A Mother's Trust Read Free Page A

street.
    ‘What did you do that for?’ Annie demanded angrily. ‘We was just having a bit of a giggle, and I was close to finding out how poor Nellie come to a sticky end.’
    Phoebe helped her mother to her feet. ‘Never mind that now, Ma. Let’s go home, shall we?’
    ‘What are you grinning at?’ Annie said, glaring at Gino. ‘You should be at work, young man.’
    Gino shook his head. ‘I’ve sold my share of hokey-pokey for today, Signora Giamatti.’
    ‘That’s as maybe, but my girl has things to do. You’ll have Mamma Giamatti to deal with if you keep Phoebe from her chores.’ Annie picked up the glass of gin and downed it in one swallow. She gave a sigh of satisfaction. ‘That was good Hollands, none of your jigger gin for Amos; I’ll say that for him. But thanks to you two I’ll have me work cut out now to persuade him to contact his dear Nellie.’ She tossed her head, eyeing Phoebe defiantly. ‘I ain’t coming, girl. So don’t look at me like that.’ Her expression changed on an instant from sullen to one of delight.
    Realising that she had lost her mother’s attention, Phoebe turned her head and her heart sank as she realised who it was that had wrought the change in her mother’s mood. Burly costermongers and porters from the nearby markets moved swiftly out of his path as Rogue Paxman crossed the floor to join them. Phoebe glanced anxiously at the man who was known to be the leader of a notorious mob. If her father had not become embroiled in their nefarious doings he might still be alive this day. She felt suffocated by his presence and when she swallowed there was a bitter taste in her mouth, but to her horror she realised that her mother was smiling a welcome to the man who had brought tragedy to their family. ‘Mother,’ Phoebe said in a low voice. ‘Come with me, please.’
    ‘Oh, Lord, don’t be such a spoilsport,’ Annie said without looking at her. ‘I think Rogue wants a word or two with me.’
    Gino made a move towards Annie, as if to protect her, but Paxman, still smiling, barred his way. ‘Excuse us, mate.’ There was a hidden threat in his words, and Phoebe was alarmed to see his hands fisted at his side. Rogue Paxman was not a man to take no for an answer. His shrewd sea-green eyes set beneath straight fair eyebrows and a thatch of corn-gold hair were at odds with his powerful physique and the strong set of his jaw. He stood a good head and shoulders taller than Gino and he was not the sort of man with whom any sane person would pick a quarrel. Sending a pleading look to her mother, Phoebe clutched Gino’s arm. ‘I think we’d best leave now. Come along, Ma.’
    Annie shook her head. ‘I’ll be along when I’m ready, ducks. Right now I’ve got business with Rogue. Private business.’ She tapped the side of her nose, winking at Paxman as she resumed her seat. She held up her empty glass. ‘A glass of Hollands would go down a treat.’
    He took it from her with slight inclination of his head. ‘I’m happy to oblige, ma’am.’ With a smile directed at Phoebe he made his way to the bar.
    She turned on her mother, bending down to speak in an urgent undertone. ‘Ma, have you lost your senses? Rogue Paxman is a villain. Pa might be here now if he hadn’t got mixed up with the mobs. Don’t have anything to do with him, I beg of you.’
    Annie gave her a tipsy smile. ‘Don’t fuss, girl. I’m not a muggins. I can think for myself. Rogue and his brother Ned have money. I ain’t going to live in Mamma Giamatti’s attic for the rest of me life. At last I can see a way out for you and me, Phoebe. I’m sick of the smell of bloody ice cream and that Italian woman telling me what to do. I’m tired of pretending to conjure up spirits when the only one that interests me comes in a stone bottle. The Paxmans owe us, and they’re our ticket out of Saffron Hill.’
    Phoebe glanced anxiously over her shoulder. She could see Paxman making his way back to the table.