Tara by Lesley Pearse

Author:Lesley Pearse [Pearse, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: 1960s London
ISBN: 9781407099378
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2012-05-22T19:31:32+00:00

Chapter 19

'Someone to see you, Tara!'

'Send them up,' Tara yelled back, leaning over the table as she marked out a pattern on brown paper. She didn't want any interruptions; she had four patterns to make today for Christmas party dresses. But then Miranda had enough sense not to send anyone up unless it was important.

The new shop had succeeded way beyond their expectations. The opening day's takings were higher than the best day ever in Bethnal Green and since then they'd gone well above the target figures daily.

The biggest problem now was getting stock made up fast enough. Josh would come staggering in with what looked like a mountain of it, but by Saturday evening most of it would be gone. She'd been right about the mini skirts. Everyone loved them and they were selling tights like hot cakes. Josh had had a few of the beaded tops made up, too, but his manufacturer balked at the work in them and he still hadn't found someone else to take over.

It was mid November now. Kensington High Street was crammed with Christmas shoppers and it seemed that everyone wanted a new dress to wear, the more seductive and outrageous the better.

Her head bobbed up from the work the moment she heard laboured breathing out on the stairs.

'Uncle George,' she shrieked with delight and ran out on to the landing to see him puffing up the stairs. 'What a lovely surprise!'

He paused at the top, holding on to the banister. Not only was he extra red in the face, his bald patch glistening with perspiration, but he looked suddenly old and tired. Even his clothes were different, a dark grey suit with a matching waistcoat. The only time she'd seen him so soberly dressed was at Paul's funeral.

'What is it?' She still went to hug him, but somehow his appearance didn't warrant her usual exuberance.

'Bad news, I'm afraid.' He responded warmly to her hug, but he couldn't even raise a ghost of a smile. 'I came to tell you myself, before someone else does.'

'Come in here.' She took his hand and led him into the workroom, aware that the girls downstairs might be listening. 'Is it Harry?'

Since the night she'd moved into the flat he had sent her one postcard with a gorilla on it and the cryptic message 'Don't forget me!' When George and Queenie didn't mention him in their numerous phone calls, Tara decided they were as much in the dark as her and avoided the subject.

'Yes, it's 'Arry.'

In the clear light of the workroom she could see his eyes were red-rimmed and his collar was grubby, as if he'd been up half the night.

'He's bin nicked!'

'Oh, no!' Tara's stomach churned. 'What's he done?'

'A warehouse blag back last June.' George groped his way through the boxes and packages on the floor and sat down on a stool like an old man, resting the palms of his hands on his thighs. 'A nightwatchman was killed. Do you remember it?'

Tara's blood ran cold.

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