Coronation Wives Read Online Free Page B

that she wanted company. ‘I don’t really—’
    Polly cut her short. ‘Good idea.’
    ‘Can I have a cocoa?’ asked Susan who was proudly hanging onto Janet’s hand as if she were a treasured find.
    Edna said she could and asked her son, Peter, if he too wanted cocoa or lemonade. He slapped his side as he thought about it. At the same time he stamped his feet, not angrily, but as though he was getting ready to run.
    ‘You can bring Trigger,’ Edna added with a brief pat of his shoulder, ‘but he has to be quiet. Carwardines only let in well-behaved horses.’
    She gave Janet a wink. Strange how it made Janet feel that little bit better, as though anything could be got over if you really tried. Look at Edna’s husband: no legs, but still he coped.
    Despite the dreadfulness of her day, Janet felt less ashamed, less indignant. Normal people living normal lives who knew nothing of what she had been through surrounded her. She was still Janet as they’d always known her.
    Suddenly the crowd began to disperse and Susan began to dance. ‘It’s stopped raining! It’s stopped raining!’ She tugged Janet out of the Arcade entrance. At the same time Peter spurred on his invisible mount and let out a loud neigh of appreciation.
    ‘High spirits,’ said Edna with a mix of pride and embarrassment, and when Janet didn’t respond she touched her arm. ‘Are you all right?’
    There was genuine concern in her face and, for a solitary second, Janet had a strong urge to tell her what had happened on Friday night and where she’d been today.
    Just when the urge was at its strongest, Susan piped up, ‘We’ve left Aunty Polly behind.’
    Everyone gathered in a huddle and looked around. ‘Window shopping, I expect,’ said Edna. Janet stretched her neck and studied a spot in front of a window that had been hidden by the crowd sheltering from the rain.
    ‘There,’ she said pointing.
    ‘Not that again,’ Edna muttered.
    Janet didn’t question to what she was referring. Her own problems pressed too heavily so she only glanced very briefly in Polly’s direction.
    Sharply attractive in her black and white flowered dress, Polly was standing quite still, her attention fixed on a poster that seemed mostly to consist of blue sky and an arched iron bridge crossing an equally blue bay. Edna called out to her. ‘Polly?’
    Polly seemed oblivious to everything except the poster. Edna called again. This time Polly seemed to hear. It was as if someone had turned a large key to get her going again. Despite her age – mid-thirties – Polly maintained a girlish exuberance, especially now with her hair tangled to curls by the rain.
    She seemed to bounce rather than walk towards them and her smile stretched from ear to ear. ‘Did you know it’s only ten pounds to go to Australia?’
    ‘Yes, I did know that,’ snapped Edna and turned away abruptly. ‘Let’s get to Carwardines.’ She began to push her way through the crowds, Janet following right behind, pulled along by Susan.
    ‘You didn’t tell me!’ Polly grumbled as she trailed along behind.
    ‘Why should I?’
    Polly sounded almost angry. ‘Why should you? You know damn well why! You know I’ve been wanting to leave this country for years.’
    Although she wasn’t quite sure of the significance of the conversation, Janet said, ‘There are times when I’d like to fly away and never come back.’
    ‘Your mother wouldn’t like it,’ said Edna, her knuckles white with the force of her grip on the pushchair.
    Janet’s laugh was like a wooden spoon banging around the inside of a saucepan. ‘I doubt whether she’d notice. She leads a busy life helping other people. We’ve got nothing in common.’
    Edna turned sharply to her, a shocked expression on her face. ‘That’s not true. Your mother is the most caring person I know and I can’t believe that you’re not as good-hearted as she is. Susan wouldn’t have run out to fetch you if you weren’t. Children are very