The Bannister Girls by Jean Saunders Read Free Book Online

with alarm if she was going to faint. What in heaven’s name had alerted her mother? It was impossible that she knew. She was bluffing.
    â€˜I don’t know what you mean, Mother. Margot and I spent half the night gossiping, and I’m deadly tired. All I want is ahot bath, and to feel human again –’
    â€˜You’re not going anywhere until I have an explanation,’ Clemence snapped as Angel tried desperately to make her escape.
    â€˜An explanation of what?’ Angel’s heart hammered sickeningly at the sudden doubt on her father’s face.
    What would he say if he knew that her mother’s intuition was right, and that she had spent a night of ecstasy and wonder that she couldn’t forget, however little it had meant to Jacques.
    â€˜Margot’s mother telephoned this morning,’ Clemence said crisply. ‘You left your scarf at the house. She also said how sorry she was that Margot had got this wretched chill, and that she hoped you got home safely before dark.’
    â€˜Well, Angel?’ Fred knew he had better say something, though somehow he already knew. Not often given a sixth sense feeling, this time it was different.
    He recognised now the look he had seen on his daughter’s face, and his parental anger was tempered by something he couldn’t explain. A sympathy, perhaps, that he could never share with his wife, because his own clandestine and loving association with Harriet gave him the same secret glow he had seen on Angel’s face. Yet it had been obvious to him too, that she was not happy. Whatever had happened last night had been monumental, and Fred could only guess at what that was. And far from scandalising him, as it was clearly doing to Clemence, he felt an extraordinary tenderness for his youngest child.
    â€˜Well, my darling girl?’ he said more gently.
    Angel threw out her hands as if seeking help.
    â€˜All right. Margot had a chill, and I had trouble finding a cab when the tram broke down and there was a small hotel nearby. It seemed safer to stay there than risk coming home in the dark. That’s all – except to say I’m sorry.’
    The words sounded inane, even to herself. They gave away nothing of the wonderful night that was fast becoming nomore than a lovely dream. She wanted to hold on to the dream, but suddenly Jacques’ face was no longer so clear to her, and it made her want to weep.
    She had truly believed herself to be in love, and she didn’t want to lose the love and feel the shame.
    â€˜Was it beyond you to telephone us to let us know what had happened?’ Clemence demanded.
    â€˜There didn’t seem any point. You would only have worried. It was better you thought I was safe at Margot’s.’ She spoke defensively, but her faint hope that they would accept the explanation calmly was soon dashed.
    â€˜No point?’ Clemence cried out in outrage. ‘Is that how little you consider your parents? You were alone in London when those terrible Zeppelins might have dropped bombs on the very hotel where you were staying, and we would never have known! Is this how you repay us for allowing you to stay out all night? I assure you, young lady, it will be the last time. And your father may accept your ridiculous tale about a tram breaking down, but I do not. I’m not at all satisfied with your explanation. And the fact that you chose to lie to us makes me despair even more of all the money we threw away on your education.’
    â€˜I’m not lying about staying at a respectable hotel!’
    Angel felt the furious tears start to her eyes. That part of it was certainly true. The night that had ended there had begun by her need to stand in the rain looking for a taxi-cab. That had led to Jacques de Ville pulling her back from the street … and more. Her throat ached with tears, remembering.
    â€˜I think you had better take that hot bath, and leave your mother and me to