The First Betrayal Read Online Free PDF

may I also call you Vera?’
    A blushing Vera beginning to perspire a little answered that of course he could. How could she not allow this Adonis to speak her name, to deny herself the joy of seeing her name formed with his pink perfectly shaped lips? How could she keep him here?
    ‘Mr Gardener, maybe you could talk with some of our guests, if they were around the same age as your uncle, then someone might very well know him and know where he is.’
    ‘Please it’s Adam, and that would be most helpful Vera, I’m very grateful to you,’ he placed his hand over hers and squeezed it gently. Her heart was having palpitations at his touch. He could feel the pulse through her dry and creased skin, smell the sensible soap and dandruff shampoo off her middle aged and yet unused body.
    ’Why don’t you come back this evening for dinner Adam, its meatballs and scrabble and you could spend some time with them and ask about your uncle,’ she tried to keep her tone noncommittal and indifferent while praying inside her head that he would return.
    ‘That’s a date Vera, I look forward to seeing you then, that is I hope you’ll be here?
    ‘Yes Ill be here, say six for half six?’
    ‘Great, see you then.’
    As soon as Adam had disappeared from sight, Vera picked up the phone and dialled. ‘This is Vera Lake; could you fit me in this afternoon, around three? Wash and style please. Thank you. Bye.’ She knew she was nothing to look at, but her mother always said, 'There is a shoe for every horse and a hat for every stand.' Her mum loved her clichés and reminded her often,' There’s nothing wrong with stacking the deck in your favour' and 'There’s a lot to be said for window dressing.' With a newfound spring in her step, she set off for the kitchen, to instruct the staff to use the good china, the wine they only serve when family visit and the ingredients they reserve for themselves.  A special guest was coming to dinner and they needed to make a good impression. This done, she continued with her usual duties, counting down the time until she saw Adam again.

Chapter Seventeen
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    Lucy decided to keep the girls home from school so they could have a fun, family day together. Playing hooky with them made her feel naughty and young again. Since meeting Evelyn yesterday, she had been feeling fresh and crisp like laundry fresh from the dryer. Her confusion and memory lose seemed to have hibernated for the interim and she wanted to make every second count. ‘Come on girls, let’s get going. We have a swinging good time to have, lots of monkeying around and slip sliding silliness to be done.’ Laurie giggled at her mums daftness about her favourite playground games, and Clara rolled her eyes and exclaimed,
    ‘Ahhh mum,’ but she was happy to hear the lightness in her mother’s voice. It was something that hadn’t been there for a while.
    ‘I hope you girls are hungry, I’ve packed a picnic full of our favourite things. Holy moley, the day is running away from us, let’s go, go, go.’ They set off for their day of fun and adventure, hopping and skipping down the path in unison.
    They played              together like three children, uninhibited by life’s endless insistence at sabotage and derailment. Feigning tiredness, Lucy retreated to the picnic blanket to observe her treasures, her reason for continuing to battle against all the odds. She was so focused on the monkey bar gymnastics that she didn’t notice that they had company. A shadow fell over her and when she looked up Lucy was surprised and inexplicably happy to see Evelyn standing over her.
    ‘This is beautiful Lucy, to see you having such a wonderful time with your children after how low you were. I hope our time yesterday helped you to see that life is still there for those who choose to live it.’
    ‘Welcome to our happy hour, family style,’ Lucy spoke to Evelyn as if she were a fast friend. ‘So what do you think of my girls,