One Night Only (172 page)

Bu
t
Samanth
a
wa
s
o
n
a
rol
l
no
w
.
An
d
i
t
wa
s
two agains
t
one
.

“
Y
ou
r
mothe
r
say
s
tha
t
sinc
e
yo
u
move
d
t
o
Londo
n
–” “Shu
t
up
,
Samantha!
”
sai
d
Brian
.
H
e
ha
d
los
t
hi
s
cool an
d
hi
s
voic
e
wa
s
raise
d
s
o
tha
t
everyon
e
insid
e
would
surel
y
hea
r
.
“
I
thin
k
yo
u
hav
e
sai
d
enough
.
Thi
s
is
betwee
n
Rut
h
an
d
m
e
no
w
.
G
o
bac
k
insid
e
immediately!” Ruth
’
s
hand
s
wer
e
trembling
.
Sh
e
pu
t
the
m
i
n
he
r
coat pockets
,
the
n
sh
e
too
k
the
m
ou
t
an
d
folde
d
he
r
arms
,
but n
o
matte
r
wha
t
wa
y
sh
e
stood
,
sh
e
couldn
’
t
fee
l
i
n
any wa
y
i
n
control
.
Sh
e
wante
d
t
o
ge
t
ou
t
o
f
ther
e
an
d
never
com
e
back
.
Th
e
hur
t
sh
e
fel
t
burne
d
righ
t
int
o
he
r
soul
.

Samanth
a
stoo
d
he
r
ground
.

“Mu
m
ha
s
bee
n
feelin
g
ver
y
lonel
y
sinc
e
Raymond too
k
ill,
”
sai
d
Bria
n
t
o
hi
s
siste
r
.
“Sh
e
ha
s
relie
d
a
lo
t
on Samanth
a
an
d
me
,
bu
t
that
’
s
becaus
e
yo
u
don
’
t
live
nearb
y
.
I
f
yo
u
di
d
–
”

“I
f
sh
e
di
d
i
t
wouldn
’
t
mak
e
an
y
difference,
”
said Samantha
.
“Rut
h
couldn
’
t
bea
r
th
e
sigh
t
o
f
m
y
fathe
r
so
sh
e
woul
d
hav
e
staye
d
awa
y
regardless
.
Everyon
e
knows that.
”

Brian
’
s
eye
s
darte
d
betwee
n
th
e
tw
o
wome
n
an
d
once agai
n
h
e
wa
s
playin
g
peacemake
r
,
tryin
g
t
o
explai
n
a
s
best h
e
coul
d
ho
w
hi
s
mothe
r
fel
t
withou
t
hurtin
g
hi
s
siste
r
so badl
y
tha
t
sh
e
woul
d
neve
r
wan
t
t
o
com
e
bac
k
again
.

“Sh
e
neede
d
you
,
Ruth,
”
h
e
said
.
“Sh
e
neede
d
yo
u
and yo
u
didn
’
t
call
.
He
r
husban
d
wa
s
dyin
g
–
”

“H
e
wa
s
nothin
g
t
o
me!
”
sai
d
Ruth
,
feelin
g
th
e
dam burs
t
a
s
th
e
tear
s
streame
d
fro
m
he
r
eyes
.
“H
e
wasn
’
t
my
father
!
I
nurse
d
m
y
ow
n
fathe
r
o
n
hi
s
deathbe
d
because
tha
t
ma
n
stol
e
hi
s
wife
!
I
f
i
t
weren
’
t
fo
r
him
,
w
e
wouldn
’
t
hav
e
alread
y
burie
d
th
e
ma
n
wh
o
gav
e
hi
s
lif
e
t
o
us!
Raymon
d
Dillo
n
gav
e
u
s
nothin
g
onl
y
a
broke
n
home!
”

Samanth
a
squealed
.
“
Y
o
u
hatefu
l
bitch!
”
sh
e
shouted an
d
the
n
sh
e
lashe
d
ou
t
a
t
Rut
h
physicall
y
,
he
r
chubby hand
s
grippin
g
Ruth
’
s
hai
r
a
s
Bria
n
trie
d
t
o
par
t
them
.
She
wa
s
ou
t
o
f
control
,
scrabblin
g
an
d
scrapin
g
Ruth
’
s
face
an
d
pullin
g
a
t
he
r
clothe
s
lik
e
a
ragin
g
tige
r
.
Bria
n
eventu
a
ll
y
jolte
d
he
r
awa
y
,
ou
t
o
f
breath
,
an
d
Rut
h
fel
l
ont
o
the
gras
s
i
n
a
wav
e
o
f
shoc
k
an
d
exhaustion
.

Sh
e
looke
d
u
p
t
o
th
e
bac
k
doo
r
o
f
th
e
hous
e
where
face
s
peere
d
ou
t
throug
h
th
e
ne
t
curtains
.
T
ea-maker
s
had stoppe
d
makin
g
tea
,
grievin
g
relative
s
ha
d
stoppe
d
being
consoled
.
Amongs
t
the
m
wa
s
he
r
mothe
r
wh
o
walke
d
to th
e
bac
k
doo
r
an
d
stare
d
a
t
Ruth
.