Candy Kisses by Freda Lightfoot

Author:Freda Lightfoot
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd
Published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

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Dena couldn’t believe what she’d done. Had she really agreed to marry Jack Cleaver? He was such a boring little man, that a part of her shuddered at the thought. But he had promised that the marriage would be in name only, and she must keep her mind firmly fixed upon the benefits. She would get Trudy back, which was all that mattered.

And there was the new little one to consider, she thought, resting a hand on her stomach. Right now the prospect of caring for another baby filled her with despair, even horror, but once it arrived Dena knew she would fight tooth and nail to keep this child, as she had with Trudy.

She thought of the painful visit the other day, of Trudy so upset at her leaving that the poor love had been beside herself and had thrown a tantrum. And was it any wonder? Didn’t Dena herself know the horrors of that place – the cold, the hunger, the bullying; the strict unfeeling regime – having been a resident in her youth? Why did religion have to be so controlling, so hard a regime? Why was the ‘Jesus is Love’ philosophy so often accompanied by cold porridge?

She’d chop off her own hand, if necessary, to get her child out of that place.

Dena sat sipping her morning tea in the empty house and wept a few silent tears before dashing them away in a gesture of new determination. No good feeling sorry for herself. She had to be strong.

And Jack Cleaver wasn’t a bad man. Older by some years, since he was in his mid-thirties, but he’d looked delighted when she’d given him her answer. He’d even tried to spruce himself up a bit, had bought a new suit and got his hair cut in a more fashionable style, touching in a way. Although his self-improvement hadn’t yet run to a diet he was clearly doing his best to impress her, and maybe he had some interesting hobbies or hidden charms.

In an effort to get to know him better, Dena had agreed to let him take her out on a date. The fact that he’d chosen afternoon tea at the Midland Hotel struck her as quaint, but what did that matter? They needed to talk. And Dena needed to know exactly what she was letting herself in for before she entirely relinquished her freedom. Most of all, she had to be sure that it would be worth her while so far as Trudy was concerned.

With that in mind, before setting off for the market she sat down and wrote a letter to Miss Rogers, telling her the news and asking if she would call round so that they could discuss Trudy’s eventual release.

I’m only doing this to get Trudy back, so I need your assurance that it will work. Since they insist that I provide her with a father and a respectable home, so be it. It will be worth the sacrifice to have my daughter home again.

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