A Brighter Tomorrow - Maggie Ford (thriller novels to read .txt) 📗

in this house could have been terrifying if Ellie had still had it in mind to go her own way before long, with or without Michael. But it was the possibility of losing him that terrified her.

She turned to him in that terror. ‘What are we to do then?’

Mary Lowe spoke for him. ‘I will help you. I think the two of you should pack your bags immediately and go now, as far away from this place as you possibly can, before my husband returns.’

Michael’s eyes lit up at the idea, but though the woman looked to be putting herself out to help the two young people, Ellie saw no point in gushing thanks, for she knew Mary Lowe was doing this for her own ends, nothing more. Still, it was the only course now, and by the start of next year she’d planned to go anyhow. This way she’d have Michael with her to look after her. Once away from this place they’d take up their lives together. Yes.

The moment of excitement faded as she realized what a foolhardy idea it was. Michael had no belongings with him and not all that much money about him. It was all too sudden, neither of them being prepared. She could only stare as Mary Lowe went on with a note of triumph in her tone.

‘You must begin packing a few things immediately. Don’t delay.’ Never had Ellie seen her in such a hurry to get anything done. ‘I shall leave you now to make your arrangements,’ she continued, ‘but do be quick.’

Throwing the two of them a bright smile of encouragement, she swept from the room, no doubt to a pleasant life, with no Ellie Jay to disrupt it.

Ellie gazed at the now closed door. ‘Where do we go?’ she asked.

When Michael didn’t respond, seemingly stunned by the swiftness of events, she gave an impatient little click of her tongue and moved past him, following in Mrs Lowe’s tracks, but to her own room.

Michael had trailed silently after her and now stood watching her gather up a few clothes, together with her bank account book. But she felt she could detect a change in his attitude. She turned to him.

‘Is something wrong, darling?’

‘I’ve nothing with me but what I’m wearing,’ he said. ‘I’ve hardly any money on me and we don’t even know where we’re going.’

‘I’ve some,’ she said cautiously, ‘in my bank book. I’ve saved up quite a decent bit and we can use some of it to find a place for tonight. Tomorrow we can take our time deciding what to do and where to go.’

‘We’ll have to pay for lodgings,’ he reminded her absently as if still in some sort of daze. ‘No banks will be open this time of the evening and a lodging house will want down payment before we are allowed in. And we can’t sleep rough, even for one night. I wouldn’t let you do that.’

‘Well, we can’t stay here,’ she said sharply, pausing in gathering her clothes together. They lay in a heap over her bed. He was gazing at them.

‘What are you going to put all this in?’ he queried. ‘You’ve no bag or case of any sort.’

Fraught with sudden mistrust, she turned on him. ‘Why are you putting obstacles in the way, Michael? What is it? Have you changed your mind? Isn’t it such a good idea now you’ve had time between that woman leaving us and you thinking about it?’

‘No, I haven’t changed my mind!’ he shot back at her in a way she had never heard him speak before. ‘I’m thinking about it – the logic. I think we should stop to consider what we’re doing before rushing off willy-nilly.’

‘But if Doctor Lowe gets back before we’re gone, we’re lost!’

For a moment she stared at him, trying to delve into his mind. What she thought she saw there sent a stab of panic through her veins.

‘You don’t want to do this!’ she burst out. In a sudden fit of temper she grabbed up an armful of clothing and threw it to the floor. ‘Oh, I know what’s the matter orright. You’ve ’ad your bit of fun at my expense and now you don’t ’ave the courage to take things any further.’

She saw him wince. Whether it was what she had said or the way she had pronounced the words, falling back on old verbal habits, she didn’t care. She could clearly see the doubt in his eyes. What she’d said was true: he was backing out. It was too much for him, the product of a comfortable, wealthy existence, now asked to rough it on the street, for that’s what he probably guessed it amounted to. Men were all the same. Fine when they had it their way – Michael, Doctor Lowe, her brother Charlie, her father – but as soon as it came to the crunch, it was back out quick!

‘Then bugger off!’ she said crudely without waiting for him to reply. ‘I don’t want you. Never mind, I was going to leave sooner or later and so it’s turned out sooner. And anyway I’ll be better on my own.’

‘Ellie—’

‘No, I don’t need someone dragging after me, complaining about how they’re missing their comfortable life. Where I’m off to it ain’t going to be a bed of roses – not for a long while. But I’ve got plans that don’t include you.’

Beside herself with anger she hardly knew what she was saying. She only knew that she was deeply, bitterly disappointed, as disillusioned as she had always been in her sort of life.

Seconds later she found herself pulled into his arms. ‘Darling, please calm down! You must. You don’t know what you’re saying.’

Out of breath from her outburst, she stood in his arms, silent now, but his assurances didn’t soothe her. She merely stood limp and sullen as his voice murmured against her ear.

‘We have to be sensible about this. I’ve got only a few pounds in my