On Mother Brown's Doorstep Read Online Free Page A

talking as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
    ‘Here we are,’ said Will, bringing the teapot in. ‘How about some cups and saucers, Nellie, and some milk and sugar?’
    Nellie supplied the requirements.
    ‘I’m still sittin’ here like a lemon, you know,’ said Annie.
    ‘All right, let’s try a chair,’ said Will, and lifted her and sat her on one. Annie was a slender girl of five feet seven. She was proud of her legs and happy about her bosom, which was happy about itself. Well, it was firm and didn’t joggle about like some other girls’ bosoms did, especially if they didn’t wear decent stays. Any bosom that didn’t joggle felt happy about itself.
    ‘I’m not goin’ upstairs,’ she said, ‘there’s the vegetables to do.’
    ‘I’ll help Nellie do them,’ said Will, pouring the tea, ‘I’ve got to do something to make up for puttin’ you in the pushcart.’
    ‘Well, it’s kind of you,’ said Annie, ‘but I’m sure you’ve got to be on your way soon.’
    ‘Time’s my own until six,’ said Will.
    ‘We’d best let ’im help, Annie,’ said Nellie. ‘’E’s a corporal and can order people about, can’t you, Will?’
    ‘On top of that I’m bossy as well,’ said Will.
    ‘Don’t I know it,’ said Annie darkly.
    Well, bless me, thought Nellie, two bossy people together, what a lark. And where’s our Cassie got to, that’s what I’d like to know. Wandering about in a dream, I shouldn’t wonder, and looking for the cat.

CHAPTER THREE
    ‘A SAILOR SUIT?’ said eleven-year-old Freddy Brown in horror.
    ‘A nice sailor suit would look lovely for Susie’s weddin’,’ said Mrs Brown, his affable mother.
    ‘Not on me it wouldn’t,’ said Freddy. ‘I ain’t goin’ to wear no sailor suit, not for Susie’s weddin’ nor anyone else’s. I’ll fall down dead. You wouldn’t like that, I bet, me fallin’ down dead in the church.’
    ‘But, Freddy love—’
    ‘I’m eleven, I’ll ’ave you know,’ said Freddy, ‘I ain’t six.’
    ‘Still, you’d look ever so sweet in a sailor suit,’ said Sally, his fourteen-year-old sister. They were just home from school. They lived in Caulfield Place, off Browning Street, Walworth. Easter was approaching, so were the school holidays and so was their sister Susie’s wedding. It was a time of excitement for the Brown family, and for the whole street. A cockney wedding wasn’t the sort of event that concerned only the bride and her family. Everyone wanted to know everything about it, and Mr Brown kept saying to Mrs Brown that the way things were going the bridegroom would finish up finding himself married to every female in Caulfield Place. And Mrs Brown kept saying of course he wouldn’t, he’d get charged with multiplied bigamy if he did.
    ‘No sailor suit, if yer don’t mind,’ said Freddy resolutely.
    ‘Perhaps Freddy wants to be a bridesmaid, Mum, and wear a pink frock,’ said Sally.
    ‘Here, leave off,’ said Freddy, eating a slice of cake to keep the wolf from the door until supper.
    ‘Well, all right, love,’ said Mrs Brown, a natural peacemaker, ‘perhaps a nice dark grey suit, then, that you could wear afterwards for Sundays.’
    ‘With long trousers,’ said Freddy.
    ‘Long trousers at your age?’ said Sally.
    ‘I’ve made up me mind I ain’t wearing shorts at Susie’s weddin’,’ said Freddy, ‘they ain’t important enough.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know about long trousers,’ said Mrs Brown, cutting away surplus greenery from a firm cauliflower. ‘You are only eleven, Freddy.’
    ‘All right,’ said Freddy, ‘I won’t wear no trousers at all, just me shirt, waistcoat an’ jacket.’
    ‘Oh, yer rotten ’orror,’ said Sally, ‘I’m not goin’ in that church if you’re not wearin’ any trousers.’
    ‘Can’t ’elp it,’ said Freddy, ‘me mind’s made up, I’m not wearin’ no trousers unless they’re long ones.’
    ‘Well, listen to ’im,’ said Sally, ‘just wait till Dad