Read Online The Girl From Seaforth Sands by Katie Flynn - Free Book Online
Authors: Katie Flynn
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yourself?’ she asked.
‘Oh, I did.’ Amy sighed. ‘That Philip’s all right, wouldn’t you say, Mary? He handed out his grub like a right one and wasn’t it grand grub, too? I’m sure none of us have eaten like that, except at Christmas. Why, he thought no more of cold ham than if it’d been bread!’
‘Oh, Amy, you don’t judge a fella by his carry-out,’ Mary said reproachfully. ‘He liked you, though. He said you were a spunky kid.’
Amy giggled. ‘I’m a wet one,’ she observed. ‘But I’m drying out nicely.’
Mary gave a little smile and then, rather adroitly she thought, changed the subject but inside her head she went on thinking about Philip. She thought he liked her – for they had talked easily and pleasantly while they waited for the young ones to return for their dinner – though he had not called her a spunky kid. He had called her a young lady and Mary, just beginning to be conscious of her pretty looks, thought this a far more valuable compliment. Secretly she thought him easily the nicest boy she had ever met. He had talked gravely, too, in a way which was somehow so friendly and pleasant that she was sure he liked her more than he could possibly have liked Amy, who was still a child, after all.
Glancing ahead of her at Paddy’s lopsided figure, weighed down by his string of fish, Mary reflectedthat to have Philip’s friendship would be a good deal more welcome than the obvious admiration which Paddy often showed. The younger boy was always hanging around their house, bringing Mary small, unwanted gifts. She knew he constantly praised her to Albert, while equally constantly running Amy down, for there was no doubt that Paddy Keagan truly disliked her small sister. Unfortunately this dislike seemed totally irrational and, though Mary had attempted to reason with him once or twice, Paddy persisted in being horrid to Amy whenever an opportunity occurred. Philip, Mary reminded herself now, had teased and laughed at Amy that very afternoon, but it had been the teasing of one friend to another with none of the malice Paddy showed towards the younger girl.
All the while Mary’s thoughts had been busy, Amy had been chattering blithely away, but now she turned to her older sister and asked curiously, ‘What did you really think of Philip? What did you talk about when we were catching fish?’
‘I thought he was nice,’ Mary said cautiously. She did not intend to tell her small sister that she thought Philip quite as handsome as any of the stars she saw at the Rotunda, acting their parts on the wide stage. ‘He’s a good friend for Albert and Paddy. I’ve seen him in church, of course, but we’ve never talked before. And it was ever so interesting, Amy. They live in an even bigger house in Manchester than the Seaforth one. The Grimshaws have heaps of money. Philip goes to boarding school – a really expensive one – and they have maids and servants and ponies of their own. They’ve got relatives in London who have them to stay whenever the Grimshaws want to visit the capital. Why, Philip told me that hisgrandparents are taking them up to London to see the coronation decorations. They’re going tomorrow on the train and staying for two nights with his Uncle Richard and Aunt Mabel. His mam and dad go off to foreign parts most summers – aren’t they lucky, Amy? I’d give a lot to see all those arches and lights and stuff, wouldn’t you? And I’d love to go to foreign parts. He said something about Paris.’
‘Oh aye,’ Amy said indifferently. Happily skipping down the jigger beside Mary, it was clear that the younger girl had forgotten the state of her clothing and the row that would probably follow her appearance in the kitchen. She had had a lovely day, Mary thought indulgently, and hurried to catch up with her sister so that they both entered the kitchen together. Isobel would be brimming with talk of the celebrations and, with a bit of luck, the girls could get up to
‘Oh, I did.’ Amy sighed. ‘That Philip’s all right, wouldn’t you say, Mary? He handed out his grub like a right one and wasn’t it grand grub, too? I’m sure none of us have eaten like that, except at Christmas. Why, he thought no more of cold ham than if it’d been bread!’
‘Oh, Amy, you don’t judge a fella by his carry-out,’ Mary said reproachfully. ‘He liked you, though. He said you were a spunky kid.’
Amy giggled. ‘I’m a wet one,’ she observed. ‘But I’m drying out nicely.’
Mary gave a little smile and then, rather adroitly she thought, changed the subject but inside her head she went on thinking about Philip. She thought he liked her – for they had talked easily and pleasantly while they waited for the young ones to return for their dinner – though he had not called her a spunky kid. He had called her a young lady and Mary, just beginning to be conscious of her pretty looks, thought this a far more valuable compliment. Secretly she thought him easily the nicest boy she had ever met. He had talked gravely, too, in a way which was somehow so friendly and pleasant that she was sure he liked her more than he could possibly have liked Amy, who was still a child, after all.
Glancing ahead of her at Paddy’s lopsided figure, weighed down by his string of fish, Mary reflectedthat to have Philip’s friendship would be a good deal more welcome than the obvious admiration which Paddy often showed. The younger boy was always hanging around their house, bringing Mary small, unwanted gifts. She knew he constantly praised her to Albert, while equally constantly running Amy down, for there was no doubt that Paddy Keagan truly disliked her small sister. Unfortunately this dislike seemed totally irrational and, though Mary had attempted to reason with him once or twice, Paddy persisted in being horrid to Amy whenever an opportunity occurred. Philip, Mary reminded herself now, had teased and laughed at Amy that very afternoon, but it had been the teasing of one friend to another with none of the malice Paddy showed towards the younger girl.
All the while Mary’s thoughts had been busy, Amy had been chattering blithely away, but now she turned to her older sister and asked curiously, ‘What did you really think of Philip? What did you talk about when we were catching fish?’
‘I thought he was nice,’ Mary said cautiously. She did not intend to tell her small sister that she thought Philip quite as handsome as any of the stars she saw at the Rotunda, acting their parts on the wide stage. ‘He’s a good friend for Albert and Paddy. I’ve seen him in church, of course, but we’ve never talked before. And it was ever so interesting, Amy. They live in an even bigger house in Manchester than the Seaforth one. The Grimshaws have heaps of money. Philip goes to boarding school – a really expensive one – and they have maids and servants and ponies of their own. They’ve got relatives in London who have them to stay whenever the Grimshaws want to visit the capital. Why, Philip told me that hisgrandparents are taking them up to London to see the coronation decorations. They’re going tomorrow on the train and staying for two nights with his Uncle Richard and Aunt Mabel. His mam and dad go off to foreign parts most summers – aren’t they lucky, Amy? I’d give a lot to see all those arches and lights and stuff, wouldn’t you? And I’d love to go to foreign parts. He said something about Paris.’
‘Oh aye,’ Amy said indifferently. Happily skipping down the jigger beside Mary, it was clear that the younger girl had forgotten the state of her clothing and the row that would probably follow her appearance in the kitchen. She had had a lovely day, Mary thought indulgently, and hurried to catch up with her sister so that they both entered the kitchen together. Isobel would be brimming with talk of the celebrations and, with a bit of luck, the girls could get up to
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