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When the Devil Drives

When the Devil Drives

When the Devil Drives

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'I heard,' he said. 'I heard you and Fa<strong>the</strong>r last night. He was shouting.I hate it when he shouts.'Joanna's heart missed a beat. 'What did you hear?' She tried to keepher voice level.'He said he'd see you dead before you went to him. And he'd turn himand his o<strong>the</strong>r brat into <strong>the</strong> gutter to starve. What did he mean?''Fa<strong>the</strong>r was just angry,' Joanna said quietly. O<strong>the</strong>r brat? she thought,suddenly aware that Nanny was standing in <strong>the</strong> doorway, as still as ifshe'd been turned to stone. 'People say terrible things when <strong>the</strong>y'reangry, but <strong>the</strong>y don't mean <strong>the</strong>m.''Fa<strong>the</strong>r means <strong>the</strong>m.' Anthony Chalfont's voice sounded dead,exhausted. 'He always means <strong>the</strong>m. Don't leave me with him.''No,' she said. 'No, I won't. Try and sleep now.'He gave a long, defeated sigh and closed his eyes again. Gradually hisgrip on her hand relaxed, and she was able, gently, to extricateherself.Nanny closed <strong>the</strong> door, her expression grim. 'What brought that on?'she asked, as she came over to Mr Chalfont's chair. 'Have you beenupsetting him, Miss Jo, prying into things best forgotten?''Best forgotten?' Joanna's brows lifted. 'How on earth can you saythat? We were just sitting here, and he began talking, begging me notto leave. He obviously thought I was his mo<strong>the</strong>r.''He's always confused at this time of day.''He seemed perfectly rational to me.' Joanna said evenly. 'This wassomething from his childhood he was remembering. Some terrible,

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