Free The Lights of London by Gilda O'Neill Page B

something for nothing off the miserable old sod.
    By the time they had rounded the corner of one of the turnings that led back towards the shadowy riverside streets, Tibs was shrieking with laughter and Kitty if she hadn’t been doubled over with a stitch, would have joined in.
    Tibs leaned against the wall, waiting for Kitty to get her breath back, and snapped the pie in two. She handed half to Kitty. ‘Shall we hail a cab back to our rooms?’ she asked her in a mock-posh accent.
    ‘Why are you being so kind, Tibs?’ panted Kitty,through a mouthful of deliciously melting pie-crust.
    ‘Me old gran, love her, always used to say, it don’t cost nothing to be kind. No, wait, I’ll tell you her exact words:
The smallest good deed is worth more than the grandest good intention.
I started embroidering it for her on a sampler at Sunday school.’ She paused, then added quietly, ‘But we left before I could finish it.’
    ‘I think what you’ve done for me is more than a small thing. I’d have been dead if it wasn’t for you.’
    ‘Don’t fret your gizzard, girl, anyone’d do the same.’ Tibs took another bite of pie, then changed the subject abruptly. ‘Talking about needlework,’ she said, as though they were sharing afternoon tea in the front parlour. ‘I’ve been thinking about getting myself one of them sewing machines. Good way to earn a shilling they say. And you can buy ’em bit by bit now, you know.’
    ‘What? In parts, you mean? You have to put it together?’
    Tibs grinned happily, the effort of running and the heat of the meat pie was beginning to warm her through as if she’d been wrapped up in a big woollen coat. ‘You’re straight off the boat, you, ain’t you, Kit? No, I don’t mean in parts like that. I mean week by week. Hire purchase it’s called. Sadie Gardner told me all about it. She’s been able to get off the game for good now. Making a nice living without having to open her drawers for no one. Well, no one except her old man. It must be sodding heaven. Not giving her old man one.… Aw, you know what I mean!’ Tibs held out her hand and looked up at the dark night sky. ‘Sod it. It’s flaming gonna piss down again. Come on, we’ll find somewhere snug to tuck ourselves out of it.’
    ‘How do you stay so happy all the time?’ Kitty asked, hurrying along beside her, with her eyes squinting into the now pouring rain.
    ‘I’ve got this sort of trick, I suppose,’ said Tibs. ‘I just forget all the things what make me unhappy. All the things that hurt. It’s easy.’
    Kitty didn’t believe it could really be that easy, but was too polite to say so. ‘I see,’ she said instead. ‘That’s a good trick, that is.’
    ‘It is. It’s …’ Tibs’s words trailed off and she dragged Kitty to a halt.
    She pointed across the street to a pub sign that was creaking and swinging wildly in the growing downpour. Tibs didn’t seem to notice that, as far as signs went, it wasn’t very welcoming, showing as it did the snarling, slavering chops of a huge black hound.
    ‘That’s the grog-shop what Sal was going on about. And as I never had to spend no money on that pie, we can go over and treat ourselves, Kit. To a nice drop of rum. That’ll get you warmed up, that will. And I’ll bet they’ve got a big coal fire going and all. Then, I’ll tell you what, I’ll get us a few bob so we can have a proper bed for the night and I’ll make sure I’ve got enough left over to buy a pretty bit of ribbon for my little …’ She shut up as suddenly as if her lips had been spring-loaded.
    She turned to Kitty and squeezed her arm. ‘You stick with Tibs Tyler, me darling,’ she said with a wink. ‘And you see, everything’ll be just sweet and dandy!’

Chapter 4
    As the sounds from the Dog grew louder, Kitty’s heart beat faster, and by the time she and Tibs were standing by the pub door she was in a state of total panic. She had been momentarily fooled by this kind, laughing girl