‘Susie?’ said Sammy, quavering a bit.
‘For,’ said Susie. Well, Sammy had acquired a new business that would look after her dad and her brothers, so how could she not support him? Besides, she still thought her children’s dad a lovely bloke generally.
‘Well, friends, fam’ly and shareholders,’ announced Sammy, ‘the motion’s passed five-fifty to four-fifty. All rise.’
‘What d’you mean, all rise?’ said Lizzy, who at least knew now she could have the conversion done that would give Ned a billiards room.
‘Just to show respect to St Peter,’ said Sammy, ‘the lord of business. Don’t forget he was in charge of the fishin’ fleet.’
‘Sammy, you’ve gone and sold one of the fam’ly businesses and you’re bein’ irreverent as well,’ said Chinese Lady.
‘All fair and square, Ma,’ said Sammy, ‘and no hard feelings in anyone, I hope.’
‘All right, Sammy,’ said Lizzy, and glanced at Boots. He smiled.
‘Fair and square,’ he said, and Emily liked him for taking defeat so well.
‘It’s been a privilege,’ said Sammy.
‘Winnin’ the vote?’ said Tommy.
‘No, makin’ you all feel a bit rich,’ said Sammy.
Chinese Lady frowned, not liking what Boots had said about Germany.
Boots poured himself a beer on arrival home and took it into the garden to stand and muse. Rosie, learning from Emily how the vote had gone, came out to stand beside him.
‘Daddy, you lost,’ she said, and felt upset for him.
‘It’s not fatal, poppet.’
‘But you’re disappointed, aren’t you?’
‘I don’t think so. Life’s not always about winning, Rosie. You have to lose sometimes. If you didn’t, if you always won, you’d begin to think you were God. And what would that do for you? Make you think you could never be bowled out at cricket. And what would happen if your own daughter did bowl you out? Thunder and lightning.’
Rosie laughed. Looking at him she thought he seemed at peace with everything, that he wasn’t even thinking about the argument he’d lost with Uncle Sammy, that his mind was on something else.
‘Penny for them, please, Daddy.’
‘Is it worth double a penny, Rosie, to let you know I think myself a very favoured bloke in my family, my friends and everything else I have?’
‘Bless you, Daddy, you’re the best ever.’
‘Well, bless you too, poppet,’ said Boots, ‘and you owe me tuppence for my thoughts.’
‘Oh, do I, Daddy?’ said Rosie.
‘I’ll settle for a penny,’ said Boots.
‘Crikey,’ said Rosie, ‘now we’ve both made a profit again.’
* * *
Sunday afternoon.
‘Freddy, Freddy?’ Cassie, having made use of the latchcord, danced into the Brown family’s house. ‘You there, Freddy?’
‘Unfortunately, yes,’ said Freddy.
Into the kitchen danced Cassie, beaming and alive.
‘Freddy, what d’you think? I know now why Cecil ’asn’t ever said much. It’s because he was broody.’
‘Broody?’
‘Yes,’ said Cassie in delight, ‘he’s just laid an egg.’
Collapse of Freddy.
THE END
About the Author
Mary Jane Staples was born, bred and educated in Walworth, and is the author of many bestselling novels, including the ever-popular cockney sagas featuring the Adams family.
Also by Mary Jane Staples:
The Adams Books
Down Lambeth Way
Our Emily
King of Camberwell
On Mother Brown’s Doorstep
A Family Affair
Pride of Walworth
Echoes of Yesterday
The Young Ones
The Camberwell Raid
The Last Summer
The Family at War
Fire Over London
Churchill’s People
Tomorrow is Another Day
The Way Ahead
Year of Victory
The Homecoming
Sons and Daughters
Appointment at the Palace
Changing Times
Spreading Wings
Family Fortunes
A Girl Next Door
Ups and Downs
Out of the Shadows
A Sign of the Times
The Soldier’s Girl
Other titles in order of publication
Two for Three Farthings
The Lodger
Rising Summer
The Pearly Queen
Sergeant Joe
The Trap
The Ghost of Whitechapel
Escape to London
The Price of Freedom
A Wartime Marriage
Katernia’s Secret
The Summer Day is Done
The Longest Winter
Natasha’s Dream
Nurse Anna’s War
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MISSING PERSON
A CORGI BOOK: 9780552142304
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9780552163699
First publication in Great Britain
PRINTING HISTORY
Corgi edition published 1994
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Copyright © Mary Jane Staples 1994
The right of Mary Jane Staples to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All the characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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