Josephine Cox 3-Book Collection 1: Midnight, Blood Brothers, Songbird. Josephine Cox

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СКАЧАТЬ She still loved him, but what should she do? She didn’t want to lose him.

      Suddenly she was crying. Softly at first, and then uncontrollably.

      ‘Ssh, Molly, please don’t cry.’ Mal’s tender voice soothed her. ‘Whatever it is that’s upset you, I’m sure it can be put right. There’s always a way.’

      ‘Not this time.’ Deep down, she knew that.

      It hurt Mal to see her like this. Sliding his arm about her shoulders, he drew her close, surprised and delighted when she didn’t pull away but relaxed into him. ‘Jack doesn’t want me any more,’ she whispered brokenly. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

      Putting his own feelings aside, Mal reassured her, ‘I’m sure he does want you.’ His lips caressed her hair. ‘He’d be crazy not to.’

      It took a moment before Molly answered thoughtfully, ‘He’s changed.’

      ‘In what way?’

      ‘I don’t know him any more,’ she sobbed. ‘I don’t even know if we’ve really broken up. I don’t know what he’s thinking any more. We had a big argument and I walked out on him.’

      ‘Oh, I see.’ Mal was lost. He couldn’t believe he was actually holding her in his arms. He wanted to kiss her. To tell her how much he needed her. How desperately he wanted to take care of her.

      Suddenly Molly rounded on him. ‘No, Mal! You don’t see! You don’t know anything about it. How can you?’

      Mal took a deep breath, ‘You’re right. I’m sorry.’ He’d forgotten how quickly her mood could turn.

      Slightly repentant, Molly explained about how she and Jack had rowed because he was planning to move away. They’d offered him a manager’s post at the company’s new showrooms in Lytham St Anne’s, and because it was near where he grew up, Jack wanted to go there. He decided it all, without even discussing it with me. I thought we were partners.’

      ‘But, it’s not so bad, is it – getting promoted and sent to pastures new?’ Mal pointed out. ‘Some people would find that exciting. Or don’t you want to go with him – is that it?’

      ‘Maybe I do, maybe I don’t, but it’s not that simple.’ She found it comforting, talking to Mal. He didn’t answer back, and he didn’t put her down. He listened, and right now, that was all she needed.

      After a while, tearful and angry, she scrambled off the seat and ran away, towards the house. Nervously, Mal followed her. On opening the kitchen door, he could hear her softly crying. He found her in the sitting-room. She was on the floor in front of the fire, hugging her knees and crying bitterly, unaware of his presence.

      ‘Hey . . . don’t go upsetting yourself like that,’ he said. Kneeling, he reached out and pressed her into his arms.

      ‘It hurts me to see you so upset, Molly.’ Deeply moved, he leaned his face against hers, tenderly stroking her hair and murmuring reassurance. Easing him away, she looked at him, her curious, intense gaze affecting him deeply. ‘I won’t let anyone hurt you,’ he whispered. ‘I love you, Molly. I always have, ever since we were kids . . .’

      Molly was deeply touched by his loyalty and friendship. Unlike Jack, he had always put her first. Smiling through her tears, she kept her gaze on his face. He dared to read the signs, and slowly, half-afraid she would turn away, he kissed her on the mouth.

      In that very private moment, it felt right between them. Even though Jack lingered in her mind, Molly felt safe with Mal. She felt as if she didn’t know Jack any more. Mal, on the other hand, was like an open book. She knew him. She knew how kind he was, and how much he truly loved her. He would never clear off to the other end of the country, and leave her behind.

      When she now felt two strong arms gently laying her down, she made no protest. Even when his kisses grew demanding and passionate, she didn’t mind. She needed someone to hold her. Someone who cherished her, above all else.

      She gave herself to Mal, freely and willingly. There were no regrets; at least not for now. Not in the heat of the moment.

      Later, though, there might well be a price to pay.

       Chapter Eight

      AFTER A RESTLESS night, Jack clambered out of bed. He showered, shaved and dressed, and with Molly strong in his mind, he ran downstairs and looked up the phone number of Molly’s parents.

      Twice he dialled the number, and twice he replaced the receiver before the number rang out. ‘Come on, Jack!’ he chided himself. ‘You need to sort things out with Molly.’ He had to make her understand how much going north meant to him.

      He took a moment to make a cup of coffee and to feed two slices of bread into the toaster. When the bread popped up, he threw it onto a plate and smothered it in full-fat butter – a long-held weakness of his. He then took time to enjoy his breakfast, while thinking what to do about Molly.

      Fortified by his toast and a second cup of coffee, he picked up the receiver and tapped out the number once more. This time he let it ring until someone answered.

      ‘Hello?’ He recognised the voice at the other end. It was Pauleen, Molly’s mother. A staff-nurse at the local cottage hospital, she was a busy, amiable person – sometimes overwhelming, but in a nice way.

      ‘Hello, Pauleen. It’s me – Jack.’

      ‘Oh, hello, Jack. Everything all right is it?’

      Not knowing how much Molly might have told her, Jack played it safe. ‘Yes, everything’s fine, thank you. But I wonder if you could please put Molly on the phone. I’m off to work in a minute and need to arrange for us to meet up at lunch-time.’

      There was a pause, during which Jack heard her answering someone. ‘No, dear. You go ahead. I’ll just be a minute.’ Returning to her conversation with Jack, she told him, ‘I’m sorry, Jack, but what makes you think Molly might be here?’

      ‘Are you saying she’s not?’

      ‘That’s exactly what I’m saying, dear.’ She was beginning to get worried. ‘What’s happened? Have you had an argument and she’s run off? I know how impetuous she can be. Don’t worry, she’ll be back with her tail between her legs.’ She gave a loud tut. ‘I have no idea why she would tell you she was coming to us.’

      Having heard her quiet remark to a third person, whom he assumed to be Molly, Jack simply asked, ‘Will you do something for me, Pauleen?’

      ‘You know I will, if I can.’

      ‘Thanks. Look, I’ll be at the coffee shop in Bletchley around one o’clock. Molly knows the one. If she does turn up at your place, will you please tell her I’ll be there for about half an hour?’

      ‘Yes, of course I will.’

      ‘Thank you, Pauleen. I appreciate that.’

      Replacing the receiver, and convinced that Molly had been standing right beside her mother, listening to every word, Jack felt a rush of anger. ‘All right, Molly. I know you were listening. СКАЧАТЬ