A new family moved into the Dayton’s house in Springfield Road. The fresh young police constable, Stan Cooper, continued to include Springfield Road on his beat, just as his father had done, but the new family gave him no trouble.
Although Christine no longer lived in Sixpenny Cross, Jayne Fairweather was sure she sometimes caught glimpses of her in the village or lurking in the bushes. Once, when her back was turned, somebody had helped themselves to cash from the till. When she’d looked down the road, she thought she saw Christine Dayton melting into the shadows, but by the time she’d called PC Cooper, the figure had vanished.
That same evening, Donald Tait’s car tyres were slashed and Bella’s bicycle went missing.
“Who could have done such dreadful things?” asked June, wringing her hands.
Donald shook his head. Bella stared at her feet. She thought she knew who it may have been but she held her tongue.
9
Christine couldn’t help herself. She was drawn back to Sixpenny Cross as though by an invisible thread that tugged ever tighter the further she went.
Very early one spring morning, just before the church clock struck two, Christine was back again. She skulked in the shadows, heading for Bella Tait’s house. In the light of a street lamp, Christine glanced down at the flick knife in her hand. She flicked it open as she approached Donald Tait’s car. She paused and stared at the Tait’s house with its dark rooms behind drawn curtains. Nothing and nobody stirred in the street. Not even PC Stan Cooper was awake at that time of the morning.
Kev, her latest boyfriend, was an expert car thief and had taught her a lot. She knew how to break into a car and how to jump-start it but that wasn’t why she was standing beside Donald Tait’s car that night.
“What if I want the driver to have an accident?” Christine had asked Kev. “What could I do to make that happen?”
Kev had stared at her.
“Why would you want to do that?”
“Just interested, is all. So ’ow’d you do it?”
“Best way is to do the brakes. You have to get under the car.”
Kev had pointed to one of the hydraulic tubes.
“See that rubber tube?” he had said, as they lay beneath his car, and Christine had nodded.
“Well, if you cut it, the driver ain’t got no brakes after a while.”
“After a while? What yer mean, after a while?”
Kev had shrugged but Christine seemed satisfied. She smiled to herself, a plan developing in her mind. That plan was the reason why she now found herself standing next to Bella’s father’s car.
Christine smiled. Now, with Kev’s directions clear in her mind, she checked the windows in the street for one last time. Curtains tightly drawn. All clear.
Although the car was parked under a street light, nobody saw her slide on her back underneath, and, using her lighter to see, deftly slice the brake line with her blade.
Her work was done. Silently, she left the scene and disappeared into the inky darkness.
Next morning dawned bright. As the birds in the hedgerows greeted the day, Jayne Fairweather was putting the key in the lock of the Post Office. A family of ducks crossed the road, intent on reaching the pond on the village green.
“It all happened in slow motion,” Jayne said later to PC Cooper, who was taking notes. “Don Tait was driving down the road as he always does that time in the morning. I was raising my arm to wave to him when I saw the ducks crossing the road. Don must have seen them at exactly the same time, but instead of slowing down and stopping, he swerved to miss them and drove straight into the village pond! I tell you, I couldn’t believe my eyes!”
Stan Cooper was tempted to chuckle but restrained himself. Donald Tait hadn’t been injured and neither had the ducks. No harm done. Except Mr Tait claimed that his brake cable had been severed. Now that wasn’t the sort of thing that happened in Sixpenny Cross, and it wasn’t funny.
It hadn’t taken long for Archie Draper to arrive in his tractor and pull the car out of the pond. Strangely, Bella Tait’s missing bicycle was found at the same time.
In Yewbridge, Christine listened to the local news on the radio. Nothing. No mention of deaths or cars spinning out of control. Her eyes narrowed into slits and she was filled with rage.
In 1973, Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon and Princess Anne announced her engagement to Captain Mark Phillips.
Bella Tait had the world at her feet.
She read the letter from Bristol University for the umpteenth time.
...We are therefore pleased to offer you a place studying Veterinary Sciences…
“I can’t believe it,” said June, shaking her head. “Our little Bella going off to university to train to be a vet!”
“La mia bella Bella, we’re so proud of you!”
“Thanks, Dad!”
“We’re going to miss you, Bella,” her mother said. “Make some space on the table, I’ve made a plate of hazelnut biscotti to celebrate.”
“I wonder how Red is doing?” Bella wondered, nibbling on biscotti.
“Oh, he’ll be starting university somewhere as well, I expect,” said June. “Such a bright boy, he’ll do well.”
They’d promised each other to keep in touch, but the long-distance relationship was hard to sustain and they exchanged letters less and less often. One day, Bella’s letter to Red was returned, unopened, marked unknown at this address. She didn’t write again.
They say good luck breeds more good luck, and that may be true because, apart from Bella being offered a university place, another piece of welcome news arrived within the week.
“We’ve done it! We’ve finally done it!” yelled Donald.
He had the Yewbridge Gazette spread open before him on the dining room table, and was comparing it with his Littlewoods Pools coupon.
“Done what?” asked June, coming in, flour on her hands.
“We’ve won the pools!” said Donald. “Well, not the big prize, but if I’ve done my sums right, there’ll be enough money to get Bella all set up at university. And there’ll be enough to do repairs on the house. We can fix those loose tiles on the roof, for instance. Best of all, there’ll still be enough for us to book a holiday to Italy! We’re going to see your grandmother’s village at last!”
June sat down heavily, her floury hands clutching her heart.
“Oh, Donald, are we? Are you sure? Are we really?”
“Yes! We’re really going to Italy!”
“What’s this?” asked Bella coming into the room. “What’s happened?”
“We’ve won some money on the football pools! Enough to give us a holiday in Italy and set you up for university!”
Bella gaped at him.
“That’s fantastic,” she said at last. “Really good, but I don’t think I’ll come with you to Italy, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh Bella, why ever not? We can afford it,” said June.
“It’s not that, it’s just that I only have a few short weeks before uni starts, and they’ve sent me a long reading list. I’d like to do some studying in advance, and I need time to get packed up, too. You go without me this time, I’m sure there’ll be other chances.”
“You’re right la mia bella Bella, your future is more important at the moment. There will always be another time. But we won’t go until you are settled at university.”
The next weeks were filled with packing and anticipation. The whole family went to Yewbridge and bought suitcases.
“Going away, are you?” asked the girl at the sales counter.
“My husband and I are going to Italy to see the village my grandmother was born in,” said June, her eyes dancing.
“Oh, that’ll be nice,” said the assistant. “Room for me in that suitcase, by any chance? Brrr, I can feel winter arriving here already. Bet it’s lovely and the sun is shining in Italy.”
June beamed, already feeling the Italian sun on her skin in her imagination.
For
Bella, they bought bedding, clothes, stationery, a kettle, mugs and various other bits and pieces. Never had the Taits splashed out on so many items on one single occasion. It was a happy day, finished off by Donald treating them all to a meal at an Italian restaurant.
“To get us in the mood,” he said.
“Just think!” said June excitedly. “Next month we’ll be eating real Italian food in Italy!”
“Let’s raise our glasses to Bella’s future and our Italian holiday!” said Donald.
As the ruby chianti sparkled in the candlelight, all three members of the Tait family clinked glasses and sipped.
Bella had ordered all her text books, and when they arrived, she began studying like never before. She was determined to shine at university.
June was permanently pink with excitement and could talk about nothing but the coming trip to Italy.
“We’ve booked one of those newfangled package holidays,” she told Jayne Fairweather. “When we arrive, the holiday company will take us to our hotel. On the first morning there’s a welcome meeting and we can book excursions if we want. I want to see everything. Donald says we should hire a car for a few days too, then we can visit my grandmother’s village.”
“Sounds heavenly,” said Jayne, dusting off a row of canned beans. “I could do with a holiday myself.”
“Thank you so much for looking after Bella’s pets while we’re away,” said June. “That is really kind of you.”
“Just you concentrate on having a good holiday,” said Jayne. “You deserve it.”
“Bye, darling,” said June, hugging her daughter. “We’ll see you in a few weeks.”
Taking leave of her daughter at university was just as hard as that day, years ago, when she had left Bella in the classroom on her first day of school. She looked around the student room, with its two beds, two wardrobes and two desks. It seemed stark and unhomely.
“I’ll be fine, honestly,” said Bella, reading her mother’s mind. “Once I’ve unpacked and put my own bits and pieces around, it’ll be just like home. Don’t worry about me, I want you to have a wonderful holiday. I can’t wait to hear all about it, so make sure you send me some postcards!”
“Ciao, la mia bella Bella,” said her father and enveloped her in his arms. “Enjoy yourself, don’t work too hard, and remember, we’re so proud of you!”
When they’d gone, the first item Bella unpacked was the wooden box that Red had made for her.
“That’s pretty,” said Susan, Bella’s roommate. “Are those your initials?”
“Yes, a friend made it for me.”
Bella finished putting her books in the bookcase, filled her new kettle with water and plugged it into the socket.
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“Yes, please,” said Susan, serious eyes regarding Bella. “It all feels so strange, doesn’t it? Have you ever been away from home before?”
“No,” said Bella, popping a tea bag into each cup.
Had she been at home, her mother would never have used tea bags. She’d have used a teapot, with proper tea leaves, and she’d have left it for a few minutes to ‘brew’. A pang of homesickness clutched at Bella’s heart.
“Me neither,” said Susan. “Everybody seems nice though. And we can always go home at weekends.”
“My parents are going on holiday to Italy, so I’ll wait until they come back.”
“Oh, lucky them!”
“Do you take sugar in your tea?”
“No, thank you.”
Bella passed the mug to Susan, then ladled three heaped spoons into her own and stirred until a whirlpool formed in the centre.
She watched the whirlpool slow, then cease altogether.
I mustn’t keep thinking about Mum and Dad, and the animals, and Sixpenny Cross, she thought. I want to be a vet. That’s all that matters.
It was excellent advice, but then Bella didn’t know what would happen next.
10
“Bella, I’ve brought the post. Looks like you’ve got a postcard from Italy!” said Susan, handing over a few letters to her roommate.
“Thanks!”
Bella ignored the other letters and stared at the picture on the postcard. The scene was of a donkey with panniers strapped to its back. An old man was leading it through a sun-drenched vineyard.
She turned it over, and read the words in her mother’s familiar handwriting.
Darling Bella, Italy is just heavenly as I knew it would be. Hotel is nice, food lovely and weather very warm. Missing you of course. Hiring car tomorrow. Daddy sends love and lots of xxx
Bella smiled. She could picture her mother in her new sunhat, basking in the Italian sunshine, revelling in the fact that she was finally visiting the country where her ancestors had lived.
“Looks like they are having a fantastic time,” she said to Susan.
She stared at the picture for a long time, reading the words over and over again before finally slipping the postcard into her polished wooden box along with her other treasures.
University life and the many lectures and activities kept Bella very busy. The overwhelming homesickness she suffered in the first days retreated. She and Susan became good friends, the first friendship Bella had forged since Red left.
A few days later, while Bella was working at her desk, Susan came in with more mail.
“Looks like another postcard from Italy,” she said, dropping the card on Bella’s desk.
This time it was written in her father’s scrawly hand, the characters small in order to fit more words in the space provided.
La mia bella Bella, having a wonderful time. We found the village and it’s just how we imagined. Made friends with a fisherman who knew your grandmother’s family. He’s taking us on his boat tomorrow! Miss you, but will see you soon and tell all! Don’t work too hard. Love you, Dad xxx
The picture showed white frothy waves lapping at a sandy beach. On the horizon, tiny sailing boats dotted the turquoise ocean.
Bella popped the postcard into her box and hugged herself. She’d be seeing them this weekend!
The plan was that on Saturday she would catch an early train to Yewbridge. Her father would pick her up from the railway station and take her home to Sixpenny Cross.
Her mother would have coffee and cakes waiting on the table and she imagined the feel of her father’s arms around her. She couldn’t wait to hear all about their holiday and to tell them about her course and university life.
In Sixpenny Cross, Jayne Fairweather turned the key in the lock and opened the Taits’ front door. Her daily visit to water the plants and feed the animals had taught Hattie to listen for the key in the door, knowing she was about to be fed.
“Hello, Hattie,” said Jayne, bending down to smooth the purring cat. “Pleased to see me, are you?”
Jayne hummed as she did her usual rounds. First she went into the kitchen and fed Hattie. The little cat wound around her ankles until she set the bowl down. Jayne washed her hands at the sink, running her eye along June’s shelf of cookbooks. Pasta like Mama Makes, 100 Italian Recipes, Italian Farmhouse Kitchen. The titles made her feel quite hungry.
Next she fed the hamsters, the guinea pigs and put birdseed in the budgie’s cage.
I’ll give the plants one last drop of water, she thought. June and Donald will be back tomorrow.
As the water splashed into the watering can, the doorbell rang.
Whoever could that be?
Jayne turned off the tap and went to open the door.
PC Stan Cooper stood before her, his policeman’s helmet held in both hands. A lady wearing navy blue uniform and a jaunty hat stood beside him.
“Stan!” exclaimed Jayne. “Don and June are away in Italy until tomorrow.”
“I know,” said Stan. His knuckles were white. “I wasn’t sure if Miss Tait was here or not. I’m accompanying Miss Travis.”
The lady took this as her cue and stepped forward.
“Forgive me,” she
said, “am I correct in saying that this is the Taits’ house?”
“Yes, that’s right,” said Jayne, and Stan nodded. “I’m afraid they are away at the moment, can I help?”
“I’m representing Mr and Mrs Tait’s travel company. May I ask who you are?”
“I’m Jayne Fairweather, I own Sixpenny Cross shop and Post Office. I’m a family friend, just feeding the animals and watering the plants.”
“May we come in?” Miss Travis asked.
Dumbly, Jayne opened the door wider, and let Stan and the lady in, then showed them to the sitting room. Miss Travis sat down, but Stan remained standing, rocking on his heels, still clutching his policeman’s helmet before him.
“PC Cooper tells me that Mr and Mrs Tait’s next of kin is their daughter, Bella?” the lady began. She was sitting very upright, her briefcase on her knees.
“Yes. She’s at Bristol University. She’s studying to be a vet.”
“I will need to see her in person. Do you know where she is exactly?”
“Yes, I have her student hall address. Listen, what’s this all about? Can you not just tell me?”
The woman paused, unsure what to say next.
“I’m afraid it’s against company rules.”
“Oh for goodness’ sake! Has something happened to June and Donald?”
The woman stared at Jayne for a moment, then glanced up at Stan. He nodded, giving her permission to continue.
“I’m sorry to have to tell you that Mr and Mrs Tait were reported drowned yesterday. We believe they were in a fishing boat when a sudden squall arose and the boat capsized. Nobody survived and the boat and bodies have been recovered.”
Jayne’s heart pounded and her mouth went dry.
The Sixpenny Cross Collection Page 11
