didn’t realise my mother was such a prude.’
Any comment Amy might have made died on her lips when they walked into Tommy’s bedroom. He looked awful and she flew to his side. Tommy tried to smile, and tears filled Amy’s eyes. This was the first time she’d seen him like this, and it was heartbreaking to hear when he began coughing, his chest heaving and perspiration beading his forehead. ‘Oh, Tommy,’ she cried, feeling utterly helpless.
‘I … I’ll be all right,’ he gasped. ‘Sorry about tonight.’
‘Don’t be silly, it doesn’t matter.’
‘I … might be stuck in bed for a good few days.’
Amy felt it would take longer than that and said, ‘Don’t try to get up before you’re fully recovered.’
‘I’ve got a business to run,’ he croaked.
‘Don’t worry,’ Jeremy said, speaking for the first time. ‘I can keep an eye on things for you.’
‘No … no need,’ Tommy said, but Amy looked sideways to see that Jeremy was leaning casually against the door frame and she smiled at him gratefully. He winked and she flushed, turning to see that Tommy’s eyes had closed. Softly she kissed his cheek, but he didn’t stir, and after just sitting beside him for another couple of minutes, she indicated to Jeremy that they should leave.
Celia was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs, and Amy wondered if she’d been timing the visit. ‘As you saw, Thomas is very ill and he needs lots of rest.’
‘Would it be all right if I just pop in for a few minutes each day?’
‘Yes, of course it will,’ Jeremy agreed before his mother got a chance to answer. ‘That’s all right, isn’t it, Mum?’
Celia hesitated, but then said stiffly, ‘Yes, I suppose so.’
‘Thank you,’ Amy said. ‘I’ll go now, but I’ll call in after work tomorrow.’
‘I’ll walk you home, Amy,’ Jeremy offered.
‘There’s no need,’ she said hurriedly.
‘I insist,’ he said.
‘Jeremy, you heard her,’ Celia snapped. ‘There’s no need.’
Before he could respond, Amy pulled open the street door, calling a swift goodbye before hurrying out, relieved that Jeremy didn’t follow her. There was something about Jeremy, a sort of dangerous magnetism that made her nervous and she was glad to get away from him.
Carol had done her Christmas shopping and had put a small tree in front of the window, adding fairy lights and baubles. It was Sunday morning, so she had wrapped the presents chosen for her brothers and placed them under the tree. She hoped the hint would work, that some would be added for her, but more than anything she longed for her mother to get in touch. It had been around seven months now without a word, and when she’d been to see her gran, the old lady still insisted that she hadn’t heard from her either. Carol didn’t believe it. Before she left her mother had been to see her gran every day, and it didn’t make sense that she hadn’t at least been in touch to make sure that the old woman was all right.
Not only that, if Gran hadn’t been in contact with her mother, she wouldn’t know that the house on Lark Rise was now empty, and if she did come back it would be a bit of a shock. Thoughts of the recent past, the things that had happened in that house, suddenly crowded Carol’s mind. It was too painful to think about, so when there was a ring on the doorbell, Carol was glad of the distraction.
Even though there had been no sign of her father, Carol still looked out of the window to make sure it wasn’t him at the door, and was thankful to see that it was Amy. She ran downstairs to let her friend in, but Amy said, ‘Are you on your own? I’ve got something to tell you, but it needs to be in private.’
‘It’s all right, my brothers aren’t in. Come on up,’ she said and when they sat down in the living room, Carol could see how tense Amy was. ‘What’s wrong? Why do you need to talk to me in private?’
Amy swallowed as though nervous, but only said, ‘Tommy’s got bronchitis and he’s really rough.’
‘Oh, no wonder you look upset.’
‘Tommy’s brother has come home too. Jeremy is older than Tommy and has been away for about seven years. He seems all right, and he’s really good looking.’
‘Is that what you’ve come to talk to me about? Do you fancy him or something?’
‘No, of course not,’ Amy protested.
‘Then what is it?’
‘I … I was going to tell you about this yesterday, after work, but I saw your brothers arriving home and I didn’t want to talk to you in front of them. That’s why I came today, hoping they were out …’
Amy’s voice had trailed off and worried that she was in some kind of trouble, Carol urged, ‘You’re safe, we’re on our own, and if I can help you know I will.’
‘This … this isn’t about me. It’s about you. I hate to tell you this, and of course it’s all lies, but there’s some nasty gossip going round and I thought I should warn you.’
Carol’s stomach clenched. Surely it hadn’t come out after all this time? She dreaded what was coming, but had to ask, ‘What are they saying about me?’
‘They’re saying that you … well, you had an abortion.’
Carol lowered her head and ran both hands over her face as she groaned, ‘Oh God, if this reaches Paul and Davy they’re going to go mad.’
‘Maybe they should,’ Amy said. ‘If they sort the gossips out, it might put a stop to them.’
‘No, no, you don’t understand,’ Carol cried. ‘It’s me they’ll sort out, probably chuck out me of this flat. Oh, Amy, what am I going to do?’
Amy looked bewildered for a moment, but then as though the penny had dropped she gasped, ‘Are you saying it’s true?’
Carol nodded, and then it all came out in a rush as she told Amy what had happened; about Roy, the rape, the abortion, sobbing when she came to the end.
Amy had tears in her eyes too as she said, ‘If I’d known I might have been able to help, or at least be there for you.’
‘I was too ashamed to tell anyone, and if the abortion hadn’t been botched, nobody would have needed to know.’
Amy moved to her side to put an arm around her, and at her friend’s show of sympathy tears ran, unchecked, down Carol’s cheeks. ‘Oh, Amy, I dread to think what’s going to happen when my brothers find out.’
‘If you tell them your side of the story before
