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

‘For goodness’ sake, Frank, Poppy is young enough to be your
granddaughter.’
    ‘Oh, piss off, Vera,’ groaned Frank, staggering backwards.
    In a flash, Vera was by Poppy’s side. She took her arm and guided her back across the yard. Poppy could feel Vera’s hand shaking on her arm as they walked and suddenly she realized:
Vera was as scared of her father as she was.
    ‘Where are you going in such a hurry?’ Daisy exclaimed, as they reached the pub table and Vera quickly gathered their bags and coats.
    ‘Ask him,’ Vera spat, gesturing to the back door of the pub, where Frank had entered. ‘I just caught him trying it on with Poppy,’ she blazed. ‘He’s so full
of drink a barrage balloon couldn’t even hold him up.’
    ‘Shut your mouth, my girl, unless you want to feel the cut of my hand across your backside,’ Frank muttered as he reached the table.
    Poppy felt herself drowning in despair. Oh, please, Lord, not again. Why did trouble follow her wherever she went?
    ‘You wouldn’t dare, not in public,’ Vera snapped back, hastily fastening the buttons on her coat, her fingers shaking.
    The pub fell silent and Poppy wished the ground would open up and swallow her.
    ‘I don’t want to cause any trouble,’ she said quietly.
    ‘You’re not,’ said Daisy firmly, glaring at Vera. ‘This is between Vera and our dad. For some reason, she has a real bee in her bonnet when it comes to him.’
    ‘That’s right, love,’ said Frank, coming up behind Daisy and placing a hand on her shoulder. ‘I was just being friendly to young Poppy here and Vera goes and accuses me
of all sorts of tripe. Ain’t that right, Poppy?’
    His dark eyes were full of menace as they bored into hers.
    ‘I-I, er, yes,’ she stammered, hardly able to meet Vera’s gaze.
    ‘It’s all right, Poppy,’ snapped Vera. ‘You’re not the first young woman he’s tried to corrupt, and I dare say you shan’t be the last. The problem is,
Daisy can’t see him for what he really is. Rotten to the core.’
    In a flash Daisy was on her feet. ‘Oh, for pity’s sake, Vera, not this again,’ she yelled. ‘He’s our old man. He’s the only parent I’ve got and
I’m sick of you slagging him off.’
    Along with the rest of the pub Poppy held her breath waiting for Vera’s reaction. Frank sat back down and crossed his arms, a malevolent smile curling over his cruel face. He’s
enjoying this, thought Poppy in dismay.
    ‘Parent?’ Vera spluttered, her fear giving way to outrage. ‘Don’t make me laugh. I’ve seen rats with more nurturing instincts. Don’t you remember?’ she
shouted. ‘He knew I was terrified of mice so he’d sit outside our bedroom at night scratching at the bare boards. He was the real vermin. Or the time you were crying so he took you down
Wheeler Street Arch and threatened to leave you there for the ghost of Jack the Ripper. Or all the times he gave me a hiding for leaving a plate out or for not having his dinner ready on
time.’
    ‘You’re making this up, you sad old spinster,’ Daisy scoffed.
    ‘So help me, God, I’m not.’ Vera trembled. ‘You were just too young to remember. You were a nipper; I was sixteen, don’t forget. Ask Dor, or Ivy, or anyone round
here for that matter – they’ll tell you. They all know he’s a bad apple. But worse than the beatings were his mind games. They made my life a misery, and Mum’s too. She
worked twelve-hour shifts to put food on our table ‘cause he was too drunk most of the time to get work. She felt the wrath of his temper every bit as much as me. You think he loves you, but
trust me, he doesn’t. That man doesn’t know what real love is.’
    ‘It’s not true,’ Daisy wept, hot tears spilling down her face. ‘I was his miracle baby girl – he told me that constantly.’
    ‘The only miracle is how he’s scraped through life at all. He wasn’t even around when you were growing up,’ Vera insisted. ‘He was only interested in