Page 13 of The Duplicate Duke
Pokers and tongs,
Say the bells of St.John’s.
Kettles and pans,
Say the bells of St.Ann’s.
Old Father Baldpate,
Say the slow bells of Aldgate.
“On a return trip to London, I must give you both a tour of these churches and steeples,” said Wickton.“We have some beautiful chapels.”
“We’ll look forward to that,” Gwen said.Handsomeandthoughtful.
“I remember more,” exclaimed Mama.
You owe me ten shillings,
Say the bells of St.Helen’s.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
Gwen sang along:
Pray when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.
Her cousin added his deep timbre:
Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.
Chop chop chop chop
The last man’s dead!
“Mama, do you remember the time Gr… Gwendolyn threw a tantrum when she was caught in the trap at the end of the song?”
Her mother’s eyes went wide, then she caught herself, and nodded.“Oh, my.She tried to throw herself against the arms of the poor girls holding her hostage.She was successful.She broke through the gate and fell right into a mud puddle.Oh, the outrage!”
Gwen laughed at the memory, forgetting Wickton had lost a sister and her family.She put a hand on his arm.“Do you miss her?”
He instinctively understood who she meant, his face slack as his smile disappeared.“Every day.But I’m no longer alone.I have family once again.”Wickton put his arm around Gwen’s shoulder and squeezed, the smile returning.“You have no idea how much it means to me to have both of you here.”
“We are happy to have found another relative too.”Gwen resisted the urge to lay her cheek against the hand resting on her shoulder.When he removed it, her skin felt chilled, and she longed to have his warmth again.
