The Angel in the Corner by Monica Dickens

Author:Monica Dickens
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: The Angel in the Corner
ISBN: 9781448202812
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 1956-12-18T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Things were going quite well for Joe and Virginia. Joe met a man called Peter Sykes, whom he had known in the army, and Peter was now working in a publisher’s office. Encouraged by a few drinks at Peter’s expense, Joe told him that he was writing a book.

Peter sighed, as if too many acquaintances had told him that they were writing a book, or had written a book, or were going to write a book, but he asked politely what it was about.

‘Prison,’ Joe said morosely, wishing that he had not mentioned it.

‘A novel, is it? My God, of course. I remember. You’ve been in yourself, haven’t you?’ Peter was debonair enough to be neither shocked nor sympathetic. ‘I saw the story in the papers at the time, with a picture of you. Not very flattering. Is the book about your own time in prison?’

Joe nodded. ‘We thought the army was tough, but it was paradise compared to that place where they put me away. I saw things there, Pete, that a nice boy like you wouldn’t believe. I’m writing it all down. Nobody knows what it’s like. It’s time someone told them.’

Peter was interested. He told the publisher, who read the few chapters that Joe had written, and promised to consider it when it was finished. Joe was so elated that he did no more work on the book for several weeks. He was an author. His stuff was going to be printed. People would know his name. Joe Colonna, they would say, and everyone would know who they were talking about. Plenty of time to finish the book. Peter and his lot could wait, since they thought that much of it.

Virginia was moved into the editorial office, and was given a small increase in salary. It was not much, but it came in time to meet Mrs Mortimer’s unexpected demand for higher rent. The rates had gone up, Mollie said, and in her opinion it was only fair that Joe and Virginia should help, considering her kindness in not even charging them what the flat was worth.

She always called it a flat, although it was no more than one room and a hole in the wall to cook and wash in.

Virginia did not believe the story about the rates, nor did she believe that the rent could be raised without a court order, but it was better to agree than to risk trouble by having a battle with Mollie.

Mollie was leaving them alone. She seldom came yoo-hooing down the stairs, but Virginia occasionally felt obliged to go up and pay her a visit. Mollie did not seem to like her very much, but it was ridiculous to be living in the same house with someone you never saw.

Once or twice when Mollie was out, Mr Mortimer shuffled down to the basement to see if Joe had any whisky, but Virginia could never persuade Joe to go upstairs for a visit with her. She did not blame him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.