t the men go to the pub and us girls go to the pictures?’ Dot thought she’d had a brainwave. ‘We never go anywhere, it would do us good.’
Beth could see Flo and Lizzie nodding their heads in agreement, and although she would have liked to stay near to keep an eye on the party and see it didn’t get out of hand, she knew as she was thinking it that it wasn’t necessary. Mick, David and Bobby were turned sixteen years of age, very capable and sensible. She’d trust them with her life. ‘Okay, but it’ll have to be second house.’ She pushed herself to her feet and picked up her cup and saucer from the table. ‘Before I throw yer out, would yer mind rinsing yer cups and saucers under the tap, please? Save me a job.’
Ginny came in from work and flopped on the couch before she even took her coat off. ‘Oh, Mam, we haven’t half been busy today. Me legs and me feet are so tired, I’m not going to move after I’ve had me dinner. I’m going to steep me feet in a bucket of warm water and then put them up on the couch.’
Joey held his nose between two fingers and pulled a face. ‘Yuk! Yer mean we’ve got to sit and smell your sweaty feet?’
‘Mam!’ Ginny’s voice was high. ‘Tell him I haven’t got sweaty feet! He’ll go out and tell everyone in the street if yer don’t stop him. He’s a little horror!’
Her brother was grinning from ear to ear. ‘Little horror? I’m taller than you are! And I won’t be telling everyone in the street ’cos I wouldn’t want them to know me sister’s feet smell.’
‘If I wasn’t so tired, I’d get up and clock you one.’ This was an empty threat as sister and brother may fight verbally but they had never raised a hand to each other, even when they were little. ‘Ay, Mam, guess what?’ Ginny
could hear her mother pottering around getting the dinner plates ready, but she couldn’t keep this piece of news to herself until after they’d had their meal. ‘Yer’ll never guess in a million years.’
‘Well, I haven’t got that long, sunshine, ’cos yer dad will be home any minute.’ Beth came to lean against the door jamb. ‘What is it?’
‘D’yer know that Miss Meadows I’ve told yer about? She works in Henderson’s and comes in to see me at least twice a week. She’s very posh, but very nice. You remember, she’s the one who told Miss Landers off for the way she spoke to me.’
‘I do know who ye’re talking about, sunshine, so will yer get on with whatever it is yer want to tell me? Yer dad will be here any minute.’
Ginny’s expression was dramatic. ‘Well, she came in today and asked me if I’d like to go to her house for tea on me birthday. She said she’d be delighted if I’d say I would.’
‘Go ’way! What did yer say?’
‘I told her I was having a party here, with me friends, so she said that perhaps I’d go another day. I didn’t know what to say, ’cos she’s really posh and speaks frightfully far back. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, ’cos she’s been really friendly with me. But I don’t have the right clothes to go somewhere posh, and I’d feel awkward and embarrassed.’
‘Has she got a family of her own? It’s unusual for a woman yer don’t really know to ask yer to tea. I mean, she’s only ever seen yer in the shop.’
‘She said her name was Miss Alicia Meadows the first time she came in the shop, so she can’t be married. Dorothy Sutherland said perhaps she hasn’t any family of her own and is lonely. She couldn’t understand why I didn’t jump at the chance of going to Miss Meadows’ house for tea. But I thought I’d better ask you first, see what yer think.’
‘Ooh, I don’t know, sunshine, I’d have to give it some thought. The woman is probably very nice and very respectable, but we don’t know that for sure. Do yer even know where she lives?’