Memories of You by Benita Brown Read Free Book Online Page B

Market, and two of them had been borrowed from the library. She intended to take the library books back even though she had not finished reading The Secret Garden . She knew she couldn’t bear to go on with it now that she couldn’t share it with Elsie. She looked around for somewhere to put the books and decided to keep them on top of the chest. Perhaps her aunt might have a pair of bookends.
    She stared down into the suitcase. The lining was of maroon silk and there was an elasticated pocket sewn along the back. Helen reached into the pocket and took out the doll she had made from a pair of socks. After Mrs Partington had taken Elsie away Helen had gone up to the bedroom she had shared with her small sister to collect her own things and had been distressed to find Maisie on the floor.
    She had run downstairs to show her aunt. ‘Can we send this to Elsie?’ she’d asked.
    Aunt Jane had looked at her scornfully. ‘Don’t be silly. What would Elsie want with that old thing now that she can have any toy she wants? Just throw it away.’
    But Helen hadn’t thrown it away. She had put Maisie in her case. She was sure that no matter how many new toys Elsie had she would want her doll and, somehow, she would find a way to get it to her. She put Maisie in one of the empty drawers of the chest and closed the suitcase.
    She looked around for somewhere to store it. The logical place was on top of the wardrobe but she couldn’t reach that far. So she kneeled down and slid the case under the bed. As she rose to her feet there was a knock on the door. Surprised, Helen opened it to find a tall, sallow-faced girl standing there. She didn’t look much older than Helen herself but she was wearing a grubby white apron over a grey woollen dress and a white cap was clipped to her lank brown hair. Helen had not known that Aunt Jane had a maid.
    â€˜The missus says are you coming down?’ the girl asked. ‘I’ve taken a tray in to your aunt but you’re to have summat in the kitchen with me before I go home. I’m Eva by the way.’
    â€˜Oh – I’m pleased to meet you, Eva. I’m Helen.’
    The girl sniffed. ‘I know your name. Now, are you coming? I want to get away home.’ She turned and began to walk away.
    Helen couldn’t make up her mind whether Eva had been pleased to welcome her or not. Her words had been polite enough but there had been no smile. She followed her aunt’s maid down the stairs. The doors of the rooms downstairs were all closed except for the one which led into the kitchen at the back of the house.
    â€˜Hawway in and shut the door,’ Eva said. ‘The missus goes mad if any cooking smells get into the rest of the house, and she had a nice pair of kippers for her tea. Kippers and brown bread and butter – but don’t think that’s what you’re going to get.’
    Helen closed the door quickly and looked around the kitchen. It was surprisingly small, but a half-open door on the far wall gave a glimpse of a scullery. A fire burned in the range and a pulley clothes airer hung from the ceiling. An electric light hung above a table covered in blue-and-white checked oilcloth. The table was set with tea plates and cups and saucers for two.
    â€˜I take it you divven’t mind sitting down with me?’ Eva said challengingly.
    â€˜Of course not.’ Helen surveyed the table which was otherwise bare and added, ‘Can I help you?’
    â€˜Help me? What do you mean?’
    â€˜Make the tea?’
    The maid laughed. ‘I divven’t need help to spread margarine on a few slices of bread but you can make a pot of tea for us, if you like. You’ll find everything you need on the dresser and the kettle’s boiling on the range. The milk’s in the larder back there.’ Eva nodded towards the scullery.
    Bread and margarine, Helen thought. Not much of a supper. She wondered if there would be