Amelia by Siobhan Parkinson Read Free Book Online Page B

There’s only not enough food to feed them.’
    â€˜But it’s the same thing, Mama. If you have more children than you can feed, then you have too many.’
    â€˜No, it’s not the same thing,’ said Mama hotly. ‘If you have more children than you can feed, then you are poor, that’s all. Lots of our friends and relations have five or six children, and each one is precious. Do you think these people’s children are any less precious to them?’
    â€˜No, Mama,’ said Amelia, feeling a little ashamed of what she had said, but also feeling that there was something illogical about Mama’s argument.
    â€˜Mama?’ said Amelia when they had left the dressmaker’s cottage and had turned onto the Harold’s Cross Road, back towards home.
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜Nobody uses the orangery much any more, do they?’
    â€˜The orangery? Oh that conservatory place. Why, no. I don’t think anyone’s even been into it for years.’
    â€˜Why’s that, Mama?’
    â€˜Well, I don’t really know. It was your grandfather’s special project, I remember. After he died, nobody bothered much with it. The roof leaked, and the furniture, which was just that light bamboo stuff, got ruined by the rain, I think. So you couldn’t sit in it after that.’
    â€˜Mama, would it be a very expensive job to fix the roof?’
    â€˜No, I don’t think so. Were you thinking we might use it again? That’s rather a nice idea. I often think myself that it’s a shame it’s fallen into disuse. It would be pleasant to sit in at this time of year. We wouldn’t have to replace all the furniture at once. We could use a few of the old things that are there already, and gradually we might get something more suitable.’
    â€˜I was just thinking of the roof, Mama,’ said Amelia, thrilled that her plan was working out so nicely. ‘If we just got the roof fixed and the glass cleaned and the floor polished , and the old furniture cleared out, of course, then, Mama, wouldn’t it be a lovely place for my party? We could dance in it!’
    â€˜Well …’ said Mama, hesitating.
    â€˜We couldn’t dance in the drawing room, Mama, not without taking up the rug. And the dining room would have the food in it. And the morning room’s too small. But the orangery would be perfect. We could serve the food in the dining room, and leave the doors to the orangery open, and people could drift in and out. Oh, Mama, say yes, do, do!’
    â€˜Yes, Amelia, you’ve convinced me. I don’t see why we couldn’t do as you suggest. It’s wasteful to have a lovely room like that and not to use it. A room so full of light. When I think about those people living in those dark little cottages with their tiny windows, hardly ever getting to see God’s good sunshine at all, it makes me ashamed to be letting the orangery run to wrack and ruin.’
    â€˜Oh, Mama, thank you!’ Amelia breathed, hardly able to believe it. Her very own special room for her own special party!
    â€˜We’ll have a word with Mick Moriarty tomorrow and see what he can do with the roof. And … I’ve just had a splendid idea, Amelia.’ Amelia’s mother gripped her daughter by the wrists and swung her around in a little dance on thepavement. ‘We’ll sell the old furniture to the rag-and-bone man when he calls on Thursday, and we’ll give the proceeds to Mary Ann, to buy something for her family. She’ll certainly earn it with all the extra work this party is going to make for her and Cook. Now, in addition to that, we’ll need more help in the kitchen for the party. We’ll get Mrs Kelly in! And that’ll mean a little extra for her family. I’ll go right back and ask her now!’
    Amelia’s mother’s eyes were shining almost as much as Amelia’s. It was just like her to turn a perfectly