Read Online When Night Closes in by Iris Gower - Free Book Online Page B

pampered lifestyle and plenty of money to spend. But Charles seemed able to put a stop to any happiness and laughter the minute he entered a room. Her stepfather was a fairly successful businessman: he enjoyed finding ways to screw his latest competitor, taking an almost unholy pleasure in the power it gave him.
    When Lowri left home, Charles had predicted she would never make anything of herself. She almost felt she hated him then. But perhaps he was right; she had not come very far in the last few years. She could hardly call working in a solicitor’s office the peak of ambition.
    â€˜You’re not sulking, are you?’ Sally’s voice broke into her thoughts and Lowri forced herself to smile.
    â€˜No I’m not sulking, I don’t have to talk all the time, do I?’
    â€˜Oh excuse me for breathing!’ Sally’s sarcasm was edged with anger.
    â€˜Anyway,’ Lowri said, ‘let’s talk about you. Quarrelled with Timmy, have you?’
    Sally made a wry face. ‘He needs to grow up!’
    â€˜I’ve got news for you,’ Lowri said, ‘men don’t change, they never grow up.’
    â€˜Mind now, mother of the universe,’ Sally said, ‘anyone would think you were a dried-up spinster.’
    â€˜Sometimes that’s how I feel.’ They sat in silence for a time and Lowri was aware of Sally fidgeting, looking around for someone to enmesh in more animated conversation.
    â€˜Another drink?’ Sally said and Lowri got to her feet at once.
    â€˜My round.’ She hated walking up to the bar; it felt strange to her, not quite ladylike somehow. She was probably an anachronism in a world of women who liked to be independent, liked to drink pints as men did, and probably liked using men for sex the way men had always managed to use women. She pulled herself up. She was getting bitter – that would never do.
    The door swung open and a crowd of men came into the bar. They stood around Lowri, one of them shouting to the barmaid to get a move on. She glanced over her shoulder and her colour rose as she realized that Jim Lainey was standing behind her.
    â€˜Hi.’ She spoke as naturally as she could. ‘How’s everything?’
    â€˜Fine!’ He smiled down at her. ‘You feeling OK?’
    â€˜I’m fine, thanks.’
    â€˜Look,’ Lainey leaned towards her, ‘I’m off duty, perhaps I could take you home later?’
    â€˜I’m sorry, it’s not possible.’
    He turned away at once. ‘All right, no problem.’
    â€˜Wait,’ she said quickly, ‘my mother’s visiting, she’s already in bed, I don’t want to wake her.’
    â€˜As I said, no problem.’
    She returned to sit with Sally, wishing miserably that she could leave. She looked down at the ruby wine glinting in the lights from overhead and knew she had blown her chances of even a friendship with Jim Lainey.
    â€˜Nice-looking guy, that Lainey,’ Sally said. ‘Got his phone number?’
    â€˜You don’t miss a trick, do you?’ Lowri said. She got up. ‘Excuse me, I’ve got to powder my nose.’
    As she passed them, one of the men at the bar made a remark that Lowri could not hear and a gust of laughter went up from the rest of the crowd. Lowri stared at herself in the long mirror in the ladies’ room, wondering what she was doing here, wondering what she was doing with her life, come to that.
    She ran the cold water over her wrists. She was becoming impossible to be with, she knew that, but her life had been turned upside down and no-one seemed to realize it.
    When she returned to the lounge, Jim had gone. Sally had gone too and Lowri looked round impatiently.
    â€˜Blast Sally!’ Still, she had asked for it, she could hardly blame Sally for taking offence. She picked up her bag and left the bar, walking briskly towards home.
    She was just putting her key in the lock when a figure