A Precious Daughter by Diane Allen

Author:Diane Allen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

13

‘You are not going out on your own with a lad I don’t know. Gladys says he’s got the cheek of the devil, and we know nowt about him,’ Ethan shouted angrily at Amy as she stood her ground over her insistence on spending Sunday with Billy O’Hara.

‘I am going, Father. He’s alright, I know he is.’ Amy stood across from the kitchen table. ‘You are not going to stop me. I’ve promised Billy and, besides, I never have any time to myself. How am I supposed to make friends when I’m forever working here at this dairy?’

‘He’s a wrong ’un, Ethan, she wants nothing with him. He’s Irish, for a start, and even his father has nowt to do with him.’ Gladys added her four pennyworth, needing Amy to do her duties in the dairy, whether it was Sunday or not.

‘What does that matter? He’s shown me kindness, that’s all that matters,’ Amy answered back and glared at Gladys. She had no right to say anything about her life, and she was not her mother. ‘You’ll be able to have time with my father on your own, anyway. I thought you’d want to take advantage of that, seeing as you are more than friends,’ she added, sharply letting slip that she knew exactly what was going on.

‘Amy, be careful what you are saying. Gladys has put a roof over your head and has fed you this last week or two. Don’t say things you will regret.’ Ethan looked across at Gladys as she shook her head and scowled at the lass who had come as baggage with her father. ‘I’ll come and meet Billy with you, and if I think he’s alright, you can go with him. I’ll give him the hard word that he’s got to look after you, and not take advantage of your age.’

‘Oh, Father, I’m not that innocent. I know what goes on between men and women. My mother told me all I needed to know when I was younger. If that’s what it takes for me to be able to walk out with him, then I suppose you’ll have to do it. Although I’ll feel like a child when you do.’

‘You are still a child, in my eyes. My daughter that I need to protect, whether you like it or not.’ Ethan reached for his flat cap and pushed his chair back. ‘Away, let’s meet this man of yours. But if I don’t like him, I’ll tell him so and send him back with his tail between his legs.’

‘Thank you. Don’t worry, he’ll not take advantage of me. I’ll make sure of that,’ Amy said, ignoring the sarcastic sounds coming from Gladys.

‘You bloody well make sure he doesn’t, else I’ll have his balls served on a plate – and I’m going to tell him that to his face,’ Ethan growled as he watched his headstrong daughter walk out in her much-loved tight skirt, a shawl around her shoulders, wearing her favourite hat with cherries on the side.

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