Kitty Neale - Lost Angel

Gertie floundered for a moment, but then said, ‘Yes, my dear, I’m afraid I did try on your mother’s best dress and she wasn’t very happy about it.’

‘Why? Did you tear it?’

‘Well, darling, look at the size of me compared to your mother.’

Ellen giggled, and it was followed by a chuckle from Hilda before she said, ‘I suppose in a way I should be flattered, but I wasn’t, Gertie. I was just disgusted and in future, don’t you dare do that again.’

‘Don’t worry, I won’t. Your friendship means too much to me and I won’t risk losing it. We are still friends, aren’t we?’

‘I suppose so, but only friends and no more.’

‘I’m happy with that,’ Gertie assured her. She’d been mad to want more – mad to expect that Hilda would feel the same, and though Gertie doubted her feelings would ever change, at least she had the compensation of Hilda’s continued friendship.

‘Are you really going to join up?’

‘Yes, I think so.’

‘Will you sell the smallholding?’

‘It wouldn’t be practical to keep it. Unattended it would just go to rack and ruin and I have to think about the animals too.’

‘What about Bertie?’ asked Ellen.

‘I’ll have to find a new home for him.’

‘And Wilfred?’

‘Him too.’

‘Mum, can we have Bertie?’ Ellen appealed.

‘We can’t, love. We’ve already got Socks.’

‘Socks won’t mind. He likes Bertie.’

‘I’m not sure the landlord will allow one pet, let alone two. As it is, if we get the flat, we may have to sneak the cat in.’

‘But, Mum …’

‘That’s enough,’ Hilda snapped, her patience obviously wearing thin and her mood changing again.

‘Your mother’s right, Ellen, and anyway, I doubt Bertie would be happy living in London. Don’t worry, I’ll find him a good home locally,’ Gertie assured her as they neared the village. ‘Hilda, if you want to catch the train, we won’t be able to stop. If we do it’ll mean getting a later one.’

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