Bay Tree Cottage by Anna Jacobs

Author:Anna Jacobs [Anna Jacobs]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780749022723
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2017-08-17T16:00:00+00:00

When they pulled up outside her old home, she was astonished at how small it looked and how run-down the whole street seemed. She hadn’t been away long, but she felt completely divorced from the house and the area.

‘It’s not much of a place,’ she muttered, feeling ashamed.

‘I spent a whole year once living in a caravan. I’m not a housing snob, love.’

Love? she thought. He’d called her ‘love’. When she stole a quick glance sideways, he caught her looking and winked. She didn’t know what to think.

He waited and when she didn’t say anything, he asked, ‘Is Donny’s car here?’

‘Yes. That white one with the scratch down the side. I’d hoped he’d be at work. He sometimes works Saturdays. I wonder what he’ll say when he sees me.’

‘You’re a bit nervous about going in, aren’t you?’

‘Yes. More than a bit.’

‘I’ll be right behind you – and remember, I won’t let him hurt you. Not physically, anyway.’

Iain even understood that not all injuries are physical, she thought in wonderment. Him being there gave her the courage to get out of the car and walk up to the front door.

As soon as she opened it, a chair scraped back and Donny peered out of the kitchen door at the far end of the hall.

‘Ah! You’re back at last. Where the hell have you been, Mam?’

‘Minding my own business.’

He stared beyond her. ‘Looks like you’re minding someone else’s too. Picked up a fancy man, have you?’

She got annoyed at herself for standing there like a guilty fool, struggling for words, so began to move towards the kitchen.

Only, Donny didn’t step aside to let her pass. His fist shot out and he grabbed her shoulder, holding her at arm’s length, shaking her and saying in a growling voice, ‘Send him away. You and I have things to talk about, Mam, an’ I want some answers.’

‘Speak politely to your mother,’ Iain said sharply. ‘And get your hand off her.’

‘Oh, it can talk!’ Donny mocked in a falsetto voice.

‘Don’t start, son!’ she warned, anger starting to take over from her nervousness. Shame, too.

‘You’re the one who started it, running off like that to play the whore. Well, I’m not having it. Not now, not ever!’

He swung her round and slammed her back against the wall twice, so hard it took the breath from her body and made her head spin for a moment. She couldn’t help crying out at the pain.

Next thing she knew, the hand left her shoulder, there was a blur of bodies and Donny went hurtling down the hall, yelling out in shock, to land sprawling on the front doormat.

Iain moved Ginger into the kitchen, so gently and yet so firmly that she was out of the way before she realised he was doing that to protect her. Then he turned to face Donny, who had struggled to his feet and was about to rush forward.

‘Stop that, Donny Brunham, this minute!’ she yelled at the top of her voice.

Her son came to a halt but the light of anger was still burning fiercely in his eyes.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.