Crooked Pieces Read Online Free PDF Page B

boast as much. Pa cannot mind where he has put his pipe ten minutes ago, and Mr Roe is forever asking where his slippers are.
    Just when I had decided I should not attend, Mrs Roe came trotting into the kitchen and said, ‘I hear you are to be with us this evening, Maggie. I am so pleased,’ after which neitherCook nor I could dispute it, but it was a heavy day for me in the kitchen.
    The evening was quite the strangest of my life. First of all I opened the front door to the ladies and took their coats as usual, all wet and smelling like mouldy cats for it had been pouring rain all day; then when they were settled I had to hurry up the stairs and join them. My heart was pumping ready to burst but Miss Sylvia drew me to a seat between her and the tiny lady with the clattery laugh, who immediately clasped my hand saying, ‘Well, Maggie, welcome. I am Mrs Drummond.’ She had such a funny way of talking that I feared she spoke a foreign language and, knowing none myself, stayed silent.
    Mrs Despard talked a great deal in a fine ladylike voice and I understood not a word. It was all of education and ideals and symbols and the like and it seemed to me that some others of those present were also a little confused.
    Just when I was wondering whether I could slip away unnoticed back to the kitchen, there was a heavy knocking on the door below. I hurried down to open it. There stood a woman, not old but drably dressed. Before I could ask her business she pressed past me, flung off her cloak which was drenching wet, and rushed up the stairs. I hastened after her, not knowing if I should first call the master for I did not think I could manage to force her out myself.
    When I arrived my shock was even greater, for the person was being warmly embraced by Miss Christabel and several of the company. Miss Sylvia led me towards her. ‘Maggie, this is Miss Annie Kenney. A true friend of the cause.’ The person turned, smiled at me a great flashing beam of a smile andshook my hand like she was wringing out the washing. ‘Pleased to meet thee, Maggie,’ she said. ‘Looks like you and me are in it together.’ I had no faint idea what she might mean, but she seemed so cheery and had hold of my hand so hard, I thought it best to smile back at her for fear she would twist it off.
    When everyone had settled once more Miss Christabel rose. ‘I have some excellent news. Sylvia has pulled it off. We have tickets for the Albert Hall. James Keir Hardie has excelled himself.’ She waved some slips of paper. ‘Annie here and Teresa Billington are to represent us. And, better still, Annie is to sit in a minister’s box.’ There was a general murmur of delight and admiration. ‘Now, who can lend her the clothes?’ Various of the ladies offered to produce whatever was necessary. I listened amazed, for it seemed to me a very strange thing that a poor working woman, as she plainly was, should be given tickets to the play and dressed up like Cinderella by ladies who would, you suppose, walk past her in the street.
    Then came the biggest surprise of all. Miss Christabel turned and gave me a wonderful sparkling smile. ‘Of course Annie will need a maid,’ she said, looking straight at me, ‘and who better than Maggie? She will be quite perfect, I’m sure.’ My mouth came open like a codfish. The other ladies all nodded their heads approvingly. ‘Good. That’s settled then. We’ll discuss the details later. Sylvia, how are the banners progressing?’
    Miss Sylvia said they were all but finished but her room was now so packed full she had no more room for storage. I thought if ever I were called on to speak, it should be to agree on that score, but I was not and it seemed I had been forgottenagain, for they went on to talk about letters to the Prime Minister. Mrs Drummond said she could lay hands on a typewriter which made the ladies squeak with joy. Frank has seen one and says it is the finest thing. Nearly as good as a gun.
    There was much