A Change of Fortune Read Online Free PDF Page B

you’re wearing can’t be darned any more, and you know it. I know they’re rubbing your poor old plates of meat. They must be damned uncomfortable.’
    Jenny knew what darning was. You did that to things with holes in, like stockings or socks. She glanced down at Fred’s shoes as realization dawned. Almond rocks – socks. Plates of meat – feet. Itrhymed! She giggled, her earlier fear forgotten. She looked back at her companions, so obviously husband and wife.
    ‘Never heard cockney rhyming slang before?’ Fred’s eyes sparkled.
    ‘No. Are there many words like that?’
    ‘Bless you, ducky,’ Glad chuckled, ‘you can ’ave a whole conversation with them.’
    Jenny giggled again. ‘Please don’t do that, I’ll never understand a thing you say.’
    ‘So what you doing down here on your own?’ Glad studied her intently.
    ‘She’s looking for a pawnbroker. In bad need of some money,’ Fred explained.
    ‘Ah, then old Uncle Bob’s your best bet – ’e’s reasonably honest.’ Glad frowned at her husband. ‘But she can’t go to him sounding like that. We’d better do the business for her.’
    ‘Be best. That’s if it’s all right with you, miss. You’ll get a better deal with us there, ’cos we know the crafty old devil.’
    ‘Umm, is he a relative of yours?’
    ‘Gawd ’elp us,’ Glad gasped through her laughter. ‘We all call him uncle. When anyone says they’re going to see uncle, we know they’re going to pop something.’
    ‘Pop?’ Jenny was becoming more confused by the minute.
    ‘Pawn something,’ Fred explained with a twinkle in his eyes. ‘You come with us and we’ll see you all right.’
    Relief swept through Jenny. She’d been dreadingdoing this on her own and these seemed nice people. ‘I really would appreciate it.’
    ‘Come on, then, let’s see what we can squeeze out of the mean old sod.’ Glad took Jenny’s arm and steered her in the right direction.
    They’d been walking for only about five minutes when Jenny spotted the three brass balls hanging outside the shop. Once inside she gazed around in wonder. It was dingy and packed to the ceiling with goods of every description. There was a short, rotund man behind the counter, almost bald with a few strands of grey hair smoothed across his shining head.
    ‘Hello, Fred, Glad. What can I do for you today?’
    ‘Not us. It’s our young friend here. She’s got some things to pawn.’ Fred turned his back on the man and whispered in Jenny’s ear, ‘You leave this to us.’
    ‘Let’s see what you’ve got.’ The shopkeeper sounded impatient.
    She emptied the contents of her bag on the counter. The man went for the jewellery immediately; a magnifying glass appeared rapidly from his waistcoat pocket and he clamped it to his eye. It seemed to take him ages as he examined each item carefully, uttering only a grunt now and again. Suddenly he looked up, dropping the eyeglass into his hand.
    ‘Where’d you get these things? I ain’t taking nothing what’s been pinched.’
    ‘Stolen,’ Fred muttered for her benefit.
    ‘They’re mine!’ In her panic Jenny forgot about not speaking. She just had to have some money! Shegazed imploringly at Fred and Glad. ‘They are mine. Honest!’
    Glad patted her arm. ‘Don’t you take no notice of Uncle, ducky, he’s as bent as a four-penny piece. All he’s trying to do is get your nice things for as little money as he can.’
    Jenny was relieved they were here because it was so difficult to understand these strange ways; if she’d been on her own, she’d have run out of the shop in horror.
    ‘Stop playing games,’ Fred growled. ‘The kid’s desperate enough to bring her to Lambeth, so what’re you going to give her?’
    ‘Two quid for the lot.’
    ‘What?’ Jenny was horrified. That wouldn’t last her very long. ‘But the dresses cost a lot and the jewellery is real gold!’
    ‘I don’t have much call for posh frocks round here, and –’
    ‘I’ll go