enough, they arrived at the door of number 7, Ridgeway Road. Next door was a shop selling all things to do with needlework.
‘Oh, this could be handy for you, Dora,’ said Sally.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, you will be needing supplies for your job in the wardrobe, won’t you?’
Dora didn’t look very convinced. ‘I suppose so,’ she said.
There were half a dozen shops in the parade – a newsagent’s, a little tearoom at the end, an insurance office and what looked like a travel agent, and a shop selling second-hand
clothes.
The door opened to the turn of the key and they made their way to the upstairs flat, having picked up the usual pile of junk mail from inside the door.
‘Is someone living here at the moment?’ asked Dora.
‘Yes, I think so, but Gladys said they are away for the weekend so hopefully we won’t find anyone at home. That would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?’
At the top of the stairs was another door which had a Yale lock. Douglas started to open it.
‘Maybe we had better knock first, just to be sure there is no one here?’ Sally said anxiously.
‘Good idea,’ answered her father and he knocked briskly. After a couple of minutes he opened the door and popped his head in, calling out, ‘Is there anyone at home?’
Dora had a fit of the giggles and Sally sighed with impatience.
‘Oh, do come on, Dora, you are being pathetic. What’s the matter with you?’
‘It’s like
Goldilocks and the Three Bear
s,’ the girl laughed. ‘We three bears are back from the picnic and someone’s been sleeping in our beds!’ This
set her off again. Sighing, Sally left her to it and followed her father along a corridor to the end where he was already opening doors and examining cupboards.
The room at the end was the living room – a huge room with one side all windows. The view left a bit to be desired though, as it overlooked the shunting yards at the back of the station,
however, it held a certain quaint interest. The furniture was old and a bit shabby, but clean. There was carpet on the floor which could do with a bit of Shake n’ Vac, and some new curtains
wouldn’t go amiss, thought Sally. However, in the main, there was a nice atmosphere, and it was lovely and light and airy.
Dora had arrived in the room and announced, ‘This is lovely, sis! We can do things with this.’
The girls left their father investigating the meter in the corner of the room and went to find the bedrooms, which were in a row off the long corridor. The first bedroom was like the front room,
a large, airy space with a huge double bed and big walnut wardrobe. The curtains were in need of attention and the rug at the bottom of the bed was faded and bedraggled, but there was nothing that
couldn’t be fixed. The second room was only slightly smaller; it too had a double bed and a wardrobe and chest of drawers. Both rooms overlooked small gardens leading to the next row of
houses in the road beyond. It was very quiet.
‘This is great, isn’t it, Dora?’ said Sally. ‘It will suit us perfectly.’
Their father joined them and agreed it was a find. ‘We need to make sure you can afford it though, Sally,’ he warned. ‘Come and see the kitchen and bathroom and then we must
go.’
The bathroom was a big room as well, functional rather than fashionable, but so what? The kitchen was very 1960s, with lots of Formica-topped cupboards and plastic handles, but all perfectly
clean. There was a cooker and even a washing machine!
They locked up and set off back to the theatre, Sally desperately trying to work out how much it would all cost.
‘Listen, don’t fret, we will sort it all out,’ Douglas reassured her.
They arrived back at the stage door just before four o’clock, and were relieved to find Gladys back in her corner, no doubt refreshed from her nap.
‘Any luck?’ she enquired as Sally handed her back the keys.
‘Oh, Gladys, the flat was perfect. I love it. I just wish I could
‘Oh, this could be handy for you, Dora,’ said Sally.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, you will be needing supplies for your job in the wardrobe, won’t you?’
Dora didn’t look very convinced. ‘I suppose so,’ she said.
There were half a dozen shops in the parade – a newsagent’s, a little tearoom at the end, an insurance office and what looked like a travel agent, and a shop selling second-hand
clothes.
The door opened to the turn of the key and they made their way to the upstairs flat, having picked up the usual pile of junk mail from inside the door.
‘Is someone living here at the moment?’ asked Dora.
‘Yes, I think so, but Gladys said they are away for the weekend so hopefully we won’t find anyone at home. That would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?’
At the top of the stairs was another door which had a Yale lock. Douglas started to open it.
‘Maybe we had better knock first, just to be sure there is no one here?’ Sally said anxiously.
‘Good idea,’ answered her father and he knocked briskly. After a couple of minutes he opened the door and popped his head in, calling out, ‘Is there anyone at home?’
Dora had a fit of the giggles and Sally sighed with impatience.
‘Oh, do come on, Dora, you are being pathetic. What’s the matter with you?’
‘It’s like
Goldilocks and the Three Bear
s,’ the girl laughed. ‘We three bears are back from the picnic and someone’s been sleeping in our beds!’ This
set her off again. Sighing, Sally left her to it and followed her father along a corridor to the end where he was already opening doors and examining cupboards.
The room at the end was the living room – a huge room with one side all windows. The view left a bit to be desired though, as it overlooked the shunting yards at the back of the station,
however, it held a certain quaint interest. The furniture was old and a bit shabby, but clean. There was carpet on the floor which could do with a bit of Shake n’ Vac, and some new curtains
wouldn’t go amiss, thought Sally. However, in the main, there was a nice atmosphere, and it was lovely and light and airy.
Dora had arrived in the room and announced, ‘This is lovely, sis! We can do things with this.’
The girls left their father investigating the meter in the corner of the room and went to find the bedrooms, which were in a row off the long corridor. The first bedroom was like the front room,
a large, airy space with a huge double bed and big walnut wardrobe. The curtains were in need of attention and the rug at the bottom of the bed was faded and bedraggled, but there was nothing that
couldn’t be fixed. The second room was only slightly smaller; it too had a double bed and a wardrobe and chest of drawers. Both rooms overlooked small gardens leading to the next row of
houses in the road beyond. It was very quiet.
‘This is great, isn’t it, Dora?’ said Sally. ‘It will suit us perfectly.’
Their father joined them and agreed it was a find. ‘We need to make sure you can afford it though, Sally,’ he warned. ‘Come and see the kitchen and bathroom and then we must
go.’
The bathroom was a big room as well, functional rather than fashionable, but so what? The kitchen was very 1960s, with lots of Formica-topped cupboards and plastic handles, but all perfectly
clean. There was a cooker and even a washing machine!
They locked up and set off back to the theatre, Sally desperately trying to work out how much it would all cost.
‘Listen, don’t fret, we will sort it all out,’ Douglas reassured her.
They arrived back at the stage door just before four o’clock, and were relieved to find Gladys back in her corner, no doubt refreshed from her nap.
‘Any luck?’ she enquired as Sally handed her back the keys.
‘Oh, Gladys, the flat was perfect. I love it. I just wish I could
Similar Books
