Five Sisters Read Free Page B

talk for hours if she found someone to listen, Emy, who rarely made a peep, and baby Gail, with hair so red your father used to say her head was aflame."
     
    Sara giggled, "Very good. I'm surprised you remember us so well after all these years."
     
    Charlie shrugged, "Your father talked of his daughters so often it's not hard. Unfortunately, the image I have of you five will always be when you were much younger. Gail had only been born a year before. And forgive me for this, for I feel terrible, but I'm going to be honest and say that I'm not sure which sister you are. I know it's not Mary, for her hair was much darker, and it can't be Gail, for her hair was red, but out of the last three I'm really not sure."
     
    Sara grinned, "Oh, don't feel bad, Mr. Wilkie, I'm not at all surprised." She stuck out her hand, "Pleasure to see you again, my name is Sara Marietta St. James."
     
    Charlie shook her hand, "Sorry 'bout that. The pleasure is all mine , Sara. And now, er . . . May I ask why you're so determined to find a way to Brighton? It sounded as if you were quite desperate, you know, by the way you were offering to stay in a cupboard or a lifeboat."
     
    Sara laughed, "Yes, I suppose that would sound desperate, wouldn't it? Actually, we're going to live in Brighton. Mary is getting married there in several months . . ."
     
    "Married?" Charlie gasped, "Why I can't believe it! It seems so strange that sweet little Mary, who was only a child when I saw her last, is getting married."
     
    "Oh yes, and he's wonderful man too. Ethan's his name. Ethan Lindsey. And he's studying right now to become a doctor. We're all going over though, not just Mary, because we want to stay near her. The other four of us will be living with Ethan's parents; they're quite wealthy and have plenty of room to spare. We don't want to ask for any more charity though, so we've refused to plead to Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey for more money, but now I don't know what we'll do. There aren't any ships left. I've been going in to a different office each day and trying to beg my way on board, but I've been dismissed each and every time. It's not just the fact that we don't have enough money, it's also that we're trying so late that all the rooms on board are already taken. I don't know what we're going to do now."
     
    Charlie frowned, "I'm very sorry to hear that. I, er . . . I wish you the best of luck with it though."
     
    "Thank you," Sara replied. She paused for a moment, her eyes glancing to the ground, before continuing, "I'd love to stay and talk longer, but I really must be going. I have to tell Mary that another ship refused so we can decide what to do next. Perhaps we'll just have to smuggle ourselves on board."
     
    Charlie laughed, but his voice was dry.
     
    They said goodbye and Sara began to walk off down the street again, leaving Charlie to watch after her silently, thinking.
     
    Sara needed a ship to take her to Brighton, Charlie owned a ship that was heading to Brighton. His ship was certainly no cruise liner, but it had room enough for five girls. And these weren't just any girls. These were the daughters of a dear old friend of his- a friend that would have done anything for him. So why couldn't he do this one thing for Roy by helping out his girls?
     
    Without thinking on it a moment longer, Charlie ran after Sara again, calling, "Sara! Sara!"
     
    She stopped and turned around curiously, wondering why he had called her name so anxiously and what else he wished to say.
     
    "I've got ship," he said once he'd reached her.
     
    Sara nodded, "Yes, you told me that already."
     
    "I've got a ship and it's heading to Brighton and we've room for five girls."
     
    "But . . . But . . ." Sara stammered, "Are you sure?"
     
    "Quite sure," said Charlie, "It's not much, and you'll all have to share one room, but it's really not so bad. You don't have to pay me a cent if you're willing to do a little housework from time to time. It won't be very hard