Carol nodded, and then it all came out in a rush as she told Amy what had happened; about Roy, the rape, the abortion, sobbing when she came to the end.
Amy had tears in her eyes too as she said, ‘If I’d known I might have been able to help, or at least be there for you.’
‘I was too ashamed to tell anyone, and if the abortion hadn’t been botched, nobody would have needed to know.’
Amy moved to her side to put an arm around her, and at her friend’s show of sympathy tears ran, unchecked, down Carol’s cheeks. ‘Oh, Amy, I dread to think what’s going to happen when my brothers find out.’
‘If you tell them your side of the story before they hear it from anyone else, I’m sure they won’t be angry with you, or throw you out. None of it was your fault, and like me, they’ll realise that.’
Carol clung to Amy, hoping she was right, but deep down she doubted it.
Jeremy thought Amy looked upset when she called in to see Tom, and she didn’t look any better when she left. So far the antibiotics hadn’t made any difference and Tom was still rough, with his mother insisting that Amy’s visit was a short one.
He couldn’t understand why she was so against Amy. From what his mother had said in her letter he’d expected a hard-faced, common, gold-digger, but from what he’d seen Amy was far from that. As they walked into the living room he said, ‘Mum, I don’t know why you don’t like Amy. I think she’s rather nice.’
‘Nice! I thought you’d have more sense, but it seems you’re as blind as your brother. You’ve been taken in by her innocent act, but as I told you before, when Amy marries Thomas she’ll take control of the money and I won’t see a penny of it.’
‘Amy doesn’t seem that type of girl,’ Jeremy argued. ‘From what I’ve seen you easily intimidate her and I don’t think she’d dare go up against you.’
‘You hardly know her, but she’s just the type, a consummate actress who has already pulled the wool over your eyes. Amy has a good teacher in one of her relatives too, a tart who married an old man to get her hands on his money.’
Jeremy’s eyebrows rose. ‘Really? I didn’t know that.’
‘Here’s something else for you to think about. We talked about having a share of the business, but if Amy’s got anything to do with it that’s never going to happen.’
Jeremy didn’t like the sound of that. Was his mother right about Amy? He didn’t know, but it wasn’t something he was prepared to risk. ‘In that case, Mum, we’re going to have to put our heads together and do something about it.’
‘Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve done everything I can, but Thomas is so besotted with Amy that he won’t hear a word against her.’
‘Let me think about it. Maybe I can come up with something,’ Jeremy suggested.
‘Very well. Anyway, with the roast nearly ready I’ll need to cook the vegetables.’
By the time she returned, Jeremy had come up with a plan that would serve him well. ‘Mum, I’ve got an idea, but to make it work I need to spend more time with Amy,’ he said, going on to explain what he had in mind, and was pleased when she readily agreed.
‘There’s only one thing,’ she said. ‘Don’t you think Amy would find it a bit odd if I suddenly change my attitude towards her?’
‘Yes, she might,’ Jeremy conceded. ‘Right then, we’ll have to take it slowly.’
‘If this works, it’ll be worth it,’ his mother said.
‘Oh it’ll work, I’ll see to that,’ Jeremy said confidently. It might take a little longer to achieve his ultimate aims – ones he had kept from his mother to ensure her cooperation, but in the end he’d have everything he wanted.
‘I still can’t believe that Carol had an abortion. The poor girl, she must have been through hell,’ Phyllis said.
They had been talking about it for some time, her mother sympathetic, and Amy nodded, deeply sad for her friend. She couldn’t imagine the horror of being raped, nor of being left pregnant, let alone having a back-street abortion. ‘Yes, she’s been through hell, and now, thanks to the gossips, it’s all been dragged up again.’
‘I know,’ Phyllis agreed, ‘and Mabel has already felt the length of my tongue.’
‘Hello my lovelies,’ Stan said, grinning as he walked in. ‘I hope my dinner is ready ’cos I’m starving.’
‘With all that beer in your belly it’s a wonder you’ve got room for anything else,’ Phyllis chided.
‘I only had a few pints,’ he said, but then Amy saw her father’s face straighten as he looked towards her. ‘What’s up, love? Are you still upset about this garbage that’s flying around about Carol?’
‘I went to see her this morning,’ she said, going on to tell him what had happened, but then shocked by her father’s response.
‘Well now,’ he said, ‘that explains it. With his wife walking out on him, and his daughter getting herself knocked up, it’s no wonder Frank Cole turned to drink.’
‘Carol didn’t get herself “knocked up”, as you so crudely put it. The poor girl was raped!’ Phyllis snapped.
‘So she says, but if you ask me women are too fond of leading blokes on and then crying rape.’
‘My God, all these years and I’ve only just realised that I married a Neanderthal.’
Amy didn’t want to hear any more and dashed upstairs. She couldn’t believe her father’s attitude, and if he was anything to go by, no wonder Carol was dreading telling her brothers.
Carol was trying to pluck up the courage to do just that, but so far her nerves were failing her.
‘Come on, Carol, what’s up?’ Paul asked. ‘You’ve had a gob on you since we came home and you’ve hardly said a word.’
‘It’s probably a woman’s thing,’ Dave commented. ‘She always gets a bit moody around this time of the month.’
‘Is that it, Carol? Is your belly giving you a bit of gyp?’ Paul asked.
‘No, no, it … it’s just that I’ve got something to tell you.’
‘Go on then.’
‘You’re going to be furious and I’m scared,’ she said, wringing her hands.
‘Has Dad been round? Is that it?’ Paul asked sharply.
‘No, I haven’t seen him.’
‘What’s wrong then?’ Paul asked.
Carol began hesitantly, her voice quivering, but when she got to the part about being raped, Paul’s face reddened with anger. ‘Who was it? I’ll kill him!’
‘Yeah, me too,’ Dave growled, ‘but I’ll castrate him first.’
‘You won’t be able to find him,’ Carol said, her voice still quivering as she continued.
‘So Dad knew about this,’ Paul snapped, finally stopping his pacing when she came to the end.
‘Yes, he … he called the ambulance and while I was in hospital, he told everyone that I had food poisoning.’
‘Yeah, I remember that,’ Dave said. ‘That was at the same time he came round here to tell us that Mum had walked out. He should have told us about this too and between us we could have found the bastard.’
‘Yeah, he should’ve,’ Paul hissed