Rough Justice (36 page)

Joe held his son at arm’s length and looked at him.

‘Some of the things that were said in the past weren’t so bad,’ sniffed Mary. ‘Remember, Joe, how Martin always used to say:
I’ll take you to the seaside one day, Mum
?’

Joe shook his head, remembering. ‘It was all we heard out of you when you were little, son.’

‘Well, I reckon it’s about time I kept that promise then, don’t you? So as soon as the weather looks up let’s go down the coast.’

Joe took out his cigarettes, and made a fuss of fumbling with his matches, avoiding looking at
his son or his wife. ‘Maybe we could all go.’ He spoke quietly, almost shyly.

‘I’d like that a lot, Dad, because we should make the most of every opportunity, never take anything for granted. Who knows how much time we’ve got together, eh?’ Martin scratched the side of his neck. ‘I was thinking it’d be nice if Nell and the kids came with us and all. Be a good day out for all of us.’

‘You’ll have to ask her then, won’t you?’

Martin nodded. ‘I will, Mum. Shame she’s not here or I’d have asked her right now.’

‘But she is here.’ Mary looked over at Nell, who was busily serving behind the bar, completely unaware that Martin had come home and that he was standing there in the Hope, just yards away from her.

‘Look.’ Mary nodded towards her. ‘So you can. You can go over and ask her right this very minute.’

Martin put his hand in his jacket pocket, his finger outlining the familiar shapes of the embroidered edge of the handkerchief that Nell had given to him, and made his way over to speak to her.

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With my thanks as always to Chris Lloyd and Malcolm Barr-Hamilton of the wonderful Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives for their skill, generosity and patience.

My thanks also to Helen Kent of London’s Transport Museum.

Although this is the story of one young women’s love for and struggle against a violent man, it is the story of many. Today, in the UK, two women die each week as a result of domestic violence. Further information can be found at
womensaid.org.uk

There is also a domestic violence helpline: 0808 2000 247

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Epub ISBN: 9781446493939

Version 1.0

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Published by Arrow Books 2007

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Copyright © Gilda O’Neill 2007

Gilda O’Neill has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs

and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work

Rough Justice
is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the

product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual

persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

First published in Great Britain in 2007 by

William Heinemann

The Random House Group Limited

20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 2SA

www.randomhouse.co.uk

Addresses for companies within The Random House Group

Limited can be found at:
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The Random House Group Limited Reg. No. 954009

A CIP catalogue record for this book

is available from the British Library

ISBN 9780099492290