On Mother Brown's Doorstep Read Online Free

’ardly know carry me up to me bed. Nellie can help me up the stairs when I’ve had that cup of tea. You really goin’ to make it?’
    ‘Where’s the kettle?’ asked Will. ‘There it is.’ It was on the hob, and he transferred it to the top of the gas oven in the scullery. He searched for a match.
    In the kitchen, Nellie whispered, ‘Oh, ain’t he ‘andsome, Annie? Fancy you findin’ a nice soldier like ’im.’
    Since Annie knew that her dignity had taken a hiding, she said loudly, ‘Well, I won’t say he wasn’t helpful, nor that he ’asn’t got a kind heart somewhere, but dumpin’ me in that pushcart with ’undreds of people about, I wonder I didn’t die of bein’ Looked at. I expect some soldiers – what’s that I can hear?’
    ‘It’s ’im,’ whispered Nellie, ‘’e’s laughin’.’
    ‘Well, he would, wouldn’t he?’ said Annie, even more loudly. ‘He was laughin’ all the time he was wheelin’ me home. Some soldiers would have covered my legs up, but not ’im, oh, no. He let all the street kids have a look.’
    ‘Yes, and Eddie Marsh said ’e saw yer knickers,’ said Nellie.
    ‘Oh, you Nellie, wasn’t it bad enough havin’ that little ’ooligan speak the word without you speakin’ it as well?’ fumed Annie.
    ‘It’s all right,’ said Will from the kitchen, ‘I didn’t see them myself.’
    ‘Oh,’ breathed Annie, ‘I’ll spit in a minute.’
    ‘Annie, you shouldn’t spit,’ said Nellie, ‘Dad wouldn’t like you to.’
    ‘Got a teapot in there?’ called Will. ‘And some tea?’
    Nellie took the teapot and caddy out to him.
    ‘You goin’ to stay and keep an eye on our Annie till our dad gets ’ome?’ she asked, putting the question in the belief it was a sister’s natural duty to help an older one enjoy a romance. Annie mostly turned her nose up at young men. She said she was too busy to go walking out with any of them, and that she liked her family best, anyway. Nellie knew she was wild with this soldier for putting her in a pushcart, but she wasn’t actually turning her nose up at him. If she had been, she’d have spoken very politely to him, thanked him for bringing her home, and asked her, Nellie, to show him out. Instead, she was giving him what for and not making any move to get off the table and hop to a chair. It was like she was waiting for him to carry her up to her room, even though she’d said he wasn’t to. And Nellie thought her knee hadn’t suffered a mortal injury, she was hardly taking any notice of it. ‘I don’t mind if you stay,’ said Nellie, as Will stirred the pot, ‘only me an’ Charlie can’t do much with her at times, specially if she’s a bit upset, poor woman, an’ needs someone to see she rests ’er knee.’
    There was a muffled little yell from Annie.
    ‘You Nellie, I’m listening to you!’
    ‘Poor what, Nellie?’ asked Will, grinning.
    ‘Yes, poor woman,’ said Nellie. ‘Mind, she’s ever so nice really, and our dad says she’s pretty too. So does ’Arold Seymour down the street, ’e’s potty about ’er, but ’e’s got ginger ’air and Annie ’ates ginger ’air. D’you think she’s pretty?’
    ‘You Nellie!’ yelled Annie. ‘I’ll smother you!’
    ‘There, you can see she’s upset,’ said Nellie.
    ‘Poor woman,’ said Will, waiting for the tea to draw.
    ‘I heard that!’ cried Annie, who had never felt more put upon since she’d become a young lady. ‘I’m not a poor woman!’
    ‘We’ll be with you in a moment,’ called Will.
    ‘What’s yer name?’ asked Nellie.
    ‘Will Brown, from Caulfield Place.’
    ‘That’s a nice name. What’s them stripes on yer sleeve for?’
    ‘To show I’m a corporal and can order people about,’ said Will.
    ‘Crikey, can yer really? You goin’ to order Annie about?’
    ‘What’ll happen if I do?’
    ‘Oh, she’ll think you’re ever so manly,’ said Nellie.
    Annie could hardly believe what she was listening to. That Nellie,