Peppercorn Street by Anna Jacobs Read Free Book Online Page B

do any serious gardening she’d been in so much pain afterwards, hardly able to move, that she’d had to call the doctor out, then rest in bed for a few days. He’d talked about calling in a social worker to help her but she’d refused point-blank, terrified they’d try to get her into one of those care homes for the elderly. She’d kill herself first.
    No, the garden would just have to stay a mess.
    And her visitors would have to take tea in the kitchen because nowhere else in the house was warm enough.
    Would that matter? Her mother would have thought so, but then her mother had always had fires blazing in each room and help with the housework.
     
    Janey watched the old lady from the big house walk slowly past, going into town with a wheeled shopping bag. She always looked elegant in an old-fashioned way, her silver hair carefully knotted in a low bun, a severe style which suited her face, and her clothes immaculate, if a trifle old-fashioned.
    She was so lucky to live in the big house at the posh end of the street, the one with the biggest garden. Janey had peeped over the wall as she walked along the path to thepark. There was even a summer house in the back, rather dilapidated, but she supposed an old person couldn’t keep up with the maintenance. Perhaps the owner wasn’t as rich as she seemed.
    If it was fine this afternoon, Janey decided, she’d wrap Millie up and go out for a nice long walk, but this morning she had the health visitor coming to see her, and check her out, no doubt. She walked round the flat, making sure everything was tidy and clean. She couldn’t do much about the shabbiness of her second-hand furniture.
    When the doorbell rang she pressed the button and invited the health visitor up.
    ‘They should have found you a ground floor flat,’ Sally said.
    ‘I was lucky to get this one. I’d had my three months at the
Just Girls
hostel and Millie was making herself very unpopular at the temporary B&B.’
    ‘Well, the flat’s bigger than most, I will say, and they haven’t spoilt the outside of the building. This must have been a lovely house in its prime.’ Sally plumped to her knees beside Millie, who was lying on the blanket kicking and gurgling. ‘She looks a lot happier today.’
    ‘The tooth’s through. I noticed it this morning when the spoon clinked.’
    ‘Little minx! Did you keep your mummy awake?’ Millie kicked even harder, panting happily in response to this attention. Sally smiled as she stood up. ‘Do you mind showing me round? I might be able to help you get some bits and pieces.’
    When she’d finished inspecting everything, she said, ‘I think a playpen would be useful at this stage, then youcould pop her in it while you carry up your shopping and the buggy.’
    ‘Yes. But playpens are a bit expensive.’
    ‘I know where we can borrow one, but you’ll have to look after it and give it back when she grows out of it.’
    ‘That’d be marvellous.’ Maybe Sally really was here to help, not criticise. ‘Would you like a cup of tea? I don’t have any coffee, I’m afraid.’
    ‘I’d love one.’
    It was comforting to sit and chat about looking after Millie and by the time the health visitor left, Janey was feeling much better, less alone.
     
    Nicole inspected the flat very carefully. It was partly furnished with reasonable furniture and had two bedrooms plus a decent bathroom. There was a nice large sitting room and a separate kitchen and eating area just off it, in an L-shape, so it didn’t feel cramped. It looked out on to the street so she wouldn’t feel shut away.
    ‘I’ll take it.’
    The woman who’d shown her round beamed. ‘Excellent. I’m sure you won’t regret it. Shall we go back to the office and complete the paperwork?’
    ‘Yes. I’ll have to ring work first to tell them I’ll be late.’
    ‘Where do you work?’
    ‘I’m a librarian.’
    ‘Oh, excellent. Nice, steady job, that.’
    Helen answered the phone at the library and for