Free The Hornbeam Tree by Susan Lewis

garden, then bracing herself went to check the answering machine. To her surprise there was no word from Michelle, but it was stupid to start getting upset and angry when something awful might have happened, so she should at least make an attempt to find out if it had.
    She’d just turned up an old mobile number for Michelle when she realized the music had stopped, and almost at the same instant Molly came thundering down the stairs.
    ‘So where is she?’ she demanded, as she reached the bottom.
    ‘I don’t know. She wasn’t on the train, and there are no messages. Has she called since you’ve been home?’
    Molly shook her head. ‘Why are you looking so bothered?’ she demanded. ‘I thought you didn’t care if she came.’
    Katie shook her head dismissively. ‘Where are you going?’ she asked, wanting to change the subject and trying to keep the disapproval from her tone as she eyed the low-slung jeans that all but revealed Molly’s young pubes, and the too-tight bra that pushed her overdeveloped breasts into a womanly cleavage.
    ‘Allison’s. She’s going to help me with my history, because she’s already done it at her school.’
    ‘What about something to eat?’
    ‘Why don’t you have something, you’re too thin.’
    ‘Charming,’ Katie responded. ‘This is supposed to be my Kate Moss look.’
    ‘Well it’s uniquely Katie Kiernan. And don’t start sending me text messages while I’m out, they’re embarrassing.’
    Katie couldn’t help but laugh.
    It took a moment, then Molly was fighting off a smile too. ‘Stop it!’ she protested. ‘You always do that.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Make me laugh, and you are so not funny.’
    ‘Have something to eat before you go,’ Katie pleaded.
    ‘I’ll take an apple,’ Molly dug into the bowl, and was about to leave when Katie noticed her trainers.
    ‘Where did you get those shoes?’ she demanded.
    Molly looked down. ‘In a shop,’ she answered. ‘Where do you think?’
    ‘But we couldn’t afford them,’ Katie reminded her. ‘So where did you get the money?’
    Molly’s face was puckering into resistance. ‘Allison bought them for me, if you must know,’ she said. ‘Her parents are generous with her pocket money, unlike you.’
    ‘If I had more, I’d give you more,’ Katie said, though she might not, for she was afraid of what Molly might spend it on, ‘but you know we don’t have it these days.’
    ‘We would if you hadn’t stopped work.’
    Katie sighed. ‘I’m not going to argue,’ she said. ‘Just be back here by eight thirty. You’ve got school in the morning.’
    ‘Yeah, like I’m really going to be back that early,’ Molly sneered, and crunching into the apple she waltzed out of the door.
    Katie stood at the window watching her until she disappeared from view, then returning to her address book she began dialling the mobile number she’d found for Michelle. After five rings Michelle’s recorded voice came down the line asking the caller to leave a message.
    ‘Hi, it’s me,’ Katie said. ‘I was wondering what happened to you. Please call and let me know.’
    After ringing off she popped the chicken in the oven. Might as well cook it anyway. Trotty was nothing if not a willing dinner companion, generally ending up with most of Katie’s food, and Molly could always have it cold with a salad when she came in, hopefully by half past eight.
    Out of habit she turned on Radio 4 to listen to the news, in case something new had developed in the last half an hour. Of course it hadn’t, but by the time the headlines were over she realized there was no point going on avoiding how worried she was about Michelle. ‘I know she always manages to let me down somehow,’ she said to Judy on the phone, ‘but she called from Karachi last night to tell me what time she was arriving at Heathrow, and which train she’d be on, provided there were no more delays. If there were she said she’d let me know, so I don’t understand what