Unsure where this was heading, she put on her appeasing face. ‘Please don’t worry, Frank.’
‘I haven’t told you the worst part, love. You see, to make up for what I haven’t been able to earn, I’ve been trying to win it on the races.’ With this, he buried his face in his hands.
This wasn’t news to her, but it was worrying that he was feigning tears. ‘Shh, it can’t be that bad.’ Could it?
‘Only, I haven’t been winning. I did at the start – it felt like I couldn’t lose. But then I kept placing bets, and the more I lost, the more I wanted to get back to the wins. And then’ – he swallowed – ‘I borrowed some money from a lender down in the market, and he wants it back. He was threatening to send in the heavies, so I had to give him something.’
In the pit of her stomach, she felt a dull pain. ‘You didn’t give him my inheritance money, did you?’
He shook his head. ‘No, of course not, love. I’d never do that. I used the beach fund, that’s all. Your inheritance money is for the future, safe in the bank.’
She breathed out. If he’d gambled away her uncle’s money, it would break her. It was her passage to freedom, her safety net, even if she couldn’t get her hands on it quite yet.
Collecting herself, she replied, ‘The beach money? We were looking forward to that, Frank, but I suppose we can build it up again.’ She knew what he was doing, using the Balmoral trip to confess his new debt. She couldn’t make a fuss about it or else he’d stop her from going.
She felt unsettled, a war inside her, the ground continually shifting under her feet.
He reached forward to take her hands in his. ‘I’ve been good to you all these years, love, overlooking your disgrace, all your stupid mistakes, taking another man’s child into my house.’
But then his demeanour changed, his eyes narrowing, his voicelowering, threatening. ‘I’ve found it within myself to forgive you, and now it’s your turn to do the same for me.’
Afraid, she tried to pull her hands away.
But he grasped them tighter, yanking her toward him as he growled, ‘Annabel’s my child too, you know. My name’s right there on her birth certificate. If you ever think about leaving, she’ll be staying here, with her legal, rightful father.’ His face, suddenly dark and vengeful, contorted into a sneer. ‘You’ll never see her again.’
Frantically pulling away, she fell back into the chair terrified, her heart pounding.
He’d never threatened to take Annabel – even though she knew he could. Divorce laws gave men all the rights. He didn’t want her, of course, but Caroline knew he would keep the girl just to control her, to make sure she paid for her disobedience.
Of all the things he could threaten, taking Annabel was the one he knew she couldn’t risk.
Quickly, she calmed herself down. She had to pretend she had no intention of leaving him, and to do that she had to pass over it, ignore it.
‘Don’t worry about your gambling. We’re a family, and families work together to get through problems, don’t they?’ She took his hand. ‘I’ve heard that gambling can get out of hand, especially if you need to win your money back.’
He nodded, assuaged. ‘That’s the problem, love. I need to stop, and I need you to help me. With these boxes of clothes, we should be able to finish the payments to the lender.’
She sat forward. ‘Of course, I’ll do them straightaway.’
As he took her into his arms, she felt her world subside. Any dreams of escape faded into oblivion.
She’d made her bed, and now she had to downright stay in it.
A sound came from the front door, and her heart lifted as she heard Annabel’s voice.
Caroline leapt away from Frank and ran – sprinted, even – to the door, pulling her daughter into such a firm hug that Annabel said,‘Mum, you’re squeezing me!’ Then, wrinkling her nose, she said, ‘What’s that smell?’
‘Your father has a new plan, to wash secondhand clothes for resale. It’ll bring in a few extra pounds.’
‘What a stink!’ Annabel laughed.
With a huff, Frank grunted derisively and patted his pockets, only to find he was out of cigarettes. ‘Pop down to the shops and get me a pack, would you, love?’ he said as he scooped up theRacing Times.
Suddenly, something inside her snapped. How much did she have to do for this vile man? As calmly as she could, she opened her hands apologetically. ‘I can’t, I’m afraid. Not if you want me to get on with these boxes of clothes.’
She expected a retort from him, a reprise. But he just read his newspaper, and without even looking up, he said, ‘Annabel, you heard your mother, off you go.’ He pointed at an ashtray brimming with butts. ‘And empty that while you’re at it.’
And without a word, the girl put down her schoolbag to do his bidding.
