Josephine Cox 3-Book Collection 2: The Loner, Born Bad, Three Letters
Three dramatic novels about the power of love, from Number 1 best-selling author Josephine Cox.THE LONERYoung Davie Adams is all alone. Devastated, he flees his hometown of Blackburn to escape the memories of the worst night of his life. With little more than the shirt on his back he sets off on a lonely, friendless road, determined to find his father.Two people are stricken by his departure – Judy, his childhood friend who is desperate to reveal a secret she has kept close to her heart for so long, and Joseph, his grandfather, who is racked with guilt about that fateful night.Exhausted and afraid, Davie finds friendship and a place to stay but when fate deals him another disastrous blow, he must decide whether to keep running or return to face his demons…BORN BADEighteen years ago, Harry made a hard decision that drove him from the place he loved. Since then, he carved out a life for himself and found a semblance of peace, yet he is still haunted by the warm, carefree girl with the laughing eyes.For Judy Saunders, the pain of her past has left her deeply scarred. Cut off from her family and trapped in a loveless marriage, the distant memories of her first love are her only source of comfort in a dark and dangerous world.Years later, Harry is heading back. Excited, afraid and racked with guilt, he has no choice but to confront the past, and seek forgiveness.THREE LETTERSCasey’s father is gentle and hard-working and, though Tom Denton has long suspected his wife of having sordid affairs, he has chosen to turn a blind eye to keep the peace. But then, out of the blue, Tom’s world is cruelly shattered when he receives two bits of devastating news. Because of this, Tom realises that from now on their lives must change, forever.Tom is made to fight for his son, determined to keep him safe. But, when fate takes a hand, life can be unbearably cruel.But, unbeknown to Casey, there are three letters penned by his father, that may just change his destiny forever.
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JOSEPHINE COX
The Loner, Born Bad, Three Letters
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF
The Loner first published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2007 Born Bad first published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2009 Three Letters first published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2012
Copyright © Josephine Cox 2007,2009,2012
Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2013
Josephine Cox asserts the moral right to
be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library
This novel is entirely a work of fiction.
The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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Ebook Edition © SEPTEMBER 2013 ISBN 9780007544042
Version: 2017-08-10
Contents
JOSEPHINE COX
The Loner
This book is for my Ken, as always
My thanks to my large and wonderful family forall the love and support you have always given me.And to my many friends, including the ones whoread my books and write to me. What would I dowithout all of you? Stay well, be good, and if youcan’t be good, be naughty!
Contents
SHE MADE A ghostly figure as she silently wended her way through the dark, shadowy streets.
Late again, she thought. But there was little regret as she recalled the fun-filled evening, with good company and a man’s arms about her. Why should she feel guilty? What was so wrong about her having a good time? She was still relatively young and vibrant. The men liked her and she liked them, and there was more to life than sitting at home and being a good little wife. Life was too short for that.
As she turned into Derwent Street, she thought of young Davie. Only then did she feel ashamed. She hoped he wasn’t waiting up. She didn’t want to see the sadness in his eyes when he saw her arrive home at this late hour, giddy with booze and caring for nothing or no one, except him, her darling son.
‘You’re a bad woman, Rita Adams,’ she told herself. ‘You should have been home hours ago.’ She gave a small, nervous laugh. ‘There’ll be sparks flying, you’ll see.’
Her unsteady footsteps echoed eerily against the pavement as she continued her way past the row of terraced houses. At this hour, most people were in bed and only one house was lit up. This was her home. This was where her family would be waiting and watching. She thought of her child again, and the guilt was cutting, ‘Davie’s a good boy. He doesn’t deserve a mother like you.’ There were times when she hated herself.
Shivering in the cold night air, she clutched the lapels of her coat and drew it tighter about her. ‘Remember now,’ she muttered, ‘you’ve spent the evening with your old friend, Edna.’ Such lies, she thought. Such badness. She reached her gaze towards the twitching curtains and saw the shadowy figure of a man. ‘He’s waiting for you,’ she whispered nervously. ‘Best not let him guess what you’ve been up to.’ She giggled. ‘Best have your story good and ready.’
Each time she had a different excuse, and each time she became a better liar. Tormented, she thought of her long-suffering husband, and her ageing father whose house they lived in. But it was her son she mostly feared for: Davie was a fine and loving boy who did not deserve a mother like her. These three wonderful people were her family and she loved them with a passion, and God help them, they loved her too; more than she deserved.
After an evening of laughter and drink she remembered how it had been, in the back alley, the thrill of being in the arms of a stranger. She didn’t know his name, nor did she want to. They simply met, talked and laughed, shared a moment of frantic excitement, and then he went on his way.
