Penny Jordan by [The Crightons 09] Coming Home Page A
Authors: [The Crightons 09] Coming Home
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his daughter, I'm sure her crush would have died a natural and early death. Of course, Pete being the type of young man he is, Paul's interference has had exactly the opposite effect from the one he wanted and now, apparently, Annalise has been seen in several clubs around the area where the band has been playing, very much a member of the band's entourage.'
'And does Paul know about this?'
'I'm not sure, but once he does find out, as he's bound to do... Annalise is at a very vulnerable age and if Paul starts trying to come the heavy father—'
'Or if in his anxiety he panics and starts telling her she's going to end up like her mother...'
'Exactly,' Didi agreed. 'I've tried to talk to Paul, but he just doesn't want to know. He can be so stubborn at times. I suspect whilst Annalise believes herself to be deeply in love with Pete, as only a young, idealistic girl can be, Pete is anything but in love with her. I hate to use such an ugly word, but my feeling is that he's just using her and that once he's bored he's just going to push her to one side.
'Normally, I'd say that that kind of experience is just a part of growing up. We all go through the pain of teenage heartache, but the disparity between Annalise and Pete makes me very anxious for her. Of course, I'm anxious for Paul, as well, especially since the whole thing is inevitably going to be conducted in public...'
'Mmm...and of course it couldn't come at a worse time for Annalise's education, what with her A levels ahead of her,' Guy added.
'Exactly.'
'Oh dear, the perils of a father of teenage daughters,' Guy sighed. 'Well, if there's anything I can do to help...'
Since his marriage to Chrissie, who was seen to have tamed this wild Cooke, not quite knowing how or why it happened, Guy discovered that he had been elected to the role of paterfamilias within the Cooke clan and that inevitably, at some stage or another, various members of the family would bring their problems to him.
This was one problem where he suspected that Chrissie's gentle touch would be much more ben-eficial than his own.
'We've got a family gathering looming soon, haven't we?' he asked Didi. 'I'll see if Chrissie will have a tactful word with Paul, if you like.'
'Would you?' Didi smiled in relief. 'I haven't dared say anything to Paul, but I have heard a whisper that Annalise has been bunking off school to be with Pete. The band practises in an old barn out at—'
'Laura and Rick's farm, yes, I know,' Guy said, nodding. 'They used to use Frances's garage, but she gave Mike an ultimatum and told him that there was no way she would continue to allow them to use it unless they agreed to keep the noise level down. Laura stepped into the breach and offered them the use of one of their barns.'
'Well, as I said, it seems that Annalise has been sneaking off school to spend time with them there.'
'Leave it with me. I'll do what I can,' Guy promised.
DAVID TENSED as he watched Maddy's car come up the drive towards Queensmead. He had been watching the house ever since his arrival in England some days earlier, sleeping at night in un-locked garden sheds and open hay barns. After several weeks at sea sharing cramped quarters with the rest of the crew, the solitariness of his present existence was a relief. He missed Father Ignatius, of course; the two of them had become very close in the time they had worked together.
As well as missing him, though, David was also concerned about him. Despite the priest's vigour and positive attitude towards life, David had sensed recently that the older man was not quite as stalwart as he had once been.
Had he done the wrong thing in leaving him to come home? Had he made the selfish decision—
again?
In the car with Maddy were her three children, the second youngest, Emma, with her solemn eyes and determined expression reminding him so much of his own daughter Olivia's at the same age. It was odd the things that memory retained without one's being aware of it.
'And does Paul know about this?'
'I'm not sure, but once he does find out, as he's bound to do... Annalise is at a very vulnerable age and if Paul starts trying to come the heavy father—'
'Or if in his anxiety he panics and starts telling her she's going to end up like her mother...'
'Exactly,' Didi agreed. 'I've tried to talk to Paul, but he just doesn't want to know. He can be so stubborn at times. I suspect whilst Annalise believes herself to be deeply in love with Pete, as only a young, idealistic girl can be, Pete is anything but in love with her. I hate to use such an ugly word, but my feeling is that he's just using her and that once he's bored he's just going to push her to one side.
'Normally, I'd say that that kind of experience is just a part of growing up. We all go through the pain of teenage heartache, but the disparity between Annalise and Pete makes me very anxious for her. Of course, I'm anxious for Paul, as well, especially since the whole thing is inevitably going to be conducted in public...'
'Mmm...and of course it couldn't come at a worse time for Annalise's education, what with her A levels ahead of her,' Guy added.
'Exactly.'
'Oh dear, the perils of a father of teenage daughters,' Guy sighed. 'Well, if there's anything I can do to help...'
Since his marriage to Chrissie, who was seen to have tamed this wild Cooke, not quite knowing how or why it happened, Guy discovered that he had been elected to the role of paterfamilias within the Cooke clan and that inevitably, at some stage or another, various members of the family would bring their problems to him.
This was one problem where he suspected that Chrissie's gentle touch would be much more ben-eficial than his own.
'We've got a family gathering looming soon, haven't we?' he asked Didi. 'I'll see if Chrissie will have a tactful word with Paul, if you like.'
'Would you?' Didi smiled in relief. 'I haven't dared say anything to Paul, but I have heard a whisper that Annalise has been bunking off school to be with Pete. The band practises in an old barn out at—'
'Laura and Rick's farm, yes, I know,' Guy said, nodding. 'They used to use Frances's garage, but she gave Mike an ultimatum and told him that there was no way she would continue to allow them to use it unless they agreed to keep the noise level down. Laura stepped into the breach and offered them the use of one of their barns.'
'Well, as I said, it seems that Annalise has been sneaking off school to spend time with them there.'
'Leave it with me. I'll do what I can,' Guy promised.
DAVID TENSED as he watched Maddy's car come up the drive towards Queensmead. He had been watching the house ever since his arrival in England some days earlier, sleeping at night in un-locked garden sheds and open hay barns. After several weeks at sea sharing cramped quarters with the rest of the crew, the solitariness of his present existence was a relief. He missed Father Ignatius, of course; the two of them had become very close in the time they had worked together.
As well as missing him, though, David was also concerned about him. Despite the priest's vigour and positive attitude towards life, David had sensed recently that the older man was not quite as stalwart as he had once been.
Had he done the wrong thing in leaving him to come home? Had he made the selfish decision—
again?
In the car with Maddy were her three children, the second youngest, Emma, with her solemn eyes and determined expression reminding him so much of his own daughter Olivia's at the same age. It was odd the things that memory retained without one's being aware of it.
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