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.He hadn’t talked to anyone like this since Evan had been sent to jail, and he hadn’t realised just how much he’d missed him.He returned to the easy chair and lit another cigarette.‘Have you heard about my shop?’‘I’ve heard about nothing else for weeks from Will.’‘I hope to open the doors next week.That way we can start trading, and hopefully making some money to offset my outlay.’‘William told me there’s a flat with a bathroom upstairs.’‘Yes.’‘Are you moving in there?’ She dreaded his reply.Money wasn’t a problem at the moment.Between the lodgers’ rent money, the little that Eddie brought in, and her pound a week they were managing.But she knew that without her money her father would be hard pushed to meet the mortgage, and the loss of Charlie’s would be almost as disastrous.He was that rare being in Pontypridd: a lodger with a steady job who was also easy going, and always ready to lend a hand.There were women who’d throw their husbands out of the house to make room for a steady, sober man like Charlie.‘No.’ He looked at her in bewilderment, and she was relieved to see that the thought of leaving the Avenue hadn’t crossed his mind.‘I’m glad to hear it.We’d hate to lose you.’‘If you want me to go.’‘I’d hate for you to go.We need you, Charlie, and I don’t mean your money.With Dad away I don’t know what we’d do without you.At times like this, for instance.’‘I’ve asked Alma Moore if she’ll work in the shop.In the back, superintending the cooking.I was hoping she and her mother would live in the flat.’‘You’re going to rent the flat to Alma Moore?’‘She’s always been a good worker for the Ronconis, I thought I could do worse.’‘You could do a lot worse,’ Bethan said thoughtfully, recalling the rumours Diana had talked about, ‘but then, from what little William’s told me about the flat, so could she.’‘I don’t suppose you’d call into the shop and give me your opinion on what we’ve done so far and what needs doing before I open the doors?’‘I don’t know anything about shops.’‘You do from a customer’s point of view.I don’t even know how many chairs I should have for shoppers to sit on.’‘If there’s room, at least three.’‘Why three?’‘One for tired invalids, one for ladies who think they’re important and one for children to climb on.’‘I wouldn’t have thought of that.’‘Don’t underestimate the children.They’ll drag their parents into any shop where there’s a chance of a free taste of food.’‘That’s something else I hadn’t thought of.It could prove expensive,’ he mused, visualising slices of his best ham cut up into thin slivers as “tasters” and disappearing down the throats of the town’s half-starved urchins.‘What are you going to be selling?’‘Cooked meats, pies.’‘Pastry stars.’He looked at her uncomprehendingly.‘Get whoever does the cooking for you to make shapes out of the leftover pastry.If you really want to attract a crowd, mix some stale leftover cheese with it.Lots of shops do them in London.’‘Cheap giveaway.’‘Provided you don’t try to feed the town.’‘Thanks for the tip, but you’ll still call into the shop?’‘As soon as I get a chance.’‘I’d better get back to the front parlour before Phyllis wakes up and finds Rhiannon alone.’ He picked up his coat from the chair.Tucking it under one arm he pulled down his shirt-sleeves and buttoned them up.‘And I’d better clear the dishes.’ She brushed past him as she went to the kitchen window and pulled the curtains open.A pale light shone low over the garden, peeling back the darkness from the ground.‘Another hour and dawn will break.’‘You’ve seen in the dawn before?’‘Often when I was working in the hospital.’‘Of course.I forgot you worked nights as a nurse.’‘I’d almost forgotten it myself.’‘I used to watch the dawn break over the sea when it was my turn to take watch.It’s different out there [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]