Better Days Will Come by Pam Weaver Page B

but the doctor shook his head. ‘You should be proud of her, Mrs Rogers,’ he said. ‘Head injuries can be very dangerous things. Fortunately, although you will probably have a very bad headache for a while, there is no lasting damage.’
    Rita was so relieved she almost kissed him. Inside, she had been panicking. With her father dead and Bonnie gone, what would have happened to her if Mum had been seriously ill? For the first time in her life she’d realised just how fragile life was, how everything could change in an instant. She knew she was being selfish, but she resolved never to take her mother for granted again. Bonnie might have walked out on her but, from now on, Rita was going to be the best daughter in the world.
    After telling Grace that an Aspro and bed rest was the best thing, the doctor left with his shilling and soon after a Constable Higgins stopped by and took statements.
    ‘Who knew you were going on the round?’ the constable asked. They were all sitting around the kitchen table.
    ‘Everybody,’ said Grace. ‘They were expecting me.’
    ‘And you started out from here at what time?’
    Grace looked at Charlie and shrugged.
    ‘About seven,’ said Charlie.
    The constable scribbled in his notebook. ‘And the attack happened at about eight o’clock by Station Approach?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Grace. ‘It’s a good job Charlie suggested changing the route. If we had gone the usual way, they’d have got a lot more.’
    Constable Higgins frowned. ‘How d’you mean?’
    ‘I usually go to the end of road and walk up to Station Approach and back by Teville Gate and then I do Tarring Road,’ Grace explained. ‘Charlie persuaded me to go the other way round.’
    ‘Why did you do that, sir?’ asked Constable Higgins accusingly.
    ‘I thought she should vary the route,’ Charlie shrugged. ‘For safety’s sake.’
    ‘Good job you did,’ said Grace. ‘I heard someone shout just before the robber pushed me down.’
    ‘Mr Warren,’ said Constable Higgins. ‘He’s only just moved into the shop on the corner. He’s already made a statement.’
    ‘I think I owe my life to him,’ said Grace. ‘I’m sure that man would have kicked me senseless if Mr Warren hadn’t come running.’
    ‘How much money are we talking about?’ said the constable.
    ‘About £50,’ said Grace. ‘I only had a few houses to go to. Mrs Oakley, the Parsons, Miss Reeves, Mrs Clements and Mary Minty. Between them they had saved about £7 each through the year. I’d have to look in the books to know exactly how much.’
    ‘That’s a lot of money,’ said Constable Higgins giving her a disapproving stare.
    ‘I know,’ Grace sighed.
    The constable pursed his lips. ‘You’d be well advised to get everybody to come to you next time, Missus.’
    ‘There won’t be a next time,’ said Grace bitterly. She leaned forward on the table and laid her head onto her arms.
    ‘I think my mum needs to get to bed,’ said Rita.
    There was a shuffling of chairs and the men got up to go. By the time Uncle Charlie had left, Grace was crying.
    ‘Does it really hurt that bad, Mum?’
    ‘No, it’s not that,’ said her mother. ‘It’s the money. I’ve let all those poor people down.’
    ‘I’m sure they’ll understand, Mum.’
    ‘They need that money, Rita,’ said Grace. ‘Whether they understand or not isn’t the problem. I’ll have to pay it all back. Dear Lord above, where am I going to get another £50 to replace it?’

Eight
     
    Grace woke with a sore head. She lay for a while going over the events of the previous night. She should have waited and gone on the rounds in daylight but she hadn’t wanted the money in the house overnight. The post office was open on Saturday morning so why hadn’t she drawn the money first thing and done the round in the afternoon? And it would have been far more sensible to do what Constable Higgins had suggested and have everyone come to her. She could see now what a fool she had