Lost Angel by Kitty Neale

Author:Kitty Neale [Neale, Kitty]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General Fiction
ISBN: 9780750533522
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2009-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

When Mabel left to go back upstairs, Hilda sat deep in thought. She dreaded putting her idea to Doug, but if she could find a decent-paying job it would solve their financial problems. Anyway, she decided, it was his fault that they’d been forced to this. He should have told her before – should have said that their lovemaking had made his back worse. Instead he had waited until it was too late and the damage irreparable. Hilda knew she was often short-tempered now, taking her worry out on both Doug and Ellen, but when she thought about their future, it looked so bleak.

‘Mum, I’m going to do a bit of work in the garden,’ said Ellen.

‘If you ask me, it’s a waste of time.’

‘I’ve given up on vegetables, but while we were away someone at the factory gave Percy some flower seeds. He sowed them, but didn’t thin them out and they won’t survive unless some are pulled up. He’s a bit heavy-handed so I said I’d show him how to do it.’

Alone now, Hilda looked around the room. There was housework to do, but the old second-hand furniture hardly looked any better, no matter what she did. She’d once hoped to replace it, to re-decorate, but that was impossible now, with even the price of a pot of paint out of reach.

She heard voices, recognising Doug’s, and soon after he shuffled in.

‘Ellen’s in the garden.’

‘I know that, Doug,’ she said shortly.

‘Still stroppy, I see.’

Hilda felt a flare of anger, but took a deep breath. She needed to keep calm, and now said, ‘Doug, we can’t go on like this. Soon we won’t be able to pay the rent, and if we don’t want to find ourselves chucked out on the street, I’m going to have to find a job.’

‘I don’t want my wife working.’

‘Talk sense. We haven’t any choice.’

‘I might get a full pension when I go before the board again.’

‘Yes, but that could be months away.’

‘We’ll just have to manage until then.’

It was no good, she had tried to stay calm, but now Hilda’s temper flamed again and she reared to her feet, hands on hips as she yelled, ‘Manage on what? The few quid you get barely pays the rent and with our savings nearly gone, it leaves nothing for food.’

‘My back might ease and then I’ll find a job, not you.’

‘Might! We can’t live on might! Like it or not, there’s only one thing for it. Until we find out one way or the other if you’re going to get a full pension, I’m going to get a job!’

And on that note Hilda marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

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