105
He was limping badly but walking fairly steadily. At the corner he
turned to wave, then was gone. Sadie moved over on to the front seat
beside Mr Blake.
"I'm hope he'll be all right," she said.
"Don't worry. He'll make it. He' looks a tough one."
Mr Blake drove Sadie home. They parsed several armoured cars
heading in the opposite direction.
"These are bad times, Sadie," sighed Mr Blake. "Especially for
a Catholic Protestant girl to bex keeping company with a Catholic
boy."
"I know," she said soberly. "Do you think I'm mad, Mr Blake?"
"Yes," he said. "And I should probably give you good advice and tell you to give it up.But I like you for it. You can't always walk with the crowd. Especially if you don't like the way they're walking. It takes a bit of courage.
You were never lacking in that."
Sadie felt herself blush again. She was not one who blushed easily but that was twice Mr Blake had made
her blush in a few hours. He was a very open and honest man, she remembered that
for from schooldays. He always said what it was in his mind to say.
He stopped outside her dasrwhouse. She opened the car door.
"Good night, Mr Blake. And thanks for everything. I think you're
just marvelloussuper!"
His blue eyes twinkled. "A few years aback you were probably
saying quite the opposite, eh?"
"I'm changing in ny old age. See you. Thanks again."
She stood on the pavement, waving until he was out of sight.
She was still shaking her head with admiration when Tommy came out
of the front door.
