she’d welcome his company. When he called round to see her, there’d be just the two of them and as his imagination took over, Robin groaned, his hand snaking downwards as he sought release.
Jenny packed, stuffing all that she could into an old rucksack that she had once used for a Guides camping trip, and then finally climbed into bed.
She thought over all that had happened recently. Thanks to Robin blurting it out, everything made more sense. Out of her hearing, her mother musthave suggested that she leave home, but Robin, and perhaps her father, had been against it.
How clever her mother had been, pretending to agree that she was too young, pretending that she cared, convincing Robin that she didn’t want her to go, yet all the time planning a way to drive her out.
Oh, what did it matter? She’d be gone in the morning, her only regret that she wasn’t able to say goodbye to her father. Yet he wasn’t really her father. If he had been he wouldn’t have broken his promise. Feeling the threat of tears, Jenny blinked rapidly.
No, she wouldn’t cry. She was being childish and by acting childishly she had played right into her mother’s hands. It was time to grow up. Tomorrow was going to be the start of a new chapter in her life, one she couldn’t wait to begin.
Chapter Eleven
Edward arrived home at eleven in the morning, two weeks after Jenny’s birthday. He had wanted to be there, had promised to be there for her big day, but when he hadn’t been able to make it he’d rung Delia to explain why. She’d have told Jenny about the fix he’d been in, that in those circumstances it had been impossible to make it home.
He pulled the belated present from the boot of his car, berating himself. He should have at least rung Jenny on her birthday, but he’d been so tied up with sorting things out he hadn’t given it a thought. Delia was right in some things, Edward admitted to himself. He could be thoughtless and his work became his whole focus when he was away from home.
Of course, that hadn’t been the case on Jenny’s birthday, but nevertheless Edward intended to make it up to her this weekend. He’d book a restaurant, they’d all go out for a slap-up meal, and then he’d give her the extra present he had tucked away in hispocket, a lovely little gold pendant she was sure to love.
With a smile on his face in anticipation of his daughter’s welcome, he went inside, calling, ‘Where’s my girl?’
There was no response, the house strangely silent. Puzzled, Edward looked in the drawing room but found it empty, and so he went into the kitchen. Empty again. Where was everyone?
Having expected an excited welcome from Jenny, Edward felt a strong sense of anticlimax as he placed the parcel on the kitchen table before heading for the stairs. At the top he called, ‘Is anyone home?’
Robin came out of his room, saying quietly, ‘Hello, Dad.’
‘Where is everyone?’
‘Mum’s gone shopping, but she should be home soon.’
‘What about Jenny?’
‘Er…you’re not going to like this, Dad, but Jenny’s gone. She left home.’
‘What!’ Edward thundered. ‘When?’
‘She left on her birthday.’
‘But why?’ Edward asked, but then he heard Delia coming in. ‘Oh, don’t tell me, I can guess.’ Turning away from his son, he hurried downstairs to confront his wife. ‘So you’ve done it. While I was away you got rid of Jenny.’
‘I…I did no such thing. She left of her own accord.’
‘Don’t give me that!’
‘It’s true, Dad,’ said Robin, who had followed Edward downstairs.
‘I don’t believe it!’ Edward snapped, dismissing his son as he focused on Delia. ‘Tell me where Jenny is. Whether you like it or not I’m bringing her home.’
Delia’s face drained of colour and Robin went to her side. ‘We don’t know where Jenny is,’ he said.
Edward’s fury mounted as he glared at Delia. ‘Jenny’s a child and you let her leave home with no idea of where she was
Jenny packed, stuffing all that she could into an old rucksack that she had once used for a Guides camping trip, and then finally climbed into bed.
She thought over all that had happened recently. Thanks to Robin blurting it out, everything made more sense. Out of her hearing, her mother musthave suggested that she leave home, but Robin, and perhaps her father, had been against it.
How clever her mother had been, pretending to agree that she was too young, pretending that she cared, convincing Robin that she didn’t want her to go, yet all the time planning a way to drive her out.
Oh, what did it matter? She’d be gone in the morning, her only regret that she wasn’t able to say goodbye to her father. Yet he wasn’t really her father. If he had been he wouldn’t have broken his promise. Feeling the threat of tears, Jenny blinked rapidly.
No, she wouldn’t cry. She was being childish and by acting childishly she had played right into her mother’s hands. It was time to grow up. Tomorrow was going to be the start of a new chapter in her life, one she couldn’t wait to begin.
Chapter Eleven
Edward arrived home at eleven in the morning, two weeks after Jenny’s birthday. He had wanted to be there, had promised to be there for her big day, but when he hadn’t been able to make it he’d rung Delia to explain why. She’d have told Jenny about the fix he’d been in, that in those circumstances it had been impossible to make it home.
He pulled the belated present from the boot of his car, berating himself. He should have at least rung Jenny on her birthday, but he’d been so tied up with sorting things out he hadn’t given it a thought. Delia was right in some things, Edward admitted to himself. He could be thoughtless and his work became his whole focus when he was away from home.
Of course, that hadn’t been the case on Jenny’s birthday, but nevertheless Edward intended to make it up to her this weekend. He’d book a restaurant, they’d all go out for a slap-up meal, and then he’d give her the extra present he had tucked away in hispocket, a lovely little gold pendant she was sure to love.
With a smile on his face in anticipation of his daughter’s welcome, he went inside, calling, ‘Where’s my girl?’
There was no response, the house strangely silent. Puzzled, Edward looked in the drawing room but found it empty, and so he went into the kitchen. Empty again. Where was everyone?
Having expected an excited welcome from Jenny, Edward felt a strong sense of anticlimax as he placed the parcel on the kitchen table before heading for the stairs. At the top he called, ‘Is anyone home?’
Robin came out of his room, saying quietly, ‘Hello, Dad.’
‘Where is everyone?’
‘Mum’s gone shopping, but she should be home soon.’
‘What about Jenny?’
‘Er…you’re not going to like this, Dad, but Jenny’s gone. She left home.’
‘What!’ Edward thundered. ‘When?’
‘She left on her birthday.’
‘But why?’ Edward asked, but then he heard Delia coming in. ‘Oh, don’t tell me, I can guess.’ Turning away from his son, he hurried downstairs to confront his wife. ‘So you’ve done it. While I was away you got rid of Jenny.’
‘I…I did no such thing. She left of her own accord.’
‘Don’t give me that!’
‘It’s true, Dad,’ said Robin, who had followed Edward downstairs.
‘I don’t believe it!’ Edward snapped, dismissing his son as he focused on Delia. ‘Tell me where Jenny is. Whether you like it or not I’m bringing her home.’
Delia’s face drained of colour and Robin went to her side. ‘We don’t know where Jenny is,’ he said.
Edward’s fury mounted as he glared at Delia. ‘Jenny’s a child and you let her leave home with no idea of where she was
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