All I Have to Give by Mary Wood Read Free Book Online Page A

Freeman’s house. It didn’t take long for Mick to come from around the back of the pub with his horse and cart. He
would have kept it in the yard of the pub whilst he had his pint. The clip-clopping of the horse’s hooves and the grinding of the wheels of the cart on the cobbled road grated on her
nerves.
    Glad when he’d gone from sight, Ada slipped into the ginnel and slumped against the wall of the corner house.
Oh God, no.
But what other explanation could there be? Paddy had lied
about going out with Mick. Beryl had never said, before today, that she gave money to him. Paddy went there on a Thursday. Beryl had an early-closing day on a Thursday, and Bill worked late.
And Beryl was for getting me gone today, whereas usually she keep me as long as she can, gossiping and such. Not that there can be much in that. Her half-day is when she does her washing . . .
or was she wanting me out because . . . ? No – it can’t be!
    Pulling her shaking body up, Ada turned with determination towards the hill. She’d go there – she had to. She had to know.
    Beryl’s house looked as it always did. The gas-lights were lit downstairs, and a light showed from an upstairs window. This one was unsteady and gave off the flickering
light of an oil lamp. Barely discernible, moving shadows danced and then disappeared, then formed again on the closed, cream-coloured curtains.
    Ada’s world, which was resting precariously on a fine needle-point, rocked as it dawned on her what the shadows might mean. Despite her warm coat, her limbs trembled and what felt like
ice-cold fingers clutched at her heart. A deep moan that seemed to start in her bowel rumbled through her. When it reached her throat it emerged as a piercing scream, over which she had no
control.
    Windows and doors opened. Voices shouted, ‘What’s going on?’ and ‘Who’s there?’
    The scream died, leaving her throat sore and aching. Opening her eyes, she watched what she knew was an oil lamp being carried, as its light left the bedroom, swung past the porthole window on
the landing, then appeared bit by bit at the bottom of the stairs, until it flooded the porch and the front door opened. Paddy stood there without a shirt, holding the lamp aloft.
    ‘Nooooo!’
    Without realizing she had moved, Ada found herself in front of Paddy, clawing at him as if she were a wild animal. Her nails gouged deep scratches into his cheeks. Hot, stinging tears rained
down her face, the salt hitting her tongue. Slimy snot ran from her nose, but she didn’t care. The hurt within her strangled her, and left her incapable of feeling or caring about anything
other than bringing this man as low as he had brought her.
    Hands tried to hold her. Voices – those of Paddy and Beryl, and of strangers – implored her to stop, but she couldn’t.
    Escaping the hands, she flung herself at Beryl. Beryl the betrayer, the deceiver, the husband-stealer. Well, she’d make sure she stole no one else’s husband. She’d rip that
pretty smile off her sister’s face and tear her red curls from her head.
    ‘Stop it. Ada, please stop it. You’re hurting me, and you’re making a fool of us all. Stop it!’
    ‘Stop it! Making a fool of meself . . . of you!’ Turning to face the small crowd that had gathered, Ada pulled herself to her full height. ‘Well, lovely posh neighbours, what
d’you think of me sister then, eh? Doesn’t really fit in with you all, does she? Well, watch out, or she’ll shag all of your men! She’s already started with mine. Seen him,
have you? Coming to visit on a Thursday? Aye, well, he won’t be coming any more, so take a good look at him while you can. Go on, you snooty-nosed—’
    A blow caught the side of her head, sending her reeling backwards. Her body catapulted in the air, as though she’d been shot from the barrel of a cannon, before landing on the ground as if
it were a bag of rags. Her teeth clamped onto her tongue, spittle ran from the side of her