Kate was in Truro. It was the first time she had been there on her own. ‘Be careful not to miss the bus home,’ Jill had fussed as if she were a child. ‘You’ve got some pennies to phone me if you need to.’
Mrs Em had suggested Jill and Tom might occasionally like some time on their own, and once or twice a week she went through to the big sitting room and played board games or listened to a radio play with the Boswelds. It was really nice to be branching out.
She took a look at the cathedral, a wondrous sight with its three spires reaching up and up to the sky. She went inside, marvelling at the lofty interior and captivated by the columns and vaulting and magnificent stained glass windows, in awe as her footsteps echoed where thousands of worshippers and sightseers had trod before her. An official in a long red robe smiled at her and she wondered if she should curtsey to the dignitary.
Outside, she picked her way carefully over the cobbles. Her limp made the journey unsure. A young soldier was suddenly there beside her. ‘Would you like to take my arm, miss?’
Her heart flew up to her throat. She had no idea how to respond. If he was merely being polite she should accept his offer, shouldn’t she? She didn’t want to be treated as a cripple. She wasn’t some doddery old lady. And if he was trying to pick her up he was out of luck. ‘I can manage, thank you.’
The infantryman went along at her side, nonetheless. Once on the pavement in King Street, he said, ‘Are you local? My parents live at the top of Castle Hill, right by the cattle market. My name’s Harry Bane. I’m on two weeks’ leave. And you are?’
Kate felt her insides doing a wild dance. He seemed nice, he had a pleasant smile and he wasn’t unattractive; he had a hint of the actor Montgomery Clift about him. She was getting quite used to attention from young men. Alan Killigrew and Denny James had both asked her out recently. She had not made up her mind about either of them, part of her wanted them to forget her and part of her didn’t. Of the pair she felt more comfortable with Denny because she’d had more chance to get to know him, but she found Alan wittier and he had more appealing looks. As far as this stranger was concerned she wanted to get rid of him. ‘If you’ll excuse me.’ She walked off, her face aflame.
To her consternation, Harry Bane fell in step beside her. His shiny boots tapped out a firm tread on the granite slab pavement. ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’
‘Yes.’ She snatched at the excuse. ‘I’m meeting him soon.’
‘My loss and his good fortune.’ Harry Bane bowed out with a disappointed smile. ‘It’s not every day of the week I meet such a pretty girl.’
He strode on before her. Kate crept along to Boscawen Street, the wide main street of the sleepy city, in case he was hanging about there. He had called her pretty. So had Denny. Alan had called her ‘quite lovely’. It was extraordinary and exciting to be attractive to boys. It gave her a lift, more confidence than she had ever had before, and without knowing it she sparkled, which made her even more engaging. Older men had started to lift trilby and bowler hats to her. A window cleaner up on a ladder wolf whistled at her. It was brilliant to be noticed for her looks and not ridiculed for her out-of-true legs.
She had clothing coupons and money in her handbag. She crossed the street by the war memorial and went into Woolworths, and in sheer delight bought a gift of boxed handkerchiefs for Jill and Mrs Em and Tilda. What could she get for Tom and Mr Perry? She decided on handkerchiefs too. She didn’t like the fact that Jonny Harvey was staying at the farm, even though he was careful now not to embarrass her and boss Denny when he chatted to her. She wouldn’t buy him anything. She’d never have the nerve to give it to him and she was afraid he would receive a gift with one of his condescending smiles. To her mind, he was a bighead, boasting at how he planned to see the world and would never settle in one place. What was so special about that? As soon as there was news of poor Miss Rothwell, and Kate prayed every day it would be good news, he was to leave. The sooner the better, then she would feel completely comfortable again in her home.
She made her way to River Street, to a clothing shop Jill had told her about. She didn’t have anything specific in mind; she would just see what she would see, a saying of Mrs Em’s. On the way was a small exclusive jeweller’s. She enjoyed looking at the precious gems set in rings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches and cufflinks, but she lingered more over the ladies’ wristwatches. She had always wanted a wrist-watch. She could afford one with her grandmother’s money in her savings, deposited in the post office here when she’d got a moment free from Jill – Miss Grigg would have been curious about such a large amount. She yearned for a watch on a gold bracelet, but she would have to choose one of the cheaper ones on a leather strap or Jill and Tom would wonder how she had paid for it. It would be a thrill to wear even a less pretty watch on her wrist.
She stepped back into the path of a pedestrian. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’
‘Stupid girl!’ The woman, stout and hawk-like, with a dangle of thick white beads on her heavy chest, pushed Kate then clutched her cardigan and shook her, bringing her ugly face in close. ‘Look where you’re going! You stood on my foot. A bleddy little cripple like you should have the sense to be more careful.’
The hostile public censure was bad enough but there was something about the woman that chilled Kate to her bones. Had she met her before? She thought not, yet she reminded her of someone, and something, something terrible, like the stuff in her nightmares. Kate wanted to shout at her to let her go. She wanted to rail against her unnecessary spite but the words refused to reach her lips.
The woman finally loosened her grip and stalked off. Kate was left white with horror and wanting to cry out her shame. She stumbled on with her eyes down to the pavement. Avoiding people, going in a straight line, she crossed over two road junctions, both leading up the steep hill where the cattle market was. She headed along Frances Street and turned up a short stretch called Ferris Town that led to Richmond Hill. No one was around and there was little traffic. Taking her hanky from her bag she wiped at the tears pricking her eyes, hoping that if she was seen it would be thought she had a summer cold. She carried on slowly towards the hill then stopped. There was no point going on. She had never been this far before and had an idea the railway station was up above and she didn’t want to go there. The best thing was to go back to the jeweller’s and buy a watch and do some more shopping and forget what had happened. She mustn’t let that beastly woman spoil her day out or make her want to hide away for ever on the farm. She had to do something to get rid of the bleakness, the same as she was left with after each nightmare about her grandmother. She could go on to Lemon Quay and look down at the Truro River. She had been there on the odd occasion her mother had allowed her to go with her into town and she had enjoyed watching the pleasure boats coming from and leaving for Falmouth.
She raised her chin and saw Jonny coming down the hill. Usually she wished him elsewhere but now she was glad to see his confident stride and strong bearing. He waved to her and she waved back. ‘Hello, Kate,’ he said. ‘What a surprise seeing you here. I take it Jill is about somewhere.’
‘No, I’m by myself.’
He glanced at her carrier bag. ‘Been doing a little shopping, I see. There are very few shops over here. Something in particular you wanted?’
‘No. I was just wandering about.’
He looked at her intently. She was trying to hide it but she was terribly upset. Perhaps she had bumped into a member of her family. Or had come this way and thought she had got lost and panicked. No, it wouldn’t be that. Kate wasn’t nervous in that way. ‘Are you going back on the midday bus?’
‘Yes.’
‘Me too. I’ve been taking pictures of the railway station and the engines and now I’m eager to get back and develop them. Would you like some company? We could pop into a restaurant for coffee and cake.’ He lifted inquiring brows. She was normally shy of him and even didn’t seem to like him and he thought she would make an excuse.
‘Yes, OK. Jill and I have been to Opie’s. I like it there.’
Her readiness to go with him and the flush on her pale cheeks told him she really was troubled. ‘Opie’s it is then. Let me carry your shopping.’
Tom and Mr Perry were polite in this way. It was something none of the men in her family would dream of doing for a woman. She handed him the Woolworths bag. Would he offer his arm as Tom and Mr Perry did? She would feel protected if that dreadful woman happened to cross her path again.
‘Would you like to take my arm, Kate?’ he said, unsure if it was the right thing to do. She might prefer not to, and due to his reputation any young woman with him in this manner was likely to be construed as his latest conquest. Kate, in simple clothes, with a plain straw hat and no makeup, was so different to the sophisticated, fashionably clad women he usually mixed with, and would provoke a good deal of interest. For Kate’s sake he shouldn’t have asked her. ‘OK.’
The instant she said that he didn’t care what others thought. He was proud to be her escort. He wanted to get to know more about her, her true self. She was always so guarded at the farm. Now he had a chance to do so without Jill constantly checking on her as if she was an infant. It was a situation he considered unfortunate. Kate needed no more than a little gentle guidance but Jill was using her as a substitute interest for the loss of her baby. There was a danger Jill might smother her with kindness and restrict Kate’s chances of living to her full potential. His main reason for going to the railway station had been to question the stationmaster and porters about Abbie. He had learned nothing new. All the town’s taxi drivers had been shown Abbie’s photograph by Douglas Goodyear and the police. All of them were certain they had not taken her from the station. While retracing his steps back down the hill he could only reason that for Abbie to disappear so quickly and completely abduction was certain. He couldn’t bear to think of her hurt and suffering. Or dead, which was a terrible possibility because so far there had been no response to her picture in the newspapers or the reward. Then he had turned the corner and seen Kate, and his thoughts flew to discovering why she was looking so downcast.
Opie’s wasn’t far away, in Kenwyn Street, above a haberdashery. When they were seated at a table by the window, Jonny smiled, ‘What would you like, Kate?’
‘I don’t mind. Jill and I usually order coffee and we choose from the selection of fancies.’
‘That’s what we’ll do then.’ He gave the waitress the order. ‘So you fancied a little trip out by yourself, Kate?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you’ve been shopping?’
‘Yes.’ She was terribly disappointed not to have bought something for herself, and Jill would wonder why. The day had been a failure.
Jonny saw her melancholy. For some reason it cut right into him. ‘Forgive me for asking, but what’s wrong? It’s easy to see you’re unsettled.’
‘A woman was horrible to me in the street.’ She glanced at him and looked down at the table. ‘I suppose I shouldn’t have minded so much.’
‘Of course you should mind. Do you want to tell me what she said?’
Until a short while ago he would have been the last person she’d have confided in, but Jonny made her feel secure and she needed to unload the horror she had undergone. When she’d finished, he reached across the table and patted her hand. ‘That must have been truly awful for you. The woman’s behaviour was despicable. I’m sorry you had to go through that, Kate, my dear. I’m afraid there are some really terrible people in the world but luckily they are few and far between. You were unlucky today. Now, let’s think of something to cheer you up. It’s your birthday in a few days. I’d like to get you a little something, if that’s all right. When we’ve had our coffee, would you like to look at the shops for something you’d like?’
‘It’s very kind of you,’ she said modestly, feeling better.
Everyone liked Jonny, now she could see why. He was kind and caring. She could also slip into a shop to buy something for herself to show Jill, but a watch could wait for another day.
A woman in a full-skirted suit and a hat fit for the Ascot races, with a slinky walk, and smoking from an ebony holder, entered the restaurant and made a beeline for them. ‘Jonny, darling!’ she trilled. ‘How absolutely brilliant to see you.’
Jonny rose and she kissed the air both sides of his face. ‘Cynthia. Always a pleasure to see you.’ Kate could see he didn’t mean it.
‘I see you have that silly camera with you again. Haven’t seen you at a cocktail party for simply ages.’ She tapped a gloved fingertip on his chin. ‘You’re very naughty to neglect the ladies of the town.’ She aimed a sideways glance at his companion to see if she knew who it was then turned fully and stared at Kate. ‘Good heavens. Who’s this? One of your father’s brood?’
Jonny wished Cynthia would move on. She was amoral and had been trying for years to get him as a trophy in her bed and she hated the fact that he had never succumbed to her. A war widow, she had ‘entertained’ both British and American officers during the war. She was vindictive and it showed in her hard eyes. The reason she was alone was because no one sought to befriend her. ‘Miss Kate Viant. Mrs Cynthia Walker. If you’ll excuse us, Cynthia, we were having a quiet discussion.’
Cynthia Walker looked down over her nose at Kate with distinct distaste. ‘A change of direction for you, Jonny, taking on lame ducks.’
The woman couldn’t see Kate’s legs under the table and the jibe at Kate’s ordinariness hurt Kate more than she had intended. Angry, she returned a haughty look of her own. If this woman could only show off and issue insults then she was not a better and didn’t deserve any respect.
Cynthia Walker gave a huff and slunk away like a proud cat. She snapped at a waitress for immediate service. Jonny sat down and smiled at Kate. ‘You got the upper hand there. That was one horrid woman who didn’t get the better of you.’
Kate ate and drank with a sense of triumph. She had summed up correctly that Cynthia Walker had failed to get her hooks into Jonny. And it was she who had his company, the undivided attention of the most handsome man for miles. The waitresses and the other female customers, one elderly, were giving him admiring looks.
Jonny escorted her to the same jeweller’s she had looked at earlier. He pointed to the window display. ‘Take a look and see what you like.’
‘But you can’t buy me jewellery,’ Kate gasped.
Jonny saw it as inappropriate. ‘What then?’ He didn’t want to go into a dress shop. It wouldn’t faze him but when he paid he would be seen as her sugar daddy. Then he had a good idea. ‘I could take a special photo of you. I’ll get a frame to put it in. What do you think?’
‘That would be very nice. Thank you, Jonny.’ The words came straight out. She trusted him now and had no reservations about his suggestion.
‘Well, they sell frames in here too so let’s go inside and you can choose what you would like.’ He smiled down on her and she smiled back. She was so lovely. It was wonderful to be doing something that made the light shine out of her beautiful eyes. It was wonderful being with her.