The Lie by Linda Sole Read Free Book Online

the first house and then catch the last train home.’
    â€˜Mr Burgess is in the bed at the end,’ the nurse said, looking at the two girls as they hesitated uncertainly. ‘He is awake now, and lucky to be alive. The doctors thought he would die of smoke inhalation when they brought him in, but he’s rallied, and has only a few small burns to his face and hands. You can stay for fifteen minutes, but that’s all. He’s still suffering from shock but I dare say two pretty girls will cheer him up.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ Emily said. ‘How are the other two firemen?’
    â€˜The news is not as good as far as they are concerned. Mr Harris died this morning, and Mr Jackson is badly burned, I’m afraid.’
    â€˜That’s very sad,’ Emily said. ‘Ted Harris was married with two small children.’ She felt tears sting her eyes as she left the nurse and followed Carole to the end of the ward. It was rotten for the woman whose husband had died, and by the sound of it another of the men was pretty badly burned.
    The injured fireman they had come to see was lying in bed, his eyes closed. His hands were heavily bandaged, but she could see the red marks on his face, which had been greased but left open to the air. Clearly he had been luckier than the others. She swallowed hard, feeling sympathy for him and his comrades.
    â€˜Terry  . . .’ Carole said softly. Tears were trickling down her cheeks and Emily gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze. ‘How are you, love?’
    He opened his eyes and looked at her, then shut them again. ‘Go away, Carole,’ he said. ‘I don’t want a fuss.’
    â€˜But I wanted to help,’ she said, glancing at Emily tearfully. ‘We brought you some fruit  . . .’
    He opened his eyes again, looking at Emily this time. ‘Have you seen enough? I’m not a bloody sideshow.’
    She was shocked by his rudeness. She hadn’t meant to stare at him. ‘I didn’t imagine you were. We came because Carole was anxious about you. All the girls are at the station.’
    â€˜Well, now you can tell them that I’m alive.’
    â€˜What the hell is the matter with you?’ Emily asked. ‘Two of your mates are in a lot worse shape than—’
    â€˜Do you think I don’t bloody know that?’ he growled, looking at her as if he hated her. ‘I’d have been done for if Ted hadn’t come back to get me out. It should have been me dead, not him. Now you can think what you bloody like!’
    â€˜Why should I think anything?’ Emily asked. ‘I don’t know you and after this, I don’t want to. I’ll wait for you outside, Carole.’
    She walked away, feeling hot and bothered. What a rude man! As if she’d gone there to gawp at him! She wouldn’t have thought of coming to the hospital if Carole hadn’t asked, and now she wished she hadn’t bothered. Standing outside in the grounds, she looked at the cherry trees opposite. They must be a mass of beautiful blossom in the spring  . . .
    A girl’s happy laughter caught her attention, and glancing across the road she saw her brother Daniel walking with a girl. They looked as if they were heading in the direction of a popular tea shop, which was just up the road from the hospital, and were clearly enjoying themselves.
    Emily felt pleased to see that her brother was feeling better. The girl with him was Alice Robinson. She didn’t know whether or not her father would have approved of the friendship. Frances probably wouldn’t, but then, her sister was a bit of a snob. She thought the Searles and the Danbys were a cut above everyone else in the village, and money-wise she was probably right.
    It didn’t matter to Emily who her brother went out with as long as he was happy – besides, she liked Alice. She knew they hadn’t seen her and made no attempt to