Read Online On Mother Brown's Doorstep by Mary Jane Staples - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mary Jane Staples
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told yer, me mind’s made up.’
‘Well, take precautions if it’s windy, Freddy,’ said Will, ‘wear a long shirt.’
‘I’ve only got me short ones,’ said Freddy.
Sally had hysterics and fell off her chair. Mr Brown choked on his pudding this time. Mrs Brown giggled like a girl. Susie held herself in check. She waited until the supper table had stopped rattling before she made herself heard.
‘So your mind’s made up, is it, Freddy Brown? Well, so’s mine. You’re goin’ to wear a suit.’
‘No, I ain’t,’ said Freddy, ‘not unless it’s got long trousers. I ain’t wearing short ones, not at your weddin’, Susie, and it ain’t my fault if I ain’t got long shirts.’
‘Wear one of Dad’s,’ said Will.
Sally had more hysterics, on the floor.
‘Listen, my lad,’ said Susie, ‘it’s goin’ to be a boy’s suit or nothing.’
‘I ain’t wearin’ nothing,’ said Freddy, ‘it ain’t decent.’
‘I mean you won’t be there,’ said Susie.
‘Susie, I got to be there,’ said Freddy, ‘your weddin’ is special to me.’
Susie smiled.
‘Really special?’ she said.
‘Special special,’ said Freddy.
‘There’s a good boy,’ said Susie. ‘Dad, buy him a suit with long trousers. You can get one at Gamages.’
‘I’m ready to fork out, Susie,’ said Mr Brown, who knew one thing for sure. Sammy Adams, important businessman and a decent bloke though he was, was getting a lovely, warm and generous girl on his wedding day , the kind a duke wouldn’t say no to.
‘There, that’s settled,’ said Mrs Brown happily.
‘Mind, Susie, if I ’ad a bike as well, I could cycle to the church and do weddin’ errands for yer,’ said Freddy.
‘Sally, get up off the floor, there’s a love,’ said Mrs Brown, ‘you been down there long enough.’
‘Talk to yerself,’ muttered Freddy.
Later, Susie spoke to her dad.
‘Dad, Sammy said he’d like to see you first thing in the morning.’
‘What about?’ asked Mr Brown, who was employed by Sammy as a full-time odd-job man.
‘He didn’t say.’ Actually, Sammy had said he didn’t think his future dad-in-law ought to be seen doing odd-jobbing around the offices and the Olney Road scrap metal yard. He’d have to talk to him, he’d said.
‘Right you are, Susie, I’ll go an’ see ’im first thing in the morning.’
‘Good old Dad,’ said Susie, and then got Will on his own. Will at once said she’d got a look in her eye. ‘Oh, I only want to ask if you’ve been all right today,’ she said.
‘Is this a crafty way of bringing up that girl again?’
‘No, we were only pullin’ your leg, love. I was wonderin’ about your chest, that’s all.’ It was difficult for the family to believe Will had a serious complaint when he looked so healthy. If the doctors had talked about consumption, well, that really would have been serious. It was something Walworth people dreaded. ‘You didn’t get an attack through helpin’ that girl, did you?’
Will thought about it and decided not to worry her.
‘No, left me as fit as a fiddle, Susie.’
‘That’s good,’ she said, ‘only Boots mentioned that asthma can be a bit of an unsociable headache.’
‘Well, I could do without it, and that’s a fact,’ said Will. His little grin showed. ‘Specially at my age,’ he added.
‘That’s right,’ said Susie, ‘so look after yourself. You don’t know how pleased I am you’re home for my weddin’.’
‘I think you like the idea of marryin’ Sammy,’ said Will.
‘Love it,’ said Susie, ‘even if we do have ups and downs.’
‘Mum and Dad have had a few, I suppose.’
‘Every married couple have some,’ said Susie, ‘but Mum’s always been able to sort hers out with Dad.’
‘Who’s goin’ to sort out those you have with Sammy?’
‘Me,’ said Susie, ‘it’ll never do to let Sammy be on top.’
‘Never?’ smiled Will.
‘What? Oh, you,’ laughed Susie, but turned just a little pink.
‘Well, take precautions if it’s windy, Freddy,’ said Will, ‘wear a long shirt.’
‘I’ve only got me short ones,’ said Freddy.
Sally had hysterics and fell off her chair. Mr Brown choked on his pudding this time. Mrs Brown giggled like a girl. Susie held herself in check. She waited until the supper table had stopped rattling before she made herself heard.
‘So your mind’s made up, is it, Freddy Brown? Well, so’s mine. You’re goin’ to wear a suit.’
‘No, I ain’t,’ said Freddy, ‘not unless it’s got long trousers. I ain’t wearing short ones, not at your weddin’, Susie, and it ain’t my fault if I ain’t got long shirts.’
‘Wear one of Dad’s,’ said Will.
Sally had more hysterics, on the floor.
‘Listen, my lad,’ said Susie, ‘it’s goin’ to be a boy’s suit or nothing.’
‘I ain’t wearin’ nothing,’ said Freddy, ‘it ain’t decent.’
‘I mean you won’t be there,’ said Susie.
‘Susie, I got to be there,’ said Freddy, ‘your weddin’ is special to me.’
Susie smiled.
‘Really special?’ she said.
‘Special special,’ said Freddy.
‘There’s a good boy,’ said Susie. ‘Dad, buy him a suit with long trousers. You can get one at Gamages.’
‘I’m ready to fork out, Susie,’ said Mr Brown, who knew one thing for sure. Sammy Adams, important businessman and a decent bloke though he was, was getting a lovely, warm and generous girl on his wedding day , the kind a duke wouldn’t say no to.
‘There, that’s settled,’ said Mrs Brown happily.
‘Mind, Susie, if I ’ad a bike as well, I could cycle to the church and do weddin’ errands for yer,’ said Freddy.
‘Sally, get up off the floor, there’s a love,’ said Mrs Brown, ‘you been down there long enough.’
‘Talk to yerself,’ muttered Freddy.
Later, Susie spoke to her dad.
‘Dad, Sammy said he’d like to see you first thing in the morning.’
‘What about?’ asked Mr Brown, who was employed by Sammy as a full-time odd-job man.
‘He didn’t say.’ Actually, Sammy had said he didn’t think his future dad-in-law ought to be seen doing odd-jobbing around the offices and the Olney Road scrap metal yard. He’d have to talk to him, he’d said.
‘Right you are, Susie, I’ll go an’ see ’im first thing in the morning.’
‘Good old Dad,’ said Susie, and then got Will on his own. Will at once said she’d got a look in her eye. ‘Oh, I only want to ask if you’ve been all right today,’ she said.
‘Is this a crafty way of bringing up that girl again?’
‘No, we were only pullin’ your leg, love. I was wonderin’ about your chest, that’s all.’ It was difficult for the family to believe Will had a serious complaint when he looked so healthy. If the doctors had talked about consumption, well, that really would have been serious. It was something Walworth people dreaded. ‘You didn’t get an attack through helpin’ that girl, did you?’
Will thought about it and decided not to worry her.
‘No, left me as fit as a fiddle, Susie.’
‘That’s good,’ she said, ‘only Boots mentioned that asthma can be a bit of an unsociable headache.’
‘Well, I could do without it, and that’s a fact,’ said Will. His little grin showed. ‘Specially at my age,’ he added.
‘That’s right,’ said Susie, ‘so look after yourself. You don’t know how pleased I am you’re home for my weddin’.’
‘I think you like the idea of marryin’ Sammy,’ said Will.
‘Love it,’ said Susie, ‘even if we do have ups and downs.’
‘Mum and Dad have had a few, I suppose.’
‘Every married couple have some,’ said Susie, ‘but Mum’s always been able to sort hers out with Dad.’
‘Who’s goin’ to sort out those you have with Sammy?’
‘Me,’ said Susie, ‘it’ll never do to let Sammy be on top.’
‘Never?’ smiled Will.
‘What? Oh, you,’ laughed Susie, but turned just a little pink.
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