had a visit this morning from the Board man. Seems our George ain’t been at school all this week.’
Aidy looked bemused as she checked the kettle on the range and put it on to make them both a cup of tea. ‘’Course he’s been at school. Where else would he be? In fact, he’s been that keen this last week, he’s been leaving well before he’s really needed to, hasn’t he? The Board man can’t have his facts right.’
‘That’s what I said to him. He insisted he had, though, and that the school wants a good excuse for George’s absence. He’s coming back tomorrow at ten, to see you.’
Aidy snapped in annoyance, ‘So I’ve got to wait in and maybe miss out on getting a job, all ’cos either the school or the Board man has made a mistake?’ She gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Well, I’ll certainly let them have what for, wasting my time.’ A thought suddenly occurred to her. ‘Come to think of it, George has been very tired this week. Hasn’t gone out at all after dinner to play with his mates, and he’s gone to bed without being told.’
‘Oh, that’s ’cos he’s been helping a mate straight from school to fix his bike up. Apparently his dad found an abandoned bike frame and George and his mate have been scavenging for parts for it from dump sites.’
‘But he’s supposed to come straight home from school, Gran, and see to any jobs that need doing here – him and Betty. Has he blackmailed her into doing his share?’
Bertha looked sheepish. ‘Well … er … no, not exactly. This past week, Betty ain’t been coming home straight from school either. Her best friend’s mother has just had a baby, and while she’s recovering in bed, her friend has fetched her younger brother and sister from the neighbour and Betty’s been helping her look after them until their dad gets home from work.’
‘Very commendable of her,’ snapped Aidy. ‘But she’s got an invalid grandmother who is also in need of her help, and chores to do for me. Who has been doing both their chores while they’ve been skiving off then?’
‘Marion.’
‘Marion! Oh, bribed her into it, did they? Promise her a sweet each from their penny poke on Saturday morning? Well, they won’t be able to honour that bribe as I can’t afford to give them their Saturday pennies until I get set on again. But how on earth did Marion struggle to get the water and the coal in on George’s behalf and do the bits around the house for Betty?’
‘She got the lad next-door to pump it for her and fetched it in a jug at a time. She did the coal the same, a few lumps at a time. She seemed happy enough, doing what she was. Look, I did point out that it wasn’t right they were defying your instructions and they should ask you if it was all right to do what they were, but they pleaded with me. George was worried that his mate would find someone else to help him look for parts and fix the bike up, and Betty the same with her friend.’
Aidy shook her head. ‘Those kids wind you around their little fingers. But they still disobeyed me and, worse, roped their little sister into covering their jobs for them and you into keeping what they were up to from me. I can’t turn a blind eye to that.’
She noticed Bertha was frantically searching for something under her blanket. Curious, Aidy asked her what she was looking for.
‘Me knitting needle, lovey. I’ve an itch under me pot I need to scratch. It’s been driving me mad all morning. No matter how many times I slip the needle down and give it a good rub with the end, it keeps coming back. Blasted thing.’
With a twinkle in her eye, Aidy said, ‘You brag you’ve a potion for just about any ailment. Not got one for curing itches, I take it then?’
‘Cheeky bugger! Just help me find the pin.’
As she helped, Aidy warned Bertha, ‘Be careful not to damage the cast with that needle ’cos I don’t fancy facing Doc’s reaction if we have to call him in to re-plaster your leg again.’
At the mention of him Aidy remembered she hadn’t paid his outstanding bill yet. If she didn’t settle it, he could well refuse to call again on Bertha when her time was up, to check her leg had healed