Coming out for a pint?’ Ben stood up straight and stretched.
‘Do you feel well enough?’ Howard eyed his friend doubtfully. ‘And have you got any money?’
‘Yes, to both questions.’
10
The bed was lovely and comfortable, and Amy so exhausted after the trauma and grief of the last couple of weeks that she slept soundly right through the night. The chirping of the birds woke her up at seven-thirty, and she listened with a smile on her face. That was pretty. Her gaze swept around the room, and even in the half-light it was charming. She still couldn’t believe this was real.
But it was! Yesterday morning she had lost everything: mother, father and home. She had been drowning. Then by an incredible stroke of good luck she had been thrown a lifeline, which she had grabbed in desperation. It was now up to her to show how grateful she was by making a new life for herself and not giving these kind people any cause to worry about her.
Jumping out of bed she collected her soap and towel, then headed for the bathroom. It all looked very grand to her, with gleaming white porcelain and wallpaper covered with little forget-me-nots.
After washing and dressing she cleaned everything until it was once again as spotless as she had found it. Then she went to the kitchen to toast the last of her bread and make a pot of tea.
She was just wiping the sink and draining board down when Mr Andrews came in.
‘My goodness, Amy, you’re about early. The two boys never drag themselves out of bed until around ten o’clock.’
‘Good morning, Mr Andrews.’ She smiled shyly. ‘I’m usually up earlier than this, but I slept on.’
‘I expect you were tired out.’ He smiled when she nodded. ‘What are you going to do today?’
‘Er… well, I must get some shopping and then see if I can find a job.’
‘Would you come to my shop around lunchtime? It’s in the King’s Road. We’ll take my friend to see if he wants your furniture.’
‘Of course. Do you think he will?’ She didn’t think it would be worth much, as they hadn’t had anything of value, but it would be nice to get the rooms cleared out, and a few extra shillings would be welcome.
‘Bound to.’ He grinned. ‘Jake can sell anything.’
‘Thank you ever so much, Mr Andrews.’
‘It’s no trouble, and call me Ted, everyone does.’ He took a frying pan out of a cupboard and put some sausages in it when the fat was hot. ‘Have you had your breakfast?’
‘Yes, I had some toast.’
He gave her a horrified glance. ‘That’s no good for a growing girl. Sit yourself down and I’ll cook you something.’
She watched him put bacon and eggs with the sausages and her mouth fairly watered. It smelt delicious.
When he put the plate in front of her, she said, ‘I’ll buy the eggs and things today and you can use them tomorrow.’
‘You don’t have to do that.’ His eyes crinkled at the corners as he gave a smile. ‘I’m delighted to be sharing my breakfast with you.’
She swallowed a piece of sausage and shook her head. ‘You must let me repay you. You’ve all been so kind and I don’t want to be a burden to you. I can look after myself.’
‘I’m sure you can, and I can’t imagine you being a burden to anyone.’
That remark made her dip her head and concentrate on her plate, not wanting him to see the sadness in her eyes as she remembered. As soon as it had become obvious that she wasn’t going to be able to read or write, she had seen what a burden that was for her parents. They had been disappointed in her; not able to understand why their only child was so dumb. Well, she wasn’t going to let that happen here. Determination filled her, making her lift her head.
When the plates were empty, Amy stood up and began clearing the table. ‘I’ll wash up. You get off to your shop.’
‘That’s a fair swap for breakfast.’ Ted grinned and got to his feet. ‘I’ll see you around lunchtime then, Amy.’
‘I’ll be there, and
‘Do you feel well enough?’ Howard eyed his friend doubtfully. ‘And have you got any money?’
‘Yes, to both questions.’
10
The bed was lovely and comfortable, and Amy so exhausted after the trauma and grief of the last couple of weeks that she slept soundly right through the night. The chirping of the birds woke her up at seven-thirty, and she listened with a smile on her face. That was pretty. Her gaze swept around the room, and even in the half-light it was charming. She still couldn’t believe this was real.
But it was! Yesterday morning she had lost everything: mother, father and home. She had been drowning. Then by an incredible stroke of good luck she had been thrown a lifeline, which she had grabbed in desperation. It was now up to her to show how grateful she was by making a new life for herself and not giving these kind people any cause to worry about her.
Jumping out of bed she collected her soap and towel, then headed for the bathroom. It all looked very grand to her, with gleaming white porcelain and wallpaper covered with little forget-me-nots.
After washing and dressing she cleaned everything until it was once again as spotless as she had found it. Then she went to the kitchen to toast the last of her bread and make a pot of tea.
She was just wiping the sink and draining board down when Mr Andrews came in.
‘My goodness, Amy, you’re about early. The two boys never drag themselves out of bed until around ten o’clock.’
‘Good morning, Mr Andrews.’ She smiled shyly. ‘I’m usually up earlier than this, but I slept on.’
‘I expect you were tired out.’ He smiled when she nodded. ‘What are you going to do today?’
‘Er… well, I must get some shopping and then see if I can find a job.’
‘Would you come to my shop around lunchtime? It’s in the King’s Road. We’ll take my friend to see if he wants your furniture.’
‘Of course. Do you think he will?’ She didn’t think it would be worth much, as they hadn’t had anything of value, but it would be nice to get the rooms cleared out, and a few extra shillings would be welcome.
‘Bound to.’ He grinned. ‘Jake can sell anything.’
‘Thank you ever so much, Mr Andrews.’
‘It’s no trouble, and call me Ted, everyone does.’ He took a frying pan out of a cupboard and put some sausages in it when the fat was hot. ‘Have you had your breakfast?’
‘Yes, I had some toast.’
He gave her a horrified glance. ‘That’s no good for a growing girl. Sit yourself down and I’ll cook you something.’
She watched him put bacon and eggs with the sausages and her mouth fairly watered. It smelt delicious.
When he put the plate in front of her, she said, ‘I’ll buy the eggs and things today and you can use them tomorrow.’
‘You don’t have to do that.’ His eyes crinkled at the corners as he gave a smile. ‘I’m delighted to be sharing my breakfast with you.’
She swallowed a piece of sausage and shook her head. ‘You must let me repay you. You’ve all been so kind and I don’t want to be a burden to you. I can look after myself.’
‘I’m sure you can, and I can’t imagine you being a burden to anyone.’
That remark made her dip her head and concentrate on her plate, not wanting him to see the sadness in her eyes as she remembered. As soon as it had become obvious that she wasn’t going to be able to read or write, she had seen what a burden that was for her parents. They had been disappointed in her; not able to understand why their only child was so dumb. Well, she wasn’t going to let that happen here. Determination filled her, making her lift her head.
When the plates were empty, Amy stood up and began clearing the table. ‘I’ll wash up. You get off to your shop.’
‘That’s a fair swap for breakfast.’ Ted grinned and got to his feet. ‘I’ll see you around lunchtime then, Amy.’
‘I’ll be there, and
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