Sadie Was A Lady Read Free Page A

Harry’s long strides. ‘Me dad must take me for a sucker. There’s no way he’d leave himself without his beer money.’
    ‘He wouldn’t do that to yer, surely?’
    ‘Don’t kid yerself, Harry, my mam and dad are dead mean with their children. They see to themselves first and if there’s anythin’ over then the kids might get a look in.’ Sadie glanced sideways, thinking how smart he looked. She wished she had some decent clothes to wear, she felt a right frump in the washed-out cotton dress.
    They reached the park gates before Sadie pulled him to a halt. ‘I feel terrible, takin’ a tanner off yer for a kiss. Why don’t yer let me pay yer back out of next week’s pocket money?’
    ‘I don’t want me tanner back, Sadie, I want a kiss. And yer don’t have to be frightened – I won’t eat yer.’
    Sadie allowed herself to be propelled forwards. ‘I’m not frightened, I just think yer want yer bumps feelin’, paying for a kiss off me when yer’ve probably got lots of girlfriends.’
    Harry didn’t answer as he led her to a deserted spot behind some trees and bushes. He stood in front of her, put a finger under her chin and raised her face. ‘Sadie, if yer really don’t fancy kissing me, just say so and we’ll go home and forget all about it.’
    ‘It’s not that, Harry. I’m just frightened I’ll make a mess of it and yer’ll be disappointed.’
    ‘Sadie, close your eyes and pucker yer lips.’ Harry didn’t intend to make a meal of the kiss, the kid was only fifteen, after all. But the second their lips met he felt as though he’d been struck by lightning. His arms went around her and he held her tight as the kiss lingered. When he finally broke away it was to gaze into a pair of beautiful vivid blue eyes.
    ‘Was I all right, Harry?’
    He coughed, feeling embarrassed at the effect she’d had on him. He’d had plenty of girls, but never before had a kiss set off fireworks in his head. ‘Sadie, it was better than a tanner’s worth of chips any day.’
    Sadie smiled. ‘Yer not just pullin’ me leg?’
    ‘Scout’s honour, it was a real hum-dinger.’
    Sadie wrapped her arms across her tummy and hugged herself. ‘Me very first kiss. I feel all grown-up now.’
    ‘Did you enjoy it?’
    She was silent for a while, then decided she’d go over it again in bed tonight and make up her mind whether she’d enjoyed it or not. But for now she wanted to please Harry. She didn’t want him thinking that he’d parted with a tanner for nothing. ‘Yeah! Yeah, I did!’
    ‘Then next time yer father does the dirty on yer, come to me. I’ve always got a spare tanner, especially for a kiss from a pretty girl like you.’
    Sadie narrowed her eyes. ‘Yer very trusting, Harry. I mean, I could tell yer a lie, just to get a tanner off yer.’
    Harry let his head fall back and he roared with laughter. ‘Fancy thinkin’ of that! Yer sound like a proper little gold-digger.’
    ‘That’s what I’m goin’ to be when I’m older, a gold-digger.’ There was no smile on Sadie’s face. ‘I’m determined not to end up like me mam, with a gang of kids and a lousy husband.’
    Harry took her elbow and led her towards the park gates. ‘Yer’ll feel different when yer meet someone yer like. Not all men are like yer dad, yer know.’
    ‘Me dad probably wasn’t like he is now before he was married. Once they get a ring on yer finger, that’s when they change. Well, they’ve taught me that married life isn’t all sweetness and light, so I’ll stay clear of it. As I said, I’ll be a gold-digger and take everything I can lay me hands on, without givin’ anything back.’
    Sadie lay on her back staring up at the ceiling. She had to share a bedroom with her two sisters and brothers, while the baby slept in her cot in the front room. There was no privacy; her small camp bed was set against the end of the double bed where the boys and girls slept, top to tail … girls at the top, boys at the bottom.