Lingard181

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and was proud of it. "What was^is the use of keeping women in the house,"
he said "if you ha^ve to do their work for them?"

Kevin boiled the potatoes but pouredxx off the water too soon so
that the potatoes were still hard. ^{He shook his head with disgust when they sat down to eat their dinner.}

"I tried then with a knife, like Ma said." He shook his head.

"Never mindx" Brede smiled. "We can still eat them. You’ll get
the hang of it in no time. You've done very well, Kev. I'll wash
up afterwards and one of the others can dry. ^{You'll be going out?"}

"I;m going out this evening" he said^{He nodded.}

It was Wednesday. He met Sadie He went out every Wednesday. He
met Sadie at Mr Blake's. They arrived and left at different times
and they sat in the kitchen at the back of the house. On Satu He
spent Saturdays with Sadie too. They met outsied the city somewhere,
usually in the country, well away from people. Sadie brought food and
drink and many days they saw no one else at all. They waded in streams
climbed trees, lay in meadows in the sun listening to the continuous
chorus of the birds. Long summer days at the end of which he returned
home flushed with air and contented. K He knew that Brede knew that^suspected
he was meeting Sadie again though they never mentioned it. Some-
times she would put her hand on his arm and say, "Take care", but
that was all.

"She's a fine sister to have," he said to Sadie that evening. "I
hope she gets a good man. She'll marry in a year or two^,I fancy,and
have lots of kids."

"Just like your mother."