Jenny Alone by Katie Flynn

Author:Katie Flynn [Katie Flynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2014-03-13T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘JENNY, WHERE ON earth have you been? Some man’s been ringing you, he wouldn’t leave his name, and of course I said you’d be in around four, because you usually are, and so he rang back and rang back . . . and here it is, half past eight before you step over the threshold!’

Sue was standing just in front of her own door; she had popped out, like a spider from its web, the moment she had heard Jenny’s feet on the stairs. Jenny halted and a hand flew to her mouth.

‘A man? For me? What did he sound like?’

‘Middle-aged, rather cross. Not Mr Croft, I’d have recognized his voice. I wondered whether it was Bill, wanting to leave a message for you about work tomorrow, only he wouldn’t leave a message, if you understand me.’

‘Well, I know what you mean. It wasn’t Bill, though. He asked us back to his place for tea and then we took the kids to see The Jungle Book. It was good, wasn’t it, Posy?’

‘It was lovely,’ Posy said, rubbing her eyes. ‘Only they wouldn’t let Belle in, so she had to stay in Bill’s kitchen with some Spillers shapes and a bowl of milk. She was glad when we got back, weren’t you, dearest love?’

‘Dearest love’ wagged her tail politely, glanced up at Sue and then, pointedly, at her own door. Sue laughed.

‘Belle wants to go to bed, poor love, and I expect you two want the same. I wonder who it was phoning, though? When you weren’t in at seven he really sounded cross, as though you’d no right to be out so late. Have you an elderly uncle who bosses you about?’

‘No. Well, whoever it was will probably ring later. Thanks for telling me, Sue, I’d best get this sleepy couple to bed, now. See you in the kitchen in half an hour?’

‘Certainly. Too tired for walking?’

‘No-oo, though it’s been a long day. Can Mrs Twigg oblige?’

‘You know she will. Ever since I got the colour TV she’s been down like a streak of lightning at the mere mention of babysitting. If you’re going to be half an hour, then I’ll go up and check with her. Okay?’

‘Yes, fine,’ Jenny said, eyeing her sleepy daughter whose cheeks were still flushed with the excitement of her very first cinema show. ‘Make it twenty minutes. I don’t think we’ll lie awake long tonight.’

She was right. Posy slept within moments of her head touching the pillow and Belle, curled up at the foot of the bed, wagged her plume of a tail and yawned when she saw Jenny slip into her coat again but made no effort to accompany her.

‘Here we are,’ Mrs Twigg called, as Sue let her into her room. ‘I’ll be happy here until close-down if you girls want to be late.’

‘We shan’t be late, I’m pretty tired myself,’ Jenny said, pretending not to notice Sue’s long, blue-tinged eyelid flutter and close into a wink. ‘Thanks very much, Mrs Twigg.

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