Free The Girl From Number 22 by Joan Jonker

it into the washing-up bowl with some cold water from the tap. Then she added a large tablespoonful of vinegar before throwing in the shammy leather. The vinegar had been a tip from her mother when she was only about ten years old. She could see her mother’s face now, as she told her that the secret of sparklingwindows was adding a drop of vinegar to the water, and having a good shammy leather. It was a tip Ada had never forgotten.
    In front of the window was a small round wooden table, upon which stood a very healthy aspidistra plant that was Ada’s pride and joy. And as she lifted it from its spot, she said, ‘I’m sorry to disturb yer, sunshine, but if I don’t clean the windows I’ll be the talk of every wash-house from here to the Pier Head.’ The plant was placed on the table, while a chair was taken out and carried to the window. The draw curtains were pulled back and the nets taken down, before Ada wrung the water out of the shammy leather and climbed on to the wooden seat of the dining chair. She didn’t feel very safe on the chair which was old and rickety, so while her right hand went to work on the top two panes of glass, her left hand clung to the wall. And she let out a sigh of relief when the top panes were clean enough to pass her inspection, and she was able to climb down from the chair. ‘One of these days I’ll have enough money to buy a pair of steps like Hetty’s got,’ she told the aspidistra as she put the chair back under the table. ‘They’re not half handy. And a damn sight safer than a ruddy chair.’ Then she patted the rail at the top of the chair. ‘I shouldn’t moan about yer, God knows. I’ve had yer since I got married, and yer were second-hand then!’
    After rinsing the shammy leather and wringing it out, Ada walked back with the intention of cleaning the bottom windows. But her attention was caught by the sight of two neighbours opposite, Jean Bowers and Edith Benson, who lived on the other side of Eliza Porter. They were deep in conversation, their faces serious as their heads kept nodding. There was no reason why the two women shouldn’t be talking to each other, for they were good friends. But the smiles that were usually on their faces weren’t there, and that was what madeAda wonder if anything was wrong with the old lady. And, she told herself, the only way to find out was to ask. So the shammy went back in the water and Ada took her pinny off, threw it over the back of a chair and made for the front door.
    ‘If I’m pushing me nose in where it’s not wanted, ladies, then just tell me to take a running jump. But from yer faces, I got the impression yer weren’t telling each other jokes. So I’m here to ask if there’s anything wrong?’
    ‘We were discussing Eliza,’ Jean said. ‘We both think she’s gone down the nick since that incident with her ankle. Oh, she’s not complaining, Ada, but we feel she’s changed, don’t we, Edith?’
    ‘She’s not steady on her feet, although if yer ask her, she says she’s fine.’ Edith had been Eliza’s neighbour for twenty years, and she was really fond of the old lady. ‘Another thing, she’s not eating very well. I take her dinner in to her, and when I go back she says it was lovely, and her plate is empty. I haven’t told her I know, but I happened to look out of the back window when I was upstairs yesterday, and I saw her emptying her plate in the bin.’
    Jean moved a few feet away and beckoned them to follow. ‘One thing she does have is good hearing. I’d hate her to know we were talking about her.’
    ‘I’ve asked yer before to let me and Hetty share the responsibility of looking after her, but yer’ve always insisted yer can manage. It’s too much for both of yer, though, with yer own families to look after. So let me and Hetty take a turn to give yer a break. Eliza won’t think anything, ’cos we often call in. We’ll give her a knock on our way to the shops and see what we think of her.