by Dilys Xavier
‘So now,’ he said, looking sadly at Katie, ‘I have all the time in the world, a beautiful home, and plenty of money, but I’ve lost my family. Although it happened a few years ago, I still can’t get used to the fact that I’m all alone. It’s odd, but I keep believing they’ll both walk in through the front door one day.’
He touched his fingertips together and gazed out at the garden with a faraway look in his eyes. ‘I thought I might meet someone in a similar sort of situation; someone I could relate to… one day, but there’s been no one, and I really don’t fancy spending the rest of my life wandering around on my own.’ He looked dreamily into the distance. ‘I have no one,’ he said, lifting his hands in a helpless gesture, ‘absolutely no one… no siblings, no cousins, nothing. And my army friends are scattered far and wide, as you can imagine.’ He paused for a few moments as he thought. ‘Oh, I have interests, make no mistake, but no one to share them with. I’m lonely, Katie. Very lonely.’
‘I know exactly how you feel, and I sympathize wholeheartedly,’ Katie said, placing her hand gently on his. ‘The same kind of thing happened to me a few years ago, but fortunately I still have my four children, and they’re a godsend.’ She handed him some more tea and scones. ‘I’m so sorry to hear about your dreadful loss, but I hope that talking about it has helped in some little way.’
‘Katie, I... I felt an empathy with you the moment I met you. I would like to think that we could be good friends.’
Katie blushed a deep pink. She waited, giving herself time. But he carried on.
‘If you would not consider it too bold a request at this early stage, I’d like to see you on a regular basis, if I may. I’d like to take you out for car trips, go to the theatre, the opera, and so on. We could get to know each other better and hopefully become good friends. Maybe even something more.’
Katie was quite surprised at how forthright he was. She had not expected this, and she didn’t quite know how to answer. She got to her feet and poured out two more cups of tea. Then, without any warning, Tom stood up and moved quickly to her side. He wrapped his arms around her, gently drawing her close enough to feel his hot breath upon her cheek. She felt his heart beating fast and heavy against her own, and then his lips sought hers in a gentle kiss.
For a moment, she was in Greg’s arms, savouring the kisses she missed so much, but suddenly it hit her that this was not Greg, but a lonely man she had only just met, almost a stranger, who needed to be loved. She knew what suffering Tom had gone through, and felt sorry for him, but that was all. She had no intention of hurting the man’s feelings, but she did not want to commit herself either. She pulled back gently and looked up into his eyes as she stood at arms’ length, with his hands resting on her shoulders.
‘Tom, I… this is too quick for me,’ she said, holding up a restraining hand. ‘I don’t know you yet, and…’ She stopped, at a loss for the best thing to say. ‘Look, we must get to know each other better. There’s no reason why we can’t go out together now and again… we’re both free, although, you’d better know that I already go out occasionally with one gentleman friend, but it’s no more than a casual friendship.’
She took a deep breath before saying what was on her mind. ‘I feel it only fair to tell you that right now I don’t wish to make a commitment to any one man. As long as it’s understood that our relationship would be on the same footing as it is with Rex, the other man I mentioned, then everything will be all right.’ She took one look at his crestfallen expression. ‘Come on, Tom, cheer up. Given the chance, who knows what will happen?’
‘Sorry, Katie. I had no right to be so bold,’ Tom said, looking uncomfortable. He fumbled around with his tie, and seemed not to know what to do to cover up his embarrassment. ‘Don’t worry… I er… understand what you mean, and I’ll be delighted to have your company whenever you wish, believe me.’ He stopped for a minute, and then gave her a little smile. ‘I must add that I sincerely hope our friendship will develop into something more. I’m not going to pretend otherwise.’
Katie’s heart went out to this lonely man who craved love and affection. But right now that was something she could not give him — or any man. Yet, although she had only just extricated herself from his embrace, she had this ridiculous urge to fold her arms around him and comfort him, but in a motherly way. She knew that if she obeyed her impulse, he would definitely get the wrong impression, but it was pure sympathy she wanted to extend… nothing else.
She went to see how Aunt Bertha was faring in the other room, but as she went through the hall, she heard her aunt moaning. Katie rushed in through the door just I time to stop Bertha from falling out of bed.
‘Oh, my God, what’s happened?’ The bed linen was soaked in blood. ‘Tom, quick, call an ambulance!’
In ten minutes, the paramedics arrived, and lifted Aunt Bertha onto a portable bed before wheeling her outside to the vehicle. Within a half hour, Katie was at the hospital, sitting beside her aunt. Tom hovered close by.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Katie turned to him and touched his arm. ‘Would you wait with me until some of my family arrive?’
Tom wrapped his arm around her shoulders. ‘Don’t worry, Katie. I won’t leave you to face this alone.’
A nurse arrived and took Katie aside. ‘Mrs. Turner., it would be best if you could wait outside for a few minutes until after the doctor has seen her. You can come back in afterwards.’ Through a glass panel that looked into the room, Katie watched as two nurses and a doctor tended her aunt as she lay white and motionless on the bed.
A few minutes later, the doctor appeared. ‘I’m really so sorry, Mrs. Turner, I have to say that I’m afraid there’s little we can do for your aunt. She’s a great age, and still so weak after the operation. She’s lost so much blood tonight that even though we are giving her a transfusion right now, I don’t think it’s going to help much.’ The young man looked most sympathetic. ‘You can go in to your aunt now, but don’t stay too long.’
Aunt Bertha seemed only half conscious, but as though she sensed Katie was there, she opened her eyes wide and reached up to touch her face.
‘Katie, my love, if I go to my Maker tonight,’ she whispered, with difficulty, ‘don’t cry for me. Be happy, dear child, that I’ve rejoined my beloved family.’ She took another deep breath. ‘I want to thank you for having me, for wanting me, my dear. You’ll never know how much that has meant to me.’ She closed her eyes briefly, and opened them again as a little smile formed on her lips. ‘Goodbye, my dear girl,’ she whispered, and then closed her eyes.
Katie’s throat closed, and she just could not stop the tears that flowed freely. Intuitively, she realized that Aunt Bertha would not be coming home again. There was an excruciating ache in her heart as though someone was twisting a dagger that had been driven deep into her. Glancing through the door, she was greatly comforted to see Tom waiting outside in the corridor. She didn’t want to be alone right now.
Aunt Bertha slipped away quietly while Katie held her hand. Although her aunt’s hand was icy cold and limp, the look on her face was peaceful. Katie kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
Tom closed his comforting arms around her. ‘Come along, Katie,’ he said, gently, ‘you’ve done all you could; there’s no more you can do for her now.’
After Sister had thoughtfully given them a cup of tea, they walked slowly down the corridor just as Sam and Tanya hurried in. ‘Oh, look… there are two of my girls,’ she said.
Tom immediately stepped forward. ‘I’m a friend of your mother’s,’ he said, offering his hand. He turned back to Katie and squeezed her hand. ‘Now that your family is here, I’ll go, but, if I may, I’ll call to see you tomorrow just to satisfy myself that you’re all right.’ He kissed her forehead and walked away, turning at the end of the corridor to look back and give her a wave.
‘Come on, Mum, let’s take you home,’ Tanya said, circling her arm around Katie’s waist. ‘I’ll make arrangements to stay
overnight with you, okay?’ She prodded Sam. ‘Can you arrange to spend tomorrow with Mum?’
‘Oh dear,’ Katie said, ‘I’ve just remembered that Elspeth’s coming.’ She took a deep breath as though even the thought was overbearing. ‘Look, Tanya, will you get in touch with her as soon as possible? Tell her what’s happened, and ask her to postpone her visit for a little while.’
***
Katie woke up the next morning feeling as though she hadn’t slept at all. She rubbed her eyes as the memory of yesterday’s event filled her mind. Now, everything seemed strangely unreal… as though she had dreamed it all. She shut her eyes, hoping that the next time she opened them, everything would be as on a normal day. But when she looked up, she saw Tanya coming into the room with a breakfast tray in her hands.
‘Take it nice and easy this morning, Mum. You were very upset last night over Aunt Berth’s sudden death, so just relax as much as you can today,’ she said, throwing back the curtains.
Katie shaded her eyes from the sunlight that flooded the room, and stared at the tray Tanya had brought in. ‘What’s this? Breakfast… in bed? What time is it?’ she asked, squinting at her bedside clock.
‘Never mind the time; it’s not important,’ Tanya said, first of all plumping up Katie’s pillows, and then helping her sit up in bed before positioning the beautifully laid out breakfast tray on her mother’s knees. Katie touched the single red rosebud that Tanya had thoughtfully put into a miniature cut glass vase, and smiled at her as she perched on the edge of the bed.
‘I’m going to make sure you eat something,’ she said, leaning closer, and wagging a finger. ‘I’ll stay until Sam comes after taking the kids to the day nursery, but I’ll be back later to check on you.’
Katie still felt odd, and drew a hand across her aching brow. ‘Was I given a sedative last night?’ she asked, wearily, and then answered her own question. ‘I must have been, because I feel so strange.’
‘The best thing to do is sleep it off, Mum.’
Katie ate a few bites of breakfast then needed no coaxing to close her eyes. She slept some more, and so it was late morning before she got out of bed. She sat for a while in the bedroom chair, gazing absently through the window. Even the sight of Pat working diligently in the garden below gave her no enthusiasm; she had no wish even to go out to see what he was doing. Besides, she remembered that for some reason, he seemed to be annoyed with her. She shrugged. If that was how Pat wanted to behave, she would have to accept it, but it was a shame, because they had been getting on so well. Now there was that indefinable little gap between them—and all for nothing, really. She frowned as she recalled that they had exchanged few words since he had declined her request to take her to buy rose bushes.
Voices and laughter downstairs told Katie that Sam had arrived as promised. Katie showered and dressed quickly, and went down to greet her.
‘Oh, Mum, I couldn’t get an answer from Elspeth, to postpone her visit. We’ve both tried. She’s not at home.’
Richard had already seen to the arrangements for Aunt Bertha to be buried in the Barrett vault in the church near Avondale Manor a week later. It was planned that Richard and the girls would drive up with Katie, and whilst there they would decide what to do about the antique furniture and paintings at the manor. She would have room for only a few choice pieces in her own home; the children could take some, but the rest would have to be auctioned. Sorting it all out was something that Katie did not relish, but she hoped that by then she would feel sufficiently energetic to deal with anything she might encounter.
As promised, Tom called later to see how she was. ‘Are you feeling all right?’ he asked. ‘You look rather pale and wan to me… is there anything I can do or get for you that might help?’
‘I’m okay, thanks, Tom. I can’t thank you enough for what you did last night,’ she said, gratefully. ‘It was providential that you were here, and I’m pretty sure that if you hadn’t been, I’d probably have panicked.’
‘It was the least I could do,’ he said, as Katie took his coat and slipped it onto a hook on the hallstand.
He took her hand in his. ‘I realize this is a very sad time for you, but let me take you out somewhere for a drive this afternoon. I’m sure a breath of fresh air would do you good, and give you something else to put your mind on. You can’t think about two things at the same time.’
Sam heard what he said as she came into the room. ‘That’s a jolly good idea,’ she said, in a determined voice. ‘Take her for a drive, Tom, otherwise she’ll sit around moping all day.’ Without waiting for Katie to answer, she went to the hall for her mother’s jacket. ‘No need to change,’ she said, ‘you look just fine as you are. Go now, while the offer holds and the sun’s still shining.’
Katie didn’t argue. After all, it made good sense. They had driven only a short way down the road towards Gloucester, when she saw a silver Mercedes waiting to pull out at the crossroads. Katie recognized it immediately as Rex’s. Maybe he had heard the news about Aunt Bertha and was on his way to see her, but she wasn’t going to worry about not being at home; Sam was there to see him if he called.
Tom must have noticed her expression as she turned away from staring at the Mercedes. ‘Someone you know?’ he asked.
‘Yes… Rex, the man I told you about yesterday… the one who takes me out on occasions.’
‘Oh. Would you like me to take you back just in case he intends to call at your house?’
‘No thanks; it’s all right. I wasn’t expecting him. Anyway I’ll see him another time.’
Tom made no other comment and gently pressed the accelerator on the powerful Bentley. The vehicle glided almost silently through leafy winding lanes, and past pretty farmhouses that reminded Katie of the old-fashioned chocolate box pictures. Some considerable time later, he pulled up alongside a field, in the centre of which stood a church.
‘That looks odd,’ Katie remarked. ‘A church on its own in the middle of a field.’
He nodded. ‘Yes, it does look a bit out of place, and it’s on its own by an accident of nature more than design. You’re looking at the ancient church of St Bride’s. I came here years ago, to a wedding. I thought it would interest you.’
‘Tell me more. I’d like to know all about it.’
‘Well the story has it that there was once a village called St Brides here, and the church was at the centre. Then came the Black Plague, and it spread like wildfire. It decimated the village, as it did in so many places in Britain. Without any population, the tiny, ancient dwellings they left behind fell into disuse, crumbled away and disappeared, but the church lingers on. It still has a small congregation, apparently.’ Then he pointed to the quaint looking little inn standing across the road from the church. ‘Travellers Rest,’ he said. ‘Fancy going there for a bite of lunch?’ Katie looked around and nodded. It was such a pretty place, and even if her appetite were less than hearty, it would be pleasant to look around the area, have a drink and something to eat. Two hours later Tom guided her back to the Bentley.
‘I’ll drive you home through Landevaud, where there’s another bit of interesting history… a castle ruin right next door to a farmhouse. Mind you, the castle is in too dangerous a condition to approach, but the farm is a working farm.’ As he drove, he gestured at the surrounding countryside. ‘There’s a lot of ancient history around these parts. I have an interest in that sort of thing, so I’ve visited most of them at some time or other,’ Tom said, as he pulled up outside the castle ruins.
He took Katie for a short walk around the perimeter of the railed-in castle, but she suddenly felt tired again, and decided she had come to the end of a pleasant day. Tom gently escorted her back to the Bentley when she asked to be taken home. As soon as she slid into the comfort of the leather passenger seat again, she relaxed, and eased back in the opulent comfort as Tom drove home at a leisurely pace.
Sam greeted them effusively.
‘Had a good time?’ she asked, brightly.
‘By the way, Mum, Rex telephoned, and said he’ll call in later today to offer his condolences.
It was shortly afterwards that Tom politely excused himself. ‘I have to make some business calls,’ he said. ‘I’m negotiating the purchase of a property. It means a trip away from home for a few days, so I’ll telephone you after your aunt’s funeral’
Tanya arrived and Margie called in briefly on her way home from work. When Richard came he filled them all in on the final details for the trip to Avondale. ‘We’ll stay overnight at Avondale,’ he said, ‘so that we don’t have to rush things.’
‘Mum,’ Sam suddenly said, ‘I think Elspeth must be out all day, because I haven’t been able to contact her to ask her to postpone her visit. I’ll keep trying, but I left a message on her answerphone, so she’ll be bound to get it. That’s the best we can do.’
‘All right, We can do no more than that,’ Katie said, shrugging, ‘but she pops over to see me for short visits all the time, so if she misses one, it won’t really matter.’ With everything under control, Katie relaxed after the girls had left. The old house was still and quiet, so she went for a stroll and a breath of fresh air in the gardens. Just then she heard Rex toot his horn. He had called as promised.
Rex seemed subdued — not at all his usual talkative self. ‘I am so sorry about your sad news,’ he said. Then he looked a bit awkward, and continued. ‘I need to say that I feel I’ve been a bit neglectful of you lately, and there’s no reason for me to be that way.’ He fiddled with his tie and stared at the ground. ‘I’m truly sorry to hear about your aunt, Katie. Your loss means you have a great deal to contend with right now.’
He hesitated and looked around as though he was unsure of what to say next. ‘I don’t know why, but these days I seem to get easily upset… touchy too. Your reluctance to join me in Majorca was painfully disappointing. I know I shouldn’t have let that worry me, but it did.’