Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard121 Manuscript Weeding, Department English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard121 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard121_1.jpg LHL Archive 113 CHAPTER THIRTEEN The dog, who was sitting on the garden path, saw her first and got up with a welcoming bark. B Mr Blake looked up from his weeding. "Sadie! Anything wrong?" "No" He came to the gate. "You don't look your usual bouncey self." "It's just that I've got the sack and Mrs KcConkey is dead." "I see." "I wanted someone to talk to. So I thought I'd come and see you." "Come imHikE away in." They sat in the kitchen. Sadie rested her folded arms on the kitchen table. "We always used to make fun of Mrs McConkey," she sighed. "We would shout names at her when we were small and then run like blazes before she could get the hold of us. She never did beacuse she was too fat. And now she's dead." "Aye, it's bad, Sadie, there's no denying it. Scarcely a day goes by without someabody getting killed, but when it's person you know it's not so easy to take." "It's not easy at all," said Sadie. She told him then alabout the woman in the hat department."I don't know what I'm going to do now. I'll have to get something else before I tell my mother." Mr Blake looked thoughtful. He stroked the dog's coat, flattening the fur until Jack purred contentedly. "Sadie, I could be doing with a bit of help. I used to have a daily woman and then she got a bad back and couldn't come any more. I could (over) Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 966 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard122 Manuscript Domesticated, Blake English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard122 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard122_1.jpg LHL Archive 114 than nothing, wouldn’t it?" "Mr Blake, do you mean you’d like me to work for you?" Mr Blake xi laughed at Sadie's astonished face. "Why not?" "3ut I'm not very good at that sort of thing. I got the lowest marks in my class for Domestic." "Marks don't always mean anything. I wouldn't want all that much done. A bit of clearing up and washing, and maybe you could cook my lunch?" "Are you serious?" "CompletelyAbsolutely." "All right," she said slowly, trying to adjust to an imagethe idea of herself asbeing domesticated. "I'll have a go." "Good! It'll do me goodcheer me up to see you coming in every morning. The other woman shad a long face and was always complaining about her back." "You don't need any cherring up, Mr Blake" said Sadie, making him laugh again. They agreed on rates of payment; and in addition Sadie wouldwas to be given her lunch and bus fares. She insistedsaid that she would like to start work straight away. Her earlier mood was forgotten; she was gripped now h by a fever to workfor action. Mr Blake went back to his gardening, leaving her to examine the array of vacuum clecleaners, mops and dusters. She decided to scrub the kitchen floor first, not that it looked as if it really needed it, but because it was the kind of job that made her feel virtuous and hard-working. For Mr Blake she wanted to be hard-working. She sang as she scrubbed and found pleasure in sitting back on heels afterwards to look at the Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 967 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard123 Manuscript Peter, Children English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard123 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard123_1.jpg LHL Archive 115 gleaming wet floor. Her mother would never believe it! The thought of her mother spurred her on. She vacuumed and dusted the sitting room, lifting all the photo- graphs and replacing them carefully. It was funny how she did not mind doing these jonb's in someone else’s house?. She would have hated it at home. And when she looked out of the window she saw Mr Blake benidng and stooping and pottering about. It was very much better than the hat department. For lunch she cooked mince and potatoes and carrots. The mince was slightly burnt and the carrots a little hard but Mr Blake declared that he did not mind a bit, in fact he rather liked well-done mince. After"I’ll get better with practice," promised Sadie. After lunch they took Jack for a warlk. There was a prkpark close by in which the dog could run freely off the leash. He knew most of the small children playing under the eye of their mothers. He trotted round them sniffing and licking them. "There’s Moira Henderson," said Mr Blake, when they came to the swing park. He nodded at a pretty dark-haired girl in her twenties who was sitting on a bench tending holdingwith a baby on her knee. She was watch- ing two smaller children on the swings. "She’s a neighbour of mine. Nice girl. Come on and meet her." He introduced Sadie to herand Moira and then they joined herall sat together on the bench. The xx baby was pressing up onto his feet, treading his mother’s lap, pulling at her hair with his small fat fist. From time to time she called out to the other two children. "Watch what you’re doing, Peter. No higher, Deirdre!" Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 968 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard124 Manuscript Hendersons, Crucifix English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard124 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard124_1.jpg LHL Archive 116 "Not much peace, have you, Moira?" said Mr Blake. "No," she laug said, with a laugh. They walked back home with her and the children. Deirdre put her hand into Sadie's and clung to it tightly. She looked up from time to time into Sadie's face. "You seem to have made a new friend", said Mr Blake. When they reached the Hendersons' gate a few doors along from Mr Blake's, she Moira asked if them would like to come in for a cup of teacoffee. "That would be nice, wouldn;t it, Sadie?" said Mr Blake. Sadie nodded. Moira'sHer sitting room was identical in size and shape to Mr Blake's, but very differently furnished. It was modern and colourful, and instead of photographs, paintings covered the walls. "What lovely paintings!" cried Sadie. They looked vivid and exciting to her: they were alive. "Moira did them," said Mr Blake. "She's a painter." "Was, you mean!" said Moira. "I don't get time any more." "You will again, one of these days." "In five years time!” By then I'll probably have forgotten how to hold a brush." Sadie and Mr Blake stayed for an hour. "That was good crack," said Sadie on the way homeback to his house. "I like a good chat. And I liked Moira." "I thought you would." "I saw she'd a crucifix in the hall. Is she a Catholic then? She didn't look all that like one." Mr Blake laughedwas amused. "Yes, she's a Catholic." "I thought the place would have been smothered with holy pictures Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 969 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard125 Manuscript Troubles, Moira English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard125 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard125_1.jpg LHL Archive 117 and statues. ” "You've got some funny ideas, Sadie. By the way, Mike, Moira's husband, is a Protestant.” "Is that right? xxykExfc^fexEXxixixsxitS:She seems happy.” ”1 think she is. Oh, I don't suppose everything's a bed of roses all the time - that would be too much to expect - but they survive all their troubles.” They went up Mr Blake's path, into the house. "It's easier if you're middle-class," said Sadie. He looked at her. "She A Protestant and Cathlic getting married, I mean," she added. HYss^xi: Mr Blake nodded. "Yes, I know. It's fair comment. Some of the people round here might not be too fond of a mixed marriage but it's not likely they're going to chuck a petrol bomb through a their window.” "That’s what'd happen if you were to do thatit in my street.” Sadie thought about Moirax and Mr Blake all the way home on the bus. She had h It had been a most interesting day. She was in high spirits when she swung open the kitchen door. Her mother and father sat at the table looking grim-faced. "What's up?” asked Sadie. "That might be for you to tell us,” said her father. "It would be nice not to have to depend on Linda Mullet for all our information,” said her mother. Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 970 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard126 Manuscript Children, Housework English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard126 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard126_1.jpg LHL Archive 118 Sadie sat down. "Linda Mullet? What's she been saying now?" "She told us you'd got the sack." said Mr Jackson. "Is that all?" "What do you mean - is that all?" demanded Mrs Jackson. She pursed her mouth. "What else could she have told us?" "Nothing. jixatxdiExxfcaxH&xxirazgfcixkaEkxiHfcaxkErxHKiiiEEis Anyway, I've got another job." Sadie told them about Mr Blake and his villa, how she had washed the floor and cooked the dinner. "You're joking," said her mother. "You doing domestic work? SI don't believe it." "Well, you'll have to,"said Sadie," for it's true." Next morning she cleaned Mr Blake's windows, inside and out. She rubbed till her elbow was tired and the glass glistened. Then she stepped back to admire the shine, reaching out here and there to obliterate any final traces of a smear. "Does it give you a glow of satisfaction?" Sadie looked round to see Moira Henderson at the gate, with her pram three children. "Yes," she said," it does." "Good." Moira laughed. Sadie went down the path, polish in one hand, rag in the other, and leant on the gate to talk to Moira. "I wish I could get a glow of satisfaction out of housework," said Moira. "Maybe I don't do it well enough." Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 971 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard127 Manuscript Bargain, Jackson English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard127 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard127_1.jpg LHL Archive 119 ”I expect you get that from your painting?" Mira nodded. "AndThat's why I miss it nowso much." "I was thinking about it on the way home on the bus last night," said Sadie. "And I thought I could look after your kids in the afternoons until I got another job and you could paint." "Sadie, what a great idea! But I'd pay you of course." "Oh no." "Oh yes! I've been vaguely thinking of getting someone to look after the kids. Mike's always gibing on to me about it and I never do anything. He's keen for me to start painting again." They shook hands on the bargain over the top of the gate. Sadie began at the Hendersons after lunch the same day. At tea-time she announced that she now had two jobs. "I'm working as a nanny in the afternoons," she said loftily. "Minding kids?" said her mother."You?" "Why not?" I've\been a kidx myself, haven't I?" "And never out of troublemischief," groaned her mother. If there was any trouble going in the neighbourhood I could be sure you were there." "That helps me to know whatBest expereince there is for looking after kids", said Sadie. " I know what they're going to do before they do it." "I should think Sadie would keep them in line all right," said Tommy. Mrs Jackson scratched the scalp between her rollsers. "Honest, Sadie Jackson, I never know what you're at from one day to the next." Just as well, thought Sadie, thinking of Kevin, and unconsciously smiling. He mother, noticing her smile, frowned suspiciously. Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 972 Chapter 13 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard128 Manuscript Neighbourhood, Blether English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard128 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard128_1.jpg LHL Archive 120 On Friday Kevin came to Mr Blake's. He looked almost his old self except forstill had the bandage around his head and thea slight limp but apart from that was almost back to himself. "You look a new man," said Sadie,taking his hands in hers. "I’ve been resting." He grinned. "Every time I moved two yards my mother yelled at me." What have you been doing?" "Not resting. Wait till you hear!" Nr Blake took Jack out for a long walk before supper. Sadie and Kevin sat on the sfettee and she gave him an account of her week. "Sounds like you know half the neighbourhood by now# " he said. "I like to pass the time of day when I go in and out of the shops. "In other words, you’re a blether!" They laughed together. She rested her head against his shoulder. She felt happy. "Maybe it’s as well I nearly collapsed along by the Lagan," said Kevin. "Though at the time I didn't think so!" "Mr Blake/is the best thing that ever happened to us." "We must be careful that no one gets to know about Mr Blakehim and us." Sadie nodded. "You're right there. I wouldn’t like antything to happen to Mr Blake" Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 973