The Cockney Sparrow Read Online Free

nodded.
    ‘I’ll give you a tanner for it.’
    ‘You old villain. It’s worth ten times that.’
    ‘Not to me it ain’t. Take it or leave it, young Clemmie.’
    She thought quickly. She was used to bargaining with Minski and she knew that he was trying to do her down. She strolled round the dank cellar, rifling through the racks of clothes that hung damply in the foul air. If she were to oblige young Ned Hawkes, and she was considering it, then she would need to dress up a bit. She fingered a pink satin gown, stroking the cool, slippery material with the tips of her fingers. It felt like a baby’s skin and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, but much too fine for her to wear, and not at all suitable. The punters would think she was a harlot touting for business. Reluctantly, she passed it by and found a navy-blue serge skirt and a white, if slightly yellowed, cambric blouse with a high neck and full sleeves. ‘Throw in these duds and we got a deal.’
    ‘I ain’t the bleeding Sally Army, girl. This ain’t a charity.’
    Clemency snatched the garments off the rail; she knew by the whining tone of his voice that she was going to win. ‘And a pair of boots.’
    ‘Over my dead body.’
    Clemency chuckled. ‘I’m sure Hardiman could arrange it. Tell you what, Minski. I’ll give you another twopence for the boots and I won’t tell Hardiman of our little deal.’
    She left the cellar wearing a pair of rather down-at-heel, but quite serviceable, high-buttonboots, and with the skirt and blouse wrapped in a tight bundle beneath her arm.
    On her way home, she stopped at a shop in Knightrider Street, and purchased a bag of coal, some kindling, a bundle of candles, a poke of tea and one of sugar, a loaf and a pot of beef dripping. She gave the shop boy a halfpenny to carry the coal back to Stew Lane. He managed to heft it to their door but slipped as he attempted to negotiate the snow-covered steps and scraped his shins. His flesh was mottled and so cold that, at first, the wound did not bleed. He seemed almost too weak to cope with the pain and his small face, covered with weeping sores, puckered into a grimace. Tears spilled from his eyes and rolled down his hollow cheeks. Stricken with pity, Clemency gave him her last penny for his trouble. His simian face cracked into a grin, and he scampered up the remaining steps as if the devil were after him.
    With her hand on the latch, Clemency was about to go inside when she heard raised voices. One was Jack’s and the other she did not recognise. She burst into the room to find a brute of a man with his hands round Jack’s throat.

Chapter Two
    Clemency dropped her packages on the floor and hurled herself on top of Jack’s assailant, punching, kicking and screaming at him. He lurched to his feet tossing her to the ground as if she weighed less than a bag of feathers.
    ‘Jack, are you all right?’ Her first concern was for her brother, who lay back against the wall, blue in the face, clutching his hands to his throat and gasping for breath. He nodded dumbly. Clemency jumped up to face the intruder. ‘You bugger! What d’you think you was doing to a poor crippled boy?’ For a moment, she thought the big brute was going to strike her to the ground, but he seemed to change his mind, and he shuffled towards the open door.
    ‘Ask him,’ he growled. ‘Ask him.’ He barged out of the room, slamming the door behind him so that the sash window rattled.
    There was silence except for Jack’s rasping cough as he fought to regain control of his breathing. Clemency bent over him, peering anxiously into his face. ‘Are you all right?’
    Jack nodded.
    ‘Who was he, Jack? And why did he go for you as if he meant to kill you?’
    With beads of perspiration standing out on his forehead, Jack attempted a wobbly smile. ‘He’s one of Hardiman’s gang …’ He broke off, overcome by a fit of coughing.
    ‘Never mind that now.’ Clemency straightened up. This was