When Friday morning came, Jenny and Ma took a very excited Pinny Pipit down to the canal at 10'oclock on the dot and handed her over to Captain Sam. She was off to the summer boat show. Jenny had washed and pressed Pinny's clothes herself and she looked perfectly adorable and spotlessly clean.
'Fingers crossed for the gold cup.' called Ma as she and Jenny waved frantically to Pinny Pipit floating away on the narrowboat.
'Hope you win the fattest cat show TigTig.' hissed Ooty.
'I will miss Pinny again Ma' sighed Jenny 'I can't help it.'
'I know little robin.' replied Ma as they strolled back home. 'But Pinny does seem to enjoy her mogelling so much.'
The countryside museum curator returned Miss Birdie Stump promptly at 11'oclock.
Ivor Musty sadly explained that, what with the war still carrying on, there was just no money available to keep the museum open. Ma told Mr Musty she was sad to hear it, then she told him what she thought about silly Twitler Hitler and his stupid war. As soon as Mr Musty left, Ma whisked Birdie out to the barn with a pot of tea and a bag full of marmalade rolls to keep her happy. Then she sat her down and gave her a stiff talking too about her attitude, wagging her finger at her and telling her she was going to be 'watching her like a hawk.' Birdie stuck her tongue out at Jenny – very unladylike – but she didn't say a word.
It turned out to be a really busy day because Creamy then turned up to ask Ma and Jenny if they would like to go into town shopping with her.
'It's the midsummer ball tomorrow.' said Creamy. 'I wasn't going to go to it this year out of respect for dad but I know he would want me to go and have some fun...I really could do with a new dress though.'
'Oh no' said Ma. 'I'd forgotten all about it and I have so much to do here today. I haven't done any housework or even started my baking yet and I was going to turn out the pantry and change the beds.'
Creamy saw that Jenny looked disappointed.
'Well Jenny can still come with me can't she Ma?'
'Oh yes, that's a lovely idea.' said Ma. 'I've been meaning to buy you a new dress Jenny... and shoes too, I'll give you some money so you can have a spend up, if things are not too expensive you might be able to get two dresses.'
Jenny was thrilled, all her dresses, bar one, were second hand and she couldn't wait to get some new shoes as she only had the school shoes now that Ma had bought her at Easter.
Jenny had a lovely time in town shopping with Creamy. They went in on the bus and had lunch in a tearoom called Ye Olde Copper Kettle. It served titchy little triangle shaped cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches with tomatoes trimmed up to look like little roses. Then they hit the shops.
Creamy giggled as she tried on all the hats and long dresses that Jenny passed to her in the changing rooms. Jenny chose herself a lovely pale blue lawn dress with matching shoes and then came out of the changing room to show creamy.
'Oh Jenny you look like a princess.' gasped Creamy, as Jenny gave her a twirl.
'You'll have all the boys wanting to dance with you at the ball, and you've still got enough money left for a blouse or another pair of shoes if you like.'
'Am I allowed to spend it on a present for Ma instead?' asked Jenny.
Creamy smiled 'What do you want to buy her Jenny? It's not Ma's birthday until Christmas.'
'I'd like to buy her a brooch.' said Jenny. 'As a present because I love her.'
'Well I'll give you the money for a brooch.' said Creamy 'because I love you and Ma too. So you just spend what money you have left on yourself.'
So Jenny did. She bought another pair of shoes in glorious red patent leather and then they both went off to find a jewellery shop. They stopped and looked in the windows of several shops along the high street until Jenny eventually found what she wanted and pointed to a little brooch in a red padded box.
'Is that one too much money Creamy?'
'Oh no that's perfect. ' smiled Creamy 'Come on let's go in and buy it.'
When they got home, Creamy and Jenny put on a fashion show in the sitting room. Ma and Ooty both sat on the sofa and watched as Jenny came in first and twirled around in her new dress. Ma loved it, especially with the matching pale blue shoes, but then even Ooty gasped out loud when Creamy came in looking stunning in a long pink gown with matching full length evening gloves.
'You'll have all the boys wanting to dance with you at the ball.' winked Jenny.
'Are you going to give Ma her present now?' whispered Creamy.
'Ok. Said Jenny and she fetched the little red padded box and presented it to Ma.
'This is from me and Creamy because we love you so much.'
Ma looked very surprised as she accepted the little box. Then she opened it, but she didn't say anything, she just sat silently staring down at the open box in her lap. Inside the box was a little gold robin brooch, it even had a shiny red breast.
'Don't you like it Ma.' said Jenny worried by Ma's silence.
Ma looked up at Jenny, she had tears running down her cheeks.
'I love it.' she said softly 'But If I live to be free 'undred and thirteenth my little wren, I will never ever love anything as much as I love you. You're the best daughter any woman could have wished for.'
That night, Ma showed off her robin brooch proudly to all the scarecrows. There were lots of gasps and oooohs from the girls, especially from Dolly Clockaclay who was just mad about jewellery and said it was 'Simply divined ...absolutely simply simply simply divined.' Jenny told them all about her new dress and explained that her and Ma would be bringing their food at lunchtime the next day so they could get ready for the midsummer ball early.
Early Saturday evening they had their baths with Ma's best scented soap and got dressed. Ma put on her best red dress suit and pinned the robin brooch onto the jacket lapel. With her soft white hair all twinkly and shiny she looked absolutely lovely. Jenny and Ooty both wore ribbons. Jenny a pale blue one as a hair band and Ooty a red one as a bow tie. Then they went to call for Creamy. She looked amazing. Her hair had been cut to her shoulders and permed into waves, it was flipped back on one side with a diamond hairclip. She seemed very nervous indeed.
They all met up with Meg and Peg and their parents waiting outside the post office and everyone walked on to the ball together. The twins looked pretty, and identical as usual, in new lemon dresses with daisy flowers in their hair. The whole village attended the ball. It was the most important event in the Hod-me-dod-lee calender. This was the first ball since the start of war. The government had declared a black out, meaning no lights were allowed to be shown at night, so the enemy aeroplanes wouldn't be able to see the houses below if they did fly over. Luckily it was still light being a summer’s night and then the moon was fairly bright when it did appear.
Being a moonlight ball made it extra special and exciting. The girls ran ahead into the vicarage garden to find Billy and Spike, who were waiting for them by the food tables. They had already made an excellent job of reducing the number of the fried chicken legs available.
'Wow, you look lovely Jen.' said Billy when he saw her.
'So do you.' grinned Jenny. 'I like your bow tie.'
Billy fiddled with it. 'It don't half itch.'
Ma and the Sealy's had gone off to chat with their neighbours but Creamy was hanging back nervously at the gate on her own. Around the edge of the lawn were masses of tables and chairs with bunches of balloons tied to them, and tied to just about everything else in the garden too. A small band of young men dressed in smart white evening suits played lots of fast music for everyone to dance to. Jenny and Billy were just going to see where Creamy had got to, when she came walking towards them through the crowd. She was holding hands with Billy's dad, farmer Peter Bun.
'BLIMEY' said Billy totally shocked.
'No wonder the old man was scrubbing himself in the bath all afternoon. Creamy looks like a bliming film star.' - And she did.
As the night grew d
arker a few uninvited guests began to arrive. No one noticed them as they gathered together behind a hedge to watch Jenny dancing with Billy and all the other children. All the scarecrows had secretly arranged with each other to creep up to the vicarage to see the ball. Soon they were quietly having a ball of their own dancing together in the woods nextdoor. Minnie Mommet was flitting in and out of the trees, flicking her dress up to the rhythm of the music, like a naughty woodland fairy, while Drippy and Lolly lovingly kissed their boyfriends Tater and Dickie as they danced in the moonlight with their arms tight around each other.
Crowbie, Salty and Spudder danced with the Pole sisters, swinging them around to the girl's great delight, while Spadger and Tattie Bogle did some seriously weird break dancing of their own invention. Even grumpy Grackle Blak actually smiled for a change and danced a waltz with Dolly Clockaclay.
The music had put everyone in a happy mood. Creamy and Peter danced together fast and slow all through the evening and it was soon clear to everyone that this was not the first time they had got together, just the first time in public. The whole village were talking about them, but it was all nice talk as everyone liked Creamy and Peter.
Jenny only danced with Spike once because he kept treading on her new shoes so she went back to dancing with Billy, who was a really good dancer.
Ooty had a fantastic time, everyone made a huge fuss of him. He'd never seen so much food in all his life and he gorged himself on a whole platter of fish paste sandwiches, which he'd managed to drag under one of the tables with the help of his new friend, Holy Moly the vicar's moggy.
Ma really enjoying herself and had even had a dance with old Chaffy the gardener, but only the one, as she told Creamy later that he was a bit livelier than a gardener of his age ought to be.
Creamy roared with laughter.
When the ball was over, Peter walked Creamy and Ma home. Peter kept calling Creamy 'Alison darling.' Jenny and Billy walked behind them giggling and nudging each other as 'Alison darling' and Peter kept stopping every few yards to kiss goodnight. Ooty trotted behind them all, until he lost his bow tie in the bushes being as sick as a cat – he was amazed to discover he could have too much fish paste.