One Night Only (173 page)

“Wh
y
d
o
yo
u
alway
s
caus
e
suc
h
trouble
,
Ruth
Monaghan?
”

“
I
.
.
.
I
onl
y
wante
d
t
o
se
e
you.
”

“
I
hav
e
ha
d
enoug
h
o
f
you,
”
he
r
mothe
r
ha
d
said
,
her
voic
e
wear
y
an
d
sad
.
“
I
thin
k
i
t
migh
t
b
e
bes
t
i
f
yo
u
leave
u
s
t
o
griev
e
fo
r
Raymon
d
i
n
peace
.
H
e
i
s
gon
e
no
w
.
Let
hi
m
g
o
.
.
.
i
n
peace.
”

“Mum?
”

Rut
h
fel
t
lik
e
sh
e
wa
s
carryin
g
a
lea
d
bal
l
insid
e
he
r
as
sh
e
watche
d
he
r
mothe
r
tur
n
awa
y
,
bein
g
comforte
d
by Samanth
a
a
s
the
y
move
d
inside
.
Sh
e
walke
d
bac
k
int
o
the house
,
starin
g
a
t
th
e
floo
r
,
i
n
throug
h
th
e
tin
y
kitchen, pas
t
th
e
grievin
g
relative
s
an
d
tea-makers
,
pas
t
th
e
room wher
e
th
e
corps
e
o
f
Raymon
d
Dillo
n
la
y
an
d
sh
e
lifte
d
her overnigh
t
ba
g
an
d
walke
d
ou
t
throug
h
th
e
fron
t
doo
r
.
She
woul
d
neve
r
hea
r
fro
m
he
r
mothe
r
again
.

P
oll
y
hear
d
T
revo
r
Humphries
’
ca
r
pul
l
ou
t
o
f
th
e
drivew
ay
nex
t
doo
r
an
d
sh
e
le
t
ou
t
a
hug
e
sig
h
o
f
relief
.
Sh
e
walked toward
s
he
r
bedroo
m
windo
w
whic
h
looke
d
ou
t
o
f
the
sid
e
o
f
he
r
hous
e
an
d
ont
o
Gina
’
s
drivewa
y
.
Y
es
,
h
e
was gone
.

Sh
e
race
d
downstair
s
an
d
ou
t
throug
h
th
e
doo
r
,
down he
r
driv
e
an
d
acros
s
t
o
Gina
’
s
.
Sh
e
didn
’
t
knoc
k
o
n
the fron
t
doo
r
and
,
whe
n
sh
e
burs
t
inside
,
sh
e
wa
s
frightened t
o
deat
h
o
f
wha
t
sh
e
migh
t
find
.

“Hello?
”

Gin
a
walke
d
fro
m
th
e
kitchen
,
wipin
g
he
r
hand
s
o
n
a
tea-towel
.
Sh
e
wa
s
shakin
g
an
d
he
r
li
p
wa
s
beginnin
g
to
swell
.
Poll
y
ra
n
toward
s
he
r
an
d
hel
d
he
r
tight
.

“I’
m
oka
y
no
w
,
Poll
y
.
That
’
s
i
t
al
l
ove
r
no
w
.
I’
m
oka
y
.”
Poll
y
fel
t
ho
t
tear
s
trickl
e
dow
n
he
r
cheek
s
an
d
onto
Gina
’
s
wisp
y
hai
r
.

“
I
a
m
s
o
sorry!
”
sh
e
gasped
.
“I
t
wa
s
fiv
e
minutes
.
I
sai
d
I’
d
b
e
bac
k
i
n
fiv
e
minute
s
bu
t
I
wa
s
to
o
late!
”

Gin
a
shoo
k
he
r
hea
d
an
d
release
d
hersel
f
fro
m
Polly
’
s
grasp
.
Sh
e
smile
d
a
t
he
r
neighbou
r
bu
t
th
e
insid
e
o
f
her mout
h
stun
g
whe
n
sh
e
di
d
an
d
sh
e
le
t
ou
t
a
his
s
o
f
pain. “Onward
s
an
d
upwards,
”
sai
d
Gina
,
closin
g
th
e
living
roo
m
doo
r
wher
e
Dann
y
wa
s
playin
g
wit
h
hi
s
ne
w
toy plane
.
“I’
m
jus
t
gettin
g
Dann
y
a
banan
a
sandwich
.
He
love
s
banan
a
sandwiches.
”

Sh
e
turne
d
awa
y
fro
m
Poll
y
,
wen
t
bac
k
t
o
th
e
worktop wher
e
sh
e
ha
d
lai
d
ou
t
tw
o
round
s
o
f
brea
d
an
d
some
butte
r
an
d
continue
d
slicin
g
u
p
th
e
banana
.