Father Unknown

by Lesley Pearse

  Academic success meant nothing on a beach either. Josie could swim like a fish, run fast, do leap-frog effortlessly, and she was good at ball-games. The beach was a stage to show off all these talents.

  In the early hours of the morning when Josie couldn’t sleep for thinking about Will, she had remembered something she’d read in ‘Dear Marge’ in Woman’s Own. A girl had written in to ask how to make boys like her. Marge had said there was no magic formula for this, but that she thought showing happiness, both in the boys’ company and her own surroundings, was likely to endear her to them rather than trying to pretend she was something she wasn’t.

  Josie had followed that advice once she’d made up her mind that she wanted to go to London. She didn’t attempt to flirt with Will or Colin, or have serious conversations, but treated them in much the same way she did her schoolfriends and boys she knew from the village. She splashed them with water, jumped on their backs in the sea, challenged them to races, laughed a great deal and acted as though she hadn’t a care in the world.

  Rosemary unwittingly helped her cause. In the past Josie had been embarrassed at the way her friend would speak of her parents’ farm in awed tones, as if they were stinking rich. But this time Josie was glad of it, for it gave her the opportunity to make the men laugh still more by talking in a rustic voice and making out she did the milking and mucked out the cow sheds. If they wanted to believe she was talking nonsense, she didn’t mind, she’d told the truth after all. It was Rosemary who lied and said she was seventeen and worked in an office in Truro. Josie just said she helped her father, and if they imagined she was seventeen too, that was their fault.

  The men bought them fish and chips for lunch, later they paddled in rock pools looking for crabs, and as the afternoon went on Josie sensed Will really liked her. He kept taking her hand as they paddled; he looked right into her eyes, and paid her compliments.

  It was a little disappointing that he hadn’t turned out to be as handsome as she’d thought on the previous night. Without his smart clothes there wasn’t anything special about him. He had a nice enough face, and lovely dark eyes, but he was hardly a real dreamboat. His chest was pale and weedy, and his legs were very thin. He was also more serious than she’d expected, he spoke of books and films that she’d never heard of, and she discovered he’d got a degree in Art and Design, which made her think he was a bit of an egg-head.

  Yet when he drew her away from the other two behind a big rock and kissed her, it made her head reel and her legs go all wobbly.

  ‘You must come up to London soon,’ he said, holding her face in his hands and showering it with soft little kisses. ‘Promise me you’ll keep in touch. I must see you again.’

  She looked into his brown eyes and knew this was the moment. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t really handsome, he was clever and had such good manners and a perfect-speaking voice, and he could kiss really well.

  ‘I could come to London with you tonight,’ she blurted out.

  She half expected him to back away, but instead he laughed. ‘Now, what would Rosemary say about that?’ he asked. ‘Aren’t you staying the weekend with her? It would be a bit rude.’

  Josie laughed in relief, his good manners hadn’t failed him, not even in a tight spot. ‘She wouldn’t mind if I explained to her,’ she said. ‘You see, I’ve been wanting to go to London for so long, she won’t come with me for another year. I’m doing nothing here; I could find real work in London. So if you’d give me a lift and let me sleep at your place until I find one of my own, I’d be so grateful.’

  He gave her a rather worried look, and it occurred to her that he’d imagined her only coming up to London for a few days, not permanently. ‘But what about your parents?’ he said. ‘You can’t shoot off and leave them without a word.’

  ‘I wasn’t going to,’ she lied. ‘I thought I’d tell Rosemary when we get back to her place, then go home and tell Mum and Dad. I could meet you later this evening.’

  His forehead wrinkled into a deep frown. ‘Isn’t it a bit rash, rushing off up there now?’

  Josie shrugged. ‘It was a bit rash talking to you last night, but it worked out all right, didn’t it? Besides you said there’s loads of jobs for a girl like me in London. I ought to be there now when it’s all beginning to happen. Of course, if you don’t want to take me –‘she broke off, leaving it up to him.

  He sighed. ‘It’s not that, Josie, of course I don’t mind taking you,’ he said. ‘But I didn’t expect something like this, and I work away a lot, so you’d have to find your way around on your own. My flat’s a bit of a tip too.’

  ‘Well, I can clean it up for you.’ She grinned and leaned forward to kiss him. ‘I don’t mind being on my own. I’ve lived in an isolated farm all my life, remember. I’ll surprise you by how clever I can be.’

  He still looked doubtful. ‘Are you absolutely set on this, Josie?’

  ‘Of course I am. If it doesn’t work out I’ll just catch the train back.’ She grinned again. ‘No strings as they say. I’m not asking you to take care of me, Will, only a lift and a place to sleep till I get somewhere of my own.’

  She saw the anxious expression fade from his eyes, and knew she’d hit just the right note.

  ‘Okay,’ he nodded. ‘If you’re sure.’

  ‘Don’t say anything to Colin in front of Rosemary,’ she urged him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. ‘She might get funny and say she wants to come. She can be a bit silly that way, and by tomorrow she’ll be regretting it. I’ll tell her when we’re on our own.’

  He nodded, and she thought that pleased him even more as Rosemary hadn’t really hit it off with Colin. They didn’t seem to have anything to say to each other, and Colin seemed a bit irritated when she kept giggling.

  ‘I’ll meet you at nine at the hotel. But if you aren’t there on time we’ll go without you!’ he said warningly.

  ‘I’ll be there,’ she said, and smiled. She meant she’d be there come hell or high water.

  At eight-thirty Josie was lurking in an alley near the hotel, carrying her suitcase. She didn’t want to bump into anyone she knew. The enormity of what she was about to do and what she’d already done was overwhelming.

  She hadn’t told Rosemary the truth, she couldn’t because she knew her friend would try to talk her out of it and ask her to wait a year till they could go together. She also didn’t want anyone else to know she’d gone off with two men she’d known for less than twenty-four hours.

  Josie was a bit ashamed of what she’d done to give Rosemary the slip. She behaved perfectly normally until they got home to her house, chatting about the day, laughing about Will and Colin, and discussing the dance they were planning to go to later. Then Josie began playacting the minute they got in, she said she had this feeling there was something wrong at home, and she must go back there to see.

  Rosemary kept trying to persuade her there couldn’t be anything wrong, and Josie pretended she was being convinced as she had a bath and washed her hair. But the minute she was dressed again, she said the feeling was getting stronger and she must go, she promised if there was nothing wrong she’d get the bus straight back. Mrs Parks backed her up and said Rosemary was being selfish, she even said she wished her husband were home so he could drive Josie there. Finally, at half past six, Josie left the house carrying her suitcase, with Rosemary yelling from the doorway she must come straight back, and if there was something wrong she must go to a phone box in the morning and ring her.

  Josie felt so silly skulking around the back streets and she was tempted to go straight to the hotel right then, but common sense told her that wasn’t a good idea. Will might realize she hadn’t had time to go home to tell her parents, and it would give him enough time to change his mind.

  At ten to nine Josie walked up to the hotel. It was still very light, and there were so many people around she felt even more nervous, but as she approached the door of the hotel, Will was coming out with a holdall in his han
d.

  His face lit up. ‘I didn’t think you’d really come,’ he said. ‘What did your parents say?’

  Josie shrugged. ‘They thought I was being a bit daft rushing off on a whim, but they weren’t nasty or anything. Everyone leaves here at my age. Tourists only see the good bit in the summer, there’s nothing much here the rest of the year.’

  ‘Was Rosemary okay?’

  ‘A bit peeved.’ She grinned. ‘But she’s at the dance now, and she’s probably drunk again and forgotten all about it. I told her as soon as I’d got a flat of my own she could come up and join me.’

  ‘Colin chewed my ear off,’ Will admitted ruefully. ‘He pointed out I’d only known you five minutes and for all I knew you could be pregnant and only asking to come so I’ll have to look after you.’

  That made Josie smart, but she held her dress tight to her stomach. ‘Does it look like I’m pregnant?’

  ‘No,’ he said. ‘You strike me as being too sensible for that.’

  ‘I am. And I don’t need you or anyone else to look after me,’ she said indignantly. ‘When we get to London you can just drop me off somewhere if you like.’

  His face softened and he came forward and kissed her. ‘I’m glad you’ve come,’ he said. ‘And I certainly won’t drop you off anywhere. I want you with me.’

  It was a long, long drive to London, but Josie dozed in the back seat and let the men talk to each other. She had felt Colin’s annoyance when he came out of the hotel to find her there, so she’d said as little as possible, hoping that way he’d come round.

  As they drove through Bristol, Will pointed out a beautiful bridge high up in the sky lit by hundreds of electric lights. He said it was the Clifton Suspension Bridge. That gave her a jolt, for Clifton was where Ellen was. She’d mentioned the bridge and the woods on the other side of the Avon Gorge in one of her letters.

  Thinking about Ellen and how she’d left home made Josie realize that what she’d done was not only reckless but stupid. She’d thought she’d worked everything out, but in reality she hadn’t even considered the most basic things.

  When she didn’t arrive home the following night, her father would drive the truck into Falmouth to find her. When he heard from Mr and Mrs Parks that she’d gone home the previous evening, he might jump to the conclusion she’d been snatched or even murdered.

  All at once she was frightened. Rosemary was bound to tell him about Will and Colin. If Dad called the police and they went round to the hotel they’d been staying at, they might pass on the men’s address in London.

  She sat bolt upright in the seat, wondering what to do. Colin was driving now, Will half asleep in the passenger seat. She could tell them the truth of course, but Colin had the hump already about her being with them and he would be really angry if she asked him to turn round and drive back. But then she didn’t want to go back; she wanted to go to London.

  She slumped down again in the seat, trying to think logically. If the police traced Will he might get into trouble for taking an under-age girl away. So she would have to get away from him.

  Reminding herself that no one would know she was missing until around ten or eleven the following night, she knew she was safe enough for now. She could go to Will’s flat, have a sleep, then make some excuse to leave later in the day.

  Her natural optimism began to come back as she remembered she still had the ten-pound note she’d got for her birthday. That would be enough to find a room and get by until she got a job, and she’d post a card to her parents saying she was fine and not to worry about her.

  Yet all the same she was sad she couldn’t stay with Will. He seemed to know everything, and she didn’t much like the idea of being all alone in a city she didn’t know.

  ‘I warned you it was a tip,’ Will said as he opened a door on the second floor and led her into his flat.

  It was four in the morning and still dark, and the light he flicked on immediately showed up clothes strewn over chairs, and unwashed plates and cups on a coffee table.

  ‘It’s not that bad,’ Josie said quite truthfully. It looked interesting to her, for there was a kind of easel set up by the window with all kinds of drawing equipment, and a desk laden with books and magazines. It had exactly the kind of style she imagined a bachelor pad in London would have: simple modern furniture, white walls and lots of fashionable black and grey.

  ‘I’ve only got one bedroom, but the couch pulls out into a bed,’ Will said, yawning as he took off his jacket. ‘I’d offer to sleep on it, but the sheets on my bed need changing and I’m too tired for that right now. The bathroom’s here.’ He pushed at the door to his left. ‘The kitchen and the bedroom.’ He indicated doors to the right and left of the main room.

  Josie put her case down. She saw no point in exploring for she didn’t intend to stay long. ‘You must be exhausted with all that driving, do go to bed, Will.’

  He gave her a grateful look and rubbed his eyes. ‘I’ll just pull out the bed for you. Help yourself to tea or coffee. I’ve got an appointment this afternoon so I’ll set my alarm for one. Will you be all right while I’m gone? I should be back by five and we can go out and get something to eat.’

  ‘Don’t you worry about me, I’ll be fine,’ she said, feeling anything but fine. She had a strong feeling he was regretting bringing her here. Perhaps he’d even guessed now that she was far younger than seventeen.

  For a second or two she was tempted to tell him the truth. It didn’t seem fair that possibly late tonight or early tomorrow morning he’d have police banging on his door. Was it a criminal offence to take an under-age girl away from her home?

  But Will pulled out the couch, and brought her a couple of blankets and sheets. Then he said goodnight and went into his bedroom, closing the door behind him, without even trying to kiss her.

  Josie took off her jeans and blouse, hung them over the back of a chair and slipped her pyjamas on over her underwear. She didn’t think she could sleep, and she wondered why Will had made no attempt to kiss her.

  But the couch made a surprisingly comfortable bed, far better than her one at home, and while she was wondering whether Will’s chilliness was due to anxiety or tiredness, she must have fallen asleep. She was woken by a dull, droning sound, and it was a minute or two before she realized it was only traffic outside.

  It was daylight now, and the clock on a bookcase said it was half past eleven. She got up and went over to the window, pushing back the curtains.

  Later that day she was to discover that Will’s flat was in Bayswater Road, a main road that ran through Notting Hill to Oxford Street. But that first view of London was a lovely surprise, for though the road was very busy with traffic, on the other side was a huge park.

  She had noticed very little as they arrived, only that the flat was up two flights of stairs and the lights kept going out. Will had dropped Colin off in a place he called Hammersmith, but it hadn’t been more than fifteen minutes from here.

  Across the street there were lots of paintings hung on the park railings. She supposed it must be a kind of exhibition as dozens of people were walking along looking at them. A big red London bus, exactly like the ones she’d seen in pictures and films, came by, and she felt a shiver of excitement. She was here at last, and even if it hadn’t worked out quite as she used to plan it, she’d done it now and she was going to make the best of it.

  An hour later she was washed and dressed in the clothes she’d worn the previous night. She had washed up all the plates and cups, tidied the kitchen and lounge and folded the bed back into a couch.

  A little prying showed that Will was very organized – there was food in his cupboards and refrigerator and he even had some cleaner for the bath and toilet. On a pinboard by his desk were several photographs of girls. One looked a bit like him and Josie thought it was probably his sister. She suspected the others were girlfriends. A notebook by the phone contained hundreds of numbers, and a black diary beside it proved he was speaking the trut
h when he’d said he had an appointment today. She felt a pang of real sadness that she couldn’t hang on to have a meal with him tonight, or even see him again. If she hadn’t been so bull-headed, just stayed at home, got that job in the shipping office, kept in touch by letter or phone and come up here later in the year, he could have been hers for keeps.

  ‘You angel, you’ve tidied up,’ Will said as he came out of his bedroom just after one, his hair all tousled and a dark shadow on his chin. ‘Couldn’t you sleep?’

  ‘I did for a while,’ she said, ‘but the traffic woke me. I’ve just put the kettle on, would you like some tea?’

  ‘Coffee please, two sugars. I’ll just nip in and shave. I’m a bit pushed for time.’

  He emerged from the bathroom some ten minutes later looking exactly how he had when they first met, only his face was a little browner from the day on the beach. He gulped down the coffee and looked anxiously at his watch.

  ‘There’s a spare key if you want to go over to the park,’ he said, pointing to a set of keys hanging by the door. ‘Don’t go too far and get lost, jot down the address and phone number before you go out, just in case. Oh, there’s a London map on the bookcase if you want to work out where you are. Help yourself to food, won’t you?’

  ‘Are you sorry you brought me?’ she asked, unable to resist probing.

  His face softened. ‘No, of course not. But we need to discuss things properly when I get back. I’ll be home around five I expect.’

  She went over to him and raised her face expectantly for a kiss. His lips brushed against hers, but it couldn’t be called a real kiss. ‘I’ve got to go,’ he said, snatching up a large slim file which was leaning against the wall. ‘I’ll see you later.’