Free Never Another You by Leeann Whitaker Page A

with our western allies in Italy, and talks will be held.”
    “Good… good,” Nell tried to look interested.
    Alistair wiped his mouth on his napkin, then let it fall onto his plate. He stood, and when he did, Nell unintentionally flinched. He made his way over to his Gramophone, and placed the needle onto his favourite record. The one he played every Friday, slow Jazz. He then swaggered toward Nell, holding out his hand.
    “Dance,” he ordered.
    Far too frightened to refuse, she took his hand, and as soon as she rose up to her feet, he yanked her into his arms. Promptly she rested her chin over his shoulder, so he wouldn’t see the tears trying to escape. As he moved, she followed. But soon, the quiver that flowed through her body from head to toe, began to make her visibly tremble. He began to lay kisses on her neck, over and over, and her eyes started to release her all her fears.
    “You’re so soft, sweet Eleanor,” he said.
    She wept silently as her nose became runny. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t carry on any longer with the pretence of being a dutiful wife, willing to give her body to the one she had never loved. She sniffed and squirmed, pushing off his chest.
    “What the hell are you doing?” Alistair barked as she staggered back.
    “Alistair… I… I don’t feel well today,” she sobbed.
    “You never cease to amaze me Eleanor… your excuse always the same,” he growled. “You know what day it is!”
    Nell’s fingers anxiously twiddled before her waist. “I’m sorry.”
    It was already displayed. The expression of pure displeasure across his face. His breathing increased and loudened as the veins swelled in his neck. His thunderous steps moved toward her shaking body. He grabbed her forearms so hard, squeezing until her fingers tingled.
    “Please Alistair,” she begged as he pulled her to his threatening face.
    “That friend of yours has done you no favours, putting stupid notions into your head,” he snarled. “You want to be like that whore, Teresa, do you, hmm?”
    “No Alistair,” she screamed.
    “You are my wife dammit, and you will be so.”
    Something bubbled inside her. She couldn’t go on like this, and knew already she was in for hell. She thought of Jack and the tears stopped, only to be replaced with resolve.
    “I’m ill Alistair,” she said.
    “You lying bitch!”
    He grabbed her neck and pressed hard. Nell choked, clawing at his arms. He swung her around and thrust her body across the room so her bottom rib smashed into the corner of the piano. He keeled over gasping as Nell clutched her side in awful pain. He panted and rasped, and she knew any second he could blow again. She scrambled upright, holding her belly, then raced upstairs to her room.
    With her bedroom door locked, she sat on her bed, waiting for the door to be kicked off its hinges. Normally after a beating, he would leave her alone. But this wasn’t just the usual shove or strike across the face. He nearly crushed the living daylights out of her. Ten minutes she sat, and mercifully he didn’t come.
    She found it hard to breath. She worked with broken bones and fractures, and knew that her bottom rib was badly bruised. Grimacing in pain, she stood and unfastened the tie on the waist of her dress. She let it drop to the floor and stood before her mirror in just her black lace undergarments. Already there was a deep purple discolouration spreading beneath her skin. She sobbed into her hands. She didn’t want to live like this anymore. Always walking on eggshells. Always looking over her shoulder. If she stayed, she knew it would only be a matter of time before he killed her.

Yearning Need
    Each Saturday morning, Nell only had to work a few hours at All Angels, but the way she was feeling, she knew it would feel more like a lifetime. She didn’t sleep at all during the night. Not only as she had to keep one eye open in case Alistair decided to finish what he started, but she was also in dreadful