‘I wouldn’t trust you to,’ Ronnie rejoined.
‘Then who is?’ Angelo demanded.
‘Tina, and before you say another word, think of Tony. He’ll have to manage both the counter and the tables for half an hour.’
‘But Ronnie, you promised I could go to the penny rush this week. You promised.’
‘Just stop your griping and get on with it, will you? It’s time all three of you learned to cope on your own for five minutes.’
‘Ronnie...’
‘One more word out of you, Angelo, and you’ll be working every night next week.’ He looked at the girls. ‘When you hear the horn, get Maud ready. I’ll come in and carry her outside.’
‘Thanks, Ronnie.’ Diana was grateful to him for not making her beg for the lift. She finally picked up her tea from the counter and sugared it.
‘There’s no need to thank me. I owe Will a favour. And you,’ he glared at Tina. ‘Take a good look at these two and think twice before you try to nag Papa or me into letting you leave home again.’
‘See what you’ve done, Diana,’ Tina hissed as Ronnie went out. ‘Now they’ll never let any of us leave home.’
‘Except to visit our grandmother in the back end of Italy,’ Angelo crowed. He’d never had any desire to leave Pontypridd.
‘Don’t you dare go rubbing it in, Angelo Ronconi,’ Tina snapped.
‘Leaving home’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Is it kid?’ Diana helped Maud to sit up while looking around for Wyn. She wanted to thank him. The first familiar face in Pontypridd had shown her that she no longer had to shoulder the problem of Maud’s illness alone. But she couldn’t see him anywhere.
Maud closed her eyes again, too weak even to voice agreement with Diana. At that moment she would have given every penny that she’d managed to save since September to turn the clock back two years. She wanted to be fourteen again. Curled up in her big, warm, comfortable, flannel-sheeted double bed, a stone footwarmer at her feet, and her big sister Bethan to soothe and cuddle her. But Bethan wasn’t home, and before she’d be allowed go to bed she’d have to face her mother. One glance at the apprehension on Diana’s face was enough to tell her that she wasn’t the only one dreading the encounter.
The HEARTS OF GOLD series
by Catrin Collier
For more information on Accent Press titles, please visit
www.accentpress.co.uk
Pontypridd 01 - Hearts of Gold Page 50
