The Workhouse Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

handsome, jolly fellows.’ With a spirited toss of her head Dorcas pranced out of the room and her footsteps echoed on the wooden treads as she ascended the stairs.
    Nettie and Sarah exchanged surprised looks, but Mrs Burgess merely laughed and moved to the range. Taking the lid off a large black saucepan she ladled soup into two bowls and placed them on the table. ‘There you are, girlies. I’ll cut you some bread and there’s butter in the dish. Help yourselves.’
    Sarah’s heart sank when she realised they were to have soup, but one taste of the delicious broth filled with chunks of meat and vegetables was enough to dispel her fears. ‘This is good,’ she said, shovelling bread and butter into her mouth. She had learned to be quick in the workhouse or someone would snatch the food from beneath your nose.
    Nettie was also gobbling her meal and had almost cleared her plate when Cook rapped on the tabletop with the ladle. ‘I’ve seen better manners in a pigsty.’ She pointed at them, frowning. ‘Beware, for only fools in rags and beggars old in sin, mistake themselves for carpet bags and tumble vittles in.’ Her sonorous tones echoed round the kitchen.
    Sarah gulped and swallowed. ‘Sorry, missis. But this is the first nice grub we’ve had for as long as I can remember.’
    â€˜Is there any more?’ Nettie held up her empty plate.
    Cook’s stern expression melted into a sympathetic smile. ‘Of course there is.’ She lifted the pan to the table and refilled their bowls. ‘The master never begrudges a penny spent on good nourishing food. Eat up, but don’t make yourselves sick. There’ll be more to come if you’re going to stay here awhile, but that’s up to sir and madam, not me.’
    Sarah ate more slowly this time and was beginning to feel extremely full, but she managed to finish her meal. Nettie let out a loud belch and immediately apologised. ‘Sorry, missis. It just came out.’
    â€˜I’ll excuse you this time, young lady. But don’t do it again. Bad manners don’t get you anywhere in this world. You’ve got a lot to learn.’
    â€˜And I will,’ Nettie said, sticking out her chin. ‘One day I’m going to be a lady and wear silk gowns and travel in me own carriage.’
    â€˜You’ll have to be very rich.’ Sarah licked each of her fingers in turn and received a warning glance from Cook, who tossed a drying cloth at Nettie.
    â€˜That’s as maybe, but in the meantime, miss, you can wash the dishes you’ve used and the little one can dry them and put them away. Everyone has to earn their keep and Betty, the scullery maid, has gone to the market to buy fresh vegetables, that’s if the silly girl can remember what was on the list, for she cannot read or write.’
    Nettie jumped to her feet and began piling up the dirty crockery. ‘I’ll do whatever you ask, missis. I’m not a shirker.’
    â€˜I can read and write,’ Sarah said shyly. She did not want to boast but she felt that she must find some way to repay Cook’s kindness. ‘Perhaps I could go with Betty next time and tell her what you’ve written down.’
    â€˜At least they taught you something in the workhouse.’ Cook picked up the rolling pin and sprinkled the pastry with a little flour. ‘I’ve got work to do or Mr Arbuthnot won’t get his favourite pie for dinner tonight, so you girls keep out of my way and then we’ll all be happy.’
    Nettie hurried through to the scullery carrying a pile of crockery. ‘Come and help me, Sarah. Don’t stand there doing nothing.’
    â€˜Coming.’ Sarah rose from the table, but she did not follow immediately. She stood for a moment, twisting her apron into a knot as she plucked up the courage to continue the conversation. In the workhouse she would never have dared to speak unless spoken to