Stay as Sweet as You Are Read Online Free PDF Page B

said something bad about a person she liked, and she knew it was untrue, she should stick to her guns and say so. ‘Lucy wasn’t answering yer back, Ruby, she was stating a fact. Irene Pollard is one of the kindest, nicest people ye’re ever likely to come across. If you don’t like her, that’s your misfortune, but don’t expect others to agree with yer.’
    Lucy thought it would be best if she made herself scarce, then she couldn’t cause any more trouble. ‘I’m going, Dad, but I won’t be long.’
    ‘Yer’ll bowl ’em over, pet,’ Bob called after her. ‘They won’t recognise yer.’
    Rhoda opened the door and her eyes popped. She turned her head and called, ‘Ay, Mam, come and see who’s at the door.’
    Jessie Fleming came out drying her hands on the corner of her pinny. ‘What is it, love, someone on the borrow?’ Then she saw Lucy, standing there looking so proud, and her face split into a smile. ‘Well, I never! Who is this young girl dressed up to the nines? I don’t recall seeing her before.’
    Lucy giggled. ‘Me dad took me into town and mugged me, Mrs Fleming. D’yer like me dress,’ she did a little twirl, ‘and me shoes?’
    ‘Yer look a treat, love.’ Jessie was thinking it was about time someone took an interest in the girl. ‘The dress looks lovely on yer, and the colour suits yer.’
    For the first time, since the day they’d started school together, Rhoda had reason to be envious of her friend. ‘I bet yer picked it yerself, didn’t yer?’
    Lucy nodded. ‘They were all hanging on a rail, and I liked this one the best.’
    ‘Yer see!’ Rhoda flashed her eyes at her mother. ‘You won’t take me with yer to buy my clothes, so I have to have what you like. It’s not fair.’
    ‘But yer mam buys yer lovely clothes.’ Lucy was feeling sorry she came. Now she’d started a row between her friend and her mother. ‘Yer don’t know how lucky yer are, ’cos yer gets loads more things than I do.’
    Jessie folded her plump arms and leaned back against the door. ‘Take no notice of misery guts here, Lucy, she always finds something to moan about. If I bought her a ballgown, she’d complain because I didn’t get her a tiara to go with it.’
    Lucy grinned. ‘She’s not always moaning, Mrs Fleming, not to me, anyway. She’s me very best friend.’
    Rhoda pulled a face at her mother. ‘There, yer see, I’m not a misery guts.’
    ‘I know ye’re not, sweetheart, ye’re all sweetness and light. And for that reason, next time yer need a new dress I’ll take yer with me and yer can choose yer own.’
    Rhoda flung her arms around her mother’s neck and kissed her soundly. ‘Ooh, ye’re the best mam in the whole world.’
    ‘It’ll be a different story if I’ve left the dinner to burn. I’d better get back in and see to it, otherwise there’ll be ructions if I put a burnt offering down to yer dad.’ She leaned forward and stroked Lucy’s hair. ‘Yer look lovely, girl, a real little princess.’ She began to chuckle. ‘If I ever get down to buying a tiara for our Rhoda, I’ll get one for you while I’m at it.’
    When her mother disappeared into the house, Rhoda was feeling very kindly towards her friend. ‘Yer do look nice,Lucy, the dress really suits yer. And I’m not half glad yer came down to show us, ’cos now me mam’s promised to let me choose me own, and she never goes back on a promise. So yer’ve done me a good turn, kid.’
    ‘Yeah, yer owe me one. So next time we have a game of rounders, yer can let me win. That’ll make us even.’ Lucy rubbed her arms briskly. There was a cool breeze blowing and the cotton dress wasn’t much protection against it. ‘I’ll have to go, Rhoda, I promised to call in and see Mrs Pollard, and it’s nearly teatime. I’ll see yer tomorrow, eh?’
    ‘Okay, Lucy. Ta-ra for now.’
    Lucy took to her heels and ran the short distance to her neighbour’s house. The door was opened by Jack, who at fourteen was the