Free Obsession by Susan Lewis Page A

father to help. I’m not suggesting that he should give me a job, rather that he might be able to put me in touch with someone who can. I know I’m not qualified for much more than running a shop, but I’m willing to start at the bottom and work my way up.’
    Ted grinned. ‘Up to what? A take over?’
    Corrie grinned too. ‘Don’t rule it out.’
    ‘And in which particular field would you be interested?’
    Corrie eyed him sheepishly as she pushed out her cheek with her tongue.
    ‘The media,’ he answered for her.
    ‘All right, I know I’m asking for the moon, the stars, the whole galaxy, I guess …’
    ‘You are. Particularly these days. So few jobs and so many contenders. Much more qualified than you. Nevertheless, I might be able to work something out for you. Better still, your father might. He’s a banker, bankers know a lot of people. He might be a little more willing to help though if he knew you were his daughter.’
    ‘I do intend to tell him, but I’d like to meet him first. See what kind of a man he is.’
    ‘OK. Just let me know when you’re ready to go. Have you thought about somewhere to live?’
    ‘I’ll rent somewhere for a while, until I find a place to buy. A quarter of a million pounds should get me something decent, even in London, shouldn’t it?’
    ‘Oh, it will. But what about sharing? It’s a way of meeting people.’
    ‘Paula suggested that too, but I’m not sure. I’ll think about it.’
    ‘Do that. It’s a dangerous city, I won’t be too happy thinking about you there alone. Auntie Hattie certainly won’t.’
    Corrie rolled her eyes. ‘Now I don’t want you two sitting here worrying about me. I’ll call you regularly, let you know what’s happening. And you can always come to visit, you know.’
    ‘We did think you might consider taking a holiday,’ Ted said. ‘Recharge yourself before you set off to seek your fortune.’
    ‘I already have one,’ Corrie laughed. ‘And besides, I just want to get on with things now.’
    Corrie spent the next two weeks in torment. Now she had made the decision to leave, Amberside had suddenly become so dear to her that she really didn’t think she could tear herself away. She felt safe and secure there; she knew everyone and everyone knew her. Having ambitions to go out into the big wide world was one thing, she realized, but fulfilling them was quite another. And as the day of her departure grew closer she became so nervous at the prospect of what lay ahead that had it not been for the fact that she had promised Paula the cottage she might just have called the whole thing off. On the other hand she couldn’t bear to think of staying.
    Though she said nothing of her feelings to anyone Paula sensed them, which was why, at the last minute she decided to go to London with Corrie for a few days to lend moral support. She had to take the baby as well of course, but since Ted had arranged for Corrie to stay in his company’s Regent’s Park flat, Dave insisted he didn’t mind, and even offered to drive them down himself.
    The first few days in London were all rather bewildering. Dave stayed only for Saturday night, and not until he went to bed did he stop voicing his awe and appreciation of the luxury flat with its plush grey carpets, formal leather furniture and
two
bathrooms. Corrie and Paula were more impressed by the view over Regent’s Park, and the dishwasher which neither of them could work.
    Now Dave had gone, and left to their own devices, neither Corrie nor Paula knew quite what to do, or where to go.
    They decided to set about exploring the Underground first. Though Corrie had visited London before, as a teenager, she soon realized that this was not the town that had lived all these years in her memory. What had happened, she wondered, to all the bright lights? Where was the vibrancy, the exhilaration that had seemed to charge every particle of air the last time she was here? And how on earth would she ever get to know