The Ties That Bind by Anthea Fraser

Author:Anthea Fraser [Fraser, Anthea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2021-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

TEN

Earlier that day, Rose had phoned her daughter, and Fleur knew from the tone of her mother’s voice that something had displeased her. After a couple of general enquiries, Rose moved on to the purpose of her call.

‘I’m wondering, Fleur, if you have any idea where Verity was last night?’

‘Verity?’ Fleur, who’d swiftly run through a number of possible causes for complaint, had not remotely considered her youngest daughter.

Rose was waiting for a reply.

‘I believe she was going to the cinema with some friends,’ she said after a minute.

‘You believe?’

Fleur’s patience snapped. ‘Please don’t play cat and mouse, Ma. What are you trying to tell me?’

‘That at about eleven o’clock last night she was canoodling in a shop doorway with a boy with wandering hands.’

Fleur held back what would have been an unsuitable retort. ‘Were they … alone?’

‘If you mean was anyone else about, there was a group of young hooligans shouting and waving bottles and reeling about on the pavement. Would these have been her friends?’

Fleur bit her lip. ‘I shall of course have a word with her.’

‘I think it needs more than a word, Fleur. I’m only thankful that it was I, rather than any of my friends, who saw her.’

‘Tell me, Ma, which concerns you more: Verity’s welfare or what other people might think?’

There was a tight silence. Then Rose said, ‘There’s obviously no point in continuing this conversation.’ And she rang off.

Oh, damn, damn, damn! This she could have done without. On the principle of getting it over as soon as possible, Fleur ran upstairs to her daughter’s room, from which loud pop music was issuing. After a brief knock she opened the door, to see Verity lying back on her bed, her face screened by a magazine.

Locating the source of the music, Fleur went in and turned it off. Verity sat up with an exclamation of annoyance.

‘I was listening to that!’ she complained.

‘And now you can listen to me,’ Fleur said crisply. ‘Where were you last night?’

An apprehensive flicker crossed her daughter’s face, but she answered sullenly, ‘I told you. A group of us went to the cinema.’

‘And afterwards?’

The girl’s eyes fell. ‘We came home.’

‘Not immediately, I think.’

Deciding attack was the best form of defence, Verity demanded heatedly, ‘Do I have to account for every minute now?’

‘Please answer my question, Verity.’

‘Well, if you must know, some of us went to the all-night café in Belvedere Street. OK?’

Tired of fencing with her, Fleur said succinctly, ‘Your grandmother saw you being fondled by some boy in a doorway.’

Verity’s face flamed. ‘The interfering old bat!’ she exclaimed.

‘Verity!’

‘Was she on that coach of oldies that pulled in? I bet she couldn’t wait to tell you!’

‘Who was he?’ Fleur demanded, holding on to her temper.

‘Who?’ Verity held her gaze for a moment, then her eyes dropped. ‘Matt,’ she muttered, barely audibly.

At least it was someone Fleur had met. ‘Was Lizzie with you?’

‘Not at that particular moment, obviously.’

‘Don’t be impudent, Verity. Do you realize how embarrassing it was for me to have to hear about this from Granny?’

Verity shrugged, her eyes on the bed.

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