The Nightingale Girls - By Donna Douglas Page 0,123

all through. I’ll have a few words to say to her when she gets back here, I can tell you. Spoiling our Jubilee Day, and making us all ill with worry—’ But beneath her angry bluster Dora could see the relief on her grandmother’s face.

‘Stop it, Mum. It’s enough that she’s safe.’ Rose Doyle released Dora and turned to the policeman. ‘Thank you, Constable, for letting us know,’ she said stiffly, remembering her manners. ‘We’re very grateful, we really are.’

‘I’m just glad I could bring you a bit of good news.’ He glanced around at them, touched his helmet and then let himself out of the back door.

‘I wonder why she went all the way to Loughton?’ Rose said, when he’d gone. ‘It’s a mystery to me, it really is.’

‘It’s a mystery to me why she don’t want to come back,’ Nanna put in.

Dora glanced at Alf. It was no mystery to her why her sister had run away. And it wasn’t to him, either. She could see it written all over his face. It was all she could do not to grab the poker and smash him with it.

‘We’ll see about that,’ he said. ‘First thing tomorrow I’m going down to Loughton to fetch her. I’ll bring her home, don’t you worry, love,’ he reassured his wife. ‘Even if I have to drag her all the way—’

‘No!’ Dora hadn’t realised she’d shouted it out until she saw the looks of surprise on everyone’s faces as they stared at her.

‘Why don’t you let her stay with Auntie Brenda for a while?’ she reasoned, forcing herself to calm down. ‘Give her time to sort herself out a bit? Maybe you could take the kids over to Loughton and visit for a few days,’ she said to her mother. ‘You could have a proper chat with her, find out what’s wrong.’

‘I know what’s wrong,’ Nanna Winnie grumbled. ‘She needs a good hiding, that’s what’s wrong.’

‘It might be an idea to go down there I s’pose.’ Rose turned to her husband. ‘What d’you reckon, Alf?’

‘Well—’

‘I’m sure Alf wouldn’t say no to the idea of you having a holiday?’ Dora put in quickly. ‘I reckon she deserves it, don’t you?’

She looked across the room at Alf. He was gnawing at his thumbnail, a sure sign that he was aggravated.

‘Well, I think it’s a grand idea,’ Nanna Winnie put in. ‘Our Dora’s right, you could do with a break, Rose. And you might be able to talk some sense into Josie, too. We’ll manage all right here for a few days, won’t we, Alf?’ She gave her son-in-law a toothless grin.

‘I s’pose.’ The thwarted, angry glance he shot at Dora was enough to stop anyone in their tracks, but she didn’t care. At least this way she could keep Josie safely out of his filthy hands for a while.

Behind her, Nick cleared his throat. In all the excitement she’d almost forgotten he was there. ‘I’d best be off, then,’ he mumbled.

Dora followed him out of the back door. ‘Thanks for helping to look for her,’ she said.

‘I promised you, didn’t I?’

‘All the same, it was nice of you.’

‘Nice?’ His mouth curled. ‘That’s not a word people use about me too often.’

‘Well, I think you’re nice.’

‘Do you?’ He was standing very close to her, looking down at her in the darkness. ‘Do you really like me, Dora?’

‘’Course I do.’

The air crackled with tension. Slowly, as if drawn by a force she couldn’t control, she turned her face up to his. She saw his eyes darken and knew he was going to kiss her. She also knew it was what she wanted more than anything in the world.

He lowered his head to meet hers, blocking out the light from the moon. But no sooner had his lips touched hers than Dora felt suffocated, overwhelmed. Memories flooded back, crashing over her like waves, drowning her. Alf Doyle pressing down on her, his kisses hard and wet and tasting of stale beer, his tongue invading her mouth until she couldn’t breathe . . .

‘No, stop! Get away from me!’ She struggled against Nick, pushing him off. He staggered back, his face blank with shock.

‘Sorry,’ he said gruffly. ‘I thought you wanted me to.’ He stepped away from her, his hands dropping to his sides. ‘I must have got the wrong idea.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Dora longed to talk to him, to explain. But the words stuck in her throat.

‘No, it’s me who’s sorry. I didn’t mean – I’d never—’ He turned