A Family Scandal Read Free Page B

spying on us as we did in Battersea.’ He raised his eyebrows hopefully.
    ‘You devil, Pete Culling.’ Lily felt a rosy glow spread through her. ‘And at least we don’t have to worry about making Bobby a new brother or sister. There’s advantages to this getting old malarkey after all.’

    ‘I don’t want to go to bed!’ Grace yelled, struggling as her mother tried to hug her. ‘I hate my room! There’s monsters behind that cupboard!’
    ‘There, there.’ Mavis knew the tantrum would subside if she gave it enough time. Typically Grace, who’d done nothing but complain about having to share a room with her brother, was now kicking up a storm faced with being left to sleep on her own. She’d get over it soon enough. She’d chosen the colours for the room herself – purple walls and pale green woodwork. It might not have been the choice of most other little girls but Mavis had to admit the colours went well together. Maybe her daughter had an eye for such things even at such a young age.
    ‘Stay with me, Mummy.’
    Grace gazed up and Mavis felt her heart constrict with love. Still, she knew she couldn’t curl up beside the girl on the new bed with its smart white headboard, as James was still up, minding Bobby in his room below. Instead she drew out a battered teddy from behind the pillow. ‘Look who has come all this way to stay with you. Recognise him?’
    ‘It’s Little Ted!’ Grace exclaimed, and the tears stopped. She’d taken a fancy to the children’s TV programme Play School , which she’d been able to watch when visiting their old neighbours, the Bonners, and Little Ted was her favourite toy on it. So she’d named her own teddy after him. Mavis was hoping to get a television for the flat but thought it best not to mention it until it happened, or Grace would be inconsolable.

    The doorbell rang and Mavis had to take a moment to realise what the unfamiliar sound was. Back in Harwood Street everyone just banged on the door, but Pete had insisted they had a bell, so that Mavis would be able to hear it from the top floor. ‘Right, time to say night-night. See if you can race Little Ted to be first asleep.’ She kissed the top of her daughter’s head as Grace snuggled down, pulling the new purple eiderdown up to her chin. ‘Sleep tight.’
    ‘Mmmmmm.’ Grace was already seriously challenging Little Ted to the prize.
    Mavis paused at the mirror in the hallway, checking her hair, even though she knew she’d hardly be expected to look glamorous after a day moving house. Her dark curls were flattened where they usually bounced attractively but her blue eyes had that sparkle which always appeared when she knew she’d soon see Tommy. Brushing the dust from her cardigan, which she’d thrown over her shift dress, she ran down the stairs. Although it had only been a couple of days she didn’t want to be parted from Tommy for a minute longer.
    She could see his silhouette through the glass panels in the upper part of the front door that both flats shared. He was tall, and also had dark curly hair, which he kept quite short or it would have got in the way. Tommy had trained as a signwriter, but now he managed his own firm and didn’t do so much of the painting himself. He ran the business from a yard not far from where they’d grown up, much to the disgust of his meddlesome mother who couldn’t get over the fact her son had gone through the disgrace of a divorce.
    Tommy grinned broadly as she opened the door and immediately stepped in and took her in his arms. ‘Hello, gorgeous.’

    ‘Stop it, Tommy, the neighbours will see!’ Mavis reached around him and pushed the door shut again.
    ‘Thought you didn’t care?’
    ‘Not normally, no, but why give them something to gossip about if we don’t have to.’ Mavis led him into Lily and Pete’s flat. ‘Come and look around. James is through there, minding Bobby, so we’ll leave that room till last. But here’s the living room. Have a seat