“She’s
just passed three A-levels, Mr. Salmon, and will be going to London University
in September to read engineering.”
“Can’t
see the point of it myself,” said Charlie as he selected some figs. “Engineerin’,
you say. What will they think of next? Knew a girl once from these parts who
took ‘erself off to university and a fat lot of good it did ‘en Spent the rest
of ‘er life living off ‘er ‘usband, didn’t she? My old granpa always used to
say... “
Becky
burst out laughing. “So what do we do now?” she asked.
“Go
back to Eaton Square, then you can look up Mr. Anson’s number at the Lords and
give him a call. That way at least we can be sure that Charlie will contact you
within the hour.”
Cathy
nodded her agreement but both of them remained transfixed as they watched the
oldest dealer in the market ply his trade.
“I
don’t offer you these for two pounds,” he declared, holding up a cabbage in
both hands. “I don’t offer ‘em for one pound, not even fifty pence.”
“No,
I’ll give ‘em away for twenty pence,” whispered Becky under her breath.
“No,
I’ll give ‘em away for twenty pence,” shouted Charlie at the top of his voice.
“You
do realize,” said Becky as they crept back out of the market, “that Charlie’s
grandfather carried on to the ripe old age of eighty-three and died only a few
feet from where his lordship is standing now.”
“He’s
come a long way since then,” said Cathy, as she raised her hand to hail a taxi.
“Oh,
I don’t know,” Becky replied. “Only about a couple of miles as the crow flies.”
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