Read Online The year of the virgins by 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson - Free Book Online
Authors: 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson
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Anyway, we'll stop along the road and see.'
Annette now turned and looked through the back window, saying, 'They're running down the drive.'
'They can run, darling, they can all run, but they'll never catch us.' He glanced at her, his eyes full of love. 'We're free. Do you realise that, sweetheart? We're free.'
'Oh, yes, yes, and in so many ways. Oh, darling, no more worry, no more fear of what might happen if and when . . .'
He lifted one hand from the wheel and, gripping hers, he pulled it swiftly to his lips.
They were nearing the gates that led into the narrow side road as Annette once more turned and looked through the back window, crying now, 'There's Joe and your Dad. They're running side by side.'
And these were the last words she remembered speaking. She saw the pantechnicon. It was like a tower falling
on top of them, yet not falling but lifting them in the air, and their screams sounded to her ears like those of people on the high-flyer just before the car went over and into the dip, and she knew they were going into the dip, because the car had become a great horse, a flying horse. It mounted the railings bordering the fields, then hurtled into the sky, straight into it. And all was quiet.
It was half-past twelve, early on the Sunday morning. At the hospital, Daniel and Joe were seated at one side of a small table, Flo at the other. At another table sat Janet and James Allison, she leaning forward, her elbows on the table, but he sitting bolt upright, yet with his eyes closed. He could have been dozing, except that every now and again he would look with annoyance towards Winifred, who was pacing the room in the clear area in front of the doorway, sixteen steps each way.
No-one could have said when she had first started pacing, though all could have recounted how she had screamed at Daniel when he attempted to lead her by the arm to a chair, and then almost knocked Flo to the ground with that sharp flick of her forearm, with which she was adept; and again when Joe had said, 'Please, Mother, you're not going to help yourself like this,' that she actually bared her teeth at him.
The only one who hadn't approached her as yet was Harvey. It was he who now entered the room with a tray of tea, which he placed on a table, then handed a cup to
each person. And when there were two cups left on the tray he picked one up, turned and, walking slowly towards Winifred, he blocked her pacing by standing in front of her and holding the cup towards her. For a moment he thought she was going to dash it from his hand. Then surprisingly she not only took the cup from him, but sat down in the nearest chair as if a crisis had been passed.
The tension seemed to seep from the room. But only for a moment, for they had barely started to drink their tea when the door opened and a night nurse appeared and, looking towards Mr and Mrs Allison and mentioning them by name, she said, 'Would you like to come and see your daughter now? She has come round. But you may stay only a moment or so.'
They both sprang from their chairs as if activated by the same wires, and as the nurse held open the door for them, Winifred caught at her arm, saying, 'My son?' And to this the nurse replied, 'He is still in the theatre, Mrs Coulson. The doctor will see you as soon as the operation is over. Don't worry.'
After the door had closed on the nurse, Winifred's pacing began again. But now she was muttering, 'Don't worry. Don't worry. Stupid individuals! Don't worry. Don't worry.' The words were emerging through closed teeth, and as her voice rose Daniel got swiftly up from the seat and, confronting her, gripped her by the shoulders and hissed at her, 'That's enough, woman! Stop it! And try to forget for a moment that you're the only one concerned.' And with a none too gentle push he thrust her down into a chair, stood over her, his face almost touching hers, and growled, 'You start any of your tantrums here and by God! I'll slap your face until you
Annette now turned and looked through the back window, saying, 'They're running down the drive.'
'They can run, darling, they can all run, but they'll never catch us.' He glanced at her, his eyes full of love. 'We're free. Do you realise that, sweetheart? We're free.'
'Oh, yes, yes, and in so many ways. Oh, darling, no more worry, no more fear of what might happen if and when . . .'
He lifted one hand from the wheel and, gripping hers, he pulled it swiftly to his lips.
They were nearing the gates that led into the narrow side road as Annette once more turned and looked through the back window, crying now, 'There's Joe and your Dad. They're running side by side.'
And these were the last words she remembered speaking. She saw the pantechnicon. It was like a tower falling
on top of them, yet not falling but lifting them in the air, and their screams sounded to her ears like those of people on the high-flyer just before the car went over and into the dip, and she knew they were going into the dip, because the car had become a great horse, a flying horse. It mounted the railings bordering the fields, then hurtled into the sky, straight into it. And all was quiet.
It was half-past twelve, early on the Sunday morning. At the hospital, Daniel and Joe were seated at one side of a small table, Flo at the other. At another table sat Janet and James Allison, she leaning forward, her elbows on the table, but he sitting bolt upright, yet with his eyes closed. He could have been dozing, except that every now and again he would look with annoyance towards Winifred, who was pacing the room in the clear area in front of the doorway, sixteen steps each way.
No-one could have said when she had first started pacing, though all could have recounted how she had screamed at Daniel when he attempted to lead her by the arm to a chair, and then almost knocked Flo to the ground with that sharp flick of her forearm, with which she was adept; and again when Joe had said, 'Please, Mother, you're not going to help yourself like this,' that she actually bared her teeth at him.
The only one who hadn't approached her as yet was Harvey. It was he who now entered the room with a tray of tea, which he placed on a table, then handed a cup to
each person. And when there were two cups left on the tray he picked one up, turned and, walking slowly towards Winifred, he blocked her pacing by standing in front of her and holding the cup towards her. For a moment he thought she was going to dash it from his hand. Then surprisingly she not only took the cup from him, but sat down in the nearest chair as if a crisis had been passed.
The tension seemed to seep from the room. But only for a moment, for they had barely started to drink their tea when the door opened and a night nurse appeared and, looking towards Mr and Mrs Allison and mentioning them by name, she said, 'Would you like to come and see your daughter now? She has come round. But you may stay only a moment or so.'
They both sprang from their chairs as if activated by the same wires, and as the nurse held open the door for them, Winifred caught at her arm, saying, 'My son?' And to this the nurse replied, 'He is still in the theatre, Mrs Coulson. The doctor will see you as soon as the operation is over. Don't worry.'
After the door had closed on the nurse, Winifred's pacing began again. But now she was muttering, 'Don't worry. Don't worry. Stupid individuals! Don't worry. Don't worry.' The words were emerging through closed teeth, and as her voice rose Daniel got swiftly up from the seat and, confronting her, gripped her by the shoulders and hissed at her, 'That's enough, woman! Stop it! And try to forget for a moment that you're the only one concerned.' And with a none too gentle push he thrust her down into a chair, stood over her, his face almost touching hers, and growled, 'You start any of your tantrums here and by God! I'll slap your face until you
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