But before yer say anything, just listen to me. I put a dress away for yer as a little thank you for helping me out on the stall. But I’ll keep the dress until next week and yer can give me sixpence for it. That way I’ve got me money back and you’ve got a dress and shoes. Not a bad bargain, eh, girl?’
‘You don’t have to give me nothing to help yer out ’cos I enjoy it so much I should be paying you!’ But the offer was tempting. Sadie would have a decent pair of shoes and she wouldn’t have to feel guilty about the boys. ‘I’ll make it up to yer, Mary Ann, I promise. I’ll come and help yer out every Saturday afternoon for a few hours.’
‘Don’t be makin’ rash promises before yer’ve had a look at the shoes. Yer might end up throwin’ them at me.’
The two pairs of boys’ shoes were well worn, down at heel and the toe caps scuffed. But there was still some wear in them and anything was better than running around barefoot. They’d probably look quite respectable if they were given a good brushing with black polish, but Sadie knew they’d fall to pieces without ever having a cloth run over them.
‘I got these for you, but if yer don’t like them, Tony said yer can take them back and choose another pair.’ Mary Ann waited with bated breath for Sadie’s reaction. Tony had been reluctant to part with the shoes for the money offered and it had taken all the stall-holder’s powers of persuasion to talk him around.
Sadie was stunned into silence. She’d never had a dressy pair of shoes, they’d all been flat-heeled, heavy and ugly. But the pair Mary Ann was holding up for her inspection had high heels, they were in black, shiny patent leather and had a narrow strap across the ankle which fastened into a silver buckle at the side. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined herself wearing anything as glamorous.
‘Well? Has the cat got yer tongue?’
Sadie couldn’t speak so she showed her gratitude by flinging her arms around Mary Ann and sobbing into her shoulder. ‘God was looking after me the day He sent me to your stall, Mary Ann. Nobody has ever been as good to me as you’ve been.’
Mary Ann patted the girl’s shoulder as though she was a baby. ‘There now, sweetheart, there’s no need to cry.’ She was feeling emotional herself and was having a job keeping her voice steady. ‘If yer don’t behave yerself I’ll take the bleedin’ shoes back.’
Sadie sniffed up. ‘Oh no, yer won’t! They’re the most beautiful shoes in the whole world.’
‘Yer haven’t even tried them on yet! Come on, girl, get a move on. I’ve got a couple of customers to serve.’
Tony Henshaw watched the scene from his stall opposite. And when he saw Sadie’s obvious pleasure and gratitude he suddenly felt good inside. He could have got a bit more for the high-heeled shoes but now he was glad he’d let Mary Ann talk him round. And when he saw Sadie tottering in her first pair of high heels, grabbing the table for support, his laugh was as loud as hers, Mary Ann’s and the customers. He felt quite bucked up and cheerful, thinking life wasn’t so bad after all.
‘I’ll never walk in them,’ Sadie said. ‘I’ll fall flat on me face.’
‘In ten minutes, girl, yer’ll think yer’ve been wearing them all yer life. I remember my first pair of high heels, they crippled me for a while till I got used to them.’ Mary Ann grinned, pushing one of her bright red curls back into the comb. ‘I’d have worn them whether they crippled me or not ’cos I wanted to be in the fashion. There were no flies on me in those days, girl, I can tell yer.’
Sadie took her hand from the table and ventured a few steps. ‘Ooh, er, I feel as though I’m on top of a ladder.’ Another few steps and she felt more confident. ‘I’ll do it even if it kills me.’
‘See if yer can make it over to Tony’s stall to thank him. He did yer a favour, girl, an’ yer never know, yer might need his help
‘You don’t have to give me nothing to help yer out ’cos I enjoy it so much I should be paying you!’ But the offer was tempting. Sadie would have a decent pair of shoes and she wouldn’t have to feel guilty about the boys. ‘I’ll make it up to yer, Mary Ann, I promise. I’ll come and help yer out every Saturday afternoon for a few hours.’
‘Don’t be makin’ rash promises before yer’ve had a look at the shoes. Yer might end up throwin’ them at me.’
The two pairs of boys’ shoes were well worn, down at heel and the toe caps scuffed. But there was still some wear in them and anything was better than running around barefoot. They’d probably look quite respectable if they were given a good brushing with black polish, but Sadie knew they’d fall to pieces without ever having a cloth run over them.
‘I got these for you, but if yer don’t like them, Tony said yer can take them back and choose another pair.’ Mary Ann waited with bated breath for Sadie’s reaction. Tony had been reluctant to part with the shoes for the money offered and it had taken all the stall-holder’s powers of persuasion to talk him around.
Sadie was stunned into silence. She’d never had a dressy pair of shoes, they’d all been flat-heeled, heavy and ugly. But the pair Mary Ann was holding up for her inspection had high heels, they were in black, shiny patent leather and had a narrow strap across the ankle which fastened into a silver buckle at the side. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined herself wearing anything as glamorous.
‘Well? Has the cat got yer tongue?’
Sadie couldn’t speak so she showed her gratitude by flinging her arms around Mary Ann and sobbing into her shoulder. ‘God was looking after me the day He sent me to your stall, Mary Ann. Nobody has ever been as good to me as you’ve been.’
Mary Ann patted the girl’s shoulder as though she was a baby. ‘There now, sweetheart, there’s no need to cry.’ She was feeling emotional herself and was having a job keeping her voice steady. ‘If yer don’t behave yerself I’ll take the bleedin’ shoes back.’
Sadie sniffed up. ‘Oh no, yer won’t! They’re the most beautiful shoes in the whole world.’
‘Yer haven’t even tried them on yet! Come on, girl, get a move on. I’ve got a couple of customers to serve.’
Tony Henshaw watched the scene from his stall opposite. And when he saw Sadie’s obvious pleasure and gratitude he suddenly felt good inside. He could have got a bit more for the high-heeled shoes but now he was glad he’d let Mary Ann talk him round. And when he saw Sadie tottering in her first pair of high heels, grabbing the table for support, his laugh was as loud as hers, Mary Ann’s and the customers. He felt quite bucked up and cheerful, thinking life wasn’t so bad after all.
‘I’ll never walk in them,’ Sadie said. ‘I’ll fall flat on me face.’
‘In ten minutes, girl, yer’ll think yer’ve been wearing them all yer life. I remember my first pair of high heels, they crippled me for a while till I got used to them.’ Mary Ann grinned, pushing one of her bright red curls back into the comb. ‘I’d have worn them whether they crippled me or not ’cos I wanted to be in the fashion. There were no flies on me in those days, girl, I can tell yer.’
Sadie took her hand from the table and ventured a few steps. ‘Ooh, er, I feel as though I’m on top of a ladder.’ Another few steps and she felt more confident. ‘I’ll do it even if it kills me.’
‘See if yer can make it over to Tony’s stall to thank him. He did yer a favour, girl, an’ yer never know, yer might need his help
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