Kitty Neale 3 Book Bundle. Kitty Neale

that to the landlord.’

      ‘I’ve only had dealings with the agent so how come you got to speak to Mr Jacobs? I don’t even know how to get in touch with him.’

      ‘Where there’s a will there’s a way,’ Rose told her.

      ‘Give me his address or phone number then,’ Lydia demanded.

      ‘I don’t think he likes it bandied about, but you could try asking the agent.’

      ‘I will. You can be sure of that,’ Lydia said stiffly, but she kept hold of the food that Rose had given her as she marched out.

      Rose was too happy to care. No more bar work at the Park Tavern, she thought, no more putting up with the owner’s groping hands. She hadn’t told him she was leaving. He’d find out soon enough when she didn’t

      turn up for work, and until they found a replacement his fat, lazy wife would have to do a bit of work for a change.

      With a final look around, Rose picked up her suitcase. It was time to go – time to start her new life.

      Amy was in the stock room with Carol. She tried to draw her friend out, but Carol didn’t want to talk. Amy felt as though she had lost her friend; the chatty, funny, vivacious girl she’d known was so different now that it was like trying to talk to a stranger. She still tried, saying now, ‘Did you go out over the weekend?’

      ‘No,’ was the short reply.

      ‘Tommy took me to the funfair in Battersea Park.’

      ‘Lucky you.’

      There was a hint of sarcasm in Carol’s tone and struck by a thought, Amy said, ‘Are you annoyed with me because I’m still dating Tommy and we don’t see much of each other outside of work now?’

      ‘No. Why should I be?’

      ‘I know you don’t approve of him.’

      ‘Amy, I take back everything I said about Tommy. From what you’ve told me, he’s a decent bloke and believe me, as they’re few and far between you should hold on to him.’

      ‘Carol, you sound so bitter. Has someone hurt you? Let you down?’

      ‘Questions, questions! I’m sick of your questions,’ she said, her voice rising.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ Amy said quickly. ‘It’s just that I hate to see you like this and if I can, I want to help.’

      The hard mask slipped, and looking as though she was about to cry, Carol said, ‘You can’t help me, Amy. Nobody can.’

      ‘What is going on out here?’ Mrs Jones, their new manageress, asked in a sharp voice. ‘I heard raised voices.’

      ‘Nothing, Mrs Jones,’ Amy said, drawing the woman’s eyes to her while Carol quickly looked down at the stock list. ‘I slipped a bit on the ladder, that’s all, and sort of yelped a bit.’

      ‘Well, be more careful in future and Carol, we have customers so I need you in the shop,’ the manageress said.

      As the two of them left the stock room, Amy could have screamed. She had managed to get Carol talking at last, but now the moment had passed.

      The rest of the day passed with little opportunity for her to speak privately to Carol again, but as they left work at five thirty, Amy knew she’d have a chance as they walked home.

      ‘Amy, I’ve got to go somewhere. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,’ Carol said, turning to quickly head off in the other direction.

      Startled, and with no time to say anything, Amy was left to wonder where Carol was going, but came up with no answers. She walked home alone, going over and over in her mind what Carol had said that morning in the stock room. She had said that nobody could help her, but what did that mean?

      When at last Amy turned into Lark Rise, an awful thought had begun to form. No, it couldn’t be that. As far as she knew Carol hadn’t been out with a boy for ages – but all thoughts of Carol were driven from her mind when she drew level with Tommy’s house and he came running out of the door to speak to her.

      ‘Amy, I’m sorry, but I can’t see you tonight.’

      His face looked drawn and worriedly she said, ‘It’s all right, I don’t mind, but what’s wrong?’

      ‘I’m not supposed to say anything, but I know I can trust you to keep this to yourself. It’s my dad. He’s left my mum and she’s in a dreadful state. She’s been up and down all day, one minute angry; the next in tears.’

      Tommy looked so upset, and laying a hand on his arm, she said, ‘Don’t worry, he’s sure to come back soon.’

      ‘I doubt that. He’s gone off with another woman.’

      ‘Oh, Tommy, no wonder your mum’s in a state.’

      ‘I’ll have to get back to her, but if I can, I’ll see you tomorrow.’

      Amy stood on tiptoe to kiss him, and giving her a swift hug, Tommy went back inside. She thought she saw the lace curtains twitch, as though his mother had been watching them, yet for once she felt sorry for her. Amy sadly walked the rest of the way home.

      ‘Why the long face?’ Phyllis asked her daughter when she arrived home from work.

      Amy hesitated for a fraction of a minute, but then said, ‘I can’t tell you unless you both promise to keep it to yourself?’

      ‘Keep what to ourselves?’ Phyllis asked.

      ‘Promise me first,’ Amy urged.

      ‘All right, all right, I promise,’ Phyllis agreed.

      ‘Dad?’ Amy asked, looking at him.

      ‘I’m not interested in women’s gossip, but yeah, all right.’

      Amy hesitated for a moment again, but then said, ‘Tommy’s dad has gone off with another woman. He said his mum’s in a terrible state.’

      Phyllis’s stomach turned as she asked, ‘What woman?’

      ‘I don’t know,’ Amy said.

      To Phyllis’s surprise, it was Stan who voiced her thoughts.

      ‘I can guess,’ he said. ‘I reckon he’s gone off with Rose.’

      ‘Auntie Rose?’ Amy exclaimed, her eyes widening with surprise.

      ‘I know I told you to call her auntie when you were a child, but you can drop it now. She’s your second cousin,’ Phyllis said. ‘But, Stan, what makes you think she’s gone off with Tommy’s dad?’

      ‘I’ve seen her flirting with George when he’s in the Park Tavern,’ Stan told her.

      ‘That doesn’t mean anything. My cousin flirts with anything in trousers,’ Phyllis said, though inwardly felt she was clutching at straws.

      ‘Yeah, that’s true,’ Stan conceded. ‘But if she isn’t behind the bar this evening, I reckon I’ll be proved right.’

      Phyllis looked at her daughter and saw that the ramifications hadn’t sunk in yet. She dreaded to think how Celia Frost would react when she found out that her husband had run off with a member of their family. Amy had looked so happy lately, but now, thanks to Rose, all that was likely to change.

       Chapter Twelve

      Frank Cole arrived home from work that same evening, hungry and ready for his dinner, but walked into a silent house. Daphne wasn’t in the kitchen, and he was puzzled to find that she wasn’t upstairs either. He was annoyed that she hadn’t left a note to say where she was going, but