Chapter
2
It was dark when Miss Boot's car skidded onto the grass verge in the village of Hod-me-dod-lee. The journey had taken over half an hour and had ended on the edge of the large village green opposite an ancient cottage with a weathered straw roof.
'Yes yes this is it.' squealed the pig woman rubbing her shovel hands together. 'Someone's home, smoke coming from the chimney. Out you get child. CHOP CHOP whatever your name is.'
Jenny struggled out into the damp night air carrying Ooty in the heavy basket. Miss Boot shoved open the garden gate to the cottage - but it immediately bounced back on her with a surprisingly loud 'OUCH.' The ‘ouch’ had been forced out of an old lady who had just been smacked smartly on the bottom with the gate whilst bending down behind it.
'Good evening.' said the old lady, standing up and briskly rubbing her bottom.
'I was just going to give the hotchie's their supper. May I help you?'
'Name's Boot. Billeting officer. OFFICIAL war department, it says here on my list that you take in animals as part of the war effort.'
'Yes that's right my dear.' said the old lady smiling down at Ooty cowering in the basket.
'Jolly good.' said the old Boot,' because this child has one with her. In you go child.' And with one massive shove Miss Boot propelled poor Jenny forcefully through the gate and into the old woman's arms. The old lady stared at the bossy Miss Boot and then down at the child's timid face hiding inside a red duffle coat hood. She understood the situation perfectly.
'I do take in animals Mrs Boot.' she said calmly 'But I prefer to take in children, especially little girls in red coats.' and she gave Jenny a reassuring wink.
'Excellent excellent.' said Miss Boot. 'We all have to do our bit … and it's MISS not MRS. As soon as I can arrange a better home for..for..well for thingy, then I will call to collect her. Well must dash, things to do, people to organise. There is a war on you know!'
And with those words and no goodbye to Jenny, Miss Boot climbed back into her car and drove off. Jenny and the old lady stared in silence as the car tail lights quickly vanished into the night. The old lady still had a tin bowl in one hand, the other arm she put softly around Jenny's shoulders.
'You put this bowl down on the path for me my little red robin' she whispered 'and watch what happens.'
Jenny was very upset at being dumped on a complete stranger in the dark and really she wanted to cry, but she was a brave girl and did as the old lady asked. Jenny watched in amazement as a big Mother hedgehog and her troop of prickly babies came rushing out of the dark bushes, onto the moonlit path, and clambered excitedly into the bowl their little pink feet wriggling over the rim in excitement as they tucked into their supper.
'No pushing kiddies.' said the old lady, waggling her finger playfully at the hedgehogs. 'There's always plenty for everyone at Mawpin cottage.'
Then the old lady gave Jenny's hand a gentle squeeze. 'Tinned cat food, that's what you feed hotchies, never give them bread and milk or the babies will choke on it. I promise there is nothing to be scared of here little robin. Hod-me-dod-lee is a lovely place and I’m really happy you’re here.' Hand in hand the little couple followed the moonlit garden path, round to the back of the old cottage and in through the low kitchen door.
When Jenny stepped into the brightly lit kitchen her eyes nearly popped out. Never in her life had she seen a kitchen like it. It was as if the circus had arrived and every clown in England had brought his clothes round to be washed at the same time. The kitchen ceiling had wooden beams, but you could barely see them beneath the festoon of brightly coloured shirts, coats, scarves and pairs of old trousers. Nearly everything had check, striped or spotted patches on them and the air was steamy and heady with the scent of warm lavender.
'Bring yourself in little robin' smiled the old lady. 'Excuse the mess. It's hiring day tomorrow and I must get my washing aired. You get yourself warm by the stove and I'll fetch the tin opener. I expect your little cat would like some tinned cat food.'
'I don't think he'd eat it.' said Jenny shyly. 'Ooty only likes sardines, he's got some in his basket.' And Jenny picked out a tin and handed it over.
The huge kitchen fireplace filled one wall and contained a big old fashioned black iron cooking stove piled high with shiny clean saucepans, cake tins and silver baking trays. On the mantle shelf above were dozens of china cats, all different in size and colour and all grinning happily. In the middle of them all was a wooden Napoleon hat clock. The time was 7.40. Next to the stove was a squashy red velvet armchair. Jenny sat down and sunk into it.
'Do I call you Miss or Mrs?' she asked in a whisper.
The old lady looked down at Jenny and winked again. She was small in height and as round as a berry. Her eyes were just like Ooty's, not cat shaped but the same sky blue and just as twinkly.
'Poppy Mawpin, that's my name, but everyone calls me Ma so you can too if you like.'
Ma lifted Ooty onto the wooden kitchen table and opened the tin of sardines for him. As she bent over to dish the fish onto a saucer, Ooty reached up and kissed Ma on the side of her nose.
'Well blow me down to Devon.' exclaimed Ma in surprise. 'Why ever did he do that?'
Jenny grinned. 'He's just saying thank you for his supper, I taught him to do it.'
'And what about your supper little robin? You must be hungry too, how about a nice big farm egg with buttered soldiers followed by a bowl of pobs?
'Yes please' said Jenny, 'I haven't had an egg for ages, but I don't know what pobs is.'
'Oh probs is lovely.' said Ma. 'You'll love it...and you don't need to kiss me nose for it.'
At that, Ma and Jenny both gave a little giggle which immediately made Jenny feel much more relaxed about being in a stranger's house.
A radio was on in another room and some quiet but cheerful dance music was playing. Jenny smiled as Ma hummed to the music and wiggled her hips as she bustled about in her cluttered little kitchen preparing the food - all the time ducking under the colourful clothes that kept plopping down on her head. Jenny guessed she was a very old lady indeed, probably over a hundred, but on closer inspection she appeared to have surprisingly few wrinkles for such an old person. Her cheeks looked as soft and plump as pink marshmallows and her small pink lips had no wrinkles at all and smiled all the time, like she knew a secret and wasn't telling. Her white hair was very soft and fluffy and after parting in the middle it wrapped itself around her face and ended in a plump white sausage at the back.
Ma gave Jenny a glass of blackcurrant juice while she busied herself at the table buttering and cutting the bread into soldiers. Jenny watched her with interest. She saw that Ma's red fluffy slippers tapped to the music and the poppy flowered apron she wore covered her all over and seemed to have it's work cut out keeping all of her wobbly bits tied up in the right places. Jenny thought Ma was the nicest person she had ever met. Suddenly, without any warning, tears began to trickle down Jenny's flushed cheeks. Ma noticed immediately and knelt down on the floor and hugged her.
'Come on little robin, you have a good cry and then tell me all about it. You're safe here with me, there's nothing to worry about now.'
Her voice was so soothing and sincere.
Ooty jumped up onto the arm of the chair and joined in the hug. He couldn't bare to see Jenny upset. He stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on her shoulder and licked away her wet salty tears. Jenny told Ma all about herself. How she's be found abandoned as a baby in a hospital waiting room because her Mother hadn't wanted her. How all the friends she made were always adopted and taken away but no one ever chose her, even the horrible Miss Boot didn't want her, and she guessed Ma wouldn't want her and Ooty for long either ...but she was never going to be parted from Ooty because the wishing star had brought him to her. And, she sobbed, old bossy Boots had left her suitcase behind on the path so now she didn't have any clothes. Ma listened sadly and held Jenny tight until she had stopped crying, then she k
issed her on her flushed cheeks and said.
'Right then my little robin, when I manage to get up off this floor, I'll tell you what I think. You and Ooty should stay here with me for as long as you want to stay. Because I would never let anyone take you away, and I would certainly never ever turn either of you out. And don't you worry about clothes, clothes is just things, we can always get you some more.' Jenny sniffed and listened to Ma carefully.
'Besides, I don't believe in children being unhappy, it stops them growing properly so we'll have none of it in this house. I have been happy since the day I was born and look how big I grew. ' Jenny stopped sniffing and began to smile as little old Ma stuck her tummy out and wobbled it around. Then she wiped Jenny's face with her apron and looked at the clock.
'Well I never. I do believe it's one second to happiness time and it starts......now.' The clock chimed eight times. Jenny chuckled. Ma was funny and Jenny was liking her more and more.
'You go hang your coat up in the hall' said Ma 'then come and eat your egg. What's your name little Robin I can't believe I forgot to ask you.'
'It's Jenny. Jenny Ruddock.'
'Well blow me down on a sunny day.’ said Ma delighted 'I just knew it would be, I love all birds.'
Jenny looked puzzled.
'Jenny wren' said Ma.' That's the smallest prettiest bird in the whole of England and it just had to be Ruddock because a ruddock is a robin red breast. Suites you perfectly.'
Jenny didn't know before that her name had a meaning but she liked being named after two pretty birds. She went into the hall to hang up her duffle coat.
Like the kitchen, the hall ceiling had wooden beams. A twisty staircase wriggled up the right hand wall and colourful patchwork mats covered the floor. The walls were white and decorated with paintings of cats and flowers and lots of wild birds. There was a row of hooks by the front door and Jenny had to jump to hang up her coat. Then she looked into the room on the left where the music was coming from. The sitting room was very clean and smelt of wax furniture polish. The light was off but the room was brilliantly lit by a real fire glowing in a fire place that was so big Jenny could have stood up in it even if she's been wearing a top hat. There was a big painting of a house over the fireplace and Jenny guessed it the house she was in, Mawpin cottage. There were more of the same old fashioned beams on the sitting room ceiling and a few on the walls too hung with china plates. The curtains were closed and made of red poppy flowered fabric as were the chair and sofa covers, even the rug on the wooden floor had red flowers on it. Poppies were clearly a favourite theme in Ma's house. Jenny liked it. It was how she had always imagined a proper home would look like, old fashioned but cosy so you felt safe.
The egg and buttered soldiers were yummy, as was the pobs that followed.
Pobs is buttered bread squares soaked in a bowl of hot milk. It's then sprinkled with sultanas and thick brown demerara sugar. A bit like bread and butter pudding. Then the bowl goes under the grill so the sugar melts into toffee. Then of course you have to blow on it until it cools down.
Jenny and Ooty liked the pobs....but Ooty wasn't sure about the sultanas so he played flicking those around the kitchen table for a while, just in case they were a new kind of beetle he hadn't been introduced to.
'Is Ooty a good mouser ?' asked Ma sipping her tea from a large cup with a smiling tabby cat's face on it.
'Very' said Jenny.' I taught him to chase mice. Miss Boot's house was full of them when I first got there, they'd chewed holes in everything, even my bed. We practised first with a paper mouse and them Ooty chased the real ones away and I washed all the bed clothes myself.'
'Then I have a job for you tomorrow little man.' said Ma tickling Ooty's chin. 'And you too my little wren. I hope you like making cakes. I've got a busy day ahead and could always do with an extra pair of baking hands.'
Jenny was thrilled, she loved cooking and had always wanted to learn how to make cakes. Ma noticed Jenny's eyes were now desperately trying to stay open. 'Perhaps it's time for bed now eh my little robin? You can nest in with me tonight and I'll sort your bedroom out for you tomorrow.'
Jenny was too tired to ask any more questions and followed Ma up the twisty stairs.
Standing in Ma's bedroom Jenny giggled as she looked down at the red nightie she had been given to wear. It swamped her like a circus tent, dragging on the floor with the sleeves hanging down to her knees, but it smelt of lavender, which was nice because lavender helps you sleep well.
''Oh well it'll keep you warm tonight my little tomato.' chuckled Ma. 'In you pop.' and she turned back the big red puffy eiderdown, before tucking Jenny snugly in. Then she placed a night light on the bedside table. It was a little toadstool house that gave out a pinky glow through it's red spotted roof. Then she turned off the main light. Ma's bed was so big and so soft that Jenny's eyes closed before she could say goodnight. Ooty climbed in next to her and closed his eyes too. Ma looked down at the small child asleep in her bed and sighed.
'Sleep well little Jenny. The Robins told me you'd be coming one day.'