The Boy I Love by Marion Husband Read Free Book Online

in a butcher’s, Elsie had summed up the general feeling.
    â€˜You must be bloody mad.’
    â€˜It’s better money.’
    â€˜You’ll stink of meat.’
    â€˜Well, I’m sick of stinking of sugar.’
    Elsie smirked. ‘He comes as a set, you know. Him and that crippled brother.’
    â€˜I’m going to work for him, that’s all.’
    â€˜Of course you are.’
    Lying on her side in bed, Hetty pretended that Patrick was beside her, his body fitting together with hers, close as two spoons in a drawer, and her hand moved to rest between her thighs. She lay still, waiting.
    Through the wall came her parents’ furious whispering, the usual row fuelled by her mother’s anxiety and her father’s exasperation. She listened, not wanting to, wishing they had found Bertie’s body. They should’ve told them he was dead rather than only presuming. The shrine was just a pretend acceptance.
    She heard their bed creak and held her breath to listen to the sudden silence. After a while all she could hear were her father’s snores.

Chapter Four
    H ER MOTHER SAID , ‘Y OU ’ VE made your bed, you lie on it.’
    Her father said, ‘Margot, please think carefully about this. There are three lives involved.’
    The doctor said, ‘My dear, you are a fit, well young woman and I don’t envisage any problems.’ He had pushed her knickers down so that they gathered beneath the hard bump and pressed his hands over her in a blind search for problems he had decided wouldn’t exist. He gave her iron tablets and told her to eat liver. She craved oranges. To Paul, who waited outside, he said, ‘Congratulations, young man. Please give your father my best regards.’
    â€˜You look tired,’ Paul said, and handed her a cigarette as they waited for the tram home.
    When they arrived at the vicarage Margot led Paul through the house to her father’s study. For the first time in her life, she tapped on the door. Turning to Paul she smiled nervously as her father called, ‘Come in.’
    The study was filled with the smell of pipe tobacco and Margot breathed it in greedily. The pipe itself lay extinguished in the ashtray. He never smoked in front of his parishioners. He glanced at her briefly. ‘Sit down, both of you. Now.’ He looked down at his open Bible. ‘I thought we’d have the reading about Christ turning the water into wine. Have you chosen some hymns?’
    Before Margot could tell him they hadn’t, Paul said quickly, ‘ All Things Bright and Beautiful , sir.’
    â€˜And the others?’
    â€˜ Praise My Soul the King of Heaven ,’ Paul said. ‘And because it will be Christmas Eve we thought O Little Town of
    Bethlehem . If you think that’s appropriate.’
    â€˜No, I don’t. Think of another one.’ Writing the accepted titles down he said, ‘Now, I shall give you away, Margot, of course, and the Reverend Collins will conduct the service. We don’t want any fuss, so your mother and I have decided to hold just a small reception here at the vicarage.’ To Paul he said, ‘Mrs Whittaker would like a guest list from you.’
    Paul took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it across.
    He frowned at it. ‘Only one guest apart from your father?’ For the first time he looked at Paul directly. ‘Adam Mason? Is he your best man?’
    Paul looked down at his hands clasped together on his lap. Margot guessed he wanted a cigarette as much as she did. Her father repeated his question and Paul stood up abruptly. ‘Would you excuse me, I need some fresh air.’
    As he left the room Daniel sighed. He sat back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. ‘Are you absolutely sure about this?’
    Sullenly she said, ‘What else can I do?’
    â€˜You could do as your mother said.’
    She had been wrong