The Girl Who Cried Wolf(44)
‘Get that f*cking animal out of my house before I skin you alive!’
I’m shocked, as I’ve never heard him speak so aggressively, and I am frozen into silence, unable to tear my eyes away.
He makes a move towards Freedom and my mother quickly ushers her dog through the door behind her and closes it firmly, her hands trembling.
‘Don’t you dare!’ she yells back at my father. ‘Or I swear to God I will kill you!’
My father laughs nastily, and to my horror he grabs her by the throat and pushes her against the wall. Her head makes a sickening thud against the plaster but her eyes do not waver. She stares defiantly at him as he spits in her face with anger.
‘I’ve had enough you, woman! The place is a mess, you have a f*cking animal in my house, and now you’re threatening me? How about I kick you out? Leave your precious house and your daughters to me, Lillian; I’ll soon have them straightened out.’
His manner is so vile I cannot recognise him as my father, and I am desperate to cry out but I am stolidly frozen in fear.
‘Do it!’ she screams, looking manic with resentment. ‘But my girls will come with me. We don’t need you, Malcolm. I’ve seen how strong Anna and Isabel are, they aren’t like me.’
‘You’ve threatened it for so long but if you ever laid a hand on either of them they would never stand for it. They aren’t children!’ He releases his grip on her neck and smooths down his jacket.
‘You’ll never leave, you stupid bitch. Don’t chime to me about your daughters, they can’t stand you. Your miserable face and the tragic martyr you’ve become. I’m going back to the city, and when I decide to come home I expect that animal gone and this house back to a respectable state.’
My mother holds her throat where he had grabbed it and makes a little laugh. ‘You won’t come back, Malcolm. I’m filing for divorce and I’ll stay at Elm Tree with Izzy and Anna. Should you have anything to say I will tell everyone about the monster you are.’
His face has gone deep red and my heart is beating fast, praying he will not attack her again.
‘No one will believe you, Lillian.’
‘Take that chance.’ She turns to face him head on, looking and sounding much braver and to me, quite magnificent. ‘Because if they do, and believe me I have collected enough proof over the years, then you will be ruined, Malcolm. No one wants to do business with a cowardly wife beater, and I will drag your name through court like it is mud.’
She opens the door and Freedom no longer looks afraid. In fact, he is barking quite ferociously at my father, who, instead of beating Lillian, picks up his bag and leaves the house in silence.
My mother bends down to praise her dog and looks up in horror as she sees me running down the stairs, tears streaming down my face as I run straight past her, ignoring her desperate voice begging me to come back.
I see my father’s Land Rover swerve to miss Eddie’s car as he drives down the lane and when I jump in, I tell him there has been a change of plan and demand they take me to the village.
***
After the village, we drive home in silence and I give Jules a less traumatic version of what has happened.
‘I knew they weren’t happy but I had no idea …’ Her voice trails off and I ask them to wait outside as I run back up to the house, finding my mother still pacing the entrance hall. ‘Oh Anna.’ She reaches for me and I allow her to hold on to me tightly. ‘I don’t know what to say.’ She just looks at me as I hand her the little paper bag I have been carrying.
‘I didn’t buy any Christmas presents, what with everything, so I got this for you.’
I don’t want to talk yet about what has transpired, and she nods silently, opening the wrapping and tissue paper. Into her hand falls a soft leather collar with a shiny gold disc attached, sparkling as it catches the light and showcasing the engraved golden letters, ‘Freedom’.
A tear falls from her eyes as she smiles at me and we beckon him over. The soft collar fits beautifully and we laugh as he barks proudly.
Chapter Twelve:
The Palomino
Izzy and I stay with Mother for a couple of days, which we spend fussing over her, until I can bear his absence no longer and demand to be taken to see Michael so we can spend New Year’s Eve together.
I had no idea what to expect, but as we pull up to the ranch I can see it is quite beautiful. All the fences and gates are gleaming white, and although the ground is covered with a thick layer of snow, I can see they will look exquisite against the lush green grass of summer. For acres, I can see horses, and we shout out in delight as a herd of six deer run across one of the paddocks.
‘Wow!’ Izzy, leans forward as Mother turns the steering wheel. ‘This is like Aintree! Your boyfriend must be loaded.’
I frown crossly that she may presume I cared about such things, but was secretly pleased that she looked suitably impressed. I’d had few moments of anxiety regarding Sunrise Ranch, worrying that it may be a little tacky.
As I look along the tree-lined driveway I see an impressive, sprawling manor, built with sandstone and surrounded by well-manicured gardens. To the left of the house is a row of quaint cottages and to the right, the entrance to a grand stable block.
Izzy looks at my worried face and laughs. ‘Are we impressed, Madam? Not what you were expecting?’