Take My Life (23 page)

It was still raining and her shoes and stockings were soaked. Nick was free.
The benefit of the doubt
.

And suddenly she saw that all her efforts had
not
been in vain. For the prestige of the police was so high that ever after people would think that Nick had in fact only been given the benefit of the doubt. In law not guilty, but in fact not proven. Free as the next man, but left with a stigma which would cling and cling.

Not that now. This photograph, Fleming's confession, would change all of it. Nick would be truly and completely mind and heart free. ‘Next week-end we'll go down to Joan's together. From then on we'll really start everything over afresh.' Well, they could now. Starting afresh. Nothing in their way. The nightmare was over.

Unconsciously her walk had quickened. Her sight was still blurred, and rain and tears made a sort of kaleidoscope of the moving traffic. People pushed against her, but she kept on her way.

She knew she would keep on her way now until she found Nick, and then they would go on their way together.

Down the long, shining distorted vista of the wet street she walked, heedlessly, tearfully, happily; through the pouring rain.

First published in 1965 by Bodley Head

This edition published 2013 by Bello
an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Basingstoke and Oxford
Associated companies throughout the world

www.panmacmillan.co.uk/bello

ISBN 978-1-4472-5539-0 EPUB
ISBN 978-1-4472-5538-3 POD

Copyright © Winston Graham, 1965

The right of Winston Graham to be identified as the
author of this work has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders of the material
reproduced in this book. If any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publisher
will be pleased to make restitution at the earliest opportunity.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise
make available this publication ( or any part of it) in any form, or by any means
(electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise),
without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does
any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to
criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The Macmillan Group has no responsibility for the information provided by
any author websites whose address you obtain from this book (‘author websites').
The inclusion of author website addresses in this book does not constitute
an endorsement by or association with us of such sites or the content,
products, advertising or other materials presented on such sites.

This book remains true to the original in every way. Some aspects may appear
out-of-date to modern-day readers. Bello makes no apology for this, as to retrospectively
change any content would be anachronistic and undermine the authenticity of the original.
Bello has no responsibility for the content of the material in this book. The opinions
expressed are those of the author and do not constitute an endorsement by,
or association with, us of the characterization and content.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Visit
www.panmacmillan.com
to read more about all our books
and to buy them. You will also find features, author interviews and
news of any author events, and you can sign up for e-newsletters
so that you're always first to hear about our new releases.