Read Online Thursday's Child by Helen Forrester - Free Book Online

– he’s never asked me. We went to the Law Society Ball together – and to a popular lecture on nuclear physics, that’s all.’ She laughed. ‘Mother is romancing.’
    â€˜Would you marry him if he asked you?’
    She opened and closed the zip fastener on the back of the dress she was holding, before she answered thoughtfully: ‘I suppose I would – I’d be stupid not to – he’s a good catch.’ She looked at me mischievously. ‘Would you mind if I did?’
    â€˜No, no, I’d be delighted.’ I did not say anything about his proposal to me. I looked at her through my lashes and imagined Barney kissing her shoulder. It hurt.
    â€˜Angela –’ I faltered, and yet I felt if I did not know I should die. ‘Angela, will you tell me something – I won’t be angry, whatever you reply.’
    She looked mystified and although she answered ‘certainly’ her voice had a defensive note.
    I raised myself on my elbow until I was looking closely into her eyes.
    â€˜Angela, were you in love with Barney?’
    A flush crept over her face and neck and perspiration started on her forehead, but she answered me steadily: ‘Yes.’
    I took a long breath.
    â€˜Was he in love with you?’
    â€˜Yes.’ She half rose, to leave me, but I restrained her by catching her wrist, and looking at her imploringly.
    â€˜Angela, why in the name of Mercy did he become engaged to me?’
    â€˜It was the best revenge he could think of.’
    â€˜Revenge? On whom?’
    â€˜On me.’ She stood up, and there was anger in her voice as she spoke: ‘Our heroic Barney was nothing but a handsome jealous cat.’
    â€˜Tell me,’ I said, a chill creeping over me, ‘were you his mistress?’
    â€˜We were always lovers – ever since my seventeenth birthday party.’
    I shivered. That party was in 1939. I remembered it well – everybody had got a little drunk and Mother had been upset about it – but the first months of the war had upset all of us.
    â€˜Why did you not get married?’
    â€˜At first he was studying and had no money. When he and James took over his father’s practice, he said that before either of them married they must re-establish the firm. Then he volunteered.’ Her voice trembled. ‘When he came home on leave he expected to make love, though he never mentioned getting married. Once I asked him – but he laughed it off – said the end of the war would be time enough. A man never wants to marry his mistress,’ she finished up bitterly.
    â€˜Well, what did you do?’
    â€˜Gaylord came along. He was really sweet to me, so I thought I would marry a man who loved me rather than one whom I loved. After about twelve months, he told me he was going home to his wife – it was the first indication hehad given me that he was married.’ She shrugged her shoulders, and continued: ‘I suppose he was no different from most men away from their homes.’
    There seemed to be more to come – Angela’s lips were quivering, so I said: ‘Go on.’
    â€˜Barney came home on leave unexpectedly and caught us one night at the gate. He glared at the pair of us as if we were scum, and marched on into the house. He never spoke to me again, except when I was amongst the family. He wanted everything without responsibility, and, when he saw that he was going to lose me to someone else, he tried to punish me – perhaps he thought when he became engaged to you I would crawl at his feet rather than see you marry him.’
    â€˜And how soon after that did he become engaged to me?’
    â€˜During his next leave.’
    I felt sick, horribly sick. Barney making love to me to revenge himself on my sister, whose only fault it seemed to me was that she had trusted a lifelong friend too well.
    Angela crouched on the bed and hid her face in her hands. I