A Brighter Tomorrow by Maggie Ford (read with me .txt) 📕

squealed Mrs Lowe, coming to confront her like some aggressive, puffed-up pigeon. ‘That girl is in my care until she reaches the age of independence. Then she can do what she likes.’

‘You mean she can be thrown out when it suits you?’ Ellie finished hotly. ‘With no idea of the world after having been tied to your skirts for years? – told what to do and what not to do.’ Not knowing what to say, the woman hesitated, appealing to her husband to speak up for her.

He did. ‘Dora, do as your mistress says and go on up to your room, like a good girl.’

Dora’s eyes had dried. ‘What?’ she said indignantly.

‘I said, like a good girl!’ he repeated. ‘Now do as you are told, Dora.’ The tone of his voice, instead of startling her, made her eyes blaze.

Suddenly, it seemed, she made up her mind. She turned towards her sister, her lips thin and set.

‘Right, Ellie, I’m coming with you,’ she said and threw the others a truculent glance. ‘I shall be staying with my sister for a few days.’

‘Dora, did you hear what I said?’ thundered Bertram Lowe, but she took no notice, as if he hadn’t spoken at all.

‘And if I decide to stay for good, I’ll come back to collect the rest of my things.’

She sounded so grown-up for someone only fifteen years old that it took Ellie’s breath away and she felt a great surge of pride go through her. But then, she’d been only fifteen, too, when she’d been forced to suddenly grow up.

Bertram Lowe was looking at her, his piggy eyes baleful. ‘This is your doing,’ he blared, his moustache waggling with indignation, his face suffused with a rush of rage.

‘I’ve done all I could to make sure of your happiness and safety under my roof. I took you in when you had nowhere to go. I gave you a good home. I had you taught to behave like a lady. I paid out of my own pocket for your tutoring. And what did you do? – threw it all in my face, running off with your tutor, and thank heaven his father made him see sense. I gave you all my fond affection.’ He pulled himself up sharply as his wife shot a startled glance at him. ‘and this is how you reward us,’ he went on quickly as if he hadn’t noticed the confession he’d just made. ‘By disrupting my home and enticing away a girl my wife has become equally fond of.’

He glanced again at his wife as if that last statement vindicated him.

Ellie stood her ground, even found herself enjoying the argument. ‘I am grateful for all you did for me,’ she said calmly. ‘But you must have realized I wouldn’t stay with you for ever – that one day I would leave to live my own life.’

She almost said that she wasn’t his daughter, bound to his family, but thought better of it before any more damage was done. He was a good man. He didn’t deserve to have his nose rubbed in it. She suddenly felt unkind to have been so pleased with herself.

‘I am sorry, Doctor Lowe,’ she said now. ‘I am truly grateful for all you’ve done for me and Dora. But it did have to come to an end eventually. You can see that. I really don’t want us to be enemies.’

‘That is exactly what you are!’ cried Mrs Lowe, but he put out a hand to quieten her.

‘Nor do I, Ellie. And I understand your feelings. If I can be of any help to you in the future, please do let me know.’

There were tears in his pale eyes – tears she hoped his wife hadn’t seen – and she felt her own tears start to spring. He had been kind to her. That he’d allowed it go so far as to see in her a replacement for his dead daughter was no one’s fault.

But it had become too claustrophobic and she’d have had to escape at some time, even if Michael hadn’t persuaded her away. Now she felt as if she was betraying him. She had used him. She had used everyone, it seemed, to further her plan to get even with her father. Had it all been worth it? She wasn’t sure now.

‘I’m so very sorry,’ she managed to say.

‘We don’t want your sorries!’ shouted Mrs Lowe vehemently. ‘Just get out of my house! And take that ungrateful little brat with you!’

Mrs Lowe had no idea that she’d unwittingly broken the spell, in which Ellie had almost found herself ready to run into Bertram Lowe’s arms to kiss his cheek and thank him for being such a good man to her. How would that have been received?

Instead, she nodded to him and gulped, feeling her heart about to break as he returned the nod, and saw him step back to let her and Dora pass.

Not so, Mrs Lowe. Ellie was half aware of a sudden sharp movement from her. Dora gave a little cry and ducked as Mrs Lowe’s hand connected with the back of her head.

Ellie’s first instinct was to swing round on her, to return the clout, knock her fine hat off her head. But she refrained out of what in that second felt like a surge of love for Bertram Lowe. Her hand fleetingly touched his, feeling it warm, the fingers momentarily curling about hers, and she was out into the hall, Mrs Jenkins already having the street door open for her.

So she and Dora emerged into the cold February air, which hit them like a fierce dash of cold water.

Dora was crying, not from the clout but from the upset of the whole affair. Ellie realized the girl had no coat, no hat or gloves, her hair hanging loose and uncombed, and that she only had a pair of indoor slippers on her feet and no stockings.

Letting go her hand, Ellie swung round and raced back up