The Runaway Woman

by Josephine Cox

  Reaching her gaze right out to the horizon, she noticed a big, white cruise ship travelling along slowly, large and lazy against the blue skies.

  ‘It’s very impressive, don’t you think?’ Dave had been watching her; how lost in everything she appeared to be … like a child, overwhelmed when seeing the big, wide world for the first time ever.

  ‘Oh, yes.’ Lucy was surprised to realise he must be watching her, but somehow it didn’t seem to matter. ‘I know it must sound ridiculous,’ she confessed, ‘but I’ve never seen a cruise-ship before, at least not as close as this.’ In truth, she felt as though she could reach out and touch it. ‘They really are huge, aren’t they?’

  ‘In comparison to some, that one is of medium size.’ Dave felt he had broken the ice with her. ‘Some of them can carry over a thousand passengers and, on board, the corridors are so long it can take you twenty minutes or more to get from one end to the other.’

  ‘Really?’ Lucy was amazed. ‘I bet they’re beautiful inside, though?’

  ‘Oh, yes! And there is so much going on, you can be entertained from morning to night.’

  ‘Goodness!’ Lucy was amazed. ‘I had no idea.’

  ‘I don’t know about the smaller ones,’ he admitted. ‘The larger cruise liners contain any number of swimming pools, amusement arcades, restaurants and bars, and there are extravagant musical shows in full-size theatres … even shopping arcades. Oh, and much more!’

  ‘I never realised,’ Lucy gasped. ‘It’s a wonder they don’t sink, with all that weight.’

  ‘Oh, but they can, and do. You must have heard of the Titanic, one of the biggest shipping disasters ever?’

  ‘Oh, yes, of course!’ In truth, Lucy tended not to dwell on disasters of any kind. ‘You’re right, of course.’ Somehow, she had not identified the Titanic with the beautful white cruise liner, now gently crossing the horizon.

  ‘The Titanic was the forerunner of these magnificent monsters.’ Dave gestured to the white ship. ‘That one there is far more intricate a vessel, more sophisticated, and fitted with every device known to man, in order to be sure that such a disaster as happened to the Titanic might never occur again.’

  Lucy understood. He seemed so knowledgeable, it made her curious. ‘Have you ever travelled on one?’

  ‘Yes … only the once, though,’ he explained. ‘About two years back I travelled to New York on such a cruise liner as you see out there. It was quite an experience, but I will confess I’m not the happiest sailor in the world. I tend to get seasick. Sounds petty, doesn’t it? But I can assure you, it’s no small thing … not to me, anyway, because I hardly went outside my cabin, I was that ill.’

  ‘Aw, that’s such a shame.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose it was, but fortunately the entire journey did not cost me one single penny. You see, at the time, I worked for a firm of international lawyers and, thank goodness, my boss paid the bill, right down to the sickness pills.’ He smiled at the memory. ‘Lucky for me that he did, because financially I was not in his league and never will be.’

  Lucy was curious. ‘Do you mind me asking, are you a lawyer?’

  ‘No. I was a kind of high-class courier then, toing and froing and bringing all the tag ends together. When the British arm of the company moved to America, I was offered redundancy, and I took it.’

  ‘And did you miss the travelling?’ Lucy asked.

  ‘No. Not in the slightest. In fact, it all turned out to be a lucky break for me. With the redundancy payout I was able to start up my own business, as a consultant and a deal-maker. I had a lot of experience, and I used it to my advantage. I love the work, so, in a modest way, I am a happy man.’

  For a while, Lucy digested all that information, and her mind went back to the night she first met this charming, interesting man.

  ‘Can I just say something?’ she asked thoughfully.

  ‘Of course. Ask away.’

  ‘Well, that night at the bus shelter, you must have thought I was ungrateful when I refused your offer of joining you and your wife at the pub.’

  ‘Oh, no! As Nancy pointed out later, it was a wrong thing for me to do. Looking back, I realise she was right, I should not have put you in that situation, so I apologise.’

  ‘Apology accepted.’

  ‘Thank you. And secondly, Nancy is not my wife. She’s my sister.’

  ‘Oh! I just kind of assumed …’ Embarrassed, Lucy apologised. ‘That’s just like me, to get it wrong.’

  ‘You weren’t to know,’ Dave replied. ‘My trip here is to try and clinch a deal for her.’

  ‘Oh, I see,’ Lucy answered confidently, even though she didn’t ‘see’ at all.

  ‘I’m sure Nancy won’t mind me telling you. Some time back, she acquired a tidy sum of money when her marriage collapsed – all very amicable, I might add. And now, after years of being one half of a whole – that was how Nancy saw it – she’s itching to find some kind of independence by setting up her own business.’

  ‘Good for her!’ Lucy admired her for having the ambition and courage to strike out on her own. She had often craved that kind of belief in herself, but sadly, she did not possess any kind of business acumen.

  Dave went on, ‘She’s been searching for the right property, and just recently she learned of a large, dilapidated building not too far from here. She wants me to check it over. If I’m happy with it, then I am given carte blanche to bring about a purchase deal through my agency.’

  He outlined the plan. ‘The property is located in a perfect setting some two miles from here. I’ve seen it, and I can also see the potential. Presently, sad and forlorn, it sits just a few hundred yards from the beach. It’s situated high up, with an amazing view from the cliffs.’

  Lucy was impressed. ‘It sounds idyllic.’

  ‘Oh, it is. So far, all the costings are done, and planning permission is being discussed at this very moment. It looks promising. So the last hurdle is getting the seller to lower the price, which, because other investors are interested, is bound to be tricky. But I’m convinced we’ll get there in the end, even if I have to put up some of the money myself. If that turns out to be the case, I will, of course, get all my money back eventually. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to secure the property for her.’

  He gave a little wink. ‘Nancy firmly believes I can swing the deal for her. And with that sort of faith in me, how can I not come away with a successful outcome?’

  ‘Oh, you must get it for her!’ Lucy was adamant. ‘You cannot let her down.’

  ‘Whoa!’ Dave laughed. ‘Don’t you gang up on me as well!’

  Lucy was drawn to the idea of his sister having been through a divorce but, instead of bemoaning her loss, she was now striking out on her own.

  ‘If you do manage to secure the property for her, what will she do with it?’

  ‘Ah! That’s the easy bit. Because of its wonderful location, she means to renovate and create a hotel. Or at least that’s her idea at the moment. Knowing Nancy, she could yet change her mind.’ He gave that boyish little smile again. ‘Somehow, though, I don’t think so. I’ve never known her so excited, so I do sincerely believe she will stick with her original plan.’

  Lucy could sense his respect and admiration for his sister and before she could stop herself, she was asking, ‘You love her very much, don’t you?’

  ‘I do, yes, and for many reasons. Nancy is the best sister ever!’ He went on softly, ‘Just over a year ago, I lost my wife in a car accident. I was driving …’

  He paused, slowly shaking his head. ‘There was nothing I could do. The speeding vehicle careered out of a side road and rammed straight into us. My wife took the full impact.’ The memories flooded back. ‘Nancy was truly amazing. She was there for me and my daughter, Cassie. And she’s been there for us ever since. I owe her … big time!’

  He gave a crooked grin. ‘I’m not saying she’s an angel, because I know better than anyone how bossy she can be if she puts her mind to i
t. She’s kept me well on my toes over this property, I can tell you.’

  ‘She sounds like a very strong person,’ Lucy remarked admiringly. ‘It can’t be easy to come through a divorce and go straight into the idea of owning your own business.’

  She thought of Martin, and was convinced that she also might end up losing her marriage. But the difference was that if she and Martin did part company, there was no way she could build her own business; even if she did have the money, because sadly, she had neither the confidence nor the ambition to do so.

  ‘Your sister must have the heart of a lion,’ she remarked.

  ‘Yes. That’s Nancy all right. She goes in head first without giving it too much thought. She can be a little overwhelming at times, I can tell you.’

  His tender smile said it all. ‘She also has a way of always saying and doing the right thing, especially where I and my daugher are concerned. For instance, she keeps reminding me that over a year has gone by since the accident, and both Cassie and I should now be thinking about moving on – especially Cassie, who was greatly traumatised by what happened to her mother.’

  Lucy asked gently, ‘And are you both “moving on” with your lives?’

  ‘Yes, I believe we are … absolutely. I’ve decided to sell the house and Cassie is to help me choose our new home. Now, though, I’m tied up and busy with my own business, and Cassie is growing up fast. She has lots of friends and she enjoys life, though now and again, the trauma all comes flooding back, and she takes off … to Nancy’s, usually. Or she moves in with her aunt, Ellie.’

  ‘It’s good that she’s got friends.’ Lucy thought of Kathleen, and how much she had relied on her.

  Dave went on, ‘Cassie is a lovely, caring girl, but she has a mind of her own. Little by little she’s coming to terms with what happened, and yes, she’s all right. She’s coming through it, thank goodness.’

  Dave was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to talk to this lovely woman. ‘She’s presently staying with her aunt Ellie, who is young enough to be her cousin. They’re good together. They like the same things. Just now, Cassie is excited about her freedom. She’s even planning her own future.’ He groaned. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me to find her teaming up with Nancy … especially if I secure this deal. Oh, yes! Cassie would love to spend her time swanning about the beach and such.’

  He went on, ‘I could be wrong. I mean, she has mentioned college a number of times lately. And if that does happen, judging by the clothes crammed into her wardrobe, she’ll probably want to be a fashion designer. Nancy reckons she’s got a talent for it; especially as Cassie has altered every item in her wardrobe.’

  ‘She does sound capable,’ Lucy replied. ‘And I’m glad you have both been able to move on. Life can be very cruel, and sometimes you have to stand up and face the bad things full on. It’s the only way. You can’t hide from them because they follow you around, and haunt you. Try as you might, you can’t easily forget what happened and you can’t turn back the clock.’

  She thought of her own recent troubles. ‘It seems that moving forward and being thankful for what you still have is the right thing to do. Although often, for some of us, it can be a hard road.’

  Realising she had said too much, she fell silent.

  After Lucy’s outburst, Dave was made to wonder what kind of ‘bad’ things’ were haunting her.

  For a while, the two of them sat quietly looking out to sea, and reflecting on what had been said.

  Eventually Dave asked her, ‘I hope I’m not intruding again, but am I right in thinking that you have recently suffered a sadness?’ He paused before asking gently, ‘Is that why you were crying … that night, when we first met?’

  With the tears threatening, Lucy nodded but said not a word.

  Dave understood, and he did not push it. ‘Look … I think – hope – that I’ve found a friend in you. So would it be too bold of me if I suggested the two of us might walk along the beach? It is a lovely day, after all. Such a shame to waste it, don’t you think?’

  ‘Yes.’ Taking a long, deep breath, Lucy composed herself. ‘I believe I would like that very much,’ she answered shyly.

  The two of them set off at a leisurely pace, at first merely skating the rim of the beach, before somehow they began to meander towards the water’s edge.

  ‘You’re right,’ Lucy said, kicking her toe at the sand. ‘It is a lovely day. And I’m so glad that you came and sat on my bench.’

  Dave laughed at that. ‘Oh! So it’s your bench, is it?’

  ‘Well … no, I didn’t mean that.’ Lucy felt so natural in his company, it seemed as though she could tell him anything. ‘I saw you today,’ she confessed. ‘I was behind you on the train, and when I got off I ran away.’

  ‘Why did you do that?’ he asked kindly. ‘I saw you hurrying away from the station, and I even asked a taxi driver how I might find out where you’d gone, but he couldn’t help me.’ He looked Lucy in the eye. ‘I did so want to talk with you.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I just felt so ashamed at the way I was when we first met. I needed to put it behind me.’

  ‘Tell me, on that particular night, would you have run away if you’d known that Nancy was my sister?’

  Lucy blushed bright pink. ‘I don’t know.’

  Just then, the heel of her shoe went into a dip of sand where children had been making sand castles, and she nearly fell over. ‘Whoops!’

  Reaching out, Dave caught her. ‘Careful! I don’t know if I’d be strong enough to carry you back if you injured yourself,’ he teased.

  Lucy laughed at that. ‘You cheeky devil. D’you think I weigh a ton, or what?’

  ‘Well, I can’t answer that, can I?’ he finished cheekily. ‘Never having held you in my arms.’

  For some strange reason, this man’s natural friendliness brought out the devil in Lucy. Kicking off her shoes, she set out at the run. ‘Catch me if you can!’ she taunted. ‘I bet you can’t!’ Her idea was to put a distance between them because, surprisingly, she was enjoying his company much too much.

  ‘Hey! I never turn down a challenge. Here I come!’ Kicking off his own shoes, he went after her.

  Within a few minutes he was on her, sweeping her into his arms and swinging her round. ‘One thing I can do, is run!’ he admitted. ‘So, come on, then. An apology, if you please!’

  ‘Give over. Put me down!’ Lucy was a little angry at being manhandled, then she was flattered, and now she couldn’t stop laughing. ‘You’re a crazy man!’ she shouted. ‘Absolutely crazy!’

  He did not put her down as she asked. Instead, he swung her over his shoulder, and ran back to collect his shoes, Lucy screaming for him to stop.

  As he ran along the beach with her, the holidaymakers laughed at their antics, and one even called out, ‘Go on! Throw ’er in the ocean. That’s why I brought my missus ’ere! Only I’d need a winch to lift ’er!’

  The big woman beside him, bursting out of her swimsuit, did not appreciate his joke. ‘Shut it, bird-brain!’ she roared. ‘Or you’ll be the one thrown in the ocean!’

  When someone else joined in, a slanging match broke out, and Dave suggested, ‘We’d best run for the hills, before his missus comes after us … what d’you think?’

  Carrying their shoes, the two of them went at a run, stumbling and laughing, towards the harbour café.

  Once on the wooden walkway, they poured the sand out of their shoes and put them back on their feet. ‘I’ve haven’t had so much fun for ages,’ Dave confessed breathlessly. He felt like a teenager again; albeit a bit foolish.

  As she hurried alongside him, Lucy, also, was invigorated and happy. ‘If someone had told me that I’d be carried along the beach over some stranger’s shoulder – with people pointing and laughing, and calling out – I never would have believed it,’ she smiled.

  Dave was surprised at his own behaviour. ‘Like you, I never intended making a fool of myself, and if my business associates had seen me, they’
d have thought I’d lost my senses. But you know what, it was such great fun I could do it again. Right now.’

  ‘You can forget that!’ Lucy chided him. ‘As you’ve discovered I’m no lightweight, and anyway I haven’t got my breath back yet. Also, I’m ready for a cold drink.’ She shook her head in disbelief. ‘I don’t know what came over us!’ she giggled, ‘but you’re absolutely right. It must be this place. It seems to have brought out the child in each of us.’

  ‘It’s not this place,’ Dave said softly. ‘It’s you. To be honest, I really don’t know how you managed it, but you made me want to run wild … without a care for what anyone thought.’

  ‘I’m glad.’ Lucy smiled up at him. ‘It seems we helped each other forget our troubles … just for a few crazy moments. And that’s good … isn’t it?’

  He was silent for a moment, smiling into her shining, brown eyes, and noting how curls of that rich chestnut-brown hair were blown every which way by the playful breeze. Instinctively, he took hold of her hand. ‘You’re right,’ he agreed. ‘A sunny May day with you and me together on the beach. That’s what you might call a rare bit of magic.’

  Suddenly conscious of her hand in his, Lucy withdrew it. She felt the need to create a little space between herself and this stranger; this warm-hearted stranger who had made her laugh out loud. Made her squeal with delight, and completely lose her inhibitions.

  More worryingly, she now felt a certain intimate affinity with him, and that made her truly nervous.

  The café reminded Lucy of a picture postcard, its setting was so perfect. The café itself was an ancient stone building. It possessed the most amazing views of the towering cliffs, and the beaches stretching away.

  Outside, the wicker tables and chairs made a very welcoming sight.

  ‘Where shall we sit …?’ Dave paused, looking at Lucy in disbelief. ‘Well, I never! I’ve just run across the beach with a beautiful woman over my shoulder … and I don’t even know your name!’

  With the widest, warmest smile, he looked down on her face, held out his hand and said softly, ‘Let’s start again, shall we? I’m Dave … Dave Benson.’