The Nightingale Girls - By Donna Douglas Page 0,129

keeper was calling them in, telling them the park was going to be closing in ten minutes.

Helen was worried their date was going to end, too, but then Charlie shyly asked if she would like to have something to eat.

‘I know a little cafe near here that’s open till nine,’ he said. ‘It’s nothing fancy, but the food’s nice.’

‘It sounds perfect,’ Helen said, taking his arm.

And it was. Charlie was right, the cafe was nothing fancy, with its scrubbed tables and tiled floor. But it was quiet, and the egg and chips were delicious, and even if they’d tasted like sawdust it wouldn’t have mattered because she was with Charlie.

They talked endlessly. Helen couldn’t believe she’d ever worried that they might sit in awkward silence with nothing to say to each other. They talked and talked, and laughed until their sides ached over the silliest of things. They were still talking and laughing when the proprietor of the cafe, a large Italian man called Antonio with the broadest cockney accent Helen had ever heard, very politely informed them that he wanted to close up and go home.

Charlie walked Helen back to the hospital through the darkened streets of Bethnal Green. ‘I’m sorry it wasn’t a posh night out,’ he said.

‘I didn’t mind. I enjoyed it.’

‘I mind. You’re a proper lady, and you deserve the best.’ He paused for a moment. ‘The truth is, I’ve been a bit skint since I lost my job. I’m doing better now I’m working again, but I’m not exactly flush just yet.’ He turned to look at her, his face shadowed in the silvery lamplight. ‘But I will do better next time, if you give me another chance? I might not be able to treat you to tea at The Ritz just yet, but I reckon I’ll be able to stretch to a couple of tickets for the pictures?’ He looked anxious. ‘What do you say? Will you go out with me again?’

She hadn’t meant to say yes. This was meant to be their one and only date. But somehow she found herself nodding eagerly. ‘Yes, please,’ she said.

Helen walked away from him, through the hospital gates and up the broad sweep of driveway that led to the main hospital building. Shaded lights glowed in the ward windows above her. Happiness rose inside her like a bubble in her chest, until she wanted to laugh out loud, just to let it out.

Before she went through the archway in the main building that led into the courtyard beyond, she remembered what William had said. Steeling herself for disappointment, she cautiously looked back over her shoulder.

Charlie was standing at the gates, outlined by the glow of the lamplight, leaning heavily on his stick, watching her.

Chapter Forty-One

‘GUESS WHAT? I’M getting an award!’

Lucy Lane made the announcement from her usual position at the head of the table in the dining room, her voice rising imperiously over the clatter of knives and forks. No one responded. They were all too used to Lucy’s bragging to bother being impressed any more.

‘The Board of Trustees is awarding prizes to the top student from each year on Founder’s Day,’ Lucy went on, oblivious to their lack of interest. ‘They’re giving it to Patterson in the third year, Tremayne in second year, and me.’ She beamed around at them all. A couple of the students nodded politely, the others just went on eating. ‘They’re giving out the prizes at the Founder’s Day party. Our parents are being invited to watch us. I expect my mother will absolutely insist I have a new dress!’ She sighed, as if the whole business was simply too exhausting.

‘Listen to her, she’s off again.’ Katie rolled her eyes at Dora. ‘I really wish someone would take her down a peg or two.’

Dora didn’t reply. For once, Lucy’s bragging washed over her. She had far more important things on her mind.

Today her mum and the kids were due home from their holiday in Loughton, and Dora was anxious to visit and find out how Josie was getting on.

She hoped her mum had let her stay on with Auntie Brenda a bit longer. Anything to keep her out of Alf’s clutches.

She was certain in her own mind that he had turned his attentions to her sister. She tried not to think about what poor little Josie had gone through. But over the past three weeks her nightmares had started again. Only this time it was her sister’s haunted face that woke