Chapter 33: Linda Booth

Ashford: Saturday, September 27th

It took a long time to calm Karen down. She nursed the second cup of strong tea in her hands, huddled close to the gas fire in the front room. Richard sat on the arm of the chair stroking her arm with the back of his hand while Linda made up a makeshift bed on the settee.

‘I’ll sleep here. You have my bed,’ he said to Karen.

‘No.’

‘He’ll be fine.’ Linda smiled at Karen. ‘I’ve crashed here loads of times after a shift, as well.’ She didn’t add she’d also left Ellen there when she’d been too drunk to get upstairs and Ted was at the bakery. Nor did she show the anxiety she felt that George Worth’s stepdaughter was now under their roof.

‘She can’t stay here, Ted.’ In the kitchen, Ellen took a last long drag on her cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray on the table. ‘God only knows what that man will do if he finds out where she is.’

‘There’s nothing we can do about it tonight, love,’ Ted said. ‘Let’s just leave Richard to keep an eye on her for now and get to bed.’

‘I don’t like it.’

‘I don’t either, but we couldn’t turn her away and there’s clearly been some kind of bother.’

‘Not our responsibility.’ Ellen brushed ash off her dressing gown.

Joining them Linda knew if it was down to her mother Karen would be out on her ear, if she’d even managed to get through the door. ‘Richard says for you to get some sleep.’ Linda looked at Ted. ‘And he says thanks for letting her stay, Dad…’ She understood; the thought of seeing George Worth … George Shuttleworth … again terrified Ellen. She daren’t even think of what would happen once he found out where Karen was. But for Richard’s sake she wouldn’t turn her back on the girl. ‘Do you think we should tell Richard?’ she asked Ted. ‘About you know what.’

‘We can’t.’ Ted frowned. ‘Not until we talk to Mary. It’s not our place to tell him.’

‘Not our place?’ Ellen lit another cigarette, her hands unsteady. ‘Can I remind you it was our daughter he kidnapped?’

‘And why, Ellen? This all started with what happened between Mary and that bastard’s brother. What he did to her.’

Linda walked over to him and held him. ‘It’s okay, Dad, don’t upset yourself. It’ll all be okay.’

Ellen shook her head ‘She can’t stay,’ she said stubbornly.

Linda ignored her. ‘I’m going to bed.’