Roses For Katie

by Dilys Xavier

  Margie literally rolled up to her mother, smiling far more widely than she normally did. ‘Come on, Mum,’ she drawled, ‘make it a double.’

  ‘No thanks, I’ve had all I want to drink,’ Katie said firmly, lifting her hand in protest.

  ‘I didn’t mean that,’ Margie said, giggling. ‘I meant a double… wedding. A wedding — understand?’

  Here was Margie pushing her towards Tom, just like Sam had tried to do. But Katie knew the girl had drunk a fair amount, so she replied flippantly. ‘I’ve seen plenty of Tom, but he hasn’t asked me lately, so maybe he’s gone off me.’

  Margie wagged a finger back and forth in front of her mother’s face. ‘Aha, but you know he’s longing to marry you, don’t you, Mum? He’s just biding his time ‘til the right moment.’

  Katie knew the effect of the alcohol was making Margie talk like this, but what she had said stuck in her mind. She put her arms around her eldest daughter, and hugged her. ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow when you’re sober, Margie.’

  She gave more hugs all round when her taxi arrived, and left, feeling glad to be going home to her own place and her best friend… Thunder.

  As she walked into the hall, she noticed the little red light blinking on her answering machine. Curious, she lifted the phone; it was a message from Tom, asking if she would return his call. She replaced the receiver; she would phone him first thing in the morning. Her new pet was patiently waiting the other side of the kitchen door, and went almost wild with joy when she let him through to the hall.

  It seemed no time at all before Thunder was licking her hand the next morning, and she knew he was asking to go out into the garden, so she opened the door and let him run. Katie made some strong coffee and drank it down before going to the phone to dial Tom’s number.

  ‘Ah, so good of you to call back, Katie’ she heard him say. ‘I’ve got a suggestion. How about you bring Margie and Dylan out today. I’d like Dylan to come riding with me. These two horses are sorely in need of some exercise.’ There was a pause, then, ‘Any chance you can come? Thunder as well, of course.’

  She smiled at his ready willingness to allow Thunder to go with her. If Dylan was free, and had no big hangover, maybe it would be good for them all to get out in the fresh air. ‘All right, I’ll ask them, and ring you straight away to let you know the answer.’

  Katie waited until a little later in the morning before disturbing Margie and Dylan, but Dylan answered, and sounded brighter than she felt herself.

  ‘Tom wonders if you’d like to join him at exercising the horses today. Can you make it?’ She smiled as Dylan accepted readily.

  It was a beautiful day, and Katie was looking forward to seeing Tom again. They piled into Dylan’s car, and arrived at Springwood Farm just as the colonel was saddling up the skittish horses.

  ‘Come on,’ he called, ‘they’re rearing to go.’ He waved to Katie. ‘See you when we come back. The back door is open, so make yourselves comfortable.’

  Suitably dressed, Dylan leapt out of the car and fixed on his riding helmet as he ran across to the chestnut gelding he had ridden before. They both mounted the hunters, and set off up the track at the side of the woods.

  Katie sighed, and stood quietly gazing around at the peaceful scene. ‘It’s a beautiful place, but a tad too quiet for me… all the time.’

  ‘Come on.’ She nudged Margie. ‘Let’s get some semblance of a ploughman’s lunch ready for when they return, then we can relax in the summer house while we wait for them. By the time they had found everything they wanted, unwrapped the cheeses, opened the jar of home-pickled onions, and cut huge hunks of farmhouse bread that Katie had brought with her, most of the morning had gone.

  ‘Right, now we’ll sit outside for a short spell.’ She linked her arm under Margie’s and headed for the summerhouse at the bottom of the garden. They were enjoying a chat about the party the night before, when Margie’s mobile rang.

  ‘What the… ?’ she murmured, lifting her brows as she answered. Immediately, she straightened up, her hand on her breast and her eyes wide with fear. ‘Right,’ she said. ‘I’ll do it now.’

  She turned to her mother as she dialled a phone number. ‘Mum, take a hold on yourself; this is bad news. It’s Tom… he’s had an accident; came off his mount. Dylan thinks it’s serious. I don’t know any more than that; we’ll have to wait and see.’ She spoke into the phone giving the address to the ambulance service.

  Katie flopped back onto the summerhouse seat, and covered her face with her hands. In no time at all the ambulance pulled up, and Margie directed them towards the track where the two men had gone.

  ‘Up there,’ she said, pointing. ‘They were on their way back, so you won’t have far to go.’

  It seemed an age before the paramedics reappeared, with Tom covered in blankets on a stretcher. Katie ran to them as one of the men opened the ambulance door. Tom lay still, white as a sheet, and moaning in pain. He clutched at his chest as he breathed heavily, and beads of perspiration stood proud on his forehead.

  ‘So… sorry to spoil… your day,’ he gasped as Katie took his hand.

  Katie watched as the paramedics eased Tom into the ambulance, and her mind went back to the day she had lost Greg. She had seen all this before. Hadn’t it suddenly taken her love away, then? Shattered her life? Was fate about to play the same trick again, by snatching away a good and kind friend? With all of the wild thoughts rushing around in her mind, anxiety gripped her, squeezing her chest and constricting her throat. Tears rolled unchecked down her face as she relived the day Greg had died, as well as the pain of witnessing this. Margie put her arm around her to comfort her.

  ‘It’s a heart attack,’ Dylan whispered in her ear. ‘ I’m going with him in the ambulance.’ He turned to Margie. ‘You and Katie follow in the car, so you can bring me home.’

  Katie hurriedly locked up the house, and she and Margie followed to the hospital. As they arrived, Dylan took Margie aside and whispered something to her.

  She turned to Katie and put her arm around her shoulders. ‘Stay here, Mumsy. It’s really bad news.’

  ‘He’s gone, hasn’t he?’ Katie said in a quivering voice. ‘Tom died on the way here... didn’t he? I just know it.’

  Margie nodded. ‘There was nothing that Dylan or the paramedics could do for him, he just slipped away. Come on, let’s get home and have a strong drink.’

  Katie’s eyes filled with tears. Here was another dear friend gone out of her life. Forever.

  ***

  Tom was buried next to his late wife and son in the churchyard of the tiny village where they had all lived together. Being involved in the tragedy had taken the edge off the joy that Dylan and Margie had been feeling, but Katie put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders and directed her thoughts to the coming wedding.

  ‘Dylan and I have decided on a quiet wedding,’ Margie said. ‘Neither of us wants a big bash, so we’ve decided on something nice and quiet with just our close family and special friends… and a big splash of a honeymoon.’

  ‘It’s your wedding, so you have it exactly how you want it,’ Katie said, feeling quite relieved that there wasn’t going to be a big fuss.

  As the weeks went by, Katie seemed to lose interest in everything again. She went out less. She refused Rex’s invitations. She could find enthusiasm for nothing. The girls all tried, but failed to get her to rally around. Then Tanya thought of Elspeth, who hadn’t been visiting as often as she once did in the days before Cuthbert.

  ‘I’ll phone and ask her to come,’ she announced. ‘Mum will have to talk to her; Elspeth allows no one to ignore her.’ She dialled the number and was rewarded with an answer.

  ‘I had no idea,’ Elspeth said, when Tanya told her what had happened. ‘I’ll come straight away.’

  Only hours later, Katie’s lifelong friend breezed in with her arms outstretched. ‘My dear Katie, I am so sorry to hear about Tom. I know he was a good friend to you.’ She rubbed her
friend’s hands. ‘It’s a big shock, but don’t take it so hard. You were there — and it probably reminded you of … ‘ She left the rest unsaid.

  ‘You’re quite right,’ Katie said. ‘It’s no good trying to bring back the past, I know that now.’ She stood up. ‘Come on, let’s take Thunder for a walk.’

  Elspeth looked around as they wandered through the gardens. ‘What’s happened? It’s not looking too tidy.’ Then she spotted Fred, the new gardener, in the rose garden. ‘Who’s that? Where’s Pat?’

  ‘Gone,’ Katie said and explained about Pat’s uncle dying and Pat inheriting the family farm. ‘First Pat leaves, and now Tom’s died. What’s going to happen next, I wonder?’

  Elspeth patted her back. ‘Have a good cry; you’ll feel better after it. You need to get rid of all that pent-up emotion and then you’ll feel a lot better.’ Elspeth led her back inside and made some tea. Together they sat looking out the sitting room window while they drank it.

  ‘Tell me.’ Elspeth looked quizzically at Katie, ‘why have you let this Tom’s death upset you so much? He was no one very special to you, was he?’

  ‘No, he was just a good friend, who wanted to marry me,’ Katie said.

  ‘Maybe so, but you didn’t love him, did you?’

  ‘No, but I was extremely fond of him,’ Katie said. ‘Who knows… it might have come to marriage one day, had he lived. He might have worn me down eventually.’

  ‘And that would have been one big mistake on your part,’ Elspeth said, firming her lips. Then she gave Katie a sideways glance. ‘Tell me what happened that Pat left. Give me the whole story,’ she demanded.

  Katie’s voice broke a little as she related the story to Elspeth, including their trip together just days before his uncle’s death. ‘We had such a lovely visit and were so happy to get back here, and then, the phone call came and, well, you know the rest. He always wanted to go back to Ireland to live permanently. Now he’s got his dearest wish.’

  ‘Permanently? I find that strange,’ Elspeth said. ‘I always felt pretty certain that he was in love with you. I could tell by the way he looked at you, spoilt you rotten, pandered to your every whim. If that’s not love, tell me what is. As for you, I saw how you came alive whenever he appeared on the scene. But you roused on me when I suggested there was a man out there somewhere for you. Remember?’ She gave a little shrug. ‘I never dared say anything like that afterwards.’

  Katie opened her mouth to speak, but Elspeth lifted a restraining hand. ‘No, let me finish. All the signs were there, and I saw them.’ She took a deep breath, and rolled up her sleeves as though preparing for battle. ‘So it’s Pat’s inheritance that keeps him there is it? It’s never worth it; he’ll find that out in time. That man’s place is here, with you.’

  ‘No, no, he’s got what he’s always wanted, and that’s final.’ Katie sighed. ‘If he loved me, like you think he did, surely he would never have gone.’

  Elspeth wagged a finger underneath Katie’s nose. ‘Shall I tell you something, Katie Turner? Pat O’Reilley probably felt it pointless to tell you how he felt about you. He could see at a glance that you had no problem in attracting admirers. He must have thought that one of these days you’d more than likely settle down with one of those that buzzed around you like busy bees. Pat probably thought that you’d never feel the same way about him. But he loves you, Katie… I just know it.’ She gave a satisfied nod. ‘Oh, yes. Moreover, let me tell you something else—you love him, and you don’t even know it. And don’t you dare deny it.’ She pushed up her sleeves even higher. ‘And if you don’t tell him so, then I will.’

  Elspeth made another pot of tea and handed Katie a fresh cup. ‘Now, listen to me. However long it takes, I’m staying here until I’m quite sure you’re over this bad patch.’ Sounding like her old self, she went on determinedly. ‘And, I might add, the girls are worried sick because they think you’re slipping into your old habit of shutting yourself away again. That’s something they don’t want to happen.’

  ‘I know,’ Katie said. ‘I must admit that for a while life had been much more pleasant. But Tom’s sudden death upset me, and brought back all those sad memories. I know it’s pointless to be like this, but I can’t help it.’

  ‘Right, then buck up.’ She sipped her tea. ‘What about Rex? Is he still around?’

  ‘Rex? Oh, he’s a lot of fun. I’m fond of him, and he knows that. But he’s a womaniser, and he’ll never change his ways, now. Still, I suppose there’s no reason why we can’t go out together now and again.’

  ‘And what does Pat O’Reilley think he’s up to leaving all his stuff in the annex? He can’t leave it there forever. He must come and clear it out soon.’

  ‘Yes, he’s written and explained that he’s got his hands full controlling that farm; it’s a big one. I know he’ll collect his stuff one day, but I’m not going to chase him over it. He’s in no hurry, so he’ll come when he’s ready, I suppose, if ever. He doesn’t phone to discuss it, and I don’t intend to phone him.’ Katie’s voice held a hint of annoyance, and she didn’t want to give Elspeth anything else to ‘discuss’ with her. She wrapped her arm around the other woman’s shoulders and gave her an affectionate squeeze. ‘You’re a good friend, and I appreciate your concern.’ She leaned back. ‘Hey, you haven’t told me how things are going between you and Cuthbert.’

  ‘You never asked,’ Elspeth said. Then she smiled and gave a little giggle. ‘Actually, it’s going rather well, but I’m not going to appear too anxious… I might frighten him away.’

  ‘So what does ‘rather well’ mean?’

  ‘Well, he hasn’t popped the question, but he talks a lot about what we’ll do next year, where we’ll go on holidays, and things like that. He’s asked me if I’d ever considered moving house. In fact he puts out lots of little feelers, and he really talks as though we have a future together.’ She shrugged and lifted her hands. ‘So, patiently, I wait, but I’m not presuming anything. It doesn’t pay to do that.’

  ‘That’s promising news, and you’re wise not to push him; men get easily frightened off. Given time, it’ll all happen for you, Elspeth.’

  ‘I know. He’s really good company, too. He’s educated, intelligent, and solvent, but he’s managed to avoid getting nabbed by any woman. Until now.’ She giggled again. ‘Maybe he’s reached the age when he needs someone to warm his slippers for when he comes home on a winter’s evening after a hard day at school.’

  At that moment Fred knocked on the back door and Katie went to see what he wanted. She followed him out into the garden, and as she disappeared from sight, Sam arrived.

  ‘Where’s Mum?’

  ‘Gone into the garden with Fred,’ Elspeth said. ‘But wait a minute, I want a quiet word with you while she’s outside. Do you realize she’s in love with Pat O’Reilley?’

  Sam looked at her, wide-eyed. ‘She’s what? With… her gardener? Oh, come on now… I admit that she thinks the world of him, but… in love with him?’ Sam shook her head slowly. ‘Never!’

  ‘Oh yes, that’s what I said… in love with him. She doesn’t recognize the feeling for what it is. But I couldn’t help but notice how her eyes lit up every single time he came on the scene. Didn’t you ever notice? He had a profound effect on her and she wasn’t even remotely aware of it. She’s lost the friendship of Tom, and that was very sad, but he was never right for your mother. He was too much of the soldier; a good friend and occasional companion, but that’s all.’ For a few moments, Elspeth was silent, as though waiting to see what impact her words were having. Then she continued. ‘Pat makes her laugh. It’s Pat she loves. And it’s Pat she should be with.’

  ‘Are you quite sure of this?’ Sam looked quizzically at the older woman. ‘I can’t believe it, but if what you say is true, then it’s all right with me. We don’t care who Mum settles down with; all we want is to see her happy again, and if it takes Pat O’Reilley to do that, then Pat O’Reilley it shall be.’

 
‘Good. Now here’s what you do. Phone him and ask him to come and sort out this annex. Tell him that it’s urgent; that someone wants to move in. Or concoct whatever story you like, but say that it’s urgent.’ She tapped her finger on the kitchen table. ‘Now do it straight away. And tell him to fly here to save time. Tell him anything, but get him here, Sam. Fast.’

  Sam smiled at Elspeth’s enthusiasm. ‘All right.’ She glanced towards the door in case her mother returned as she flipped through her address book. ‘His number should be in here.’ When she found it she wrote it down on a piece of paper. ‘I’ll go home straight away and phone him as soon as I get there, and I’ll stress the urgency of the matter.’

  ‘Good girl. Do that, and make sure that you’re somewhere around when he eventually arrives here. I certainly will be. Some way, we’ve got to get those two together again so that they both have a chance to realize the truth… and do something about it. But mind, it mustn’t look obvious that we’ve connived to do this.’ She looked up just as Katie approached the back door, and gave a thumbs-up sign to Sam. ‘It’s up to you now, girlie. Do your stuff, and let me know what transpires as soon as possible.’

  As soon as Sam made the call, she reported back to Elspeth. ‘Pat apologized profusely for being so thoughtless; said he’d been so busy that he’d never got round to it, but he’ll catch the first available ferry tomorrow.’

  ‘Good, but what a crying shame he’s not flying. Never mind, I suppose he needs his car to take his belongings away. That’s okay, as long as he comes. I can hardly contain myself. I find it most exciting to be involved, and rather like cupid, with a bow and arrow drawn at the ready.’ She let out a long sigh of satisfaction. ‘Now not a word to your mother about all of this. Let it be a surprise. I want to watch her reaction when she sees him.’

  That afternoon, she approached Katie about a visit to town. ‘Let’s both have our hair done early tomorrow. Then, we’ll dress up to the nines, just to make us feel good; I think we could both do with a boost like that.’

  Katie smiled at how Elspeth had changed. Not so long ago she had to pressure her into paying attention to her appearance, and now, she had turned the tables on her. ‘I think that’s a great idea,’ Katie said.