been took bad wi’ a sore stomach? Say I were sick all night and don’t want no one else to gerrit. Say—’
‘What’s all this about?’ Ernie said suspiciously. ‘There ain’t nothin’ wrong wi’ you, queen. You look as fit as a perishin’ flea.’
‘Well, I am,’ Polly acknowledged. ‘But I’ve got business to look to. Oh, Ern, be a sport an’ tell her I’m feelin’mortal bad but I’ll be in as soon as I feels more like meself. Are you on? Only I dare not risk losin’ me job, and you know what Mr Lionel is when the Hag complains about one o’ us.’
‘Awright, I’ll do it if you’ll just leggo me arm so’s I can get on this bleedin’ tram,’ Ernie said pugnaciously as one rumbled to a halt beside them. ‘Only you’re to tell me wharrit’s all about when you do come in, agreed?’
‘Agreed,’ Polly said thankfully. ‘You’re a pal, Ernie Frost.’
She stood back to let the queue of people climb aboard the tram, then waved to Ernie until the vehicle was out of sight. Only then did she turn round and head for Cathy’s Place. When she reached it, there was considerable bustle going on. The door was open and tradesmen were going in bearing full trays of various bakery goods. Polly knew the man from Sample’s and gave him a tight little grin when he smiled at her. Sample’s made the best iced buns in Liverpool and whenever she had a penny to spare Polly bought herself one. So now she felt justified in saying cheerfully: ‘Mornin’, Mr Reggie! What time’s this place opening for business then?’
Reggie jerked his thumb at the A board. ‘Ten a.m. to six p.m., it says there,’ he informed her. ‘Mind, as it’s their first day, they might open early, see what sort of trade they have. Why not nip in and ask if they’ll do you a cup of tea and a round of toast? Or they might be doing a Special, seeing as it’s their first day.’
‘I might; only I got shopping to do,’ Polly said untruthfully. She wondered what tea and toast would cost and stuck her hand into the pocket of her jacket, checking the pennies; there were four of them, but for the timebeing at least she would simply look. She had seen someone at the back of the tea room and when she had come forward a ray of sunlight had lit up her bright hair: Dana!
But the stream of suppliers had now dwindled and she could see through the window that the girls were setting out their wares. Dana was laying tablecloths and putting a tiny bunch of flowers in a little blue vase upon each, whilst Caitlin piled scones into one pyramid and teacakes in another, then placed both beneath glass bells on the shelf which ran along the back wall. They had had the doorway between kitchen and tea room enlarged, and through the double doors, which had been pinned back whilst they took in the deliveries, Polly could see a Maid Saver upon which were stacked plates, cups and saucers and little bowls which, Polly supposed, would presently be filled with sugar, jam, butter, or anything else the customers might require. For a moment she hesitated, longing to go in but fearing to find herself very much in the way.
She was turning back towards the tram stop when Dana came out, apparently to resite the A board, and spotted her. ‘Morning, Polly; how nice to see a familiar face,’ she said cheerfully. ‘What do you think? It’s our first day, but of course Monday is when most folk do their washing so we don’t expect to get crowded. I’d offer you a cuppa but the kettle hasn’t boiled yet … in fact, I don’t think we’ve even put it on the stove.’
Polly was about to say that she had shopping to do but would call in on her way back when Dana’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Gracious, did you hear that? It’s the church clock striking nine. Oh, Polly, you’re going to bein awful trouble! Get yourself on to the next tram, girl; no one knows better than me what Mrs Haggerty can be like when she’s cross!’
Polly took her courage in both hands.
‘What’s all this about?’ Ernie said suspiciously. ‘There ain’t nothin’ wrong wi’ you, queen. You look as fit as a perishin’ flea.’
‘Well, I am,’ Polly acknowledged. ‘But I’ve got business to look to. Oh, Ern, be a sport an’ tell her I’m feelin’mortal bad but I’ll be in as soon as I feels more like meself. Are you on? Only I dare not risk losin’ me job, and you know what Mr Lionel is when the Hag complains about one o’ us.’
‘Awright, I’ll do it if you’ll just leggo me arm so’s I can get on this bleedin’ tram,’ Ernie said pugnaciously as one rumbled to a halt beside them. ‘Only you’re to tell me wharrit’s all about when you do come in, agreed?’
‘Agreed,’ Polly said thankfully. ‘You’re a pal, Ernie Frost.’
She stood back to let the queue of people climb aboard the tram, then waved to Ernie until the vehicle was out of sight. Only then did she turn round and head for Cathy’s Place. When she reached it, there was considerable bustle going on. The door was open and tradesmen were going in bearing full trays of various bakery goods. Polly knew the man from Sample’s and gave him a tight little grin when he smiled at her. Sample’s made the best iced buns in Liverpool and whenever she had a penny to spare Polly bought herself one. So now she felt justified in saying cheerfully: ‘Mornin’, Mr Reggie! What time’s this place opening for business then?’
Reggie jerked his thumb at the A board. ‘Ten a.m. to six p.m., it says there,’ he informed her. ‘Mind, as it’s their first day, they might open early, see what sort of trade they have. Why not nip in and ask if they’ll do you a cup of tea and a round of toast? Or they might be doing a Special, seeing as it’s their first day.’
‘I might; only I got shopping to do,’ Polly said untruthfully. She wondered what tea and toast would cost and stuck her hand into the pocket of her jacket, checking the pennies; there were four of them, but for the timebeing at least she would simply look. She had seen someone at the back of the tea room and when she had come forward a ray of sunlight had lit up her bright hair: Dana!
But the stream of suppliers had now dwindled and she could see through the window that the girls were setting out their wares. Dana was laying tablecloths and putting a tiny bunch of flowers in a little blue vase upon each, whilst Caitlin piled scones into one pyramid and teacakes in another, then placed both beneath glass bells on the shelf which ran along the back wall. They had had the doorway between kitchen and tea room enlarged, and through the double doors, which had been pinned back whilst they took in the deliveries, Polly could see a Maid Saver upon which were stacked plates, cups and saucers and little bowls which, Polly supposed, would presently be filled with sugar, jam, butter, or anything else the customers might require. For a moment she hesitated, longing to go in but fearing to find herself very much in the way.
She was turning back towards the tram stop when Dana came out, apparently to resite the A board, and spotted her. ‘Morning, Polly; how nice to see a familiar face,’ she said cheerfully. ‘What do you think? It’s our first day, but of course Monday is when most folk do their washing so we don’t expect to get crowded. I’d offer you a cuppa but the kettle hasn’t boiled yet … in fact, I don’t think we’ve even put it on the stove.’
Polly was about to say that she had shopping to do but would call in on her way back when Dana’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Gracious, did you hear that? It’s the church clock striking nine. Oh, Polly, you’re going to bein awful trouble! Get yourself on to the next tram, girl; no one knows better than me what Mrs Haggerty can be like when she’s cross!’
Polly took her courage in both hands.
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