girls smiled as the older woman bustled off.
‘She isn’t such a bad old stick,’ Judy said. ‘Here, I’ve brought us a sandwich each, and mugs of coffee. I guessed you’d be stuck here so thought I’d join you for a bit of a chin-wag.’
‘Bless you! I can’t think how I would have managed without your help this morning. You must take home one of these geraniums. According to mam, and she knows about such things, geraniums are for friendship, and you’ve certainly proved yet again to be my very best friend.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of robbing Betty of her stock. What are neighbours for, if not to help each other?’
‘Nevertheless, I insist. I don’t know how I come to deserve a friend like you.’
Judy gave a wry smile. ‘Because you’ve listened patiently to all my feeble moans and groans, from my mental arithmetic test with the dreadful Mrs Donaldson to the joyless state of matrimony, not to mention my endless fretting over my blessed children.’
‘Feel free. You don’t moan nearly enough, particularly about Sam. He’s a selfish pig and you’re an absolute saint.’
‘Don’t exaggerate! Just because you don’t trust men doesn’t mean I should be the same. I saw you talking to Terry, did he ask you out? And did you accept?’
Lynda saw the determined little smile and accepted the abrupt change of topic with resignation. It was none of her business if Judy insisted on turning herself into a doormat and believed everything her philandering husband told her. If Lynda had one unselfish wish for her friend, it would be for her to dump that controlling husband of hers.
Lynda had pulled up an orange box for Judy and the two young women were enjoying their snack lunch together. They’d been friends since schooldays, although Judy was three years older and would turn twenty-nine just two months after Lynda’s own coming birthday in October. There were no secrets between them as they were entirely comfortable in each other’s company and Lynda was only too ready to tell her friend all about her date with Terry Hall.
‘He’s really quite dishy so why the hell shouldn’t I go out with him?’
Judy laughed. ‘No one can say you don’t grasp life with both hands, love. I envy you. I wish I had half your courage.’
There it was again, that faintly wistful note. ‘Is it my courage you envy, or my freedom?’ Lynda tentatively enquired.
Judy laughingly shook her head. ‘Why would I, a happily married woman, want freedom? Far too frightening.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Lynda protested with a secret smile. ‘The single state has its advantages.’
‘I can see that you enjoy your independence, but I quite like having a man look after me.’
‘Sam, look after you?’ Lynda looked at her askance. ‘I’ll believe that when I see it.’
‘He does, in his way. He’s certainly a good provider, and good with the kids.’
Lynda never had liked Sam Beckett, considering the union a bad one from the start, but had been far too young at the time to understand why the man made her flesh creep, or to say as much. Not that Judy would have listened. She wouldn’t hear a word said against him, though God knows why? He didn’t deserve her, he really didn’t.
Sadly though, Lynda’s fears had been proved correct. Despite her friend’s efforts to disguise her unhappiness, anyone would need to be blind, deaf and dumb not to see how things stood between them. Judy obediently did his every bidding, waited on him hand, foot and finger, and it made Lynda furious to see her so much under his control while he spread his favours where he pleased.
‘And is that your only criterion for a good husband, that he be a good provider? I would want so much more. A sexy lover, his undivided attention, and complete and utter fidelity.’
Judy didn’t answer immediately but concentrated on taking a bite of her egg sandwich. At last she said, ‘And if you didn’t get those things?’
‘Divorce?
‘She isn’t such a bad old stick,’ Judy said. ‘Here, I’ve brought us a sandwich each, and mugs of coffee. I guessed you’d be stuck here so thought I’d join you for a bit of a chin-wag.’
‘Bless you! I can’t think how I would have managed without your help this morning. You must take home one of these geraniums. According to mam, and she knows about such things, geraniums are for friendship, and you’ve certainly proved yet again to be my very best friend.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of robbing Betty of her stock. What are neighbours for, if not to help each other?’
‘Nevertheless, I insist. I don’t know how I come to deserve a friend like you.’
Judy gave a wry smile. ‘Because you’ve listened patiently to all my feeble moans and groans, from my mental arithmetic test with the dreadful Mrs Donaldson to the joyless state of matrimony, not to mention my endless fretting over my blessed children.’
‘Feel free. You don’t moan nearly enough, particularly about Sam. He’s a selfish pig and you’re an absolute saint.’
‘Don’t exaggerate! Just because you don’t trust men doesn’t mean I should be the same. I saw you talking to Terry, did he ask you out? And did you accept?’
Lynda saw the determined little smile and accepted the abrupt change of topic with resignation. It was none of her business if Judy insisted on turning herself into a doormat and believed everything her philandering husband told her. If Lynda had one unselfish wish for her friend, it would be for her to dump that controlling husband of hers.
Lynda had pulled up an orange box for Judy and the two young women were enjoying their snack lunch together. They’d been friends since schooldays, although Judy was three years older and would turn twenty-nine just two months after Lynda’s own coming birthday in October. There were no secrets between them as they were entirely comfortable in each other’s company and Lynda was only too ready to tell her friend all about her date with Terry Hall.
‘He’s really quite dishy so why the hell shouldn’t I go out with him?’
Judy laughed. ‘No one can say you don’t grasp life with both hands, love. I envy you. I wish I had half your courage.’
There it was again, that faintly wistful note. ‘Is it my courage you envy, or my freedom?’ Lynda tentatively enquired.
Judy laughingly shook her head. ‘Why would I, a happily married woman, want freedom? Far too frightening.’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Lynda protested with a secret smile. ‘The single state has its advantages.’
‘I can see that you enjoy your independence, but I quite like having a man look after me.’
‘Sam, look after you?’ Lynda looked at her askance. ‘I’ll believe that when I see it.’
‘He does, in his way. He’s certainly a good provider, and good with the kids.’
Lynda never had liked Sam Beckett, considering the union a bad one from the start, but had been far too young at the time to understand why the man made her flesh creep, or to say as much. Not that Judy would have listened. She wouldn’t hear a word said against him, though God knows why? He didn’t deserve her, he really didn’t.
Sadly though, Lynda’s fears had been proved correct. Despite her friend’s efforts to disguise her unhappiness, anyone would need to be blind, deaf and dumb not to see how things stood between them. Judy obediently did his every bidding, waited on him hand, foot and finger, and it made Lynda furious to see her so much under his control while he spread his favours where he pleased.
‘And is that your only criterion for a good husband, that he be a good provider? I would want so much more. A sexy lover, his undivided attention, and complete and utter fidelity.’
Judy didn’t answer immediately but concentrated on taking a bite of her egg sandwich. At last she said, ‘And if you didn’t get those things?’
‘Divorce?
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