The vet advertised the puppies and found homes for them when they were eight weeks old. Lottie and Betty recommenced their daily walks, and visits to Sam and Neville at the farm. She dealt with the running of the house but it was Zena who did the baking every Sunday morning and Greg who dealt with the routine chores. The clearing of the garden after the storms of winter had been neglected and it was Greg and some of his friends who dealt with clearing the debris and lighting a celebratory bonfire as spring began to change the drab browns into fresh vibrant greens.
Lottie talked a lot about the walks and the farm, and Zena and Greg were surprised to learn from Neville that she had been cooking for them for weeks. It was as though she was slowly transferring her loyalty from Llyn Hir to Sam and the farm.
Seeing her mother with her arms around Sam as they walked with the two dogs through the wood one evening gave Zena a sickening jolt of resentment. A mingling of half formed suspicions about the missing money, of disloyalty and perhaps jealousy. Turning away to avoid them she passed the house called SunnyBank and sat on the bank outside the gates until resentment gradually eased and common sense returned.
Her mother was not yet fifty and young enough to enjoy years of happiness. The thought was a revelation to her and she began to think about her mother as a person, a young woman with a future to fill. She thought of the alternative; for her mother to continue looking after them until she and Greg married and left Llyn Hir, and then settle into old age and the end of hope of anything more than a slow decline. She deserved more. ‘She and Dad were happy,’ she said to Greg later. ‘She cared for him and did all she could to make his life a good one. Ours too. But we shouldn’t expect her life to end too because Dad’s did.’
They talked about it for a long time, trying to decide on the best approach then told her where their thoughts had led them. Lottie listened anxiously, a frown creasing her brow, then she smiled as they ended their rather confused comments with, ‘If you and Sam are more than friends, we’re completely happy about it and wish you years of happiness.’ Sam came that evening and he shook their hands as though he were a stranger newly introduced. They talked as easily as they had always done and Zena knew that nothing much had changed.
‘I’ll run the business and gradually pay off the debts we raised to buy it and after that, there should be a reasonable income for us.’
‘If only the loss of your father’s money could be explained, then life would be just about perfect,’ Lottie said.
‘It all sounds good enough for me,’ Greg said. ‘Don’t you think so, Betty?’ The dog barked a reply.
‘That definitely means “Yes”!’ Sam said.
Chapter Ten
When Zena went to do her weekly clean for Roy Roberts there was no reply to her knock. She called Doris his neighbour and was told he was in hospital. She left her cycle at his door and caught the bus to visit him, stopping to buy fruit and some chocolate on the way
She was surprised at how frail he looked. There were bruises on his face and his eyes looked weary. ‘Mr Roberts? What happened?’ she asked, although Doris had told her he’d had a dizzy spell and had fallen down the garden steps.
‘Those damned steps want cleaning, I slipped on some moss,’ he said.
‘You didn’t feel giddy or anything?’
‘No I didn’t. I slipped,’ he said firmly.
‘I’ll see to that as soon as I get back there,’ she promised, aware of his denial. He hated even a hint of his needing extra help.
They talked for a while and she promised to do the usual cleaning plus a few extra chores. ‘I can get into a few corners, with you out of my way,’ she teased. He gave her a list of shopping and insisted that, ‘Once I’m back home I’ll manage without people fussing about the place, so don’t listen to the nurses!’
She told him Jake was supposed to be coming at the weekend and that Rose would probably be with him.
‘Keep your Greg away from her. She won’t make him happy.’
‘They’ve broken up and it seems to be irrevocable, although he still has no idea why she ended it.’
‘Best he forgets her.’
‘Why do you say that? She seems pleasant enough, although Greg never felt really secure about their plans. He felt that something was holding her back. You must know something, Mr Roberts, or you wouldn’t say Greg should forget her. Can you explain why she acted in such an odd way?’
‘One day I’ll talk about it, I promise. But not now.’ He waved his splayed hands in front of her to close the subject and said, ‘Now that Susie Crane, she’s a lovely girl and I can imagine her and your Greg being very happy.’
‘I agree with you there. She’s so relaxed and easy to get along with. But I think his curiosity about Rose is holding them back. If he knew why she had so suddenly left.’ She coaxed but clearly her curiosity wasn’t going to be satisfied so she talked about her friend Nelda and the two lively children, which pleased and entertained him. She left, promising to see him on the following day, hoping to persuade him to tell what he knew about Rose that made her an unsuitable wife for Greg. He needed to get the facts so he could forget her and enjoy the bright uncomplicated happiness of Susie.
Although she knew he hadn’t really slipped on the steps, she went back and scrubbed them thoroughly, her mind on what he might tell her about Rose and hoped it would be something she should share with her brother.
Roy Roberts was in hospital for three days and when he came home it was clear that he was unwell. The bruises from his fall were changing colour as they healed but he was unable to move about without getting breathless. He went as far as the garden to look at his flowers but was tired when he got back to his favourite chair. He slept a lot more than before too, and she discussed his failing health with Doris who looked in regularly and assured her he was comfortable and well fed.
When Zena cleared some plants from the edges of the path to make sure there was no danger of him tripping over them, even though he’d hardly been outside since his stay in hospital, she found a lot of abandoned food in the bin. He clearly wasn’t eating as much as they believed.
She visited often and once dared to ask if she should write to his sons to tell them he’d been in hospital after a fall, in case they wanted to visit. He didn’t raise his voice as she half expected, he just shook his head.
‘It’s too late to hope for a joyful reunion if that’s what you’re thinking,’ he said sadly. ‘If they did come, they’d immediately start on about how cruel I was to throw them and their mother out.’ His eyes crinkled into a smile at that and added, ‘That’s another story for me to tell you one day, young Zena. I wasn’t the villain, you know, and the truth makes an interesting story. But not yet. It still makes me angry and anger is so tiring.’
‘Perhaps you ought to write it down for your sons to read one day. There must be two sides to the story of which your sons have been told only one.’
‘You believe I’m not as wicked as some think?’
‘I think you’re a kind old man and your only crime is a temper that stops you from being able to state your case coherently.’
He gave her a key before she left. ‘Just in case Doris or Kevin aren’t about to let you in.’ She tucked it in her purse and waved goodbye.
Nelda’s girls were increasingly frequent visitors to Llyn Hir. The woods and the lakeside were scenes for adventures that were made safe by the company of Zena, their mother and now the dog as well. Sam invited them to the farm on occasions. He and his father showed them around the farm and children’s delight and happiness spread around them all. The lake was the place where they had picnics and they looked longingly at the boat which was out of bounds, apart from when it was on the shore upside down to provide shelter when a shower threatened to spoil their fun.
It was Sam who suggested checking its condition to make sure it was safe to use. ‘Then, if Nelda agrees, we could introduce them to the fun of being on the water, which isn’t very deep but deep enough
to be a danger. We have to make sure they understand that they must never come here on their own.’
Greg and some of his friends checked the boat which seemed perfectly sound and just needed a coat of paint. They contacted the local boatyard and they sent someone to make sure there were no hidden problems. Both of the girls were competent swimmers so they were pleased to tell the girls about the surprise that was planned.
The raft, which was still used occasionally for shopping trips, was checked regularly and was an easy way of crossing the water. If it was on the wrong side it was a simple matter to pull it across.
It was Sam who took them on their first trip around the lake accompanied by screams of delight. While Zena and Nelda watched and shouted encouragement Sam pretended to let them pull the boat back to shore.
It was the first of many visits as summer strengthened and picnics were a regular occurrence. In July, as school closed for the summer, Nelda arranged for a manager to look after her business for a month, having worked hard all winter to make sure her shelves and store cupboards were full. She took the girls to see her mother in France, and their other grandparents, then the rest of the time she was at home, dealing with the garden and taking the girls on day trips. Their favourites without doubt were the days they went to Llyn Hir. Both girls had a birthday in August and both insisted on a party at the lake.
The weather was warm and for the first time they were allowed to swim in the rather chilly water. Both Nelda and Zena went in with them and made sure the girls were between them and the little beach. A few days later they swam further with Nelda in close attendance and never far from the ropes attached to the raft reaching from shore to shore.
On what was to be their last day before school began again, confidence had grown and Georgie swam across the lake. Then to everyone’s alarm she dived below the water. Zena and Lottie struck out immediately. Georgie bobbed up waving something. ‘Look what I found!’ she shouted, ‘It’s treasure!’ Trying to hide their fright, they all swam back and Georgie showed them a purse made of soft, rotting leather with a rusty frame and fastener.
Bobbie tried to snatch it from her but Georgie was quick to run to her mother and insist the treasure was hers. They all watched as the leather was torn back to reveal the contents. Georgie was clearly disappointed. ‘It’s only a key,’ she said with a pout, throwing it onto the ground. Her sister grabbed it. ‘It’s probably the key to some treasure,’ she said and at once the girls were arguing over possession. Nelda grabbed it and handed it to Zena. ‘Yours, I think.’ Still arguing, the girls set off back to Llyn Hir. Zena looked curiously at the old purse and the rather large key. It looked similar in size to the one belonging to Roy Roberts. She would show him, perhaps he might know of a house with a similar lock to his own.
The weather continued warm and Zena went to SunnyBank and continued to do the basic cleaning one room at a time. It was a large property and had two staircases and six bedrooms, most of which were moderate in size. In every room she tackled, she washed floors and polished furniture and mirrors and picture frames until it was possible to imagine the elegantly designed, attractively furnished rooms being used. She didn’t see James Penberthy again and Karen didn’t mention him.
Then several pieces of furniture disappeared. A table from the hall, extra chairs and a cupboard that had stood close to a couch. Other pieces were moved. Where a cupboard had been placed across a window, it now stood at the back of the landing where no one passed. In two rooms rugs were taken up and put outside wrapped in sacking. The rooms didn’t look bare, they were still well furnished but less cluttered. Zena guessed that the changes were to make it easier for James Penberthy to move around his home.
One morning when she went in to start work, Karen met her at the door and asked her not to stay. ‘I’ll pay you for your time,’ she said, handing her an envelope, ‘but Mr Penberthy has a visitor and doesn’t want any interruptions. Can you come again two weeks from today, please, dear?’
Zena pocketed the money, which amounted to three weeks’ payment wondering if she should have refused it, but the door had been quickly closed. She pushed the cycle down the drive and stood for a while before setting off to relieve her mother at the shop.
She cycled slowly along the lane edged with patches of glorious summer flowers, enjoying the quiet of the morning. Before she had gone past the first bend in the lane she heard a vehicle approaching and stopped to tuck herself into the side of the narrow lane. The engine sounded powerful and was travelling fast and, when it turned the corner, she saw that it was a car followed by a large van. She let it pass. Then, with unashamed curiosity, went back to see it arrive at the door of SunnyBank.
The driver of the car stepped out and helped James Penberthy, guiding him to the steps to the front door, where the blind man stopped, turned his head as though using memory to see his way, then pushed away the man’s guiding hand and went up the steps and through the door unaided apart from a walking stick. The van was unloaded and bedroom furniture was taken into the house. Curiosity partially satisfied, Zena rode away.
She was almost at the end of the lane when both vehicles returned, no longer in a rush, and turned towards the town centre. She went into Llyn Hir and changed into something more suitable for the shop and cycled down to join her mother.
The farm van was outside the shop and she hesitated, waiting until Sam had left before going in. It was still strangely embarrassing for her to see their mother and Uncle Sam showing affection, albeit casually. She found her conversations with him stilted, uneasy and admitted to her brother that she was still half convinced that their loving relationship had begun long before their father had died and was the reason for him leaving so little to his family in his will.
Greg disagreed. ‘If that were true, why would he punish us? Surely he’d have given us a mention or at least an explanation? We did nothing to hurt him even if Mam did – which I doubt!’
Wanting to believe him, she listened and tried to understand how a long term friendship could suddenly turn to love.
Having seen Zena waiting until Sam had left, aware of her daughter’s doubts, Lottie tried to explain.
‘There have been times in our lives when your father and I needed a friend and Sam was always there. We shared his sorrow when his wife died; Mavis had been my best friend since childhood. When his son Peter drowned, we grieved with him. Losing Peter was like losing one of our own.
‘Before your father died there was nothing more. It’s only recently that we have begun to think about sharing our lives. I hope you can understand. You and Greg will be leaving soon, finding someone to love, building families of your own. I could stay here and wait for visits, getting old and more and more lonely, or I can start a new life of my own with a man who respects me and cares for us all.’ For an answer Zena stood up and hugged her mother.
When the shop closed, Zena went for a walk. The evenings were beginning to draw in but when there was a chance to sit beside the lake, it was there she went to calm troubled thoughts. Thoughts of her mother and Sam faded and she began to think about Jake. She felt a sudden regret for pushing him out of her life. Regret that was momentarily tinged with jealousy as she imagined him in the arms of Madeleine and then, shamed by her imaginings, she silently wished them both well.
Before she returned home her emotions had tilted and turned and she knew she had to talk to Jake, clear her mind of him, let him go. Fear of remaining alone, never having a family, staying with her mother and Sam were pushed aside. She would still have a good life, whether or not she married. It was nonsense to think differently. To persuade herself that marrying Jake was better than being alone, that was insulting to herself and to Jake. She decided to go to London and spend a day with him, say their final goodbyes. At that moment she fully understood how important it was for Greg to do the same regarding Rose. It would have to be soon; hanging onto something that was no more than a distorted memory was foolish and pathetic. It also presented a risk of
Greg losing Susie.
When she opened the door, the telephone was ringing and it was Jake, telling her he would be there that weekend, but without either Rose or Madeleine. Her emotions did a somersault and she didn’t know whether she felt pleasure or panic. She went to see Mabs.
She was so tense that she started talking as soon as Mabs opened the door. ‘Why am I so afraid of change?’ she asked. ‘It seems Greg and I are both guilty of that. Greg can’t let Rose go even though he is so happy with Susie. I hated the thought of Mam with Uncle Sam – or anyone else – and I’ve been afraid that if I let Jake go I’ll never find anyone else.’
‘Let me tell you my news before we get onto the psychology of love.’ Zena noticed then how serious her aunt looked. ‘What’s happened? Are you all right?’
‘The café was invaded this morning, soon after I left. They ruined everything they could. And they found the money.’
‘Oh, Aunty Mabs. I’m so sorry. Are you all right? Was there much taken? How did they get in?’
‘How did they get in? – That’s why I said invaded, not burgled. They used a key. Somehow they found out where I hid the spare and they also knew where to find the money. So it’s someone I’ve trusted, isn’t it?’
‘That’s the saddest thing of all,’ Zena said. ‘One of your customers, I suppose? Only Greg knows where you keep the key, he’s told no one but me and Mam. There isn’t anyone else.’
‘You don’t know him, but there’s a man who’s been coming since your Uncle Frank and I started the night café and he’s appointed himself my guardian. Sid never leaves until I’m out of the premises and the door is locked. He watches until I’m on the bus unless Greg or Richard Thomas is there. I was late leaving this morning. To tell the truth I fell asleep and caught a later bus, and there was only a couple of hours before the day café opened. Late as it was, Sid was there until I was safely on my way. The thief must have known exactly where to look to have managed in the short time before the day staff arrived.’
The End of a Journey Page 24