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
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