doesn't Mr Hammond; he prefers a peaceful life. No, I overheard the two of them talking about Sylvia, and I heard her say as how I weren't fit to be looking after her. She reckons he should get somebody more suited.'
!Huh! He'll not get nobody more suited than you, lass. By! You've got more qualifications an' experience than she'll ever have!'
Edna smiled at that. 'You allus did credit me with more than I deserve.' Though she did allow herself a little pat on the back. 'But you're right o' course,' she conceded. 'I worked long and hard over the years, and if I say so meself. I look after Sylvia better than anyone else ever could…matter o' fact I don't think she'd ever agree to anybody else taking care of her. Y'see, she's come to rely on me for everything.'
Harry couldn't agree more. 'Aye! An' that's 'cos she loves you like you were her own mammy,' he retorted. 'Look, lass. You tek no notice o' that sister of hers. She's an out-and- out troublemaker. Like you say, she's got her eye on Luke Hammond, and soonever his wife is out of it, she'll be in there afore yer can thread a needle.'
Edna laughed at his boldness. 'And you're right,' she told him, with a loving pat on the hand. 'But I mentioned that to you in confidence, so you must never repeat it to another soul, or I'll be sent packing for good, and no mistake.'
By the time she'd finished speaking, he was beginning to nod off. 'Hey! Come on, you.' Shaking him fully awake, she urged, 'Off to bed with you, an' I'll be up alongside you in a few minutes.
After he'd gone, she thought about the conversation between Luke Hammond and his scheming sister-in-law. Harry's right she thought. That sister of hers is a devil in the making!
She thought of Sylvia's predicament. 'I do love that poor lass, though,' she muttered. 'By! If her sister had her way, Sylvia would be shut away in some institution or another by now, leaving the coast clear for that madam Georgina to work her wiles. But thankfully, the lass will be safe enough.' She comforted herself with the thought. While Luke Hammond has the final say, his wife will be well looked after, God willing. With me there to tend her every need.
Chapter Six
'Come on you lazy pair!' Dave's voice sailed through the house. 'Let's be having you'
'Whats up?' Sleepy eyed, Amy leaned over the banister.
'Is there a fire or what?'
'There will be if you don't get backsides down here.'
Positioning himself on the second stair. Dave told her, 'It's ten past six. I've made the fire, boiled the kettle and now I'm ready for my breakfast.'
Amy glanced at her parents bedroom door. 'Where's Mam? Why didn't she get up with you?'
'Because she likes her bed too much, that's why.' Banging the banister again he pleaded, 'Go and knock on the door…tell her I'm ready for off.'
Amy groaned. 'It's surely not that time yet, is it?' So far there had not been one day when the shop was late opening.
'Happen not. But it soon will be if you don't get a move on. So shift yourself, lass. And wake your mam up, will you?'
Grumbling and moaning, he lumbered into the kitchen where he checked the gas-ring.'Damn thing, it's allus going out'. Striking a match on the range he lit it again. 'One o' these days I'll chuck the bloody thing in the river and be rid of it once and for all.'
Glancing at the mantelpiece clock, he groaned. 'Jesus! I'm getting nowhere at this rate.'
Making his way to the bottom of the stairs, he called up again, 'MARIE…AMY! What the devil's keeping you?'
Halfway to her parents' room, Amy turned and came back. 'What now?'
'Did you wake your mam up?'
'Not yet, but I will if you'll give me a chance.'
'Look, lass…get her out, will you? I can't be going to work without summat inside me…I'd make my own breakfast, but you know what happened the last time I tried cooking on that blessed gas stove!'
'And how could we ever forget?' Having been woken by the yelling and shouting, Marie emerged fully dressed from her bedroom. 'By! You
!Huh! He'll not get nobody more suited than you, lass. By! You've got more qualifications an' experience than she'll ever have!'
Edna smiled at that. 'You allus did credit me with more than I deserve.' Though she did allow herself a little pat on the back. 'But you're right o' course,' she conceded. 'I worked long and hard over the years, and if I say so meself. I look after Sylvia better than anyone else ever could…matter o' fact I don't think she'd ever agree to anybody else taking care of her. Y'see, she's come to rely on me for everything.'
Harry couldn't agree more. 'Aye! An' that's 'cos she loves you like you were her own mammy,' he retorted. 'Look, lass. You tek no notice o' that sister of hers. She's an out-and- out troublemaker. Like you say, she's got her eye on Luke Hammond, and soonever his wife is out of it, she'll be in there afore yer can thread a needle.'
Edna laughed at his boldness. 'And you're right,' she told him, with a loving pat on the hand. 'But I mentioned that to you in confidence, so you must never repeat it to another soul, or I'll be sent packing for good, and no mistake.'
By the time she'd finished speaking, he was beginning to nod off. 'Hey! Come on, you.' Shaking him fully awake, she urged, 'Off to bed with you, an' I'll be up alongside you in a few minutes.
After he'd gone, she thought about the conversation between Luke Hammond and his scheming sister-in-law. Harry's right she thought. That sister of hers is a devil in the making!
She thought of Sylvia's predicament. 'I do love that poor lass, though,' she muttered. 'By! If her sister had her way, Sylvia would be shut away in some institution or another by now, leaving the coast clear for that madam Georgina to work her wiles. But thankfully, the lass will be safe enough.' She comforted herself with the thought. While Luke Hammond has the final say, his wife will be well looked after, God willing. With me there to tend her every need.
Chapter Six
'Come on you lazy pair!' Dave's voice sailed through the house. 'Let's be having you'
'Whats up?' Sleepy eyed, Amy leaned over the banister.
'Is there a fire or what?'
'There will be if you don't get backsides down here.'
Positioning himself on the second stair. Dave told her, 'It's ten past six. I've made the fire, boiled the kettle and now I'm ready for my breakfast.'
Amy glanced at her parents bedroom door. 'Where's Mam? Why didn't she get up with you?'
'Because she likes her bed too much, that's why.' Banging the banister again he pleaded, 'Go and knock on the door…tell her I'm ready for off.'
Amy groaned. 'It's surely not that time yet, is it?' So far there had not been one day when the shop was late opening.
'Happen not. But it soon will be if you don't get a move on. So shift yourself, lass. And wake your mam up, will you?'
Grumbling and moaning, he lumbered into the kitchen where he checked the gas-ring.'Damn thing, it's allus going out'. Striking a match on the range he lit it again. 'One o' these days I'll chuck the bloody thing in the river and be rid of it once and for all.'
Glancing at the mantelpiece clock, he groaned. 'Jesus! I'm getting nowhere at this rate.'
Making his way to the bottom of the stairs, he called up again, 'MARIE…AMY! What the devil's keeping you?'
Halfway to her parents' room, Amy turned and came back. 'What now?'
'Did you wake your mam up?'
'Not yet, but I will if you'll give me a chance.'
'Look, lass…get her out, will you? I can't be going to work without summat inside me…I'd make my own breakfast, but you know what happened the last time I tried cooking on that blessed gas stove!'
'And how could we ever forget?' Having been woken by the yelling and shouting, Marie emerged fully dressed from her bedroom. 'By! You
Similar Books
Torchworld: Outsiders Collection
Dannielle Levan
Losing Faith
Scotty Cade
The Midnight Hour
Neil Davies
The Willard
LeAnne Burnett Morse
Green Ace
Stuart Palmer
Seven Kisses: A Beauty and the Beast Dark Romance
Giselle Renarde
Noble Destiny
Katie MacAlister
Daniel
Henning Mankell
Bringing Down the Krays
Bobby Teale