Read Online Act of Will by Barbara Taylor Bradford - Free Book Online Page A

incorrigible, Miss Thornton. And that really
was
a little mean of you. Why, you’ve gone and ruined that poor young woman’s day.’
    ‘I jolly well hope I have!’ Gwen cried with a show of indignation. ‘She’s a right tartar, that one, Audra.’
    ‘Perhaps she has bad feet—or a bad love life.’
    ‘I don’t know what she’s got. Yes, I do—a nasty manner, that’s a certainty. I remember
her
from past experience. Oh yes I do, very well, Audra. She’s always snotty-nosed with the customers, especially the older folk. I noticed her giving that grey-haired lady over there a hard time before you arrived. So it
does
serve her right.’
    ‘I suppose it does,’ Audra agreed. Like Gwen, she loathed unkindness, the small unnecessary cruelties inflicted on the weak by the strong. Besides, the waitress had been extremely short with them, to the point of rudeness.
    There was a small silence, and then Audra reached for her handbag, took out some coins and placed them on the table in front of Gwen. ‘Before I forget, this is what I owe you. The one and six I borrowed when I bought the blue dress.’
    Gwen was about to say it didn’t matter, to refuse the coins, then she thought better of it. Audra was very proudand she would be insulted; she might even take umbrage and that Gwen could not bear. And so she picked up the money and said, ‘Thanks very much, lovey.’
    ‘I
am
glad your mother has recovered her health at long last,’ Audra said with genuine feeling. ‘I know these last few months have been very worrying for you, and such hard work as well.’
    Gwen let out a tiny sigh. ‘Yes, Mum’s out of the woods, thank goodness. But I don’t mind telling you, she’s been a trying patient, Audra. Hard to keep in bed. The minute she felt stronger she wanted to be up and about.’ Gwen pursed her lips and sighed again. ‘Well, you know what Mum’s like, a typical Yorkshire-woman, very tough, who believes it’s a crime to be ill. My father has finally convinced her she must take it easy, so that’s all right then. But listen, Audra, enough of this… tell me
your
news. You didn’t say much in your letters, except for boring bits and pieces about the
boring
hospital.’
    ‘There wasn’t anything special to tell,’ Audra replied, amused at the eager and expectant expression which had suddenly appeared on Gwen’s dimpled face. ‘Certainly nothing startling. It hasn’t taken
you
very long to forget that Ripon’s a sleepy old backwater, not a great big metropolis like Leeds.’
    Gwen giggled. ‘’Course I haven’t forgotten, silly. But what I meant was how’re your brothers? What’ve you heard recently?’
    ‘Frederick’s health has seemingly improved—at long last. At least, so William wrote and told me. I was very upset with them both in June, though.’ Audra’s face changed slightly and the light in her eyes dulled. ‘I thought they had forgotten all about me… and my birthday, but then their card finally did arrive… two weeks late.’
    ‘That’s brothers for you, Audra, they’re a bit daft at times,’ Gwen said swiftly, wanting to make her friend feel better. It struck her once more how sad Audra’s nineteenth birthday had been. She vowed to make it up to her on her birthday next year.
    Audra said, ‘Anyway, how are your brothers?’
    ‘In top form. Jem’s got himself a job as a copy boy on the
Leeds Mercury
, Harry’s going to be apprenticed to one of the leading architects in Leeds, and our Charlie’s flying high, feeling very chuffed with himself.’ A huge grin spread across Gwen’s face.
    Audra looked at her curiously. ‘Why is Charlie so pleased?’
    ‘Because he got
very
high marks in his exams, Audra. Dad’s really proud of him, and so am I. Anyway, old Charlie can’t wait to get back to medical school now that the summer hols are just about over. Oh, and that reminds me, he asked to be remembered to you.’ Gwen’s eyes took on a wicked twinkle and she brought her fair