Eve and Her Sisters by Rita Bradshaw Read Free Book Online Page A

it.’
    Nell’s whisper made Eve stare at her. ‘What did you say?’
    ‘He’s given her thruppenny bits, sixpences an’ all. She said it was a secret and she couldn’t tell. He told her not to tell.’
    Phoebe appeared transfixed by what had been said. She had not moved or spoken, and now her eyes went to her husband once more. And it was to his wife that Josiah said, ‘They’re lying, damn ’em, but now I come to think of it there might have been money missing from my pocket now and then. Perhaps they’re all in on it, the thieving. Likely it’s been going on since they came. I can’t find me granda’s pocket watch for a start, happen that’s been sold or put in the pawn.’
    ‘You’re lying.’ Eve’s voice was stronger, it rang in the kitchen. ‘We haven’t taken anything and you know it.You’ve been interfering with my sister and I’ll have the law on you.’
    ‘The law, is it?’ He advanced a pace but although Nell and Mary cowered, Eve faced him, her eyes blazing. ‘We’ll see about who calls the law in, girl. First the thieving and then attacking me like that. I’ll see you go down the line for this little lot, you see if I don’t. And then them two will be for the workhouse. Thought about that, have you? And they can rot there for all I care. Last time I try to help anyone, that’s for sure.’
    An unnameable sensation was flooding through Eve. Never before had she wanted to inflict harm on another human being, but the urge to tear and rake at Josiah’s face, to annihilate him from the face of the earth, was so strong she could taste it. Her rage was scorching and she could see Josiah had read what was in her mind and it disconcerted him. He stepped back, glaring at her. ‘It’ll be my word against yours, remember that, and I say she and maybe the pair of you too have been stealing from us. We took you in out of the goodness of our hearts, got you a job at the vicarage, treated you like our own, and this is how you repay us.’
    ‘You’re unnatural, twisted.’ The words were fired at him. Eve seemed to have grown inches, so rigidly did she hold herself. ‘To make a little bairn do that. What else have you done—’
    ‘Stop it.’ Phoebe’s voice was thin and piercing. It brought all eyes to her. ‘Stop this.’
    ‘He’s lying, Phoebe, I swear it.’
    Phoebe’s eyes flickered as they met Eve’s.
    She knows . Eve stared at Josiah’s wife. The reaction, slight as it had been, betrayed Phoebe’s knowledge of the truth.
    But then Phoebe shook her head. ‘You’re wrong. This is a mistake.’
    ‘I know what I saw and it’s not a mistake. He was—’
    ‘No.’ Phoebe’s face was drained of colour and she was speaking through stiff lips but her voice held a sharpness which belied her slight, girlish exterior. ‘Whatever you think you saw you’ve put the wrong interpretation to it.’
    ‘That’s right, it wasn’t like—’
    ‘This is a respectable home.’ Phoebe cut through Josiah’s blustering as though he hadn’t spoken. ‘We’re respectable people. My mam and da’ - she took a gulp of air - ‘they’re respectable too. I’ve got bairns. I won’t have our good name dragged through the mud.’
    ‘You can’t be taking his side.’ Eve stared at the woman she had come to know and have affection for over the last months. She was shocked and hurt but above all angry.‘You can’t, Phoebe, not after what he’s done.’
    ‘He’s my husband.’
    ‘He’s a pervert. A man who likes little children, little girls. He’s sick, dirty.’
    Again Phoebe’s eyes flickered. ‘I won’t have you saying these things.’
    ‘But you know it’s true.You do, don’t you, Phoebe?’
    ‘No.’ Even Phoebe’s lips were white. ‘No, I don’t, and I won’t have us cut off and shunned by everyone, I won’t. I-I’ve noticed things going missing. House-housekeeping money out of my purse.’ Josiah was staring at his wife but Phoebe did not glance his way.
    Harshly, Eve