A Loving Family Read Online Free PDF

building advertising craft for hire. She clambered up the rickety outside steps but no one answered her frantic raps on the door. Close to panic she descended at breakneck speed and hammered on the lighterman’s door. She waited, hardly able to contain her impatience. Any moment now kindly Mrs Walters would open the door and welcome her home. She would ask her in and make her a cup of tea while she waited for Ma and the nippers to return.
    The front door opened and a stranger stood there, glaring at her. ‘What d’you want?’
    â€˜Where is Mrs Walters?’
    â€˜That ain’t none of your business, girl. Clear off.’
    Stella could see that the woman was about to slam the door in her face and she put her foot over the threshold. ‘I live here, ma’am. Or rather my mother does.’
    The woman’s beady eyes narrowed and her thin lips compressed into a line as if pencilled on her plump face. ‘I dunno what you’re talking about. This is Perkins the lighterman’s house and I’m Mrs P.’
    â€˜But Mr Walters lives here, and my ma and brother and sister live in the top rooms overlooking the wharf. I was born here, Mrs Perkins.’
    â€˜Mr Walters passed away six months ago and his wife not long after.’ Mrs Perkins removed a wad of tobacco from her mouth and spat on the ground, narrowly missing Stella’s feet. ‘But if you’re referring to that Spanish woman and her brats she left here weeks ago and good riddance. We don’t want no foreigners in our house. Now clear off or I’ll call Mr Perkins, who is at present having a rest. He don’t like being disturbed when he’s having a snooze.’ She attempted to close the door by crushing Stella’s foot against the jamb but, despite the pain, Stella was not going to give up so easily.
    â€˜Please, ma’am, if you know where my mother might have gone, won’t you tell me? I’ve come a long way to visit her.’
    â€˜I don’t know and what’s more I don’t care. Now move your foot or I’ll crush it like a bug.’
    Stella moved away just in time as the door was slammed in her face. She stood on the step, staring at the rusty doorknocker in disbelief. She was living her worst nightmare and surely she would wake up and find that it was all a horrible dream. She pinched her arm and winced. She was not dreaming. This was real and she did not know what to do. It had started to rain. Seized by panic she ran to the harbour master’s house and beat her hands on the door panels, but no one came to answer her pleas for help. She tried each door in the street until at last a tired-looking woman with a baby in her arms answered her frantic cries. ‘What’s up with you?’ she demanded crossly. ‘You’ve woken the baby with your noise.’
    â€˜It’s Mrs Stubbs, isn’t it?’
    â€˜Who’s asking?’ Mrs Stubbs brushed a strand of lank hair from her forehead with a grubby hand.
    â€˜It’s me, Stella Barry, from Mr Walters’ house.’
    â€˜Old Walters died and some other cove with a miserable bitch of a wife took the place on.’
    â€˜But you must remember my family, Mrs Stubbs. My mother is a beautiful dark-haired lady from . . .’
    â€˜The Spanish woman,’ Mrs Stubbs said, curling her lip. ‘We got enough foreigners here what with the sailors from all parts swarming over the place like water rats. I don’t hold with people from abroad. You can’t trust ’em, and your ma was probably no better than she should be.’
    â€˜Don’t speak of her like that,’ Stella cried angrily. ‘My mother is a good woman and my pa is dead. He was lost at sea when his ship went down.’
    The puny baby opened his eyes and his bottom lip trembled as he worked himself up to a whimper which swiftly turned into a howl. ‘Now look what you’ve done.’ Mrs Stubbs