Free Mother’s Ruin by Kitty Neale Page A

yet fifty and he’ll carry on running the place for at least another fifteen years. He doesn’t need me, Sally. I just do deliveries, the same as the other men, and he can easily replace me.’
    ‘I thought you liked the removals business.’
    ‘It was all right at first. I enjoyed travelling around the country, but now it’s just a daily grind and I’ve come to hate it.’
    Sally thought about her father-in-law, a man she had grown to love. Bert, like Arthur, was a gentle giant and she knew that if Arthur made up his mind to leave the firm, he wouldn’t be happy about it. ‘So have you found a way out?’
    ‘Yes, I think so,’ he said, and sitting down on the side of the bed he spoke quietly. ‘I told you a while ago that an old friend of mine, Joe Somerton, was back in the country. He’s asked me to go into business with him and I’ve been looking into it. There’s been a lot to sort out and we’ve been meeting as often as we can to discuss the details.’
    ‘You’re not thinking of going back to Australia, are you?’ Sally asked worriedly.
    ‘No, silly, the business is in England. We’re going to build houses, though we won’t be involved in the actual construction,’ Arthur explained, then went on to tell her about their plans, from the plot of land they’d buy to the actual sale of houses and the projected profits they’d make.
    To Sally it sounded plausible, but risky. Arthur sounded so enthusiastic and she hated to burst his bubble, but felt she had to voice her concerns. ‘I’m not sure about this. You’d be leaving your father’s firm and the security it offers. Are you sure you’d be doing the right thing?’
    ‘Yes, after giving it a lot of thought, I’m sure, though of course I intended to mull it over with you before I gave Joe my decision. I was going to talk to you in the morning, but then you came out with this ridiculous idea that I’ve been seeing another woman.’
    ‘I’m sorry, but you have to admit you’ve been acting strangely.’
    ‘As I said, I’ve had a lot on my mind. I’ll have to invest all our savings into the venture and that will mean we won’t be able to buy a house for the foreseeable future.’
    ‘That wouldn’t worry me. We can stay here.’
    ‘No, Sally, we still need a place of our own again. I know you feel that your gran needs you to look after her, but there’s no reason why we can’t rent a flat close by. You can look after her during the day, but in the evenings we’d be in our own home again.’
    Sally refrained from pointing out that she’d already suggested they buy a house locally. ‘If you use all our savings, what would we do for money?’
    ‘Joe and I are going to pay ourselves a small wage until the houses are sold, but it’ll be nothing like the money we’re used to. It’ll be enough to pay the rent on a small flat, but we’ll need to pull our horns in.’
    ‘It sounds like you’ve already made up your mind.’
    ‘Yes, I have, but I’d like to think you’re with me in this.’ Sally began to realise how lucky they had been. Arthur was well paid and they had never had to worry about money. Now, for the first time, she would have to economise. Well, she’d had a good teacher in her mother and though she had never had to resort to it, she knew how to make nourishing meals from cheap cuts of meat. Not only that, Elsie had been supportive of Bert when he had started up the removals business, and she would do the same. ‘If this is what you really want to do, then yes, I’m with you.’
    Sally was rewarded by the way Arthur’s face lit up as he hugged her. ‘I’ll tell my father tomorrow, clear it with him and then tell Joe.’
    When Arthur undressed and climbed into bed, Sally snuggled into his arms. There’d be no lovemaking while they remained here, but with any luck she’d shortly find the perfect flat close by.

Chapter Nine
    Ruth had seen how upset Sally was and couldn’t sleep that night. She lay awake,