Classic Bestsellers from Josephine Cox: Bumper Collection

But Daisy had other ideas. ‘If it’s all right with you, lass, I won’t be coming home with you tonight.’

Amy didn’t like what she was hearing. ‘So, where are you going?’

When Daisy hesitated, Roy answered, ‘She’s coming home with me.’

Amy’s fears grew. ‘Won’t your mam and dad have summat to say about you bringing a stranger home without warning?’

‘I’ve got my own place,’ he said. ‘But don’t you worry. She’ll be all right with me.’

Seeing how worried Amy was, Daisy assured her, ‘It’s all right, Amy … really.’

Amy didn’t like it. ‘I’d be happier if you came home with me, Daisy.’

Daisy shook her head. ‘Not tonight, lass. Me and Roy have a lot to talk about.’

As always, whatever Amy said, Daisy’s mind would not be changed.

Jack also had a word with Roy, but he and Daisy were adamant. ‘We’re not kids. We know what we’re doing.’

Amy and Jack watched them walk away. ‘I’m really worried,’ Amy said. ‘He tried to go too far with her once before. He could easily do it again, and we won’t be there to help her.’

‘He won’t do it again.’ Jack was certain. ‘The two of us have talked often about that night and I know he regrets it. Deep down he’s a good sort. I’ve never known him take to anybody the way he’s taken to Daisy.’

Unconvinced, Amy was all for going after them, but he stopped her. ‘Trust me,’ he said, ‘he respects her. He won’t harm her.’

‘How well do you know him?’

‘Well enough.’ Cupping his fingers about hers, he took the liberty of tucking her arm through his.

‘You feel cold,’ he told her, and though her first instinct was to draw away, she found herself leaning into him. It was a curiously comforting feeling.

Strolling down the street, Daisy and Roy had already agreed to forget what happened that night. ‘I overstepped the mark,’ Roy explained. ‘I honestly don’t know what came over me.’

Every time he looked at Daisy, he felt a surge of need he had never felt with anyone else, but it wasn’t like before, when he had wanted to rip off her clothes and take her where she stood. Now, however, he had a deal of respect for her. There was something special about Daisy, he told himself. And somewhere beneath the laughter and bravado, he sensed a frightened, nervous creature who needed taking care of.

‘Amy thinks you’re trouble,’ Daisy remarked slyly. ‘Are you?’

Roy smiled. ‘You’ve got a good friend there,’ he evaded answering.

‘So, are you trouble … like Amy said?’

‘I can be, yes.’

‘Should I avoid you then?’

‘I hope not.’

‘Give me a good reason?’

‘Is this good enough?’ Grabbing her by the shoulders he kissed her on the mouth, a rough, exciting kiss that sent her weak at the knees.

Taking a moment to catch her breath, she laughed. ‘It’ll do for starters.’

With his arm round her shoulders he drew her backwards to the wall. ‘I’ve done some bad things,’ he hesitantly confessed. ‘I’ve fought with everybody who ever disagreed with me … even put a fella in hospital once. I’ve stolen other fellas’ sweethearts just to prove I could, and I’ve led girls on, just to get what I wanted … if you know what I mean? I’ve broken into houses and stolen, and I’ve lied through my teeth whenever it suited me …’

Now, as he saw how she was beginning to pull away, he held on to her. ‘NO! Please, Daisy, hear me out.’

‘Amy’s right!’ Daisy cried, struggling. ‘Yer really are a bad lot! Gerroff me, yer lying git!’

‘LISTEN TO ME!’ There was desperation in his voice. ‘Why d’you think I’m telling you all this? I wouldn’t do that if I was only after one thing, would I? I’ve tekken a real liking to you, Daisy … you’ve got to believe me.’

‘Why should I?’ For one glorious moment she had thought he was everything she’d ever wanted and now she was finding out he was a worthless good-for-nothing. ‘Go on!’ she challenged. ‘Tell me why I should believe a single word you say?’

For a moment he held her, his hands clamped round her shoulders and his gaze melting into hers. ‘I think I’m falling in love with you,’ he murmured. ‘I’ve never felt like this about any girl before. That’s why I need you to know the truth about me – so that if you hear it from somebody else, you’ll know I’ve told you all there is to know.’

Daisy wondered if she should walk away before she got hurt. Then she looked at his face and read the truth in his eyes, and she knew she could never walk away.

‘Why?’ she asked softly. ‘Why did you do all them bad things?’

‘I don’t know …’ He shrugged. ‘Anyway, what does it matter?’

‘It matters to me,’ she said. ‘If you’re being truthful with me, I need to know all of it. What made you so bad? Tell me.’

‘I can’t …’

Daisy was angry. ‘Why not?’ she demanded.

‘Because if I do, you’ll walk away. You’d be crazy not to.’

Daisy smiled. ‘I can be crazy at times, or haven’t you noticed?’

Her smile was infectious. ‘Yes … I’ve noticed.’

‘So, tell me.’

He told her how his father had been mixed up in a robbery. ‘I knew nothing about it until afterwards, when Mam told me. It was an organised gang, who had already pulled off a number of jobs. The police had been after them for some time, but they always managed to get away. This time, though, the robbery went wrong and they all went to prison.’

His voice fell to a whisper. ‘In the prison, there were accusations and threats among them. One day a fight started and my dad was stabbed to death – a piece of metal, they said, straight through the heart.’

‘God Almighty, how awful!’ Daisy was shaken. ‘It must have been a terrible shock to the family.’

‘There’s no family,’ Roy corrected her, ‘just me and Mam. Mam was in a bad way when she heard – shouting and crying … desperate she was. After a while, she went upstairs, packed a bag and left. She never came back, and I never found out where she’d gone. I was twelve years old.’

Daisy began to understand. ‘No wonder you turned bad,’ she said. ‘How did you manage? What did you do? Did they let you stay in the house, or did you go to relatives?’

‘Relatives didn’t want to know,’ Roy said sombrely, ‘so I took off. I had no idea where I were going or what I might do. I managed to get work here and there – told them I were fifteen and nobody questioned it. I managed to pay for board and lodgings and didn’t go hungry.’

He smiled, but it was a poor, lonely smile. ‘I even went looking for my mam, but I never did find her. After a time I gave up and just got on with my life.’