Margaret Baumann - Design for Loving (1970)

by Margaret Baumann

  'But…

  'And solving the mystery changes nothing,' said Neil. He said it with a terrible finality.

  I'd be a fool to go on hoping, thought Sharon, pressing her face to the window to watch him go until tears blurred out the sight of him.

  Life went on. Jennifer flew back to Canada and Neil drove her to Ringway to see her off on the first stage of her journey. Sharon made the excuse that she couldn't take the day off work as her new design was at a crucial stage. The farewell at the airport would have been too emotional and the long drive back with Neil a torture. Besides, reading Jennifer's heart, she knew how precious those last few hours of his company would be to her.

  Jennifer took with her so many gifts for Aunt Ada and so many bits and pieces of England for herself that the excess luggage charge was astronomical.

  'I wish I could take a small piece of lawn,' she said, laughing, as they stowed the small luggage in the boot of Neil's car. 'But the one thing the customs people in Toronto will ask me is whether I have any seeds or growing plants. You'd understand that if you saw those beautiful Dutch elms in their thousands standing like spectres from coast to coast, all destroyed by a parasite brought in from abroad. Fascinating to a scientist, but a tragedy.' She was talking very fast, of everything and nothing, so that she wouldn't break down. She had beauty again; she had a lot of money; and there was Aunt Ada Banstead preparing a wonderful welcome for her. But her heart was here and always would be. Deep understanding was in Sharon's look as they parted. 'My wish for you___ ' began Jennifer huskily, still clinging to her hand. But Sharon shook her head and pulled her hand away. She stepped back and waved them out of sight.

  The next excitement was Miss Frith setting forth on a visit to the Priollys. She had found someone to stay with Gladys and went all reckless on a new outfit. She made lists, and then lists of the lists, before they actually got her off. That day Sharon came upon Hazel Ormerod in the cloakroom at work, weeping bitterly because she had been left out of the invitation.

  'She was so sure Luc would send for her,' Sharon said to Adam later. He was showing off his new car by taking her for a spin after work.

  'Little idiot,' said Adam. 'There was this French film on recently. It was about a department store in Paris, based on a novel of Zola. I thought Hazel would like to see it, but you could have knocked me down when I found she'd read the book. In English, of course.'

  'It's Miss Frith's favourite novel and she's always quoting from it. "Our distress is the manure of the future." That wouldn't be much comfort to poor Hazel now!'

  'She wept over the fate of the small shopkeepers. Soaked my handkerchief right through. I gave her a jolly good talking to on the way home.'

  'She used to be such a carefree little thing,' said Sharon. 'The trouble is, we've given her dreams. Perhaps we're more to blame than Luc!' She looked at Adam out of the corner of her eyes. 'How she would love to see Paris and Rome! Or even London!'

  'She might some day,' said Adam and drove on with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

  But the day of days was when Neil came to the cottage to impart the tremendous news that an up-to-date technical college was to be built on the site of the old Institute. It would incorporate all the suggestions made in Neil's report at the start of the year. Sharon had already received a hint of this from Ben Hallsworth, but she wouldn't dream of confessing it now.

  'It seems the new technical college for this region is still in the building programme,' said Neil. 'They won their fight for it when the estimates were slashed in the spring. The question was, where to build. Roxley was the obvious choice - a central point for the whole area - but they weren't going to spend money modernizing the Institute, with this scheme up their sleeve. And as long as our old buildings stood, they couldn't hope to get approval for a brand-new college practically next door to it! The fire settled that.' He threw out his hands. 'If they'd given me an inkling of all this, I'd have been spared no end of worry. As it is…' He drew a deep breath. 'The demolition contractor moves in immediately and building starts as soon as the site has been cleared.'

  'It will take an age,' said Sharon.

  'An age. In the meantime we're to muddle along with prefab classrooms, an old Sunday school, and possibly some space lent to us by firms who take part in the day release scheme. The office will be set up in the bank chambers where I believe Roxley Institute had its being before the cottage hospital was taken over, There's a curious twist of fate!'

  'The chance design,' murmured Sharon. Her heart lifted with joy. He was staying the course. The letter of resignation had perished with his other papers and he wouldn't be writing another. She said unsteadily: 'It's wonderful. I can't take it in yet!… But the whole thing will drive Percy right round the bend.'

  'I should worry about Percy!' He laughed out loud, and Sharon had never heard a more joyous sound. 'Of course, if I sign the lease for Clough Head I might well fight my paper war from there - temporarily, at any rate.'

  'Clough Head!' Sharon's heart began to lurch and then to race in a peculiar manner. She could feel a pulse beating in her throat.

  Just then the door of what had been Jennifer's room opened and a young man stepped out. He looked bronzed and fit, and with his slacks and patterned bush shirt he seemed to bring the tropics right into this northern scene.

  'My brother Tony,' said Sharon.

  But Neil would have known him from the cheetah picture and from his startling resemblance to Sharon. The boy stepped forward, offering his hand.

  'Flew over this morning. Didn't even cable. I wanted to give Sharon a big surprise.'

  'He came loaded with gorgeous presents,' said Sharon.

  And of course he was on the loose again. Neil knew it even before the boy said airily: 'As a matter of fact I've chucked my job. Rotten prospects. I'm after something with more go. Thought I'd better talk it all over with Sharon.'

  Was he in real trouble? Neil considered himself an expert at summing up character. He had plenty of practice! If he hadn't known Tony Birch's history, he would have been impressed by the firm handshake, the clear eyes and frank, guileless smile. But how could he make a sane, unbiased judgement when Sharon looked out at him from this boy's face?

  Tony glanced at his watch, a very handsome one. 'Gosh, is that the time? I'd better make tracks.' He gave Neil his frank smile. 'I have to nip round and say hello to the Hallsworths. They'll have it in for me if they hear I'm home and haven't looked them up. Cheerio!' At the door he said: 'Sharon has mentioned you quite a bit in her letters. If you're keen on wild life, maybe I could run off a couple of my films later this evening? That is, if you're still here when I get back.'

  'I shall be,' said Neil grimly, as the door closed be hind Tony. 'And I intend to settle that young man's hash, once and for all.'

  Sharon gasped. 'For a minute I thought I heard you say…

  Your hearing is perfect.' He advanced upon her. 'We may as well get the preliminaries over now. I want the truth. Your brother has packed in his job. He flies home without warning. Is Interpol on his tail? Or is it just a little matter of needing cash from you and Ben Hallsworth - hush money, if you like - to finance him in some harebrained scheme? A job with more go, I think he called it.'

  It was a moment or two before Sharon could find her voice. 'How dare you!' Her eyes blazed away at him. "You really are back on form, aren't you? Ruder than ever. Quite insufferable!'

  "You haven't answered my questions.'

  'And I don't intend to. This is none of your business.'

  'I'm making it my business.' He took her by the shoulders in an iron grip. 'Good God, do you think I can stand by and see this boy wreck your life? That's what's happening, isn't it? I didn't need Samuel Cragill to tell me of the demands he has made on you in the past, of the fear that casts a shadow over the future. You never know when Tony may turn up or what scrapes he'll get into. Don't deny it.'

  She stood quite still between his hands; flushed, her heart beginning to race again.


  'I see only one way of protecting you,' Neil said deliberately. 'I shall marry you. And from then on I'll have the right to deal with young Tony as I think fit.' He stopped speaking. The thrill of her tingled through his hands, through his whole being. He gave a groan. 'What sort of a brute am I ? The truth is, I love you like hell and I can't bear you to be hurt.'

  Sharon lifted her face and he saw the glory there. But when his arms tightened and he bent his head to kiss her, she drew away.

  'I daren't let you. Not just on Tony's account. It would be marriage under false pretences!' Still holding him away, she went on talking fast. 'It's true he threw up the job when he realized he'd got as far as he could there - but not before he had something else lined up. And the experience of standing on his own feet, meeting the challenge of new surroundings, has done what Mr. Ben hoped it would. Now he has the chance of an exciting job with a tourist firm. Jensens organize safaris and have their own planes and vehicles. Tony has been learning Swahili and getting to know the game parks and lodges, acting as escort to small parties in his own holidays. The head of the firm seems to have a high regard for him.' Mischief came into her eyes. 'Which is just as well, as Tony wants to marry his daughter!'

  Neil demanded : 'Why didn't you tell me all this?'

  'When did I have a chance? Tony has only just told me himself! That's why he flew home. He wanted me - and Mr. Ben, too - to understand that the new job is a sound proposition and that our faith in him was justified. Also he wanted very much indeed to know that I approve of his engagement. Isn't that rather sweet of him? And of course he's absolutely set on my going over for the wedding.'

  'We might manage it,' said Neil in a lordly way, 'if it isn't in term time. What's the girl like?'

  'A darling. A sweet pretty creature and an awfully good shot with the camera! You'll see her in Tony's movie films. I don't know about wild life. Seems to me just a setting for the Jensen girl, if the stills are anything to go by. Once he starts, I'm afraid these films will go on for hours and hours. There won't be a chance to talk or… or anything.'

  'We have a lifetime,' said Neil, and drew her dear head against his shoulder.

  A lifetime, thought Sharon, to weave the most beautiful pattern against the changing seasons of the year, the grief and the joy, the struggles and the triumphs; and running through it all, love's shining golden thread.