The Lodger

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by Mary Jane Staples


  Herbert Stephens was committed at a magistrates’ court for trial at the Old Bailey. There he pleaded guilty. His counsel pleaded guilty but insane. The judge, guided by medical reports, accepted the plea. It saved Linda Jennings going into the witness box, and more importantly for her, it saved all the darker details of Mabel Shipman’s life being served up to the world.

  Coming out of school with Jane Atkins, Trary saw Bobby turning the corner into West Square. He gave her a cheerful wave.

  ‘Oh, come on, Trary,’ said Jane, ‘his name’s not really Dick Turpin, I bet it’s not. Who is he really?’

  Trary saw Bobby’s smile, his long walking legs, and how he looked as if the world was made for fun and laughter. Her young heart did a little flip.

  ‘He’s mine,’ she said, and ran across to meet him. Bobby put out his hand and she took it.

  He walked her home. She was fourteen, and at fourteen it was her destiny to be holding hands with him.

  The End

  About the Author

  Mary Jane Staples was born, bred and educated in Walworth, and is the author of many bestselling novels, including the ever-popular cockney sagas featuring the Adams family.

  Also by Mary Jane Staples:

  The Adams Books

  Down Lambeth Way

  Our Emily

  King of Camberwell

  On Mother Brown’s Doorstep

  A Family Affair

  Missing Person

  Pride of Walworth

  Echoes of Yesterday

  The Young Ones

  The Camberwell Raid

  The Last Summer

  The Family at War

  Fire Over London

  Churchill’s People

  Bright Day, Dark Night

  Tomorrow is Another Day

  The Way Ahead

  Year of Victory

  The Homecoming

  Sons and Daughters

  Appointment at the Palace

  Changing Times

  Spreading Wings

  Family Fortunes

  A Girl Next Door

  Ups and Downs

  Out of the Shadows

  A Sign of the Times

  The Soldier’s Girl

  Other titles in order of publication

  Two for Three Farthings

  Rising Summer

  The Pearly Queen

  Sergeant Joe

  The Trap

  The Ghost of Whitechapel

  Escape to London

  The Price of Freedom

  A Wartime Marriage

  Katernia’s Secret

  The Summer Day is Done

  The Longest Winter

  Natasha’s Dream

  Nurse Anna’s War

  TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS

  61–63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA

  A Random House Group Company

  www.transworldbooks.co.uk

  THE LODGER

  A CORGI BOOK : 9780552137300

  Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781446488546

  First publication in Great Britain

  Printing History

  Corgi edition published 1999

  9 10 8

  Copyright © Mary Jane Staples 1991

  The right of Mary Jane Staples to be identified as the author

  of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77

  and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  Addresses for Random House Group Ltd companies outside the UK can be found at:

  www.randomhouse.co.uk

  The Random House Group Ltd Reg. No. 954009

 

 

 


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