I want your advice I’ll ask for it – until then keep out of here and leave things alone. If I wanted this place sorted I would do it myself.’
‘Yes, Father.’
I turned away, cheeks flaming. Why did he always have to be so harsh? I had only been trying to help. I was upset and annoyed with him for being the way he was, and yet couldn’t help feeling concern. He was my father, even if he didn’t show me any real affection. Sometimes I felt like leaving home, but I didn’t wish him any harm, and I certainly didn’t want him to poison himself with those pills.
I spoke to my mother about the pills when I went up to have my meal later.
‘I’m sure he ought not to be taking half of them,’ I said. ‘One of the bottles has a label that says the preparation contains arsenic. I thought that was poison?’
‘It is.’ She gave me an odd look. ‘Are you sure you read the label right?’
‘Yes.’ I frowned. ‘I read something once in a book about people taking small doses of arsenic as a medicine, but I can’t remember what it was supposed to cure.’
‘Folk used all sorts years ago,’ Mother said. ‘No one goes to the doctor if they can help it. Harold is always looking for something different to cure his own troubles. I suppose he knows what he’s doing. I’ve never been able to tell him anything. If I had my way he would go to the doctor, but you know what he is.’
‘It just seems so silly, Mum.’ I looked at her and sighed. ‘Ben said he thought Sheila Tomms might be having a baby. Have you heard anything?’
‘No, I haven’t – but it wouldn’t surprise me. She’s a silly girl, Emma. If she carries on the way she is no one will marry her. I’ve seen what happens to her sort before and I’d have thought she’d have more sense.’
‘I feel sorry for her if it’s true.’
‘So do I,’ Mother admitted. ‘Her mother won’t be able to help her much. She will probably have to go away where no one knows her. Her life will be a misery if she stays round here. You’ve heard the way they gossip. She’ll lose her job for starters.’
‘I wonder who the father is? If it’s true, that is.’
‘Goodness knows. Let’s just hope he decides to do the decent thing and marry her!’
I found it difficult to sleep that night. It was partly excitement, but other things kept running through my mind – like those pills in Father’s drawer. Why did he leave them there and not in his bedroom? And why buy a medicine that contained a dangerous substance?
I couldn’t answer either question so tried thinking about something else.
Was Sheila pregnant – and if so, who was the father?
Why did she keep mentioning Richard? Making out she didn’t like him much one minute, then saying she was going to go out with him the next?
It didn’t matter. I turned over and closed my eyes, making a conscious effort to get to sleep. If I lay here thinking all night, I would have shadows under my eyes in the morning, and I wanted to look my best for Paul.
Paul brought flowers for my mother when he collected me the next day – a beautiful bouquet of scented roses and lilies, which must have come from a high-class florist and which were obviously expensive.
‘To say thank you.’ He smiled as he presented them, then turned to me. ‘You look lovely, Emma. That colour suits you – you should wear it more often.’
I thanked him, feeling both nervous and excited as I went out to the car with him. Would his parents like me? Would they think me suitable for their son?
‘Where is the concert being held?’ I asked as he drew away from the kerb. ‘I’ve never been to one before. I’m afraid I don’t know much about music – not classical music anyway.’
‘I’ll teach you,’ he said, sending me a smile that set my heart on a dizzy spin. ‘Trust me, Emma. I promise you it’s going to be fun.’
I glanced out of the window. It was an overcast day, much cooler than it had been for a while. I was glad
‘Yes, Father.’
I turned away, cheeks flaming. Why did he always have to be so harsh? I had only been trying to help. I was upset and annoyed with him for being the way he was, and yet couldn’t help feeling concern. He was my father, even if he didn’t show me any real affection. Sometimes I felt like leaving home, but I didn’t wish him any harm, and I certainly didn’t want him to poison himself with those pills.
I spoke to my mother about the pills when I went up to have my meal later.
‘I’m sure he ought not to be taking half of them,’ I said. ‘One of the bottles has a label that says the preparation contains arsenic. I thought that was poison?’
‘It is.’ She gave me an odd look. ‘Are you sure you read the label right?’
‘Yes.’ I frowned. ‘I read something once in a book about people taking small doses of arsenic as a medicine, but I can’t remember what it was supposed to cure.’
‘Folk used all sorts years ago,’ Mother said. ‘No one goes to the doctor if they can help it. Harold is always looking for something different to cure his own troubles. I suppose he knows what he’s doing. I’ve never been able to tell him anything. If I had my way he would go to the doctor, but you know what he is.’
‘It just seems so silly, Mum.’ I looked at her and sighed. ‘Ben said he thought Sheila Tomms might be having a baby. Have you heard anything?’
‘No, I haven’t – but it wouldn’t surprise me. She’s a silly girl, Emma. If she carries on the way she is no one will marry her. I’ve seen what happens to her sort before and I’d have thought she’d have more sense.’
‘I feel sorry for her if it’s true.’
‘So do I,’ Mother admitted. ‘Her mother won’t be able to help her much. She will probably have to go away where no one knows her. Her life will be a misery if she stays round here. You’ve heard the way they gossip. She’ll lose her job for starters.’
‘I wonder who the father is? If it’s true, that is.’
‘Goodness knows. Let’s just hope he decides to do the decent thing and marry her!’
I found it difficult to sleep that night. It was partly excitement, but other things kept running through my mind – like those pills in Father’s drawer. Why did he leave them there and not in his bedroom? And why buy a medicine that contained a dangerous substance?
I couldn’t answer either question so tried thinking about something else.
Was Sheila pregnant – and if so, who was the father?
Why did she keep mentioning Richard? Making out she didn’t like him much one minute, then saying she was going to go out with him the next?
It didn’t matter. I turned over and closed my eyes, making a conscious effort to get to sleep. If I lay here thinking all night, I would have shadows under my eyes in the morning, and I wanted to look my best for Paul.
Paul brought flowers for my mother when he collected me the next day – a beautiful bouquet of scented roses and lilies, which must have come from a high-class florist and which were obviously expensive.
‘To say thank you.’ He smiled as he presented them, then turned to me. ‘You look lovely, Emma. That colour suits you – you should wear it more often.’
I thanked him, feeling both nervous and excited as I went out to the car with him. Would his parents like me? Would they think me suitable for their son?
‘Where is the concert being held?’ I asked as he drew away from the kerb. ‘I’ve never been to one before. I’m afraid I don’t know much about music – not classical music anyway.’
‘I’ll teach you,’ he said, sending me a smile that set my heart on a dizzy spin. ‘Trust me, Emma. I promise you it’s going to be fun.’
I glanced out of the window. It was an overcast day, much cooler than it had been for a while. I was glad
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