Pure as the Lily by Catherine Cookson Read Free Book Online

“ Mary Walton lifted the lump of dough that she was kneading, threatening to throw it ‘you may thank your stars, me bold boy, that things are as they are and I can’t waste it, else you would get it.”
    “Well, hurry up and get it into the oven and less lip. Have you any currants to make me canny lass here a yule do He nudged Mary.
    “And I could do with a sup tea. What you thinking about? No tea goin’?”
    “Oh Granda!”
    As Mary went to slap him he put his arms around her, saying, “Come on an’ sit on me knee and give us a bit cuddle. Don’t take any notice of them.”
    And they were sitting like this, Peter, his stubbly face pressed against Mary’s shoulder, Mary, her chin resting on his sparse untidy grey hair, both rocking each other, when the back door burst open and Jimmy entered.
    The boy stood gasping for a moment, and they all stared at him, but just as his grannie was going to put a question to him he looked at his father and gasped, “I ... I’ve been lookin’ all over the show for you.
    Been to the allotments an all. Me ma, me ma’s hurt her leg.”
    “Hurt her leg!... Badly?”

    Jimmy nodded at his father. It seems so. They had to carry her up out of the street; she was yellin’ blue murder. “
    “When did this happen?”
    “Just... just a while ago. They sent me for you. I didn’t know where to look.” He drew in a gasping breath.
    Alee was getting into his coat and Mary had already donned hers and was tying a scarf around her head when Peter said, “I’ll come with you.”
    “No, no. Da,” said Alee.
    “You’ll be on your back afore you reach the end of the street; it took us all our time to get here. I’ll...
    I’ll let you know. Come on.”
    Scurrying now, the three went out, and Mary wondered why it was that nice things never seemed to last. The house appeared full of neighbours, although there were only four of them: Mr. and Mrs. Ryder from the end house, and Mrs. Weir and her daughter-in-law from number 90.
    4i
    “What’s happened?” Alee stood looking down on Alice where she lay on the top of the bed with the quilt over her, but the only reply he got from her was a moan.
    It was Jack Ryder who said, “I don’t know if I’ve done right, Alee, but I’ve sent for the doctor; it’s my opinion she’s broken her leg.
    She passed clean out when we carried her up, an’ screamed when we moved her. The road’s like ice now an’ the hairns have made it a thousand times worse with their slides. It was on one of them she stepped, so they tell me. “
    Alee nodded back at the man.
    “Aye, you did the right thing, Jack. And thanks.” He nodded from one to the other in the room; and they nodded back to him and filed out. He followed them on to the landing, saying again, “Thanks, thanks.”
    In the room Mary stood at the foot of the bed looking at her mother, and she watched her open her eyes and bite tightly on her lip before saying, “Here!”
    Mary went up to her, and bent over her, and Alice, looking straight up into her eyes, said, “Go on down to the shop. Tell Ben ... Mr.
    Tollett, what’s happened me. Tell him you’ll. you’ll help him out. “ Mary stared at her mother for a time before saying quietly, Yes, Ma. “ Alice tried to move, then winced with pain. The beads of sweat were standing on her brow, and when Alee came back to the bed he said, “Lie still; don’t move.” Alice didn’t look at him but at Mary, where she was still standing gazing at her, and she said, “Go on.”
    “Where you going?” Alee turned from the bed as Mary made to go out of the room, and she said to him, The ma says I’ve got to go and tell Mr.
    Tollett and . and help him out. “
    Alee kept his gaze on her, then looked at Alice again. But Alice had her eyes closed, and so he made no protest, and Mary went out.
    She wasn’t aware of picking her way down the street amidst the many slides; she only knew she felt guilty because of her feelings. She should be terribly