Read My Novel, Free: Chapter 4.

Breaking Faith is availableas a paperback and an ebook. I'm posting individual chapters here, each week, sothat anyone who wishes can read the book in full and free of charge.
The Prologue, which beginsthe novel, was posted on 6 January. Here's the link, in case you missed it: http://stuartaken.blogspot.com/2012/01/read-free-my-novel-here.html. Chapter 1 was posted on 13January, subsequent chapters appear each Friday and can be accessed via thearchive.
Read, enjoy, invite yourfriends.

Chapter 4
I walked quickly along themain road, eager to be home and out of the cold. On the crest of the firsthill, out of sight of the house, a car was parked by the side of the road, itsengine running, exhaust clouding the air behind it.'Word wi' you, twat.'I glanced at Mervyn then ignored him and continuedon my way.'Do owt to meck me lose my job an' I'll break yourscrawny neck. Gerrit?'His hatred seemed genuine and I shivered with morethan cold, wondering what I had done to deserve it. I walked on without lookingback but he drove slowly after me and pulled alongside.'I'm good at what I do for Leigh. Skinny littletwat like you's not screwing it up for me. Right? Right? I said, Right?'I refused to look at him and, as he continuedbeside me, I gathered my courage and dashed behind his car. A ladder styleallowed me over the dry stone wall into a field. I did not intend to leave theroad at that point but I had to be free of his foul tongue and threats; in theprocess, I learned a short cut home.'Remember it, twat. I mean it!' His thick, vulgarvoice bellowed at me over the barrier.Then he was gone and silence surrounded me. Ihugged myself briefly and strode on, determined not to let his vile threatsspoil my victory. It was enough that I would have to face Father with all mynews after arriving home late.Mrs Greenhough's shop was still open when Ireached the dark village, its lights illuminating the fresh snow on thepavement. I had taken that first step; I was working for Leigh. It was time Istarted to make people alter their views and see the real me. I stopped beforethe shop door. Who was the real me? But it was not the time or place for such aquestion.Mrs Greenhough looked up as I went in and her facequickly set into the one that said she would stand no nonsense. 'There's nowtfor you here unless you've cash, girl. I've heard what happened at the Dairyand you'll have no wages this week. No job; no credit.'She expected me to leave the shop without a wordand go home empty handed to face Father's wrath. My confidence, however, hadgrown with my attack on Furnswurth and my success at Longhouse.'You may think you know what happened this morning,Mrs Greenhough but I don't expect you know that I start another job tomorrow.'She opened and closed her mouth like one of thetiny fish in the beck that ran through the fields below the cottage. No soundcame out.I had said more to her in that one sentence than Ihad in the past few weeks. 'I'll be paid more than I was at the Dairy, beforeFurnswurth put his hand up my skirt and touched my genitalia. I'm working forLeighton Longshaw at Longhouse now, so I'll be able to settle the bill at theend of the week as usual.'For a few more moments, Mrs Greenhough remainedspeechless. Then she glowered at me. 'I've no idea what's got into you, girl.But you're clearly deranged, using language like that! And if you think I'mgoing to believe that you, of all people, are working for that villain,Longshaw, you're sadly mistaken.'I would have been frightened before but my successwith Leigh had made me bold. 'You won't need the postcard in the window anymore, Mrs Greenhough. I've got the job as Leigh's Girl Friday. If you don'tbelieve me, why don't you phone him? The number's on the card. And he's not avillain, but a gentleman.'She looked at me as if I were mad and then strodeto the window to remove the card. 'I will! And when I hear the truth, I'll betelling your good-for-nothing hypocrite of a father what a wicked little misshe's brought up to lie to folk. He'll give you the hiding you deserve.'I decided on a treat to take home as a surprisefor Father. No point in getting anything special for Hope, of course.Mrs Greenhough returned and looked at me in adifferent way. It was obvious she found it hard to believe what Leigh had toldher but she tore up the card. 'Right. Well, it seems you will be paid, then.That's different. You can take the things you want and pay on Saturday asusual. Mr Longshaw particularly said I was to thank you for remembering thecard, by the way.'I chose a couple of Eccles cakes, made withbutter, to go with the fresh bread and the bottle of milk and a bag ofpotatoes. 'Thank you, Mrs Greenhough. I'll be in later in future, as I'll bewalking home from Longhouse after work. Good night.''Good night, girl, er, Miss Heacham.''My name is Faith.' I was smiling as I left theshop and the smile remained as I walked through the village. Already my lifehad started to change, as I had hoped it would when I stood in the snow waitingfor the interview.The final half-mile from the village was nodistance in my mood of newfound confidence. I passed the junction where thenarrow lane ran round the side of the hill and led to the farm where Mervynlived with his father and brothers. I shuddered and hoped my confidence was notmisplaced. Father would not be pleased at my news but he needed my money and hewould accept the change of work. I hoped the new experiences I faced wouldchange me in time; even more than they already had.There was a low moon shining over the tops of thefells and the trees cast deep black shadows over the drifted snow as I climbedthe steep stone track to the cottage.'What time's this, girl?' Father was in his chairby the fire.'Sorry, Father. I'll get tea on first and thenexplain. Has Hope been all right?''Any reason she shouldn't be?''I'll get tea, then.'Upstairs in my room, I pulled the old, red satinslip on over my skin for my domestic chores, so my work clothes could remainclean and smart, as Father demanded. The kitchen was cold and cheerless but thehot water thawed out my hands as I washed out my knickers ready for themorning. Cooking brought a little more warmth to smooth away the goose pimples.With our meal finished, I fed Hope. Then, over acup of tea and the special cakes, I told him of my day. He remained silent,waiting until I had finished before demanding to know the salary and new hoursof work. He grunted over the increase in my wages but was unhappy I would haveto set off earlier each morning and arrive home later each evening.'Once the snow's gone, I'll find a cheap secondhand bicycle; that'll cut the travelling time.''Women on bicycles. Devil's work.''I just thought it might save a bit of time, and Ialways wear a long skirt, Father, so…''More expense. All right. I suppose you betterhad. But let no strangers see your flesh. Give me no further cause to correctyou, girl.'He said nothing about Furnswurth but I expected hewould have words with him in private and then decide whether to beat me for mypart in the incident.'Longshaw's reputation will suffer less than yourown, girl. You're a fool if you think otherwise. You're a fool anyway. Mind yougive no cause for folk to gossip more than they will. You know the penalty forsin in this house. I'll have no more whores under my roof. Your mother whored;wicked Jezebel. I scourged her but she was too steeped in wickedness to changethe ways of her sex. Let me hear a word of you going the way Eve led and I'llhave the skin off your back. Understand me, girl?''Yes, Father.'Whilst I washed the dishes in the unheatedkitchen, I weighed-up father's uncharacteristically generous response to my news.No shouting, no lecture and no beating. He must have had a very good day and Ioffered a silent prayer of thanks for my escape. Even when I brushed the carpetas I cleaned around him, he made no complaint.The evening's housework complete, I lifted Hopefrom her bed beside the wall. Pulling her into a sitting position, I knelt infront of her and let her fall across my shoulder. The worst part, as always,was standing up with her dead weight on me, but I got her out to the backgarden and sat her on the toilet. She had grown used to the routine, at last,and I was glad she was quickly finished as the air was freezing with the cloudcover gone. Once I had cleaned her, I got her back to bed.For an hour, I worked her floppy limbs, bendingher joints, curling and straightening her spine. I told her about my day, theweather, the animals I had seen on my walks, what the night sky looked like asI had made my way home. Hope's expression, as always, remained unchanged, herhazel eyes blank and expressionless. The exercises done, I filled the bowl with hotwater and washed her. There was that strange smell from her again; it was therenearly every day. It seemed to come from a slight milky discharge. I askedFather.'Stop worrying. I'll tell you if there's anythingto concern yourself about. You know nothing, so stop bothering me with what youdon't understand.'He went back to his book.She looked sore again and I blamed myself forfailing to rub enough cream on that morning. I was generous with it, once I hadtowelled her dry. I rubbed her skin all over with baby oil to keep it soft andfree from bedsores before fitting her overnight nappy. 'It's a cold night, Father. Shall I put hernightie on?''You'll take it off in the morning. I can't lifther on my own.'I struggled to pull the brushed cotton over herhead, settled her breasts into the bodice and made my usual whisperedcomplaint.'Not fair, Hope. Yours are bigger than mine!' Igiggled softly, hoping there might be some reaction to this habitual littlejoke that included her but left out Father. She made no response, of course. Istraightened the skirt beneath her so she was not lying on folds or creases. Ibrushed her long, dark hair, cleaned her teeth and made sure her nose wasclean. With a kiss, I lowered her onto the pillow and covered her with thelight quilt.The coalscuttle was empty so I filled it from thecoalhouse next to the toilet and made my own visit whilst out there. The bulbblew as I switched on the light, so I got a new one from the kitchen. Fatherwould be furious if he had to use it in the dark.I rested the coalscuttle by the fire and stokedthe flames with fresh coal and cinders to last overnight. 'I'm for bed, Father.Goodnight.'He grunted but did not lift his eyes from the bookin his hands.The bathroom was cold, as always, when I peeledoff my slip and washed in a little warm water at the sink. Father came in as Iwas drying myself. 'Run my bath, girl.'He stood and watched as I put in the plug andbrought the water to the right temperature for him. My towel slipped off and hehung it on the hook until I was finished.'That feels about right, Father. Deep enough?'He grunted. I took my towel to my bedroom and lefthim to bathe undisturbed. Once he had finished and left, I returned to drainthe bath and clean it. He came back in, wearing his dressing gown, as I wascleaning my teeth. I stood to one side whilst he cleaned his and then finishedmy own as he went to his bedroom. It was half past eleven when I knelt beside my bedto say my prayers, the hard boards cold under my knees. At twenty to twelve Islipped, shivering, under the covers. I thought of Hope, wrapped and warm inher nightdress, and wished Father would find me something similar, just for thecold nights.I set the alarm clock for five thirty so I couldget everything done in the morning and start work on time for my first day atLonghouse and the beginning of what I hoped might be a new life.
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