When the Devil Drives

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'It's all right, sweetie,' her father said gently, as the car gathered speedout of Northwaite. 'They've gone.''They're vile!' she said passionately, looking at the mud drippingdown the window. 'They've spoiled our car. And that big boy was theworst. He was laughing, making them do it. Who was he?'Her father'smouth compressed. 'I've no idea, Joanna,' he said repressively. 'I can'tbe expected to know the identity of louts from the slums.'Some instinct told her that he was not telling her the whole truth, butnow was not the time to pursue it. Instead, she bearded Harris whilehe was cleaning the motor which was his pride and joy.'Is the car going to be all right, Harris?''Reckon it will, Miss Jo. No great harm done.''That's good.' She stood watching him polishing the chrome. 'Why didthey do it, do you suppose? We didn't even know them.'Harris shrugged. 'Times are hard just now, Miss Jo, and tempers runhigh sometimes.''Oh.' Joanna wasn't sure what he meant, but there was somethingmore important she wanted to ask. 'Harris—that boy—the one whowas making the others throw stones at us. Who was he? My fathersaid he didn't know.''Happen he didn't recognise him, Miss Jo,' Harris said laconically.'He's been away to school and grown a fair bit since your father lastlaid eyes on him.' He snorted. 'That was Cal Blackstone, that was.'Now, nearly fifteen years on, Cal Blackstone said frowningly, 'Ifyou're going to remember things like that, remember them right. Theyweren't throwing stones, you little idiot, just clods of earth, and theodd empty can.'
'But you were encouraging that pack of hooligans in their disgustingbehaviour. Getting them to throw things at us just because our namewas Chalfont.''Is that what your father told you?' His mouth tautenedcontemptuously. 'Well, it figures. Let me make one thing plain,Joanna—any mud-slinging going on wasn't my idea. Although I willadmit I did nothing to stop it until I saw how scared you were,' headded.'You were directing operations—laughing at us!''My God,' he said slowly, staring at her, 'it did make an impression onyou. Yes, I laughed. I enjoyed seeing the lordly Mr Chalfont on thereceiving end of some dirt for once. Do you know who those ladswere, by any chance? Did Daddy tell you they were the sons of someof the men he'd just laid off from his mill without warning? I bet hedidn't.' His voice hardened. 'They'd all lived with unemploymentbefore, and they were—reacting accordingly. You wouldn'tunderstand anything about that, would you, Joanna? Your family maynot be lords of the Northwaite valley any more, but you've never hadto stand in the queue for free school meals, or wear jumble saleclothes. Or pray that the giro comes on time.'Her face flamed. 'Don't you dare criticise my father! He did his best tokeep the mill going—to provide work. Men were laid off in otherplaces as well.'He shrugged. 'But he couldn't understand that times were changing,or change with them. In the woollen industry, only the strong andadaptable survive. But I don't blame him entirely. Your grandfather'sinterpretation of strength was pig-headedness and bullying, so by thetime your father took over it was too late.'
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WHEN THE DEVILDRIVESSara Craven
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CHAPTER ONE'SIMON, you don't—you
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Because Cal Blackstone wasn't inter
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Joanna bit her lip hard. It was Phi
Page 10 and 11: ack in his face, for God's sake.' H
Page 12 and 13: 'Here?' Joanna stared at him, appal
Page 14 and 15: Know your enemy, had been one of Jo
Page 16 and 17: By the time she'd fetched the jack,
Page 18 and 19: Joanna sniffed delicately, grimacin
Page 20 and 21: Cal Blackstone threw back his head
Page 22 and 23: 'Ah, but it will,' he said softly.
Page 24 and 25: CHAPTER TWOTHE mist swirled thickly
Page 26 and 27: 'After all,' Fiona had often pouted
Page 28 and 29: As she heard the doorbell peal, she
Page 30 and 31: held together by an elastic band. H
Page 32 and 33: She didn't want to hear any more. H
Page 34 and 35: 'And so it will be soon,' he said s
Page 36: 'I don't need twenty-four seconds,'
Page 40 and 41: Why the hell was she worrying about
Page 42 and 43: 'Not yours to that extent. Simon, a
Page 44 and 45: 'And having my private affairs chew
Page 46 and 47: CHAPTER THREEDOWN by the reservoir,
Page 48 and 49: She started violently. She'd been s
Page 50 and 51: 'Isn't that what all men want?'He s
Page 52 and 53: Joanna's watch said eight o'clock p
Page 54 and 55: the wedding ceremony, even in the n
Page 56 and 57: 'I wouldn't blame it,' he said dril
Page 58 and 59: She sat rigidly on the edge of the
Page 62 and 63: 'You don't need to make excuses for
Page 64 and 65: His hand slid under her hair, lifti
Page 66 and 67: CHAPTER FOURJOANNA awoke from sleep
Page 68 and 69: 'You were clearly in a highly nervo
Page 70 and 71: 'You intend to go on with this—ob
Page 72 and 73: The living-room, she found, had alr
Page 74 and 75: Her smile was civil but totally dis
Page 76 and 77: 'No one would ever regard your gran
Page 78 and 79: on your wedding night? Did you keep
Page 80 and 81: line of her throat to his mouth. He
Page 82 and 83: He moved out of the doorway, allowi
Page 84 and 85: Because she knew now, quite unequiv
Page 86 and 87: action would be to hire a business
Page 88 and 89: of some way by now to keep him off
Page 90 and 91: CHAPTER FIVEJOANNA felt better afte
Page 92 and 93: 'How very good of you.' Joanna's fa
Page 94 and 95: And the trouble is it could all be
Page 96 and 97: with you to show you a cottage at N
Page 98 and 99: lavish arrangement of dried flowers
Page 100 and 101: There was a sudden burning ache in
Page 102 and 103: 'Where do you think you're going?'
Page 104 and 105: thought about us. She assumed that
Page 106 and 107: She slid into the driving seat and
Page 108 and 109: Somehow, against all logic and all
Page 110 and 111:
else around. She could not have bor
Page 112 and 113:
Joanna had accepted his occasional
Page 114 and 115:
Joanna had felt nauseated, close to
Page 116 and 117:
She drew a deep, quivering sigh, an
Page 118 and 119:
There was a moment of silence, tota
Page 120 and 121:
'I found out while you were in Amer
Page 122 and 123:
She shivered as she remembered the
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CHAPTER SEVENJOANNA spent the follo
Page 126 and 127:
Callum Blackstone had wanted Joanna
Page 128 and 129:
How marvellous to be able to map ou
Page 130 and 131:
The envelope was lying on the carpe
Page 132 and 133:
using for the kitchen units. We've
Page 134 and 135:
'Maybe we should.' Cal's eyes dwell
Page 136 and 137:
'That's our business.' Joanna wonde
Page 138 and 139:
'He never will.' She was hurting so
Page 140 and 141:
She could taste blood in her mouth,
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At the same time, Joanna was sane e
Page 144 and 145:
'That woman has got to go,' Mrs Dri
Page 146 and 147:
Once I would simply have blamed the
Page 148 and 149:
Anthony Chalfont stirred in his une
Page 150 and 151:
traumatic thing. You were his nanny
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from then on.' She sighed. 'He'd ha
Page 154 and 155:
'Oh, we've been in touch with Mr Dr
Page 156 and 157:
CHAPTER NINETHERE was darkness all
Page 158 and 159:
Cal carried Joanna out into the hal
Page 160 and 161:
A moment later the front door bange
Page 162 and 163:
Needless to say, her father had bee
Page 164 and 165:
'Perhaps,' Joanna said evenly. 'But
Page 166 and 167:
It was the same receptionist at the
Page 168 and 169:
She stared at him. 'Why—everythin
Page 170 and 171:
When she was alone, she glanced rou
Page 172 and 173:
een sheer hell for them both. He pr
Page 174 and 175:
In between kisses, they spoke the f
Page 176 and 177:
'There's no need.' His hand gently
Page 178 and 179:
'No, my darling.' Cal looked at her
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When the Devil Drives

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