Dangerous Lady Read Online Free

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Chapter Two
    1953
    Sarah Ryan glanced around her kitchen. A feeling of satisfaction swept over her. It looked beautiful. Taking a deep breath she sighed with contentment. She had not felt this happy for years. The table was laden with food. Turkey, ham, a large joint of beef, all carefully prepared and waiting to go into the oven. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of mince pies and sausage rolls cooking to a golden crispness in the oven.
    She was startled out of her reverie by a loud crash from above. Her mouth set in a grim line, she went to the kitchen door. Opening it wide, she shouted as loud as she could: ‘I’m warning you lot, one more noise and I’ll come up there and scalp the arses offyer!’
    She stood listening for a few minutes, trying not to smile. Then, assured that the children were all in their beds, she went back to her preparations, humming a little tune. Her last task was to lay thick strips of bacon across the turkey. Finally she stepped back from the table to admire her handiwork. Then, picking up the poker from the hearth, she banged it three times against the back of the fireplace. A few seconds later the banging was answered by two sharp thuds. Going to the sink she filled the kettle with water and placed it on the gas. As the kettle
    came to the boil she heard the back door open and popped her head into the scullery to see her friend Pat Johnstone kicking snow off her shoes.
    ‘Get yourself in, Pat, I’ve got the kettle on.’
    ‘Oh, Sar, it’s brass monkey weather out there tonight!’
    Coming into the kitchen, Pat dropped into an easy chair by the fire. She looked around the kitchen, impressed.
    ‘By Christ, you’re well set up this year.’
    Her voice held a hint of jealousy. Sarah poured the steaming water into the tea pot and smiled at her friend.
    ‘Michael brought the lot in this morning. I couldn’t believe it meself when I saw it! There’s sweets and biscuits as well as nuts and fruit. He’s a good boy.’
    Pat nodded her head, reckoning up the cost of everything in her mind. She realised that what was being said about Michael must be true. You couldn’t buy all this working at Lyons bakery or the Black Cat factory. Crime certainly did pay by the looks of it.
    ‘And there’s presents for all the kids,’ Sarah chatted on happily, unaware of the animosity she was creating. Pouring the tea into two thick white mugs, she gave one to her friend. With a tea cloth around her hand she opened up the oven and took out the mince pies and sausage rolls, placing them on the top of the stove to cool as she put the turkey in to cook. Her movements were quick and confident. She straightened up, wiping her forehead with the bottom of her apron, and then went to the dresser to open the drawer. Taking out a package, she passed it to Pat.
    ‘I nearly forgot! Happy Christmas.’
    Pat Johnstone took the package and placed it on her lap. She looked at Sarah’s face with troubled eyes.
    ‘I didn’t get you nothing, Sar … I ain’t got the money.’
    Sarah dismissed this. ‘Oh, shut your face and open it.’
    Slowly Pat tore the brown paper apart. Then her hand went to her mouth. Her voice shook as she tried to speak. ‘Oh Sar! Oh, it’s lovely. Sarah patted her friend s shoulder gently. ‘I knew you’d like it!’
    Pat pulled the white blouse out of the wrapper and held it to her cheek, rubbing the soft material against her skin. ‘It feels like silk!’
    ‘It is silk. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was for you.’ All the terrible things she had thought earlier rose up in Pat’s mind. Jealousy of her friend had been steadily mounting in the last few months. It had started the day three months previously when Michael paid to have the house stoved. Sulphur candles had been burning for days, leaving the house free of vermin, then the whole place had been painted from top to bottom. Like most of the women in the street, Pat Johnstone had been angered by it all. By Lancaster