Read Online The Girl From Number 22 by Joan Jonker - Free Book Online
Authors: Joan Jonker
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husbands and fathers.’
Ada put her cup on the table with Eliza’s. ‘Now let’s have a look at this ankle of yours. That’s unless yer’ve been having us on, and were playing the wounded soldier ’cos yer wanted some company.’
The old lady smiled. ‘Yes, I’m fond of doing tricks like that, Ada. I put yer through all this just so I could see yer happy faces.’
‘We’ll be a lot happier when we’ve seen that ankle, sunshine, so I’m taking this cover off yer.’ Ada dropped down on to her knees. She didn’t need to touch the thin leg, for she only had to look at the ankle to see it was swollen to twice its normal size. ‘Hetty, come and have a look at this, will yer? I’d say it was a sprain, meself. If it was broken, Eliza would be in agony and the foot would be out of shape. What do you think?’
‘I think ye’re probably right, queen.’ Hetty knelt at the side of her mate, and smiled into the old lady’s face. ‘I’m going to touch yer ankle, queen, and if it really hurts, then shout out.’ She gently touched the area around the ankle, then when there was no cry of pain, she ran her hand over it. ‘Did that hurt very much, queen?’
‘Me ankle is very sore, sweetheart, but your touching it didn’t make it any worse.’
‘Then it definitely isn’t broken, or yer’d have been screaming the house down. What we’ll do is put a cold compress on it, and see if that eases it for yer. Have yer got anything I can use, like an old pillowcase or something?’
Eliza pointed to the cupboard in the alcove at the side of the fireplace. ‘Yer’ll find what yer want in there, sweetheart. Don’t worry about looking for an old one if all ye’re going to do is wet it. I’m quite well off for sheets and pillowcases.’
‘Ay, don’t be sitting there like Lady Muck, telling us how well off yer are.’ Ada opened the cupboard door and smiled when she saw the sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths and tea towels in neat piles. She took out a pillowcase and passed it to Hetty, before saying, ‘Yer put me to shame, Eliza. My cupboard looks a shambles compared to yours. If Jimmy or one of the kids want anything, they just pull it out and leave the rest crumpled up.’
Jean came through from the kitchen carrying a bowl of water. ‘While ye’re near the cupboard, Ada, would yer get one of the big towels out, please?’ She put the bowl down on the table. ‘Eliza will need a thick towel under her foot so the couch won’t get wet.’
Hetty stayed on her knees and passed the pillowcase to Jean. ‘Soak it in the water, girl, and then wring most of the water out.’
Ten minutes later, the old lady had a cushion under her foot to keep it raised, and a cold compress wrapped around the swollen ankle. ‘The compress will need changing quite often, so if you want to go to the shops, Jean, me and Hetty will stay here until yer come back.’
Jean shook her head. ‘No, you were on yer way to the shops when I nabbed yer, so you do yer shopping first and I’ll sit with Eliza.’
Struggling to her feet, Ada nodded. ‘We’ll be back as quick as we can, to relieve yer. Then yer can get yer own shopping done, and whatever Eliza wants.’ She bent to kiss the old lady’s cheek. ‘A couple of days, sunshine, and yer’ll be running around like a two-year-old. Until then, sit back and let us spoil yer.’
Linking arms with Hetty as they walked down the street, Ada said, ‘Poor old soul. It must be rotten to get to that age and live on yer own.’
‘Yeah,’ Hetty agreed. ‘From all accounts she is someone who was always on the go, kept her house spotless, and helped anyone in the street who was down on their luck.’
‘Growing old is something that comes to all of us, sunshine, it’s the one thing we can do nothing about. But don’t let’s make ourselves miserable by thinking of it. We’ve got a good way to go to reach Eliza’s age.’
They were outside the butcher’s by this time, and Hetty asked,
Ada put her cup on the table with Eliza’s. ‘Now let’s have a look at this ankle of yours. That’s unless yer’ve been having us on, and were playing the wounded soldier ’cos yer wanted some company.’
The old lady smiled. ‘Yes, I’m fond of doing tricks like that, Ada. I put yer through all this just so I could see yer happy faces.’
‘We’ll be a lot happier when we’ve seen that ankle, sunshine, so I’m taking this cover off yer.’ Ada dropped down on to her knees. She didn’t need to touch the thin leg, for she only had to look at the ankle to see it was swollen to twice its normal size. ‘Hetty, come and have a look at this, will yer? I’d say it was a sprain, meself. If it was broken, Eliza would be in agony and the foot would be out of shape. What do you think?’
‘I think ye’re probably right, queen.’ Hetty knelt at the side of her mate, and smiled into the old lady’s face. ‘I’m going to touch yer ankle, queen, and if it really hurts, then shout out.’ She gently touched the area around the ankle, then when there was no cry of pain, she ran her hand over it. ‘Did that hurt very much, queen?’
‘Me ankle is very sore, sweetheart, but your touching it didn’t make it any worse.’
‘Then it definitely isn’t broken, or yer’d have been screaming the house down. What we’ll do is put a cold compress on it, and see if that eases it for yer. Have yer got anything I can use, like an old pillowcase or something?’
Eliza pointed to the cupboard in the alcove at the side of the fireplace. ‘Yer’ll find what yer want in there, sweetheart. Don’t worry about looking for an old one if all ye’re going to do is wet it. I’m quite well off for sheets and pillowcases.’
‘Ay, don’t be sitting there like Lady Muck, telling us how well off yer are.’ Ada opened the cupboard door and smiled when she saw the sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths and tea towels in neat piles. She took out a pillowcase and passed it to Hetty, before saying, ‘Yer put me to shame, Eliza. My cupboard looks a shambles compared to yours. If Jimmy or one of the kids want anything, they just pull it out and leave the rest crumpled up.’
Jean came through from the kitchen carrying a bowl of water. ‘While ye’re near the cupboard, Ada, would yer get one of the big towels out, please?’ She put the bowl down on the table. ‘Eliza will need a thick towel under her foot so the couch won’t get wet.’
Hetty stayed on her knees and passed the pillowcase to Jean. ‘Soak it in the water, girl, and then wring most of the water out.’
Ten minutes later, the old lady had a cushion under her foot to keep it raised, and a cold compress wrapped around the swollen ankle. ‘The compress will need changing quite often, so if you want to go to the shops, Jean, me and Hetty will stay here until yer come back.’
Jean shook her head. ‘No, you were on yer way to the shops when I nabbed yer, so you do yer shopping first and I’ll sit with Eliza.’
Struggling to her feet, Ada nodded. ‘We’ll be back as quick as we can, to relieve yer. Then yer can get yer own shopping done, and whatever Eliza wants.’ She bent to kiss the old lady’s cheek. ‘A couple of days, sunshine, and yer’ll be running around like a two-year-old. Until then, sit back and let us spoil yer.’
Linking arms with Hetty as they walked down the street, Ada said, ‘Poor old soul. It must be rotten to get to that age and live on yer own.’
‘Yeah,’ Hetty agreed. ‘From all accounts she is someone who was always on the go, kept her house spotless, and helped anyone in the street who was down on their luck.’
‘Growing old is something that comes to all of us, sunshine, it’s the one thing we can do nothing about. But don’t let’s make ourselves miserable by thinking of it. We’ve got a good way to go to reach Eliza’s age.’
They were outside the butcher’s by this time, and Hetty asked,
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