Sinners and Shadows by Catrin Collier Read Free Book Online Page B

children?’ Rhian asked in surprise.
    â€˜I’ll let you know after this one is born, but I wouldn’t mind four, or even five.’
    Rhian took the blouse from Sali. It was high-necked and light cream with a frill of lace around the collar. She turned it around and saw a price tag fixed to the top button. ‘It cost a guinea and you’ve never even worn it!’
    â€˜I grew too fat before I had a chance.’
    Rhian imagined it teamed with her cream linen summer skirt or the blue winter suit she was wearing. It would look perfect, as she suspected Sali well knew. ‘If you’re sure …’
    â€˜You’d be doing me a favour. I have a rule never to buy anything new until I’ve cleared something old from my wardrobe. If I didn’t stick to it, we’d have to buy another half a dozen bedroom suites to accommodate my clothes. You have no idea what a temptation it is to work in Gwilym James. Every time I buy in a new line I want to keep most of it for myself.’ Sali folded the blouse into a paper bag, ‘About Joey?’ she began hesitantly.
    â€˜I met him at Tonypandy station. We had lunch in the City Restaurant, and we were going to see the moving pictures in the Park Hall but came here instead. Thank you for this.’ Rhian took the bag from Sali. Seeing that she was still worried, she added, ‘You really don’t need to worry about me and Joey because we are just friends.’
    â€˜Really?’ Sali didn’t look convinced.
    â€˜Really,’ Rhian reiterated. ‘I made it clear to Joey before we got on the train this morning that this outing wasn’t going to be any different to the outings I make with the girls. We each paid our own way and all we’ve done is talk.’
    â€˜And what did Joey say when you told him that going out with him was no different to going out with the girls?’ Sali probed.
    â€˜He said it was fine by him.’ Rhian kept Joey’s full answer to herself.
    â€˜That doesn’t sound like the Joey Evans I know.’ Sali took a woollen shawl from a drawer. ‘If we’re going to get Joey back to the shop by seven we ought to make a move.’
    â€˜We could just as easily take the train.’
    â€˜If you do, it won’t give Lloyd an excuse to call on his father. Although Joey lives at home he works such long hours Lloyd can’t help worrying. His father hasn’t been strong since he lost his leg in the train crash.’
    â€˜But he is all right, isn’t he?’ Mr Evans’s gruff manner had terrified Rhian when she’d first met him, but it hadn’t taken her long to realize that beneath the brusque crust was a kind heart.
    â€˜I think so,’ Sali answered cautiously. ‘He visits Victor and Megan at the farm a couple of times a week and sometimes stays over with them. We’d love to have him here more often, but’, she gave an apologetic shrug, ‘he hates being surrounded by servants and although Lloyd and I would like to live more simply, the trustees of Harry’s estate prefer him to live in the house that he will inherit. My solicitor, Mr Richards, said that if we shut up the house, it would probably cost more to get it back in good condition by the time Harry comes of age than it would to pay the running costs, which are offset by the produce from the farms that come with the estate. And by living here, Lloyd and I can deal with any small problems as they arise rather than wait until the next trustees meeting.’
    â€˜It is a lovely house.’ Rhian looked around. The bedroom suite was Victorian, too ornate to appeal to modern taste, but there was no denying the craftsmanship that had gone into carving the mahogany four-poster bed, matching wardrobes, dressing table, washstand and desk. Two chairs upholstered in blue velvet stood either side of a sofa table in front of a huge window that overlooked the gardens. A Persian rug