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Chapter nine

Nell Gets a Job

When they had started to move along the road, Nell looked round the caravan more closely. It was clean and comfortable and had a kitchen with a stove and a separate sleeping area at the back.

After a few minutes the woman reached out and picked up a large piece of paper. She put it on the floor in front of Nell.

‘There, child,’ she said, pointing to some large black letters at the top of the huge piece of paper.

Nell read the first words on the poster: ‘Jarley’s Waxworks.’

‘That’s me,’ said the lady. ‘I am Mrs Jarley.’

Then Nell read, ‘Jarley’s world-famous waxworks - the best collection of real waxworks in the world. One hundred life sized wax figures!’

‘Can I see the figures, ma’am?’ asked Nell.

‘Of course,’ said Mrs Jarley, smiling proudly. ‘They have been taken in other vans to the town. We’re going to the same town so I’m sure you’ll see the collection.’

‘I don’t know if we will stay there long,’ said the child. ‘Why not?’ cried Mrs Jarley. ‘Where are you going?’

‘We’re I don’t know,’ replied Nell.

‘Do you mean that you’re travelling about the country without knowing where you’re going?’ said Mrs Jarley.

‘We are poor people, travelling without any plans, ma’am,’ explained Nell, who was a little surprised by these sudden questions.

‘Are you beggars then?’ asked Mrs Jarley.

‘Well,’ replied the child, ‘yes, I suppose we are.’

‘Oh’ said Mrs Jarley. ‘But you can obviously read. And probably write as well, can’t you?’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Nell.

‘Well, that’s interesting,’ replied Mrs Jarley, ‘because I don’t know how to write myself.’

They sat in silence for a few minutes while Mrs Jarley spent some time thinking. Then a few moments later she said, ‘Would you like a job with me? I’d look after you well.’

‘No, I can’t leave my grandfather,’ answered Nell, with a worried look on her face. ‘What would happen to him without me? He’s not well.’

Mrs Jarley had seen the way the old man sat looking into space and holding Nell’s hand. She thought for a moment, then she said, ‘I need you to talk to the crowds and tell them all about the waxworks. You can help me to write letters too. Your grandfather could help by looking after the figures and cleaning them. I will give you food and somewhere to sleep, and pay you as well.’

Nell was happy to accept her offer.

They arrived at the edge of the town at about midnight and the driver, whose name was George, stopped the caravan next to the other waxworks vans. There was now more than enough room for them to sleep. Nell’s grandfather would sleep in one of the empty vans and Nell would sleep in Mrs Jarley’s comfortable caravan.

Nell had just said goodnight to her grandfather and was returning to the other caravan when she stopped and looked around her. It was a calm, quiet night and she thought that the caravans looked pretty in the moonlight. As she stood there, she saw something moving in the shadows further down the street. Suddenly, someone stepped forward. She recognized him immediately. It was the ugly, frightening Quilp!

Without a moment’s thought, Nell stepped into the shadows. Luckily Quilp had not seen her and she watched him as he walked quickly down the street away from her.

That night Nell found it difficult to sleep. Why was Quilp in this town? Had he come here looking for them? The child felt frightened and was glad that Mrs Jarley was sleeping near her.

The next morning Nell and her grandfather helped Mrs Jarley and George to prepare the exhibition in a hall in the centre of the town. Soon everything was ready and all the wax figures were dressed and in their correct positions. Mrs Jarley then spent several hours teaching Nell the name and history of each of the wax figures so that she could tell the crowds about them later in the day.

The day went very well and lots of people paid to see the waxworks. Nell enjoyed working and felt lucky to have a job and somewhere safe to sleep. But she never stopped worrying that Quilp might still be in the town, and that he might try to take her and her grandfather away.