The Workhouse Girl by Dilly Court Read Free Book Online

pavements, Sarah could hardly believe her eyes as she gazed at the scene below. ‘It’s their garden,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I wonder if they’ll let us go outside and play.’
    â€˜Stop gawping out of the window and feel the mattress on your bed,’ Nettie said, flinging herself down on her iron bedstead with a chortle of delight. ‘It’s flock-filled unless I’m very much mistaken, and we got proper cotton sheets and pillowcases, and a coverlet. We’ll sleep like princesses tonight.’
    Reluctantly, Sarah left the view and went to sit on her bed. ‘It’s lovely up here,’ she whispered. ‘I used to sleep on the floor when I was with Ma in Vinegar Yard. She had the bed and the babies was put in a drawer while they was alive, and in little wooden boxes when they died.’ She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. ‘I can’t believe they’ll let us stay here, Nettie. It might be just for tonight and then we’ll have to sleep on the bare tiles in the kitchen. That’s what most servants do.’
    Nettie lay on her back, staring at the sloping ceiling. ‘You know a lot for a kid. I spent most of me life in the workhouse.’
    â€˜I don’t really. It’s just things I overheard in the theatre. They used to forget I was there.’
    â€˜Well, I don’t care if this is just for tonight, and I don’t mind if Miss Gant with the big sticking-out teeth makes me something even worse than this blooming uniform, I’m just going to enjoy each day of freedom as it comes and eat as much grub as I can get down me. If it all ends tomorrow, I’d still think it was worthwhile if only to have seen old Trigg lying in the horse shit and the rubbish in the gutter with his eyes rolling in fear of the sugar baker.’
    Sarah was not so sure. She had a nasty feeling that Trigg would have his revenge. She had been in the workhouse long enough to learn that the master was the law as far as the inmates were concerned, and he was not used to having his authority questioned. She was also painfully aware that she had made an enemy of Mrs Trigg from the start, and that together the Triggs were a formidable foe. She did not think that either of them would give up easily once they had made their minds up about something. She wished she could be as confident as Nettie when it came to the future, but experience had taught her that she could take nothing for granted. Life had a way of playing nasty tricks on poor people, and no one was poorer than a pauper.
    Next morning while it was still dark they were awakened by Dorcas, who burst into the room and shook them until they opened their eyes. ‘Get dressed and come downstairs. I dunno what you’re both supposed to be doing in the house but you can make yourselves useful.’
    For a moment Sarah thought she was back in the workhouse and she fell out of bed, landing on the rag rug with a thud.
    â€˜Lord, you’re eager,’ Dorcas said, chuckling. ‘I wish young Betty was as good at getting up as you are. I have to prod and poke that simpleton until she gets up from her bed by the hearth, and even then it’s hard to tell if she’s awake or not.’
    Nettie stretched luxuriously and sat up. ‘I never had a night’s sleep like that in me whole life. I thought I was floating on a cloud, and I was snuggled up warm and comfy; it was lovely.’
    â€˜I’m glad, but don’t run away with the idea that you’re going to be spoilt rotten, because we work just as hard as any servants in the square. You’ll be on your feet from before dawn until late at night if needs be, so you’d better start now. Nettie can fetch in the coal and you, Sarah, will help me clean out the grates and lay the fires.’
    â€˜Yes, Dorcas.’ Sarah slipped her much-hated grogram dress over her head and put on her pinafore. ‘I’m ready.’
    Sarah was used to