Always And Forever by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd
Published: 2013-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

The doctor had reached York shortly after lunch, booked a room at the hotel and, with the faithful Tiger loping beside him, made his way to Dolores’s shop. She was sitting behind the counter, reading, but she looked up as he went in and got to her feet. She had known that sooner or later he would come, but she still felt a momentary panic at the sight of him. Which was silly of her; he stood there in the doorway, large and placid, and his quiet greeting was reassuring.

‘I’ve come to see Amabel,’ he told her. ‘Will you allow her to have an hour or two off? Or perhaps the rest of the afternoon? I can’t stay in York long…’

‘She’s not here…’

‘Oh, not ill, I hope?’

‘She’s gone. I didn’t need her any more.’ There was no expression on his face, but she took a step backwards. ‘She’s got an aunt to go to.’

‘When was this? She had a week’s notice, presumably?’

Dolores picked up a vase on the counter and put it down again. She said again, ‘There’s this aunt…’

‘You sent her packing at a moment’s notice?’ The doctor’s voice was quiet, but she shivered at the sound of it. ‘She took the cat and dog with her?’

‘Of course she did.’

‘Did you know that her aunt was away from home?’

Dolores shrugged. ‘She did mention it.’ She would have to tell him something to make him see that it was useless looking for the girl. ’Amabel said something about going to stay with friends of her mother—somewhere near…’ She paused for a moment, conjuring up names out of the back of her head. ‘I think she said Nottingham—a Mrs Skinner…’

She heaved a sigh of relief; she had done that rather well.

He stood looking at her, his face inscrutable, his eyes cold. ‘I don’t believe you. And if any harm comes to Amabel I shall hold you responsible.’

He left the shop, closing the door quietly behind him, and Dolores flew to the kitchenette and reached for the bottle of whisky she kept hidden away there. Which meant that she missed seeing the girl at the patisserie go to the door and call to the doctor.

‘Hi—you looking for Amabel? Poor kid got the sack at a moment’s notice—told she wasn’t wanted by that Dolores, I suppose…’

‘You spoke to her?’

‘Didn’t have a chance. Had me hands full of customers. She waved though—had her case and that dog and cat, going heaven knows where. Haven’t seen hair nor hide of her since…’

‘How long ago?’

‘Two days?’

‘Dolores said that she had gone away to friends.’

The girl sniffed. ‘Don’t you believe it—that woman will tell you anything she thinks you want to hear.’

‘Yes. You think Amabel is still in York? I’m going to drive to her aunt’s house now; there’s a man, Josh…’

‘I’ve seen ‘im once or twice of a Sunday—brings her back here—she goes there on her free day.’

The doctor thanked her. ‘Probably she is there—and thank you. I’ll let you know if I find her.’

‘You do that— I liked her.

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