Free A Cuckoo in Candle Lane by Kitty Neale

haven’t been round already.’
    ‘Well, you’ve got me to thank for that. Ruth was in such a state that I persuaded her to wait until today.’
    ‘Please, Ken, think about the effect it will have on Mary, and Sadie. Can’t you do something to stop her?’
    ‘If you was only giving Sally a cuddle, why are you so worried? No, don’t bother to deny it again Harry.’ He smiled sardonically, adding, ‘However, there may be a way to keep the police out of it.’
    ‘How? Just name it, I’ll do anything,’ Harry said eagerly.
    Ken folded his arms and leaned back nonchalantly, his legs stretched out. ‘Well now, let me see … what’s it worth to keep Ruth quiet?’
    ‘Money!’ Harry looked at him in disgust. ‘You want money?’
    ‘Don’t look at me as if I’m something that crawled out from under a stone. After all, it ain’t me that fancies little girls. Yeah, they love your sort in the nick,’ he threatened.
    ‘Oh God!’ Harry buried his face in his hands, his voice muffled as he finally said, ‘All right, how much do you want?’
    Ken smiled – before going in for the kill.
     
    Meanwhile, Barbara lounged on her bed, waiting anxiously for Ken to return. If it worked and he managed to get some money out of his brother-in-law, her troubles would be over. Less than a week, she thought, that’s all the time I’ve got left to get out of this area. She reached across to the bedside table and picked up her nail varnish. Come on, come on, hurry up, Ken, she thought impatiently, as she painted another coat of bright red varnish on top of the old one.
    At last there was a knock on her door and she jumped off the bed excitedly, rushing across the room to open it. Ken stood on the threshold, a wide smile on his face.
    ‘It worked, Babs. I’m getting five hundred quid out of him.’
    ‘Oh Ken, you’re wonderful,’ she cried, throwing herself into his arms. I’ve only got to persuade him that we need to leave straight away, she thought, and I’m home and dry. ‘Well done,’ she crooned, rubbing against him suggestively. ‘Oh, I can’t wait for us to be together all the time. Can we go as soon as you get the money?’
    He kicked the door shut with his heel, tightening his arms around her and nibbling her earlobe as he mumbled, ‘What’s the rush? I might be able to bleed some more out of him later.’
    ‘Well, there is that, I suppose,’ she said, thinking frantically. ‘But it could be a bit risky, darling. What if Ruth still decides to go to the police? Harry’s bound to tell them you’ve been blackmailing him.’
    He stiffened, stepping back abruptly. ‘Christ, you may be right. Look, I can’t stay the night now. I’ll ’ave to go home and make sure Ruth keeps her mouth shut.’ He paused, brow furrowed in thought. ‘All right, here’s what we’ll do. I’ll pack me gear tonight and take it with me when I meet Harry at his bank in the morning. Then, once I’ve got the money, I’ll meet you at Clapham Junction Station and we can leave straight away.’
    ‘Yeah, all right, Ken. What time will you be there?’
    ‘Let’s say at around eleven o’clock.’
    ‘Ken, we ain’t decided where we’re going yet,’ Barbara reminded him. ‘Where do you fancy?’
    ‘I dunno, I ain’t given it a lot of thought. North or South, Babs? It’s up to you.’
    She closed her eyes momentarily. South … no, that would be too obvious. North would be better; nobody would expect them to head in that direction. ‘How about Blackpool, Ken? I’ve always fancied going there.’
    ‘Whatever you say, love. We can always move on if we don’t like it.’
    She smiled in satisfaction, he was so easy to manipulate and pushing her way back into his arms, she husked, ‘Eleven o’clock at the Junction. I’ll be waiting, darling.’ She began to grind her hips, pushing herself closer and closer, feeling him stir and harden against her.
    ‘Oh Barbara,’ he groaned, picking her up and crossing to the bed, his