Read Online A Promise Between Friends by Carol Rivers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carol Rivers
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caught the first bus up to the West
End. She’d just had enough money for a coffee in the El Cabala in Oxford Street.
Would Anna be at home? she wondered. And even if she was, would she be too busy to see her?
Ruby turned off at Marble Arch and made her way to the Edgware Road. As she didn’t know where Dower Street was, she stopped to ask the way in a corner shop selling hardware. She was given
directions to a small square which led to Dower Street. Ruby walked along the rows of white stucco terraces, admiring the pillared front doors and their shining brass letterboxes. Other houses were
not quite so impressive. But peeling paint or not, they all had charm.
Number 10 had broad white steps, gleaming long windows and a basement. Her heart raced.
Following Anna’s instructions, she pressed the red button. Would Anna answer?
The door opened and there stood Anna, just as Ruby remembered her. Tall and slim, with her dark hair swept up at the back of her head. Her green eyes were emphasized by a set of jade earrings
and a chunky glass necklace. The tangerine dress she wore might not have suited everyone, Ruby thought, but against Anna’s creamy complexion it looked wonderful.
‘I thought you had decided not to visit me,’ Anna said, kissing her cheek and drawing her into the beautifully decorated hall. ‘I was beginning to feel forgotten.’
‘We were busy at work,’ Ruby said, surprised by such a warm greeting. ‘Or I would have come sooner.’
‘Never mind, you’re here now. What a wonderful surprise.’
Ruby followed Anna into a large room furnished with two white brocade sofas scattered with silk-covered cushions. Pale, thick rugs lay on the floor. To the rear of the room was a set of white
doors and Ruby could hear voices beyond.
‘You’re entertaining,’ Ruby said, glancing anxiously over Anna’s shoulder. ‘I don’t want to interrupt.’
‘Not at all.’ Anna took her coat. ‘In fact, this is perfect timing.’
Ruby didn’t quite believe her as Anna placed her hands on her hips, studying Ruby carefully. ‘May I say you look charming today.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You have a good figure, my dear. Have you ever done any modelling?’
‘No,’ Ruby replied. ‘But I always wanted to work in fashion.’ She sat on one of the sofas. It was like sitting on a cloud. ‘This is a lovely room.’ She
couldn’t take her eyes from the glass chandeliers sparkling like hundreds of jewels.
‘Thank you,’ Anna said. ‘Would you like tea or coffee?’
‘No, thank you,’ Ruby answered politely. ‘I wanted to phone you first. But I didn’t have a number.’
Anna tilted her head as she sat down and crossed her long legs. ‘Did you enjoy your evening at the Manor?’
‘Yes, very much.’
‘A few of us are going on the 19th. Are you free to come?’
Ruby nodded eagerly.
‘And of course, you’ll stay the night.’
Ruby felt dizzy with excitement. ‘Are you sure?’
‘We’ve plenty of guest rooms upstairs.’
Ruby took a shocked breath. She’d thought this was just a flat. ‘You mean this whole house is yours?’
Anna chuckled. ‘I use it as my office too.’ She reached for a small green box on the long ornate glass coffee table. ‘I know you don’t smoke, but you don’t mind if
I do? It’s a dreadful habit. But I can’t seem to kick it.’
‘No, of course not.’ Ruby felt flattered that Anna had remembered.
‘Tell me more about yourself and this poodle parlour.’ Anna flipped open the top of a silver lighter and held the flame to the filter-tip cigarette.
‘Actually, it’s the only one in the East End.’ Ruby was proud of that.
‘Who runs it?’ Anna asked interestedly.
‘Larry Dickens, a very nice man, and his business partner, Stuart.’
‘How long have you been working there?’
‘Nearly a year,’ Ruby explained. ‘I saw the advert in the Gazette and applied.’
‘You must like animals.’
‘Not especially,’ Ruby admitted shyly.
‘A
End. She’d just had enough money for a coffee in the El Cabala in Oxford Street.
Would Anna be at home? she wondered. And even if she was, would she be too busy to see her?
Ruby turned off at Marble Arch and made her way to the Edgware Road. As she didn’t know where Dower Street was, she stopped to ask the way in a corner shop selling hardware. She was given
directions to a small square which led to Dower Street. Ruby walked along the rows of white stucco terraces, admiring the pillared front doors and their shining brass letterboxes. Other houses were
not quite so impressive. But peeling paint or not, they all had charm.
Number 10 had broad white steps, gleaming long windows and a basement. Her heart raced.
Following Anna’s instructions, she pressed the red button. Would Anna answer?
The door opened and there stood Anna, just as Ruby remembered her. Tall and slim, with her dark hair swept up at the back of her head. Her green eyes were emphasized by a set of jade earrings
and a chunky glass necklace. The tangerine dress she wore might not have suited everyone, Ruby thought, but against Anna’s creamy complexion it looked wonderful.
‘I thought you had decided not to visit me,’ Anna said, kissing her cheek and drawing her into the beautifully decorated hall. ‘I was beginning to feel forgotten.’
‘We were busy at work,’ Ruby said, surprised by such a warm greeting. ‘Or I would have come sooner.’
‘Never mind, you’re here now. What a wonderful surprise.’
Ruby followed Anna into a large room furnished with two white brocade sofas scattered with silk-covered cushions. Pale, thick rugs lay on the floor. To the rear of the room was a set of white
doors and Ruby could hear voices beyond.
‘You’re entertaining,’ Ruby said, glancing anxiously over Anna’s shoulder. ‘I don’t want to interrupt.’
‘Not at all.’ Anna took her coat. ‘In fact, this is perfect timing.’
Ruby didn’t quite believe her as Anna placed her hands on her hips, studying Ruby carefully. ‘May I say you look charming today.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You have a good figure, my dear. Have you ever done any modelling?’
‘No,’ Ruby replied. ‘But I always wanted to work in fashion.’ She sat on one of the sofas. It was like sitting on a cloud. ‘This is a lovely room.’ She
couldn’t take her eyes from the glass chandeliers sparkling like hundreds of jewels.
‘Thank you,’ Anna said. ‘Would you like tea or coffee?’
‘No, thank you,’ Ruby answered politely. ‘I wanted to phone you first. But I didn’t have a number.’
Anna tilted her head as she sat down and crossed her long legs. ‘Did you enjoy your evening at the Manor?’
‘Yes, very much.’
‘A few of us are going on the 19th. Are you free to come?’
Ruby nodded eagerly.
‘And of course, you’ll stay the night.’
Ruby felt dizzy with excitement. ‘Are you sure?’
‘We’ve plenty of guest rooms upstairs.’
Ruby took a shocked breath. She’d thought this was just a flat. ‘You mean this whole house is yours?’
Anna chuckled. ‘I use it as my office too.’ She reached for a small green box on the long ornate glass coffee table. ‘I know you don’t smoke, but you don’t mind if
I do? It’s a dreadful habit. But I can’t seem to kick it.’
‘No, of course not.’ Ruby felt flattered that Anna had remembered.
‘Tell me more about yourself and this poodle parlour.’ Anna flipped open the top of a silver lighter and held the flame to the filter-tip cigarette.
‘Actually, it’s the only one in the East End.’ Ruby was proud of that.
‘Who runs it?’ Anna asked interestedly.
‘Larry Dickens, a very nice man, and his business partner, Stuart.’
‘How long have you been working there?’
‘Nearly a year,’ Ruby explained. ‘I saw the advert in the Gazette and applied.’
‘You must like animals.’
‘Not especially,’ Ruby admitted shyly.
‘A
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