Two tragic,heartfelt and unforgettable stories that follow the life of Queenie Bedford,brought together here for the first time.
Her Father's Sins:Queenie seemed born to suffer. Her mam died giving birth to her, her drunken father George Kenney ignored her unless he was cursing her, and only beloved Auntie Biddy provided an anchor for the little girl. Growing up in post-war Blackburn, life could be tough when Biddy had to take in washing to make ends meet - at a time when the washing machine began to gain popularity. After Auntie Biddy's death there was only Queenie to care for the home and to earn money, and no one to protect her from the father who blamed his daughter for her mother's death. But Queenie was resilient. And in spite of hardship, she grew up tall and strikingly beautiful with her deep grey eyes and her abundant honey-coloured hair. Love, in the shape of Rick Marsden, might have released her from the burden of the drink-sodden George. But the sins of the fathers would not be easily forgotten...
Let Loose the Tigers:Queenie Bedford fled her native Blackburn and the bitter knowledge that she and Rick Marsden, the man she loved, could never marry. But in 1965 she returns north again to stand by her friend Sheila Thorogood, imprisoned for running a brothel with her mother Maisie. Though Rick had vowed to find her, Queenie takes care that he does not know of her whereabouts. The magnificent Edwardian house in Blackpool is sadly neglected - but Queenie moves in with the ailing Maisie, and sets about transforming it into a sparklingly clean, highly respectable guesthouse. Meanwhile, on one of her visits to Sheila, Queenie meets the frail and confused Hannah Jason, locked away years ago for murder, and desperate for news of her long-lost son. As Rick continues his dogged search for Queenie, she sets out to find Hannah's son. But both their enquiries threaten to unlock the cage where crucial secrets have long been held captive.