“Sounds like a lovely plan to me.” Sofia felt genuinely happy for her friend, to hear things had worked out so well for her. Yet, deep down, her own sense of misery over her own situation managed to dull her excitement. Inside her heart, a feeling of guilt sank in then, its weight overbearing.
“Oh, Sofia, you’re so kind. But I feel bad, leaving you behind. Look at you, so selfless! Damn phones! I wish I could hug you right now . . .” Now it was Loula’s turn to get misty.
“Don’t be silly, Loula. You and Steve are doing the right thing, claiming a life together. Me and Danny . . . God knows. And I don’t think you or Steve could work out any miracles, even if you stayed in town just to babysit us all day.”
“We could get Steve to give Danny a good beating before we leave! Beat some sense into him,” she joked.
Sofia shook her head. “I think he is beyond any kind of assistance.”
“Seriously now, how about I get Steve to talk to him and convince him to go back to his therapist?”
“Loula, you know how stubborn he is. He’ll oppose to go just because we all advised him to. Really, the way I see it, only a miracle can bring him back to me now.”
***
For the rest of the day, Sofia felt so bad she didn’t manage to do anything. She rushed to attend the first two classes of the day, but it was no use. She couldn’t possibly concentrate on what the professors were saying, and in the end, decided to chuck it in for the day. She wandered around the park alone, but every time she saw a pretty girl pass by, all that did is remind her of Danny, making her wonder what remark he’d have made about her looks had he been there.
The whole thing made her feel sick to the teeth. Even her walk in the park was ruined; a disaster, a nightmare. All the beauty of nature around her couldn’t do anything to dull the pain in her heart. She decided to skip lunch and went up to her room, thankful that Annika was attending workshop at the time. She wasn’t likely to come back for at least two hours. She lay in bed and cried, cried so hard until her pillow and duvet felt soaked against her face. In the end, mercifully, she fell into a restful sleep. When she woke up, it was to the sound of the door creaking open. Annika walked in and by force of habit flicked the main light on.
“Oh, so sorry!” she said, when she took a look at Sofia’s sleepy eyes. It also took her a second to realise she’d been crying. She turned the light back off and switched on a small bedside lamp instead. She sat on the edge of Sofia’s bed and slid a hand over her long hair.
“What is it, Sofia? Are you ill? Shall I get you something?”
“No, thank you, I’m not ill,” said Sofia shaking her head as she sat up slowly.
“But surely you’re not okay. I can see you’ve been crying,” she put to her, but it hadn’t sounded tactless at all. On the contrary, it had come across rather sweet. Annika’s face had transformed into one of a tender, caring angel when she said that, causing Sofia to gaze into her eyes for a few moments, wondering if she could talk to her.
“Thanks, I’ll be all right.” Maybe I shouldn’t say anything. I don’t know her that well.
“Do you miss home? Your family?” insisted Annika, concern creasing her brow as she placed a tender hand on Sofia’s shoulder.
“No, not more than usual, I don’t think.” Sofia propped up her pillow and leaned on it against the headboard, trying to look as light-hearted as she could, but even she knew she was doing a bad job.
Still sitting beside her, Annika looked like she was determined to get to the bottom of it. But again, she seemed to honestly care. She wasn’t being nosey. She cocked her eye at Sofia and gave a smirk. “Then it has to be that boy. Danny? You seemed rather downhearted last night when you came in. Am I right?”
“Oh, Annika, nothing gets past you.”
“Aha! Now tell Annika all about it. You want me to beat him up? I’ve beaten up a few boys back at school. You cannot believe what wimps some of them are. Is yours a toughie? He didn’t seem like one when I saw him at the cafeteria that time! I bet I could flatten him with a single punch!” said Annika with a howl, flexing the muscles of one arm before Sofia’s eyes, causing her to giggle.
“There! You see? Nothing better than confiding in a friend.”
Sofia felt very lucky then to have her new friend around on such a difficult day. She was about to open her mouth and spill it all when an image popped up in her head, stopping her short.
“What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”
“Well, you could say that . . .” said Sofia, the memory of a vivid dream slowly coming to life in her mind. She’d just had the dream. Of course! She came back! She came back to give me guidance!
“Really? Oh, I am very big on ghosts, you know! You can tell me. I’ve heard it all; you cannot shock me, I bet you!”
“Yes, you mentioned ghosts before, didn’t you Annika?”
“Did I?”
“Yes. On the first day we met. You mentioned the rumours of the ghost in The Basement. I laughed and you said you’d want to investigate before dismissing any ghost stories.”
“That’s right. And I stand by it.”
Sofia slapped herself on the forehead. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of it? All this time, I could have asked you for advice.”
Annika pointed at her own chest with both hands, her eyes sparkling with eagerness and excitement. “I’m here now. Tell Annika!”
“Annika, you don’t realise. Remember your questionnaire? Well, you don’t have to ask me any more questions. We’ve found it! Our common ground! We can talk about ghosts to our hearts content!”
Annika laughed. “That’s a first. But I’ll take it! So what is this ghost you want to talk about?”
Sofia told her everything. How she’d met Danny on Corfu and about the dreams that began to plague her after his departure from the island. About The Lady and the poems, about what Korina said, and of course all about Danny’s antics and shortcomings, along with all the recent developments. At the end of it all, even Annika, who had a wide smile on her face as a permanent fixture, now seemed drawn, frustrated and lost for words.
“Oh, my God,” she finally said, shaking her head. “This guy’s got some big problems. And of course, so do you, if you love him as much as you say you do.”
“Yes, indeed I do . . . But you see, there’s a new development. I’ve just had another dream from The Lady.”
“When?”
“During my afternoon nap just now. I woke up when you walked in.”
“Really? And what did she say?”
“She urged me to go down to the Pier at sunset tonight.”
“What? Why?”
“Annika, I have no idea. But as I told you, she gave me directions before when I was back on Corfu. And the place she asked me to go to then, was the West Pier. I followed her advice, I came here and met Danny again. And what’s more, now I’m here, as I said, I can even see her!”
“Oh, Sofia, you really must point her out to me. I’ve seen the Pier but not her. Fancy the Pier being haunted! I’d never heard of this ‘Lady of the Pier’ before.”
“Chances are you won’t be able to see her, Annika. I know Danny and Steve couldn’t, and they were right there beside me while I could see that lithe shadow, as clear as day.”
“This is amazing stuff! And now she wants you to go there at sunset? I wonder why . . .”
“That, I don’t know. But what I do know is there’s no way I’m going to miss that appointment with her.”
Annika rubbed her hands together and jumped up and down as she sat on the bed. The bed planks creaked under her weight, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Can I come?” she finally blurted out.
“Sorry, Annika. My connection with The Lady is a very private matter. My instinct tells me to go there alone. Maybe she intends to show herself to me again, or maybe even Danny will be there by some weird coincidence. Maybe she’s just trying to get us to meet up. Who knows? But I know I need to be there alone. To sit t
here quietly and be totally with it, you know? No offence.”
“None taken,” responded Annika waving her hand. “But I want a full report when you come back here!” she said, her tone thunderous and bossy in a hilarious way that lifted her roommate’s spirits even more.
Sofia threw a glance at the grey skies outside her window, then checked her watch and jumped up from the bed as if electricity hit her. “Oh, my God, I got less than an hour!” Better get there early. Leave nothing to chance.
Chapter 47
1940
A few more days had passed. Laura and Charles barely spoke to each other by then. They seemed so resigned in trying to find common ground these days that they didn’t even bother to row any more. Instead, they sought to stay away from each other to keep the peace. Laura took to asking Jen to light the fire in her bedroom every afternoon so that she and Freddie could spend time there together, leaving Charles to read his paper in total solitude downstairs in the drawing room.
That afternoon, found Laura and Maggie on another visit to Mr Fern’s tearoom. Freddie was napping in his pram while the two old friends chatted along.
“It’s amazing how in the middle of a war, people still manage to carry on with their lives, as if nothing’s happened,” said Maggie. She was resting her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table, marvelling at the amount of people walking past outside the window. In the distance, the loud clanging sounds from the Pier’s automated machines never ceased.
“Yes, one would think life would simply stop, but the truth is that now, more than ever, people feel the need to have some fun and to get away from their worries, don’t you think?” replied Laura. She was sitting back in her chair, looking smart in a silk dress and a dark brown coat. Her hair fell loosely on her shoulders in blazing red curls, causing her green eyes to sparkle even brighter.
Maggie nodded her agreement and gazed at her friend in silence for a few moments. She thought Laura seemed more collected these days but didn’t comment on it. Instead, she took another sip from her tea.
Laura threw a glance at her child in the pram and let out a giggle. “Shall we go soon? I think we tired out the poor fellow today. He needs a proper afternoon nap in bed.”
“Of course.” Maggie’s face got animated with astonishment. Her friend’s giggle had made her look like the joyful girl she once knew. “It’s great to see you in such good spirits. For a while you’ve been awfully down, dear Laura, and understandably so.”
“Thank you, Maggie. But of course, back home, nothing has changed. This is just me braving the storm, as always.”
“I know, but don’t lose faith. I’m sure everything will be all right in the end. At least, you and Charles don’t fight any more.”
“Perhaps you’re right. But I really don’t see how things will improve unless he finds employment.”
Maggie shook her head. “It’s such a shame the deal with Mr Porter fell through.”
Laura gave a wry smile. “Give him time, he’ll find something else. Actually, I think he’s up to something these days, as he spends more time in town than normal. But of course, since our recent quarrels, he now refrains from sharing his business plans with me. I only wish he would find something substantial to do.”
Maggie leaned forward and patted Laura’s hand. “I’m sure he will soon,” she said matter-of-factly.
Laura gave a soft sigh. “Oh, Maggie! What would I do without your optimism? I hope you are right. You know, after all this time, I think I have forgiven Charles for a lot of things. I still put up with a lot, of course, but there is one point where I can't possibly compromise.”
“What’s that?”
Laura jutted out her chin. “I find I cannot fully respect him until he manages to earn the money necessary to sustain our home and our family. A man should be the bread winner, even if he is the son of a rich Earl. It is so shameful that we should still rely on his father’s monthly cheques.”
“Well, it’s not only charity, Laura. Be fair. Part of that payment is in exchange for Charles’s time spent in Lakeview. He still visits regularly, doesn’t he? You said he supervises the staff and the suppliers. He’s responsible for all negotiations as well, isn't he now?”
“Do not fool yourself that this is proper work, Maggie. What he does is just go around the castle and the surrounding farms throwing his weight around. Basically barking orders at everyone and making remarks. I’ve witnessed it only once and was appalled. He is just not good at managing people, but of course his father is happy. At least he is doing something at Lakeview now. He never bothered to help with anything around the estate before we got married.”
“I’m sure he is useful one way or another. I believe his father is a clever man. He wouldn’t pay him for wreaking havoc or for annoying people even if he is his own son.”
“You’re always so kind, Maggie. I swear, you would give even Jack the Ripper the benefit of the doubt!”
Maggie chuckled and wrinkled her nose. “Perhaps!” She drained the remnants of her tea and gestured to her friend, who nodded her approval. It was time to go. Maggie threw a glance at the far counter, hoping to catch Mr Fern’s eye and wave goodbye. That’s when she saw a young woman sitting at a nearby table, staring intently at them, her eyes like daggers.
“Oh, what on earth?” said Maggie.
“What is it?”
Maggie put up a hand before her mouth before speaking. “Look over there, to the left; see that brunette in the black cardigan? I could swear she’s staring at us!”
“The one sitting with the man in the blue overcoat? He has his back to us, but she’s facing us.”
Maggie’s eyes widened. “Yes, that’s the one!”
Laura took another look and her blood chilled in her veins. The girl looked furious. Is she staring at me? She was sitting very close to them, close enough to hear their earlier conversation but Laura couldn’t imagine what she could have possibly said to cause her to stare at her with such hate in her eyes. “Oh, my God, did we say something?” she whispered, leaning forward.
Maggie did the same, feeling just as mystified as her friend. “Of course not! We were just talking about Charles and Lakeview. We weren’t talking about her. We don’t know her, do we?”
“I’ve never seen her before in my life! Is it my impression, or is she staring at me in particular?”
Maggie took another surreptitious look and gasped. “You know, I think she is!”
The girl was now exchanging a few words with the man sitting before her. She sounded livid and distraught, but Maggie and Laura couldn’t make out what she was saying. As she spoke, she kept staring back at Laura, for a few persistent, intense moments each time.
“Oh, she is standing up!” said Laura.
As soon as the young girl rose, the man followed suit and put his arms around her. It was obvious he was trying to stop her from leaving their table.
“What is the matter with her?” whispered Laura, trying to look calm, but it was difficult now. The whole scene had unsettled her, and her heart now thumped against her breastbone.
The girl broke free from the man’s hands and was now trotting determinedly towards the two women.
Maggie gasped, waiting. Laura could only do the same. The girl’s dark eyes burned like live coal, as she approached. Laura had no idea what the girl wanted, but she braced herself all the same for whatever it was.
“Look at you; sitting here all high and mighty!” the girl spat out, as soon as she stopped short, right in front of Laura. The man had followed her, and was now standing behind the girl, looking expectant. It was clear that whatever the girl wanted to do or say, he had decided to let her do it.
“Excuse me?” mumbled Laura, still shocked.
“I said, look at you!” said the girl, her face contorted with disdain. “Thinking you’re better than everyone else! What gives you the right to step over dead bodies, so that you can shine like a new penny?” she blurted out irately, her young cheeks flushed crimso
n.
Despite her distress, Laura noticed they had attracted everyone’s attention in the hall. She gulped and tried to gather her thoughts, as she stared back at the girl, aghast. What can she possibly mean? Surely, she mistakes me for someone else!
Maggie put out a hand, trying to calm the girl down. “Now look here—”
“Please stay out of it, miss,” said the man. “My girlfriend just wants to get something off her chest here. Let her say her piece and then we’ll go nice and calmly, I promise,” he said, then placed a protective hand on the girl’s shoulder. In response, something gave in the girl’s eyes; something soft and vulnerable that came through to put out the fire of her rage. Now, she was in tears.
“What’s going on here?” Mr Fern arrived at the scene in a huff, rolling up his sleeves. “I want no trouble in my shop! And mind your manners, young lady! This is the Viscountess Willard! If you can’t address her as she deserves, I urge you to leave my shop immediately!”
“We apologise, sir,” said the man, bowing his head slightly. The girl was now crying in his arms. Before her, the two seated women watched speechless.
“My lady, please forgive my girlfriend. She’s been through a lot,” the man said to Laura, his eyes two serene pools of benevolence.
“But what is this about?” demanded Mr Fern.
“What is it you have against me, young lady?” asked Laura. “I don’t know you, do I? I can't think what I could have possibly done to you! But please tell me - I promise I will try to make it right.”
“I’m sorry,” muttered the girl, then took a hankie from her pocket and dubbed at her eyes and nose.
The tall man put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her against his chest. “Maybe we should just go. Sorry to disturb you, Ladies,” he said, twisting his cap in his hands, but Laura stood and put up a hand authoritatively.
“Don’t go! I mean, you can't just leave. Clearly, you have some kind of grievance with me. Please sit down and tell me what it is,” he urged the girl, prompting them both to sit.
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