One Night Only (30 page)

Sh
e
neve
r
,
eve
r
fo
r
on
e
secon
d
expecte
d
Ruth
Monagha
n
t
o
lan
d
a
t
he
r
doo
r
th
e
ver
y
nex
t
morning. Tha
t
wa
s
a
shoc
k
an
d
a
hal
f
an
d
sh
e
ha
d
n
o
tim
e
t
o
decide
ho
w
t
o
react
.
So
,
sh
e
invite
d
he
r
i
n
fo
r
coffee
.

Rut
h
wa
s
empt
y
insid
e
an
d
mor
e
dow
n
tha
n
usua
l
when
sh
e
visite
d
th
e
Spa
r
tha
t
Frida
y
morning
.
She’
d
had absolutel
y
n
o
intentio
n
o
f
visitin
g
Poll
y
unannounce
d
but, befor
e
sh
e
kne
w
it
,
th
e
word
s
wer
e
ou
t
o
f
he
r
mout
h
to
Sheil
a
th
e
sho
p
assistant
.

“D
o
yo
u
kno
w
Poll
y
W
oodhead
,
I
mean
,
Poll
y
Knox?”
sh
e
aske
d
a
s
sh
e
pai
d
fo
r
he
r
pac
k
o
f
Ki
t
Kat
s
an
d
Diet Coke
.
“
W
e
wen
t
t
o
schoo
l
togethe
r
.
I
wa
s
thinkin
g
of lookin
g
he
r
up.
”

Sh
e
kne
w
sh
e
sounde
d
lik
e
a
stalke
r
bu
t
Sheil
a
seemed
t
o
lik
e
he
r
.
Sh
e
wa
s
on
e
o
f
he
r
bes
t
customer
s
afte
r
all.
Ever
y
da
y
sh
e
woul
d
cal
l
a
t
th
e
Spa
r
o
n
a
t
leas
t
three occasion
s
an
d
ever
y
da
y
sh
e
an
d
Sheil
a
woul
d
cha
t
about
everythin
g
fro
m
Chery
l
Cole
’
s
hai
r
t
o
th
e
pric
e
o
f
a
ba
g
of
crisp
s
an
d
ho
w
the
y
wer
e
alway
s
half-empt
y
thes
e
days anyho
w
.
The
y
jus
t
didn
’
t
mak
e
Monste
r
Munc
h
lik
e
they use
d
to
.

“O
f
cours
e
I
kno
w
Poll
y
.
He
r
siste
r
T
es
s
teache
s
my daughte
r
Frenc
h
a
t
S
t
John
’
s
.
Lovel
y
girl
s
the
y
are
,
the
tw
o
o
f
them
.
On
e
o
f
thei
r
sister
s
ha
s
a
bi
t
o
f
a
problem wit
h
th
e
you-know-what.
”

Rut
h
love
d
ho
w
Sheil
a
alway
s
thre
w
i
n
a
we
e
titbi
t
of
gossi
p
fo
r
goo
d
measure
.

“D
o
yo
u
kno
w
wher
e
sh
e
lives
?
I
don
’
t
hav
e
her numbe
r
s
o
I
though
t
I’
d
po
p
round.
”

Sheil
a
folde
d
he
r
chubb
y
arm
s
an
d
looke
d
u
p
a
t
the
ceilin
g
a
s
i
f
Rut
h
ha
d
aske
d
he
r
a
phone-a-frien
d
question fo
r
th
e
bigges
t
priz
e
o
n
Wh
o
W
ant
s
t
o
B
e
a
Millionaire?
.
“No
w
,
le
t
m
e
ge
t
thi
s
right,
”
sh
e
said
.
“
T
es
s
live
s
out
o
f
tow
n
I’
m
almos
t
sure
,
i
n
th
e
snobb
y
end
,
an
d
Helen,
she
’
s
th
e
on
e
who
’
s
fon
d
o
f
th
e
booz
e
–
sh
e
live
s
in Rushfiel
d
Par
k
an
d
the
n
there
’
s
Mar
y
th
e
sensibl
e
one wit
h
al
l
th
e
childre
n
.
.
.
yes
,
I’
m
nearl
y
sur
e
tha
t
Polly
live
s
i
n
Ardglas
s
V
illas
.
Y
o
u
kno
w
th
e
pos
h
house
s
a
t
the en
d
o
f
th
e
village
?
He
r
husban
d
i
s
ver
y
wel
l
t
o
d
o
an
d
a
rea
l
hun
k
int
o
th
e
bargain
.
Som
e
girl
s
hav
e
al
l
th
e
luck, eh?
”

Rut
h
wa
s
alread
y
feelin
g
lik
e
a
dow
n
an
d
ou
t
and, whe
n
Sheil
a
tol
d
he
r
abou
t
Polly
’
s
idylli
c
lifestyle
,
sh
e
felt
eve
n
worse
.
Sh
e
wa
s
fa
t
an
d
alon
e
an
d
n
o
on
e
wante
d
to kno
w
he
r
an
y
more
,
bu
t
Poll
y
seeme
d
kind
.
Sh
e
was alway
s
muc
h
softe
r
tha
n
he
r
younge
r
siste
r
.
Mayb
e
i
f
she
gav
e
Rut
h
a
chance
,
sh
e
migh
t
se
e
ho
w
muc
h
sh
e
had change
d
dow
n
th
e
years
.
Sh
e
wasn
’
t
a
bi
g
bull
y
an
y
more.
Sh
e
wa
s
stil
l
big
,
bu
t
no
t
a
bull
y
.