‘Kate?’ Sam’s voice snapped her out of her musing. ‘Do you want another drink?’
‘No, thanks.’ She shook her head and hoped the movement would dislodge her silly fears. If she wasn’t firmer with herself, then Howard could ruin her life. She could not allow that to happen!
‘Let’s go in to dinner, then.’ Sam led the way to the dining room.
The hotel restaurant was renowned for its cuisine. The tables were generously spaced, so that you could have a conversation without being overheard; the lighting was subdued; and in the centre was a small dance floor with five musicians playing quietly.
Their table was right by a window with a good view of the Seine. Kate gazed out at the scene and breathed in deeply. It wasn’t quite dark yet, and the lights were just beginning to come on. In the dusk people were strolling along arm in arm, talking, laughing, and boats were gliding along causing gentle ripples in their wake. Paris was a beautiful city. This was lovely.
Jon was laughing about something Jacques had said. It was a deep, enticing sound; the kind of infectious laugh that made everyone smile. She turned away from the window as Jacques touched her arm.
What are you going to have to eat?’
She glanced down the extensive menu. ‘What a choice! You decide for me.’ When she noticed the gleam of mischief in his eyes, she hastily added, ‘But not escargots.’
Come on,’ he teased, ‘where’s your sense of adventure?’
‘Running like hell when it’s faced with snails.’
‘Okay, what about pâté, sole and then a steak? Is that English enough for you?’
‘Sounds lovely.’
‘What are you going to do after university?’ Jon asked Jacques, now that the problem of food was out of the way.
‘I can’t decide. Kate’s brother, James, has offered me a job at Grant Phillips.’
‘Has he?’ She didn’t know her brother had done that, yet it wasn’t really surprising. Jacques was like a brother to them.
‘Yes, some time ago.’ His expression became serious. ‘I appreciate it, but I don’t want to live in London. I know Papa spent a long time in England, but I love France and wouldn’t be happy anywhere else.’
‘Then you must do what makes you happy. That’s the most important thing, and James will understand.’ Kate was a little disappointed about his decision. It would have been lovely to have Jacques come into the business, and her mother would have loved it.
‘He does. I’ve already told him how I feel, Kate.’ He finished off the last of his fish course and grinned at her. ‘You and James will have to get a move on and have sons to carry on the family business.’
‘Planning our lives for us now, are you?’ Kate asked, giving him a stern glance.
‘You two are working towards a fight, so you can stop that right now,’ Maria said, not being able to hide her smile.
‘I can’t understand it,’ Kate sighed dramatically. ‘He was such a quiet boy.’
‘Of course I was. I was whisked out of France by a man I didn’t know, then there were two females with eyes as black as night, the big one ordered me around, and the little one …’ He paused. ‘Ah, how I loved the little one.’
Kate leant across and kissed his cheek. ‘I hope you still do.’
‘Always, chérie.’
‘How long are you staying in Paris?’ Sam asked Jon.
‘As long as I can wangle it. I love the place.’
‘The boys miss you when you’re away,’ Kate told him. ‘Tom and Eddie are always talking about you. I think you’re their hero.’
‘I started life as an abandoned baby, so they look at me and think there’s a chance for them.’
‘You were abandoned?’ Maria was shocked.
‘I was just a few days old, evidently. The nurses at the hospital I was taken to gave me an estimated date of birth, and put names in a hat.’ He grimaced. ‘They pulled out Jonathan and then used the ward sister’s surname, and so I became Jon Devlin.’
Maria’s expression became sad. ‘But how can a mother abandon her child and never want to see it again?’
‘I don’t know. Yet there are many who do. You only have to go into the children’s homes to see that.’
At the mention of the children Jacques chuckled. ‘You ought to see what Kate’s bought for twelve of the boys.’
Jon turned to her, looking pleased. ‘You’ve bought them all a present?’
‘There was this quaint little shop full of puppets and I couldn’t resist them.’ Kate’s chuckle was full of pleasure.
‘They’re about two feet high,’ Sam explained, ‘and Kate was so excited about them that she never gave a thought as to how she was going to get them home.’
‘Papa will have to take her back in the car.’
‘When are you returning to London?’ Jon asked Kate.
‘Five days’ time – Sunday morning.’
‘I’m popping over to see the boys then, so why don’t you come with me?’
She wasn’t sure she wanted to spend any length of time with him. It would save Sam an unnecessary journey, though. ‘Well …’
‘It’s up to you,’ Sam told her. ‘I’m quite happy to come with you.’
‘No, that’s silly when Jon’s going and will take me and all my parcels.’ She smiled reassuringly at Sam. It was as if he sensed her doubts about being alone with Jon in the car.
‘I can come with you,’ Jacques offered, ‘and catch the next boat back. I’m not due at university until nine on Monday.’
‘Oh, no, I can’t let you do that.’ She turned to Jon. ‘Thank you, I would appreciate a lift home.’ Having accepted, she smiled at Sam and Jacques. This lingering fear was a damned nuisance.
‘I hope you have a large car, Jon,’ Maria said. ‘Not only does Kate have the puppets, but she’s also bought clothes and presents for just about everyone.’
Kate sat back, folded her arms and gave Sam an accusing look, or at least she tried to but was shaking with laughter. ‘And who was daft enough to bring me to Paris?’
‘Now it’s my fault you spent so much money?’ Sam raised his eyebrows at Jon. ‘You sure you want to travel with her?’
‘It will be a pleasure, and I’m sure I can fit all the luggage in.’ Jon turned to Kate. ‘Now, where shall I pick you up?’
Sam wrote down his address for Jon.
When Kate saw what Sam was doing, she reached out to stop him. ‘That isn’t necessary. I’ll meet Jon at Calais.’
‘No, no,’ Maria said. ‘Give him our address. He could collect Kate at around seven in the morning and load the car at our house, or’ – she turned to Jon – ‘you could stay with us on Saturday’
‘I’m afraid I shall be busy on Saturday. I’ll have to pick Kate up at your house on Sunday.’
Kate was relieved he couldn’t come the day before, but that still left her with the prospect of travelling in a car with him on her own. This was another fear she was going to have to conquer. Damn Derek Howard!
‘Come and dance with me.’ Jacques pulled her on to her feet. ‘The music’s a bit tame, but I’m sure we can manage.’
The band was playing a slow waltz, and she couldn’t help wondering how he was going to deal with that. ‘All right, as long as you don’t jump about like a demented rabbit.’
‘You are so behind the times,’ Jacques teased. ‘I expect I can manage a slow dance.’
What he meant was he could shuffle around the floor and tread on her toes far too often. When the dance was finished, she sat down and gave him a pitying look. ‘That was supposed to be a waltz.’
‘That’s what I did.’ He grinned, thoroughly enjoying himself. He did love to tease her.
Jon stood up and held out his hand. ‘Will you risk a foxtrot with me?’
Kate felt it would be rude to refuse their guest, so she stood up again. He swept her on to the dance floor and, much to her surprise and relief, she found that he was an excellent dancer. Being this close to h
im, however, made her uncomfortable. She could feel the strength in his arms and wanted to run, but she forced herself to relax and smile. ‘Are you enjoying your stay in Paris?’ she asked, making polite conversation.
‘Very much, but knowing Andrew Stevenson, he won’t let me have an easy life for long.’ Jon held her away from him, so he could look into her face. ‘How’s Eddie?’
‘Oh, he’s great!’ The dance came to an end then, and Kate was rather sorry.
It was nearly midnight when Jon walked back to his hotel through the still busy streets. He whistled softly to himself. It had been a very enjoyable evening. Kate had looked stunning in that Parisian creation, and he was pleased she’d taken the trouble to buy the boys presents. She was obviously wary of all men now, unless she knew them. It would be understandable after what she’d been through, but he still hadn’t been able to resist the challenge of making her accept his offer. It had been a spur of the moment thing, as he hadn’t had any intention of going back to London just yet. She’d had a sheltered life, he guessed, and the kidnapping must have been a great shock to her.
Her friends had been aware of her unease, and he’d watched the older man’s face as Kate had hesitated. When she’d accepted, Sam had given him a slight nod of the head, as if satisfied with her decision. And so was he. It would be interesting to see how she coped with her lingering fears, and perhaps he could help her to come to terms with what had happened. Not that he was interested in her, of course, just curious. The last thing he intended to do was get romantically involved with a girl again. But Kate Freeman was hard to resist.
Now, who could he borrow a big car from?
Before it was light on Sunday morning Jon was on his way. Sam’s village was only about five kilometres from Saint-Omer and would be easy enough to find. He’d left in plenty of time, though, in case he lost his way.
The large Citroën purred along, and he chuckled in delight as he remembered Rupert Walsh’s look of disgust when he’d seen the battered old Ford he was offering to lend him in exchange for this sleek beast. He’d had to throw in enough francs for a slap-up meal before he had given way. Rupert was an ex-public-school boy, and now secretary at the British Embassy. From one lavish lifestyle to an even more lavish one. It would do him good to rough it for a change.
He stopped for breakfast in Saint-Omer, then wasted another half an hour walking around the ancient market town. Sixteen years after the war and there was hardly a sign of the devastation caused by that conflict.
Judging that if he left now he would arrive at seven, he returned to the car to continue his journey. He was really looking forward to seeing Kate again. Not that he intended anything but friendship between them. But he found her intriguing, and this would give him a chance to spend some time with her.
25
‘Oh, dear.’ Maria gazed at the pile of luggage outside the door. ‘I do hope he has a very big car.’
‘I have rather overdone it,’ Kate admitted. ‘But I’ve had such a wonderful time.’
Jacques stacked the last box on top of the heap. ‘You’d better ask him to take you straight to the children’s home and get rid of the puppets first.’ After issuing that piece of advice, he wandered off to see if Jon was coming yet.
Kate chewed her lip anxiously. ‘I don’t want to put him to all that trouble.’
‘He won’t mind.’ Sam turned her to face him. ‘I’m a good judge of character, Kate. Jon Devlin has a tight control over his emotions and would never allow his feelings to overrule his actions. You’ll be safe with him. Had I believed otherwise, I would never have allowed you to go back with him.’
‘I know.’ She gave him a hug. ‘You have helped me so much, but some things are still vivid in my mind.’
‘They will fade in time. You must be patient with yourself,’ Maria told her. ‘It took me quite a while to overcome the horror of the labour camp. It did eventually fade and it no longer hurts me.’
Kate felt sad as she remembered what these dear people had been through. But they were happy, whole people, and she would be again!
Jacques was peering up the road and began to wave eagerly, then he turned and hurtled back to them. ‘There’s a great big black car coming. It must be him.’
Jon drove up to the house, got out and was greeted warmly by everyone, including Kate.
Jon looked at the parcels and shook his head. ‘Good Lord, you have bought a lot.’
‘I’m afraid so,’ she said apologetically.
Sam and Jacques helped him pack everything into the car, and she watched carefully. As a child she had been intuitive about people and seemed to know if they were nice, or someone she didn’t want to know. That instinct had faded as she’d grown up, but it was still there and she now concentrated on Jon Devlin. What was he like as a man?
The feeling that swept through her was that he was calm, reliable, with controlled strength, tempered with kindness. Her doubts seeped away. There wasn’t anything about him to be afraid of, in fact she could trust him. If only she’d made more use of her intuition last December, then it could have saved a great deal of anguish for herself and her family.
‘That’s the lot, then.’ Sam closed the boot of the car.
It had begun to drizzle and a wind was whipping the trees into a frenzy. Maria looked up at the leaden sky. ‘The weather is deteriorating. I hope you don’t have too rough a crossing.’
‘Let’s hope so.’ Jon grimaced. ‘If you’re ready, Kate, we’d better get going.’
She kissed them all. ‘Thank you for a lovely holiday.’
‘Don’t leave it too long before you come again,’ Maria told her. ‘And you pay us a visit when you have time, Jon.’
‘Thank you, I’ll do that.’ Jon started the car and headed down the road.
Kate waved until they were out of sight.
‘They’re fine people,’ he remarked as they turned on to the Calais road.
‘The best,’ she agreed.
It was only about an hour to Calais, and they chatted easily all the way, mostly about the children. That was something they both had a great interest in and were in complete agreement about.
They drove straight on to the ferry when they arrived. The sea was choppy but not rough enough to delay sailing, and they were soon on their way. The rain had stopped, and they stood on the deck as they sailed away from France. It had been a wonderful week. Kate felt really relaxed. Bless Sam for his understanding.
She shivered and pulled her jacket around her. ‘You’d never believe it was the first week of August, would you?’
There was no response from her companion.
‘I’d like a cup of tea and something to eat,’ she said. ‘Shall we go inside?’
‘I don’t want anything. You go ahead.’
She was surprised by his sharp tone and wondered what she had done to upset him. But if he didn’t want her company, then she’d leave him alone. He might not want anything to eat, but she was starving!
She enjoyed a pot of tea and a bacon sandwich, and, as there still wasn’t any sign of Jon, she weaved her way back to where she’d left him, laughing to herself as the deck dropped from under her now and again. The weather was getting rougher.
He was still in the same place, so she stood beside him, grabbing at the rail to steady herself. She was about to make a joke about the way the boat was rolling when she saw his face. He looked awful!
‘You’re seasick!’ She was surprised that the big, tough man could succumb to a choppy sea. She put her arm around his shoulders in sympathy. ‘Let me get you a drink.’
‘I don’t want anything.’ He shook her arm loose, moving further along the rail. ‘Go away!’
If he thought she was going to leave him in this state, then he was very much mistaken. He might fall overboard. The only concession she made to his request was to take two steps away from him. He could glower at her as much as he liked, but she wasn’t moving.
They were only about half an hour fro
m Dover when he straightened up. She was relieved to see he had more colour in his face.
He ran a hand through his wind-blown hair and glanced at her. ‘All right, I’ll have that cup of tea now.’
She walked beside him not speaking, resisting the urge to steady him by holding on to his arm. He obviously found sympathy unwelcome, so she wouldn’t risk that again. Once this journey was over she wouldn’t have to see him again. It was a comforting thought, because he made her feel very edgy.
‘Sit down,’ she ordered. ‘I’ll get the tea.’ She was soon back and watched him drink two cups of sweet tea.
‘You can stop looking at me with such disbelief,’ he growled. ‘Everyone has a weakness, and mine is the sea.’
‘Then why didn’t you fly back?’
‘I was hoping it would be like a millpond.’
‘And you’d promised to bring me back.’ She was suddenly sure that the only reason he was on this boat was because of her.
‘That too.’ He managed a slight smile. ‘Reckless of me to think I could make the journey without throwing up.’
The call came to disembark, and they were soon heading for London. Jon appeared to have recovered completely and was obviously happy now he was on dry land again.
‘Do you want to go to the children’s home first?’ he asked.
‘That would be lovely. Do you mind?’
‘Not at all. I can’t wait to see these puppets.’
There were squeals of delight as they staggered in with the parcels. After making sure the boys were all there, Kate lined up the boxes on the floor.
‘There’s one for each of you, so who’s the youngest?’
‘Me, me!’ Eddie was beside himself with excitement.
Kate knelt on the floor behind the boxes. ‘I want you to come up one at a time in order of age and choose a box. Whatever is in it will be yours.’
The boys shuffled along, kept in order by Mrs Green, and pounced on the parcels.
‘I don’t want you to open them until you’ve all chosen one,’ she ordered sternly, as little fingers eagerly tore at the wrapping.
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