Read Online A Cuckoo in Candle Lane by Kitty Neale - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kitty Neale
Ads: Link
she thought.
It was nearly one o’clock before Ken turned up at the pub, and her eyes widened as he approached the bar. There was an air of suppressed excitement about him and his dark eyes sparkled with mischief.
‘Give us a pint, Babs, and ’ave a drink yourself,’ he grinned, giving her a cheeky wink.
‘You’re looking pleased with yourself. Come up on the Pools, ’ave you?’
‘No, but something else has turned up, and if things go well, we could be away soon.’
Her heart skipped a beat. ‘Oh Ken, do you really mean it?’
‘Oi, Babs, how about serving down here? That’s if you can tear yourself away from Lover Boy,’ a customer shouted.
‘Sorry, darling,’ she whispered. ‘Back in a minute. Yeah, what can I get you?’ she asked the customer impatiently, barely giving him a glance.
‘I’ll ’ave a pint of me usual, and you’d better watch your step if you don’t want yer pretty face ruined.’
‘What did you say? Are you threatening me?’
‘Oh, ain’t you heard the news? It’s not like you to miss out on the grapevine, Babs.’ He grinned maliciously. ‘No, it ain’t me you’ve got to worry about. Your bloke’s been paroled. He’s due out next week, and from what I’ve heard, he don’t like his birds playing fast and loose with him.’
Barbara’s fingers tightened involuntarily on the glass as she forced her mouth into a smile. ‘Yeah, of course I’ve heard,’ she lied. ‘Here you are, one pint of bitter, that’ll be one and tuppence, please.’ Snatching his money, she threw it into the till, then with her head held high and trying to look unconcerned, she rejoined Ken at the other end of the bar.
‘You look a bit pale. Was that bloke giving you stick?’ he asked.
‘No, it’s all right, I can handle the likes of him. I’m just a bit tired, that’s all. Thank God me shift’s nearly over. You are coming back to my place, aren’t you?’
‘Yeah, of course I am, and I’ve got something to tell you, but I don’t want to talk about it in here.’
Barbara’s right, Ken thought, as he hurried to Mary’s house. She had told him to strike while the iron was hot, pointing out that even though he’d persuaded Ruth not to go to the police, she might change her mind.
‘I wanna see Harry,’ he demanded when Mary answered his knock, staring at him in panic.
‘You had better come in,’ she said, her voice trembling.
‘No, I ain’t coming in. Get him out here – and now!’ he shouted when he saw her hesitate.
‘All right, I’m here,’ Harry said, appearing in the doorway. ‘Mary, go inside. It would be better if you leave us alone,’ he urged.
Ken smirked. ‘Yeah, off you go, love. This might be a bit delicate for your sensitive ears. Now come on, Harry, get yer coat on. You and me are going for a little walk.’
‘Please, Ken. Please don’t hurt him,’ Mary begged.
‘It’s all right, dear,’ Harry said, pushing her gently inside and grabbing his coat from the hallstand. ‘I won’t be long.’
As they walked along side by side, Ken decided to keep quiet until they reached Tooting Common; it would build up the tension to let Harry sweat for a while.
The street was deserted, the sky grey with a hint of rain in the air as they reached the Common. Ken walked across the damp grass to sit on the nearest bench, glancing around to make sure nobody was in earshot. ‘So, what ’ave you got to say for yourself?’ he demanded.
Harry sat down beside him, saying earnestly, ‘Ken, listen, this whole thing has been blown up out of all proportion. I think the world of Sally and I was just giving her a little cuddle.’
‘Don’t give me that! From what Ruth told me, it was more than a cuddle … Anyway,’ he added, turning the screw, ‘she’s going to report it to the police.’
Harry turned, his expression agonised. ‘To tell you the truth, I’ve been expecting them. Mary and I hardly slept a wink last night and I’m surprised that they
It was nearly one o’clock before Ken turned up at the pub, and her eyes widened as he approached the bar. There was an air of suppressed excitement about him and his dark eyes sparkled with mischief.
‘Give us a pint, Babs, and ’ave a drink yourself,’ he grinned, giving her a cheeky wink.
‘You’re looking pleased with yourself. Come up on the Pools, ’ave you?’
‘No, but something else has turned up, and if things go well, we could be away soon.’
Her heart skipped a beat. ‘Oh Ken, do you really mean it?’
‘Oi, Babs, how about serving down here? That’s if you can tear yourself away from Lover Boy,’ a customer shouted.
‘Sorry, darling,’ she whispered. ‘Back in a minute. Yeah, what can I get you?’ she asked the customer impatiently, barely giving him a glance.
‘I’ll ’ave a pint of me usual, and you’d better watch your step if you don’t want yer pretty face ruined.’
‘What did you say? Are you threatening me?’
‘Oh, ain’t you heard the news? It’s not like you to miss out on the grapevine, Babs.’ He grinned maliciously. ‘No, it ain’t me you’ve got to worry about. Your bloke’s been paroled. He’s due out next week, and from what I’ve heard, he don’t like his birds playing fast and loose with him.’
Barbara’s fingers tightened involuntarily on the glass as she forced her mouth into a smile. ‘Yeah, of course I’ve heard,’ she lied. ‘Here you are, one pint of bitter, that’ll be one and tuppence, please.’ Snatching his money, she threw it into the till, then with her head held high and trying to look unconcerned, she rejoined Ken at the other end of the bar.
‘You look a bit pale. Was that bloke giving you stick?’ he asked.
‘No, it’s all right, I can handle the likes of him. I’m just a bit tired, that’s all. Thank God me shift’s nearly over. You are coming back to my place, aren’t you?’
‘Yeah, of course I am, and I’ve got something to tell you, but I don’t want to talk about it in here.’
Barbara’s right, Ken thought, as he hurried to Mary’s house. She had told him to strike while the iron was hot, pointing out that even though he’d persuaded Ruth not to go to the police, she might change her mind.
‘I wanna see Harry,’ he demanded when Mary answered his knock, staring at him in panic.
‘You had better come in,’ she said, her voice trembling.
‘No, I ain’t coming in. Get him out here – and now!’ he shouted when he saw her hesitate.
‘All right, I’m here,’ Harry said, appearing in the doorway. ‘Mary, go inside. It would be better if you leave us alone,’ he urged.
Ken smirked. ‘Yeah, off you go, love. This might be a bit delicate for your sensitive ears. Now come on, Harry, get yer coat on. You and me are going for a little walk.’
‘Please, Ken. Please don’t hurt him,’ Mary begged.
‘It’s all right, dear,’ Harry said, pushing her gently inside and grabbing his coat from the hallstand. ‘I won’t be long.’
As they walked along side by side, Ken decided to keep quiet until they reached Tooting Common; it would build up the tension to let Harry sweat for a while.
The street was deserted, the sky grey with a hint of rain in the air as they reached the Common. Ken walked across the damp grass to sit on the nearest bench, glancing around to make sure nobody was in earshot. ‘So, what ’ave you got to say for yourself?’ he demanded.
Harry sat down beside him, saying earnestly, ‘Ken, listen, this whole thing has been blown up out of all proportion. I think the world of Sally and I was just giving her a little cuddle.’
‘Don’t give me that! From what Ruth told me, it was more than a cuddle … Anyway,’ he added, turning the screw, ‘she’s going to report it to the police.’
Harry turned, his expression agonised. ‘To tell you the truth, I’ve been expecting them. Mary and I hardly slept a wink last night and I’m surprised that they
Similar Books
