Free Family Betrayal by Kitty Neale Page B

trying to force her worries to one side as she vigorously attacked a stain that had dared to appear on one of the doors.
    At last, with her emotional barriers in place again, Joan calmed down. She would do what she always did when there were signs of trouble within the family. She'd leave it for Dan to sort out.
    * * *
     
    Petula switched off her gramophone, returning the record to its sleeve. She moved to the mirror, gazing with displeasure at her reflection. Unlike lots of girls in her class at school, she had hardly any bust, her figure still gangly and boyish. She had hoped that when her periods started a figure would follow, but no such luck.
    With a swift look over her shoulder, Petula picked up her satchel, groping under her school books until she found the hidden tube of lipstick. If her dad knew she had it, he'd go mad, but with him out, and Mum busy as usual, she risked smearing some on her lips.
    Petula's head cocked to one side. Yes, she looked marginally better, but longed to be glamorous, with a bust like Bob's wife, Sue. Her expression saddened. In truth, her figure and build was more like Yvonne's, a woman that she didn't want to emulate. Yvonne was too skinny, and though she dressed well, her clothes were plain. Sue, on the other hand, wore full skirts and close-fitting jumpers, or tight dresses that clung to her waist and ended just below her knees. Her make-up was bold, skilfully applied, and with this thought Petula wiped off the lipstick before lightly running downstairs.
    ‘Mum, I'm just popping along to see Sue.’
    There was only a grunt in reply, but Pet was used to this – used to her mother's distant manner and lack of affection. She also knew that her motherdisapproved of Sue and thought she was a tart, but Pet liked her.
    In no time she was outside, giving Sue's letter box a rap before poking her head inside. ‘Hello, can I come in?’
    ‘Of course you can,’ Sue said, but unusually there wasn't a smile on her face.
    ‘Is something wrong?’
    ‘Nah, not really, it's just that I've had a falling-out with Norma. Honestly, I don't know who she thinks she is, but she's getting as uppity as Yvonne.’
    ‘What did you fall out about?’
    ‘She was really nasty to my Robby. The poor kid thought rabbits could fly and launched Shaker. All right, it was a daft thing to do, but he didn't mean to hurt the bloody thing.’
    Petula hid her thoughts. Robby was her least favourite nephew, the boy already a bully who picked on his brother and cousins mercilessly. There had been many occasions when she had seen the kids playing outside, and it was always Robby who was the troublemaker, with one of the others usually running home crying. Ivy's boys had taken to staying out of Robby's way, and she didn't blame them, but now, acting the role of peacemaker, Pet said, ‘Never mind. You know how protective Norma is of Oliver. I'm sure she'll come round.’
    ‘I don't bloody care if she doesn't. Oh, sod it, forget Norma. How are you doing, love?’
    ‘I'm fine, but I wanted to ask if you'd show me how to put make-up on.’
    ‘Leave it out, Pet. Your dad would go mad.’
    ‘He doesn't need to know.’
    ‘You'll never be allowed to wear it.’
    ‘Not now, maybe, but I'll be fifteen in December and leaving school. It would be nice to know how to apply make-up for when I start looking for a job.’ Pet held her breath, hoping that Sue would agree. There were girls at school who already wore powder and lipstick when they went out, and she'd been invited to join three of them at the local youth club that evening. She wanted to go, but couldn't face the embarrassment of being met by one of her brothers. Oh, why couldn't her dad see that she was old enough to walk herself home?
    ‘With the way you speak, I expect you'll be going for an office job, but even when you leave school, I can't see your dad letting you wear make-up.’
    ‘I didn't try hard enough to pass my eleven plus, so I doubt I'll get an office