Read Dead to Me for Free Online

was burning from his slap. And in that second, rage welled up inside her at the injustice.
    ‘I lie because you and Mother don’t allow me to go outand meet friends. I can never invite them here either. Shall I tell the policeman what you did to me at Christmas?’ The second that last angry retort had left her lips she regretted it, because she saw her mother’s eyes widen in alarm.
    Charmers looked curious.
    She didn’t want to tell anyone really, it was far too disgusting. But at the same time she wanted to hurt her father, as he had so often hurt her. She didn’t dare look at her father to see his reaction.
    ‘I think Verity understands now that it wasn’t wise to involve herself with a street urchin,’ Charmers said quickly. He sounded as if he was just trying to smooth things out so he could leave. ‘There is no evidence to support her being this girl’s accomplice. All Verity is guilty of is being a bit gullible and headstrong. I’m sure the time she spent at the police station will make her more careful about who she speaks to in future.’
    With that, he backed towards the door and left hastily without even a goodbye.
    For a second there was complete silence in the room. Her father stood by the fireplace, one hand on the mantelpiece, and glowered at her. Mother was perched on the arm of the settee; she had her hand up to her throat, as if she was struggling to breathe.
    ‘I cannot believe my daughter was involved in something like this and had to be questioned by the police,’ her father eventually barked at her. ‘Get to your room now and I will come and deal with you in a minute.’
    That order terrified her. At best it would be a severe beating, the worst was a repeat of what he had made herdo to him at Christmas. She rushed out into the hall and was just on the first stair when she heard her mother speak.
    ‘How convenient this is for you, Archie. I suppose you think it will distract me from what you’ve done.’
    Verity paused to listen further.
    ‘I’m not best pleased that my daughter chooses to mix with ragamuffins,’ her mother continued. ‘But compared with her father embezzling funds, that is nothing.’
    Verity didn’t know what ‘embezzling’ meant, but it sounded bad.
    ‘Don’t take that high-and-mighty tone with me,’ her father snapped back. ‘You’ve been happily living off the proceeds for years.’
    ‘I believed every penny that came into this house had been earned,’ her mother’s voice rose to a shriek of indignation. ‘If you were struggling and had told me, I would have made reductions in the household expenditure, I would even have agreed to move to a smaller house. This has been the worst day of my life. Mr Gladstone told me they are taking legal action against you and that you will go to prison. Where is that going to leave me?’
    ‘That’s right, as always, only thinking of yourself,’ he retorted. ‘Don’t spare a thought for where I’ll be.’
    ‘And what did Verity mean when she said something happened at Christmas?’
    ‘That girl is as stupid and hysterical as you,’ he said. ‘It was nothing. She was trying to distract you and that policeman. I must go and deal with her now, I’ll speak to you later.’
    Verity moved swiftly up the stairs then; he would beat her even harder if he caught her eavesdropping.
    Her father came barging into her room seconds later. His face was flushed and his eyes blazing. Verity shook with terror, she’d never seen him as angry as this before.
    ‘You touch me and I’ll go to the police,’ she warned him, hoping attack was the best form of defence.
    ‘Do you think they give a damn about a stupid girl like you?’ he snarled. ‘You more than deserve a good hiding, trying to make trouble for me.’
    He pulled at the leather belt slotted into loops on his trousers. When he’d got it all out, he wound it tightly around his fist, leaving the end with the buckle free to beat her with.
    ‘Bend over the bed,’ he