The Little One [Quick Read 2012] by Lynda La Plante Read Free Book Online Page B

delicious. But at the same time she couldn’t wait for the table to be cleared so that Margaret would talk.
    It was so frustrating. Margaret insisted that they wash the dishes and stoke the fire first. She fetched a bottle of brandy and poured a glass for each of them. Then she opened the drawer where
she had put the Bible and brought it to the table.
    ‘Sit down, Barbara.’ She gestured for Barbara to sit at the table and then locked the door, pocketing the key. ‘I don’t think we’ll be disturbed, but just in
case.’
    Barbara was surer than ever that there was someone living upstairs.
    Margaret sat in the big armchair close to the blazing fire. She looked very composed, with her hands folded in her lap. She was silent for a while, but then she started to talk.
    ‘When my husband was killed I just wanted to die . . . to die and be buried beside him. Suddenly my life was in pieces. I had always longed to have Armande’s child and now that would
never happen. Can you imagine how I felt?’
    Barbara shook her head. There was no need to say anything.
    ‘When Armande died, Julia took charge. My sister was such a strong woman. She was always the dominant one. Even though all I wanted was to be alone, she insisted that I should continue
working.’
    Margaret described how terrible it had been even to contemplate a return to acting. She constantly broke down in tears. Eventually the producers agreed that she should take a few months off.
    ‘I couldn’t stand to be in our little house with its memories. We’d bought it together. It was just close to Ladbroke Grove. I knew I was losing control. I didn’t want to
get out of bed. In fact, I didn’t want to do anything and Julia became very worried about me.’
    Margaret stared into the fire.
    ‘I overdosed on sleeping tablets. Julia called an ambulance and I was taken into hospital. I hardly knew where I was. She was very protective, as the press were constantly outside. I
became very unstable . . .’
    Barbara stifled a yawn. Most of what Margaret was saying she already knew. She couldn’t wait for her to get to the ‘secret’.
    It took quite a long time. Margaret explained how she’d been taken into a clinic in a blur. Eventually Julia had collected her and driven her back to the manor house. She was there for
Emily’s second birthday. Emily was Julia’s beloved daughter. For the first time since Armande’s death, Margaret began to feel better. She described the adorable little girl and
how just being with Emily made her realize that life without Armande was possible.
    Barbara impatiently sipped her brandy.
    ‘My sister’s betrayal was so deep. I’d had no idea she could be so devious. I trusted him. I adored him. If I had known about it when he was alive, I don’t know what
I’d have done.’
    Barbara leaned forward, wondering if she’d missed something.
    ‘I don’t understand. Did you say “betrayal”?’
    Margaret nodded. She said that Julia had never married and never admitted who the little girl’s father was. Julia had simply told her it was a relationship that didn’t work out. It
had never occurred to Margaret that she knew him.
    Shortly after Margaret married Armande, Julia sold her mews cottage in London. She’d subsequently bought the manor house to refurbish it and make some money. Armande had helped Julia move
and spent a lot of time with her at the manor. Margaret had been working on the television series then. She was wondrously happy, married to a man she adored and enjoying huge success with the
show. She never suspected for a second that Armande and Julia were having an affair.
    Barbara began to understand. This was really shocking and she knew it would make big tabloid news. She poured herself another brandy.
    ‘My goodness, when did you find out?’
    Margaret gave a long, shuddering sigh. She leaned back and closed her eyes.
    ‘After Armande died I continued working in London. I had by now sold my house and moved