Secrets of the Singer Girls by Kate Thompson Read Free Book Online

he was full of drink. Instinctively Poppy drew her arms around herself.
    ‘Evening, ladies,’ he said, nodding to the rest of the Singer Girls. ‘How’s my favourite girl?’ he said to Daisy, completely ignoring Vera.
    ‘Dad!’ Daisy gushed.
    Poppy was flabbergasted. This drunk man was Vera and Daisy’s father?
    ‘Sit down, Dad,’ Daisy smiled. ‘Make room, everyone.’
    Everyone begrudgingly shifted up. The atmosphere had changed from one of easy warmth to a strained silence.
    ‘Don’t worry,’ snapped Vera, reverting back to the prickly woman Poppy first met in the factory earlier that evening. ‘We’re just leaving, aren’t we, Poppy?
Have my seat, Frank.’
    How odd, thought Poppy, that she referred to her father by his name, unlike Daisy. There was clearly no love lost between her and Frank.
    ‘Don’t go on my account, Vera,’ he said icily. ‘Who’s your new friend? Ain’t you going to introduce me?’
    ‘This is Poppy Percival and she just started work at the factory,’ Vera said tersely. ‘Now come on, Poppy – we really ought to be getting you home.’
    But Frank wasn’t letting them go that easily.
    ‘Delighted to make your acquaintance, Poppy,’ he said slowly, letting his eyes roam unashamedly over her body. Taking Poppy’s hand in his, he gripped it so firmly she felt her
hand begin to tremble.
    ‘You’re a pretty young thing, aincha,’ he leered, leaning in so close Poppy could smell stale tobacco and sweat. ‘And look at this lovely fresh skin,’ he went on,
clearly revelling in her discomfort. ‘Straight up from the countryside I dare say, by the looks of you. Don’t you be letting these girls corrupt you. You need
anything,
you
just come to your uncle Frank.’
    ‘Behave, Dad,’ laughed Daisy, seemingly oblivious to Poppy’s unease.
    ‘You’ve had your fun, Frank. Come on, Poppy, let’s go,’ said Vera, rising sharply to her feet.
    Gratefully Poppy stood, her head spinning from the smoke-filled air and Frank’s close attention.
    ‘I’m just going to nip to the toilet before we go, Mrs Shadwell, if I may.’
    ‘Of course, Poppy,’ she replied. ‘They’re out back in the yard. Don’t be long. It really is getting late now.’
    Poppy went as fast as her feet would take her through the bar and out into the pitch black of the yard, gasping as the fresh night air hit her lungs. Frantically she groped her way through the
darkness until she found the outhouse door. Experience taught her not to hang about too long in outdoor toilets. If the icy cold of the outhouse brick toilet wasn’t bad enough, rats scuttled
about yards like this. Trembling, she made her way back towards the warmth of the pub and gasped as she bumped straight into a solid force.
    ‘Going somewhere in a hurry?’ rang out a gravelly voice. The tip of a cigarette glowed before her and suddenly Frank’s face was illuminated in front of hers. Had he followed
her outside?
    ‘F-Frank,’ Poppy stammered eventually. ‘Would you let me pass, please?’
    ‘Course I will, sweetheart,’ he said, an unnerving softness creeping into his voice. ‘I just wanted to let you know that I meant what I said back then.’
    Poppy’s skin crawled as he took a gnarled, tobacco-stained finger and traced it slowly down her cheek. She stood rooted to the spot, her heart thundering in her chest. Her fear seemed to
arouse Frank further, as his breathing grew shallow.
    ‘You’re a good girl. I like that,’ he rasped, edging closer forward.
    In horror, Poppy realized he was about to kiss her; his dry lips were hovering just inches from hers. Frank made a strange guttural sound in his throat as he wiped his mouth with the back of his
hand.
    ‘I’ll look after you, Poppy,’ he croaked, reaching out in the darkness for her body.
    Fear exploded in Poppy’s chest, yet she remained motionless. Why could she not run?
    ‘That is enough.’ A sharp voice rang out through the darkness and Frank sprang back.