Billy London's Girls by Ruth Hamilton

Author:Ruth Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Transworld

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ellen

AS FAR AS Ellen Langden was concerned, there was only one place where she might go in times of dire need and confusion. No doubt Abigail would think a solicitor would be involved, especially after Ellen had stated her intention to seek advice, but a lawyer could not have found balm for a wounded heart, would not have the real power, the only power that might work for Ellen.

She prayed till her knees were sore, going round and round the rosary until the prayers became meaningless and the beads grew slick with sweat. Above her head, the statue of Our Lady reached out its succouring hands, while a dozen candles burned in the holders beneath the blue and white figure. Nothing helped, not yet, not while the drug was weeping its last vestiges through her pores.

She sighed, shifting her weight back and forth between aching joints. Whatever she did, wherever she looked, she saw his evil eyes and that nasty thin mouth, saw him hurting her child, heard the screams echoing down the years.

No wonder poor Theresa had been terrified of him. The little thing wouldn’t have understood what had happened, it would have been just another pain, a terrible torture inflicted by him. Why hadn’t Ellen realized? Why hadn’t she insisted on having the child examined thoroughly by a proper doctor? And it was more basic than that – surely a loving mother would have recognized the signs? There must have been plenty of evidence at the time, symptoms to show that the child had taken more than a simple tumble down the stairs.

What had she been doing? What had she been thinking of? Probably him and his precious shops. Aye, she’d had to juggle with time all right. Even when they’d been babies, the twins had practically lived behind a counter, while she’d been mithered to death with it all, trying to bring up two babies, keep a home and run a business with only twenty-four hours to each day.

But she could find no comfort, no excuses for herself. She had failed her child, failed both of them, for she had been unsuccessful in protecting them from the evil in their midst. She’d read the Bible once, most of it. Catholics didn’t use the whole Book very often, just tending to stick to the famous stories about prophets and Jesus, but she’d read some of it in her youth. What was the name of that book, that section of it? Revelations. Yes, that was the one. It said something about the beast having a number, and its number being 666. It was his number and his number was blinking well up.

She struggled to rise from her bruised knees, paid her penny and lit another candle, this time nominating it for herself. The first candle had been for Theresa, but this new bright light was hers, it was for Ellen Langden who would soon be calling herself O’Hara again. Yes, she would change her name and give the girls the chance to change theirs if they wanted to.

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