The following morning over breakfast Jack asked, ‘What happened to your leg, Dolly?’
‘I was born with it like this,’ she answered simply.
‘Does it hurt?’ Jack pursued.
‘No, it’s just not very strong, so I use a stick.’
‘How ever did you manage after you ran away from home?’ Nancy asked as she topped up Dolly’s teacup.
‘I begged mostly. I scavenged what I could from the market. I didn’t ever steal because it’s wrong and I couldn’t exactly run from the police with this.’ Dolly tapped her left leg and smiled.
‘Where did you live?’ Jack asked.
‘I slept in doorways or in Park Street Gardens. It wasn’t too bad, but it was hard to keep warm. A tramp told me to put old newspaper between my clothes which helped. Then someone stole my coat and bag while I wasn’t looking so I was left with nothing.’ Dolly answered with a sigh.
Nancy passed over more toast and muttered under her breath which caused Dolly to giggle; the words having likened the thief to a bovine carry-all.
‘Ain’t you bitter about it all?’ Jack was amazed at how Dolly had taken all that had happened to her in her stride.
‘There’s no point dwelling on what I can’t change. It was bad luck, that’s all.’ Dolly shrugged her shoulders before she finished her food.
‘Well, I think you’re a brave little wench,’ Nancy said as she stroked Dolly’s hair. Clean and dry now, it shone like a raven’s wing and Nancy longed to brush and plait it. The beaming smile she received back for her troubles melted her heart and Nancy was sure this was as close as she was ever going to feel to maternal love.
Nellie’s voice was heard before she was seen. Boots stomping on the tiled floor, she swept into the kitchen yelling, ‘Jack! Come on, lad, that bar needs a good clean!’
Jack rolled his eyes and banged his cup on the table. ‘No rest for the wicked.’ he mumbled as he slapped his flat cap on his head and got to his feet.
‘You work that boy too hard,’ Poppy said as she followed Nellie into the kitchen. ‘He’s only ten years old – he should be in school.’
Nellie rounded on the girl saying, ‘It ain’t none of your business, madam! I give you board and lodging to tend the bar, not to stick your nose into my affairs!’
‘Yes, but you don’t pay me a wage, do you? So, I think we should come to an arrangement about that else I’m off!’ Poppy retaliated.
Nellie’s mouth fell open at the girl’s sudden change in demeanour. Usually a pusillanimous person, Poppy’s outburst took them all by surprise.
‘Just where do you think you’ll find work in this God forsaken town then?’ Nellie asked sarcastically.
‘Somewhere – anywhere – I’ll get a job doing something where I’ll be appreciated and paid accordingly!’ Poppy countered. Her blood was up and she was not about to relent.
‘After all I’ve done for you! I took you in off the street when you were starving! Is this how you repay me?’ Nellie was furious.
‘I will always be grateful for that but there comes a time when gratitude is repaid in full. Now is that time, Nellie Larkin!’ Poppy banged her hand on the table in emphasis setting her blonde curls bouncing.
Everyone stared at the young girl wondering what would happen next. Would Poppy make good on her threat and walk out? Would Nellie concede and pay her a wage for all her hard work?
Nancy debated whether to intervene and tell them both to quit arguing but she didn’t think it was her place to speak out.
However, it was Jack who finally spoke up and broke the impasse. ‘Mum, it’s only fair. Poppy works hard and long hours in that bar, same as you and me.’
Nellie glanced at her son, angry that he had taken the side of the barmaid over that of his mother.
‘A maid earns about six pounds a year and what do I get? Bed and board! And – I work a sight harder than a maid!’ Poppy went on.
‘Six pounds a year! You’m joking, ain’t you?’ Nellie snorted.
‘What about Nancy? What do you pay her? About eleven pounds a year would be my guess,’ continued Poppy.
‘Don’t you be dragging me into this, young lady,’ Nancy said, all thoughts of trying to quell the argument now gone.
‘Stop it! All of you!’ Jack yelled, making Dolly jump out of her skin. ‘This is getting us nowhere. Mum, Poppy deserves a wage of some sort so work it out with her. Me and Dolly will go and fill the bottles in the cellar, and by the time we’ve finished this should all be done as well!’
Jack stomped from the kitchen and Dolly limped along behind him.
Down in the cellar, Jack passed his new friend a bottle half filled with gin and Dolly topped it up with water. ‘Do they argue like that often?’ she asked.
‘I ain’t never seen it before,’ Jack replied, shaking his head, ‘but I believe Poppy was right to ask for wages.’
‘Do you get paid, Jack?’
‘No, bed and board, same as you,’ he answered blithely.
‘But you should,’ Dolly pressed her point of view as she corked another bottle.
‘I’m her son, Dolly, so she thinks I should work for nowt – being family and all that.’
‘That’s rather unfair though,’ she said sadly.
‘Ain’t it just. But you saw what happened when Poppy broached the subject, God knows how Mum would react if I asked the same.’ Jack stacked the bottles in a crate to be taken to the bar. ‘I’ll take these up if you can sawdust and sweep the floor.’
‘All right, that sounds a fair deal to me,’ Dolly said with a giggle.
Jack grinned. Dolly’s positive outlook and happy nature was infectious.
Working quietly together in the bar they heard no more raised voices and a moment later Poppy came through sporting a huge smile.
‘All sorted out?’ Jack asked.
Poppy’s blue eyes twinkled and she nodded. ‘She’s agreed to pay me six pounds a year and you two, three pounds a year.’
‘Blimey!’ Jack spluttered.
‘So, don’t either of you let me down after I fought your corner for you,’ Poppy said in a whisper.
‘We won’t, we promise,’ Dolly assured her; she considered herself very lucky for only a couple of days ago she was starving on the streets. Now she had a home, a job earning a wage, new found friends, and a surrogate mother as well if she could put her question to Nancy. Dolly determined she would work hard in exchange for Mrs Larkin’s kindness.
Nellie bustled into the bar and nodded her approval at the work being undertaken.
‘Thank you, Mrs Larkin,’ Dolly said as she approached the woman, ‘it’s so very kind of you to think of me too. Not only have you taken me in when I had nowhere else to go, but now you’ve given me paid work, I’m very grateful.’
Nellie looked down at the girl with the eyes the colour of chocolate and felt her heart melt. She would have loved a daughter such as this but it was not meant to be. Suddenly all her bluster was gone and she held open her arms. Dolly stepped forward and Nellie hugged her tightly. Then in the next moment she let go of the little waif and stamped out of the bar, brushing away a tear as she went.
‘Blimey!’ Jack said again before he, along with Poppy and Dolly, burst out laughing.