assiduously putting aside a shilling a week from her pocket-money for a whole year. 'I'll get mine in a less expensive shop.'
Sylvia was profusely apologetic. 'I'm so tactless! Shall we go somewhere else? You lead the way.'
They linked arms as they made their way towards the exit. At the jewellery counter, Sylvia paused. 'Are we going to exchange presents? Those bracelets are very elegant. I'd like to buy one for you.'
The bracelets were diamante, huge dazzling stones in a chunky dark gold setting. They were very elegant indeed, but they were also f4.19s.6d!
'No, ta,' Annie said quickly. 'They're lovely, but your present must cost the same as mine. I couldn't afford that much.'
Sylvia nodded understandingly. 'What about these pretty little pendants? Nine and elevenpence. Is that too much? I haven't got the hang of English money yet.'
'That's half an English pound.' Annie stared at the pendants on a display card on the counter. There were ten different designs, tiny enamelled flowers no bigger than a sixpence on a fine gold-plated chain.
'This one would suit you perfectly, an orchid.' Sylvia pointed to the second pendant down, a red and blue and gold flower. 'You are like an orchid, Annie, you seem to change colour all the time. One minute your hair is red, then the light changes and it's gold. Your eyes are different, too; blue, then grey, then blue again.'
Annie felt as if she could cry. No-one had ever paid her such a lovely compliment before. 'I'd like it very much,' she whispered.
'In fifty years' time,' Sylvia said sagely, 'you will see this little orchid in your jewellery box, tarnished, faded and old, and will always be reminded of Sylvia Delgado and the day she bought it for you.'
'That's a very profound remark from such a young
ady!' the elderly assistant said, wrapping the orchid in issue paper and tucking it inside a cardboard box.
'Thank you,' Sylvia said demurely.
Annie noticed one of the pendants was shaped like a ose. She'd never bought a present for her mam before, t seemed a waste of time. 'I'll have a pendant, too,' she aid impulsively. A rose for a Rose!
Later, when they were having their lunch in Owen Dwen's restaurant - special Christmas fayre, roast :hicken and plum pudding - Annie said, 'Why didn't ^ou go to a private school, seeing as you're so well off?'
Sylvia made a face. 'Because Bruno doesn't believe in )rivate education. He considers it a basic right which hould be the same for everyone, rich and poor alike, vio-one should be allowed to pay for better teachers, )etter schools. He's the same with most things. When Hecy had me, he insisted she use the local hospital, vhere they left her in labour for days because they were ;o backward. Then she was stuck in a ward with peasant women who hated her. That's why I am a lone :hild. She had such a terrible time, she swore she'd lever have more children.'
'Bruno'd get on with me Auntie Dot and Uncle Bert, rhey're in the Labour Party.' Bert was chairman of the ocal branch.
'I doubt it,' Sylvia said darkly. 'He hates socialists ilmost as much as he hates fascists. Don't ask me *vhy, it's something to do with state ownership and 3anks and shares and capitalism.' She glanced at her Tiinute gold watch. 'We have half an hour before the film starts. Just time enough for you to show me St George's Hall.'
Annie gaped. 'What on earth do you want to see that for?'
'Bruno said it's one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe.'
'Is it really?' Annie had never noticed anything remarkable about it, 'I haven't bought you a present yet!' She'd got dad a tie, earrings for Marie, a box of handkerchiefs for Dot and tobacco for Uncle Bert. 'I told you, I'd like those red gloves.' Annie screwed up her nose. 'But they'll wear out.' 'What else do you expect gloves to do?' 'It means one day you'll throw them away. I'd like to get you something permanent, like my pendant.'
'Maybe we'll see something on the way to St George's Hall.'
But by the time the
Sylvia was profusely apologetic. 'I'm so tactless! Shall we go somewhere else? You lead the way.'
They linked arms as they made their way towards the exit. At the jewellery counter, Sylvia paused. 'Are we going to exchange presents? Those bracelets are very elegant. I'd like to buy one for you.'
The bracelets were diamante, huge dazzling stones in a chunky dark gold setting. They were very elegant indeed, but they were also f4.19s.6d!
'No, ta,' Annie said quickly. 'They're lovely, but your present must cost the same as mine. I couldn't afford that much.'
Sylvia nodded understandingly. 'What about these pretty little pendants? Nine and elevenpence. Is that too much? I haven't got the hang of English money yet.'
'That's half an English pound.' Annie stared at the pendants on a display card on the counter. There were ten different designs, tiny enamelled flowers no bigger than a sixpence on a fine gold-plated chain.
'This one would suit you perfectly, an orchid.' Sylvia pointed to the second pendant down, a red and blue and gold flower. 'You are like an orchid, Annie, you seem to change colour all the time. One minute your hair is red, then the light changes and it's gold. Your eyes are different, too; blue, then grey, then blue again.'
Annie felt as if she could cry. No-one had ever paid her such a lovely compliment before. 'I'd like it very much,' she whispered.
'In fifty years' time,' Sylvia said sagely, 'you will see this little orchid in your jewellery box, tarnished, faded and old, and will always be reminded of Sylvia Delgado and the day she bought it for you.'
'That's a very profound remark from such a young
ady!' the elderly assistant said, wrapping the orchid in issue paper and tucking it inside a cardboard box.
'Thank you,' Sylvia said demurely.
Annie noticed one of the pendants was shaped like a ose. She'd never bought a present for her mam before, t seemed a waste of time. 'I'll have a pendant, too,' she aid impulsively. A rose for a Rose!
Later, when they were having their lunch in Owen Dwen's restaurant - special Christmas fayre, roast :hicken and plum pudding - Annie said, 'Why didn't ^ou go to a private school, seeing as you're so well off?'
Sylvia made a face. 'Because Bruno doesn't believe in )rivate education. He considers it a basic right which hould be the same for everyone, rich and poor alike, vio-one should be allowed to pay for better teachers, )etter schools. He's the same with most things. When Hecy had me, he insisted she use the local hospital, vhere they left her in labour for days because they were ;o backward. Then she was stuck in a ward with peasant women who hated her. That's why I am a lone :hild. She had such a terrible time, she swore she'd lever have more children.'
'Bruno'd get on with me Auntie Dot and Uncle Bert, rhey're in the Labour Party.' Bert was chairman of the ocal branch.
'I doubt it,' Sylvia said darkly. 'He hates socialists ilmost as much as he hates fascists. Don't ask me *vhy, it's something to do with state ownership and 3anks and shares and capitalism.' She glanced at her Tiinute gold watch. 'We have half an hour before the film starts. Just time enough for you to show me St George's Hall.'
Annie gaped. 'What on earth do you want to see that for?'
'Bruno said it's one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe.'
'Is it really?' Annie had never noticed anything remarkable about it, 'I haven't bought you a present yet!' She'd got dad a tie, earrings for Marie, a box of handkerchiefs for Dot and tobacco for Uncle Bert. 'I told you, I'd like those red gloves.' Annie screwed up her nose. 'But they'll wear out.' 'What else do you expect gloves to do?' 'It means one day you'll throw them away. I'd like to get you something permanent, like my pendant.'
'Maybe we'll see something on the way to St George's Hall.'
But by the time the
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