Still Waters

by Linda Kavanagh

  “I wish you’d had time to see Cape Town and its surroundings,” Brian said, interrupting her thoughts. “It’s a beautiful city, and you can take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, where the views are spectacular. If you’re lucky, you might see some dassies too –”

  “Dassies? What are they?”

  Brian smiled. “They’re cute little creatures – they’re also called rock rabbits – and they’re amazingly friendly.”

  Somehow, Ivy found herself holding his hand.

  “You can drive out along the coast to Simon’s Town, see the penguins at Boulder Beach, then travel on to baboon country at Cape Point,” Brian continued enthusiastically. “That’s where the Atlantic and the Indian oceans meet.”

  Ivy sighed. She’d have enjoyed making that trip with Brian, but she was a married woman and couldn’t allow herself to reciprocate his feelings. Besides, when she returned for Owen’s wedding, she’d have Danny and Joseph with her, and they’d be the ones accompanying her to Cape Town …

  Suddenly, Brian looked serious. “I asked the staff to keep a log of every incoming phone call during your stay – and thankfully, your mystery caller hasn’t tried to contact you again.” He looked at her searchingly. “But please be careful – don’t underestimate this person. And please don’t risk your life by searching in the lake – your possessions have probably disintegrated by now. There may be nothing left to connect you to what happened.”

  Ivy smiled noncommittally. Her handbag had contained her passport and exam certificates – and they’d been sealed in a plastic folder, so she couldn’t assume they’d been destroyed. Documents from the Titanic had survived intact, so why wouldn’t hers?

  Brian squeezed her hand. “I understand that you can’t tell your husband about the past – but now, at least, you’ve got someone on your side who knows what you’re going through.”

  His blue eyes searched her face.

  “I’ll always be there for you – if I can help in any way, or if you just want to talk, lift the phone and call me.”

  Suddenly, his eyes were sad, and Ivy was aware that there was so much left unsaid between them. Then he stood up, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

  “Goodnight, Ivy, and goodbye,” he said. Then he left the room without a backward glance.

  As she watched his retreating figure, Ivy was still nodding, not trusting herself to speak.

  The next morning, Ivy left Siyak’atala for Port Elizabeth airport in Owen’s jeep. She didn’t see Brian before she left, because he’d been called out at dawn to treat an injured buffalo. In a sense, she was glad not to see him, because they’d said all they needed to say the night before.

  As Owen drove through the majestic landscape of the Eastern Cape, Ivy felt a deep sadness at leaving this beautiful country. South Africa had a way of getting inside you. She loved its sights and sounds – its pungent vegetation and red earth, the choirs and the shebeens, the warmth of the local Xhosa people. And of course, the majestic animals who roamed its plains.

  In the airport, Owen hugged her before she boarded her plane for Cape Town, where she’d connect with her flight to London.

  “It’s been wonderful having you here, kiddo,” he murmured. “I’m going to miss you terribly.” He held her at arm’s length. “And I know Brian’s going to miss you, too. You two made a real connection, didn’t you?”

  Ivy felt so emotional she could only nod.

  “Give my love to Mum and Dad,” he said. “Do you think they might come out for the wedding next year? You’ll come back too, won’t you?”

  Ivy nodded again. Now that she’d discovered the magic of South Africa, she wouldn’t be able to stay away. She now fully understood why her brother had chosen to make his life there.

  As her flight was called, Ivy and Owen exchanged a last quick hug, and she began walking out onto the tarmac. Waving back at her brother, her eyes filled with tears, Ivy vowed to use some of her own wealth to help the animals and indigenous people of the Eastern Cape. Poverty ruled so many lives there, and it was poverty unlike anything ever seen in the privileged world.

  On board, Ivy settled herself in her seat, and waved to Owen who was still standing in the doorway of the airport departure lounge. Quickly she dabbed her eyes. It was a long time since she’d felt so emotional. All her life, she’d had to control her feelings in order to prevent herself from confessing her secret. Now, she’d confessed it all to Brian and she felt cleansed by his refusal to judge her.

  And thankfully, she could now go back to Danny with an honest heart, knowing she hadn’t been unfaithful to him. She’d been sorely tempted, but common sense had prevailed in the end.

  Ivy wiped her eyes again as the plane taxied down the runway.

  Chapter 30

  In the weeks following Joe’s departure, Fred Heartley realised he’d been far too hard on his eldest son. All he’d wanted was to knock all those silly notions out of the boy’s head, and make him see that he could have a good life in the family business. Now, he regretfully accepted that it was his fault his son had left.

  As time went by without any contact, Fred never gave up hope that Joe would return. He felt certain his son was down in London, or in some other big city, and when he tired of living the high life, he’d be glad to come home and settle back into a secure job at Heartley’s Stores. Fred had long ago decided that he wouldn’t even ask Joe where he’d been, or why he’d stayed away so long. He wouldn’t even ask what had happened to his new Ford saloon. He’d just put his arms around his son and hug him. And if he didn’t want to work in Heartley’s Stores, then so be it. It no longer mattered to him how Joe earned a living, just as long as he was happy at it.

  After the police had admitted defeat, Fred Heartley tried the Salvation Army tracing service and ultimately contacted the Mormons’ world missing-persons database in Utah, but all to no avail. Joe had covered his tracks well, and Fred wondered for the umpteenth time why other fathers and sons managed to get along with each other, and work together in the family business. What had he done wrong to make that dream an impossibility? He’d only tried to do the best for his children.

  Fred sighed. Joe’s departure had affected his marriage too. Day after day, he now had to endure Julia’s icy stares and snide comments. He knew she blamed him for what had happened. As each day went by without their eldest son, her feelings for him were turning colder and colder, yet he was powerless to remedy the situation. They’d become like two prisoners forced to share a cell and, as a result, they gave each other as wide a berth as possible.

  Since he and Julia had to work in the shop together, the strain was almost unbearable. Julia carried out her duties in total silence, and any time he darted a glance at her, he’d find her staring back at him with accusing eyes. He could almost feel the venom emanating from her, and he carried his guilt around like a weight on his back.

  By now, Julia had moved into the spare room, without even proffering an excuse. She’d simply moved all her personal possessions out of their bedroom one day, and he hadn’t had the nerve to ask her why, because he already knew. She was punishing him for his role in Joe’s departure, and he knew he’d spend the rest of his days sleeping alone in their great big double bed. Would either of them ever find peace again?

  Fred was deep in thought behind his shop counter when Hannah Dalton approached the till with a basket of groceries. As she placed them on the counter, she had a big smile on her face.

  “Oh, by the way, Fred – I got a letter from Rosa today! She’s got a job in the offices of an airline, and she’s moved into a flat with several other girls …”

  Hannah was keen to let him know that, despite his youngest son’s rejection of Rosa, her daughter was doing fine without him.

  Fred felt a stab of pain in his heart. “I’m pleased for you, Hannah,” he said, trying his best to put on a convincing smile. Hannah was lucky – he’d give anything to hear from his eldest boy.

  Hannah hesitated. “Have you
heard from Joe yet?”

  Fred sighed. “No, Hannah, I’m afraid not. But I live in hope.”

  “Oh. Well, I’m sure you will, Fred, very soon.”

  “I hope so,” said Fred, turning away. Suddenly, he couldn’t bear to be in Hannah’s company. He liked the woman, and he was pleased that her daughter was safe and well. But Hannah was no longer in the same boat as he was, and he felt more alone now than ever before.

  Quickly, he rang up Hannah’s items, took the money and packed them in her shopping bag in silence. He could barely muster up a perfunctory smile as she left the shop.

  Chapter 31

  Ivy felt displaced and disoriented when she arrived back in Heathrow airport. Shivering, she waited for her suitcases at the carousel, already feeling the drop in temperature. She dreaded the approaching winter, and all the standing around in the cold that would be required on the outdoor set of Bright Lights.

  Danny was waiting for her in Arrivals, clearly delighted to see her. He talked about the two new branches of Betterbuys that had just been opened, about Joseph’s sponsored walk for a charity, and Ivy was grateful for his ebullience, because she didn’t feel like talking herself.

  “You look tired,” he said, a concerned expression on his face as he helped her into the company’s chauffeured Daimler outside the terminal.

  Ivy nodded. It had been an eventful trip in many ways.

  “How is Owen?”

  “Great – he’s just got engaged.”

  Danny looked delighted. “Well, that’s marvellous news! I’d given up on your brother in that department,” he chuckled. “His fiancée must be quite a woman to prise him away from all those animals!”

  Ivy nodded, smiling. “Charmaine is their veterinary nurse, so she loves the animals too.”

  Settling back in Danny’s company car, Ivy noticed that he’d closed the glass partition between them and his driver. That in itself was unusual. Did Danny need privacy for some reason?

  As if to confirm her suspicions, Danny reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

  “Oh, by the way – there were several weird phone calls for you while you were away. Each time I said you weren’t available, the caller hung up and didn’t leave a message.”

  Ivy tried to look nonchalant, but her heart was suddenly beating wildly. She longed to ask Danny for every detail about the calls, but instead she merely nodded. “Probably work-related,” she said dismissively.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Danny added, looking worried. “The person sounded, er, a little odd – they were whispering, like they were hoarse or something –”

  “Well, maybe they were,” Ivy said acerbically. “It was probably some deranged fan with a sore throat.”

  Celebrities were always getting peculiar calls, so she hoped Danny would accept that explanation. But even as she spoke sarcastically to him, Ivy felt there was more than a grain of truth in what she’d just said. Perhaps the caller was deranged enough to kill her, or hurt her in some way. Maybe it would be better if she intercepted the call next time and tried to find out what the caller wanted. Otherwise, she’d have to spend the rest of her days worrying in case this mysterious person suddenly decided to reveal her secret. If they wanted money, she’d pay them what they asked. But if they wanted something else … Ivy shivered and Danny slipped his arm around her.

  “Are you sure you’re not worried about the calls?” he asked quietly. “I have to admit I was a bit spooked by them myself. Because I haven’t told you everything yet –”

  Ivy held her breath, terrified of what was coming next.

  “– the last time this person called, they said something about a lake. I couldn’t really understand what they meant –”

  “Was it a man or a woman?” Ivy said at last.

  “Since they were whispering, I couldn’t be sure – look, Ivy, do you think it might be worth mentioning these calls to the police? I’m not happy about weirdos ringing our home. I’ll come with you to the local police station tomorrow morning –”

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Ivy said angrily. “It’s just some demented fan – if I ran to the police after every odd phone call, I’d look as daft as the callers themselves.”

  “But what did they mean about a lake?”

  “How do I know – are you sure you heard him right?” Ivy said angrily. “They probably said ‘cake’ or ‘hake’, for God’s sake!”

  Danny looked worried. “But that still wouldn’t make any sense –”

  Giving an exaggerated yawn, Ivy laid her head on Danny’s shoulder, and for the rest of the journey, she pretended to be asleep. But her mind was on full alert. The situation was even worse than she’d thought. If this person was willing to involve her own husband, they must be desperate, or else they were upping the ante in order to make her comply with their demands. Whatever they were.

  Ivy shivered. Momentarily she thought of Brian, and how supportive he’d been. And her immediate instinct was to phone him as soon as she got home. But that wouldn’t be fair to him. She’d be using him, and she respected him too much to do that.

  Ivy shivered again. She longed to be back in the warmth and beauty of South Africa, but now she had to face reality again. The day after tomorrow, she was due back on the set of Bright Lights, and she needed to spend the time going through her script in readiness for her character’s return from hospital.

  And she still had to make another trip to the lake. She’d run away at the first sign of trouble, and now she was paying for her cowardly actions. She had no more weekdays free for ages, and if Colin called on her to fulfil her promise to work extra hours, she might find herself working around the clock, leaving no time at all for recovering her possessions.

  At last the Daimler swept up the driveway to their house.

  “Welcome home, darling – I’ve missed you so much,” Danny whispered, hugging her as the driver stopped the car outside the front door.

  As she stepped out, Ivy smiled to mask her feelings. Coming home no longer felt like a welcome. It felt more like a noose winding tightly around her neck.

  Chapter 32

  Fred sighed. Now, he and Julia had to face another blow – Danny had got young Ivy Morton pregnant. But he wasn’t going to make another mistake and lose his second son. Although he loathed the embarrassment that young Ivy Morton’s pregnancy was bringing on his family, outwardly he and Julia were behaving graciously and accepting their son’s impending marriage, holding their heads high and letting people think they were delighted at becoming grandparents.

  As far as Fred was concerned, if anything good came of this hasty marriage, it would be a miracle. But maybe, when Julia got over the shame of it all, a first grandchild might give her life a focus that had been missing since Joe left.

  Fred wiped his brow. Danny a father at eighteen! It was ridiculously young, yet what could he do if his son couldn’t keep his pants zipped up? Danny was besotted with young Ivy Morton – he’d been following her around for ages like a lovelorn puppy, despite having a girlfriend already. Ivy had led him a merry dance, and for a long time she hadn’t seemed interested. But maybe that had been her way of making sure he really wanted her before she committed herself to him.

  Fred felt a momentary wave of sympathy for Rosa Dalton. How humiliating it must have been for the poor girl, knowing all the while that Danny was besotted with someone else, and then to be dropped for no reason other than Danny’s ongoing obsession with young Ivy. No wonder she’d left town – he could understand how impossible it would have been for her to stay.

  After Danny had told them, thrilled and emotional, that he and Ivy Morton were expecting a baby, Fred decided to pay a visit to Rosa’s mother. He felt bad at the way in which his son was crowing all over the village. The lad was still at school and didn’t even have a job! It wouldn’t surprise him to find that he and Julia were expected to help rear the child, but at least now Danny might settle down and eventually take over the running of the shop.

>   Rosa’s mother hadn’t been keen to speak to him when he’d called to her door. Nervously, her hand fluttered to her throat as she tried to finger the gold pendant she normally wore around her neck. But it was no longer there since she’d given it to Rosa.

  “Really, Fred –”

  “Look, I’m sorry about what’s happened between Rosa and our Danny. We’re neighbours, Hannah, so I don’t want there to be any bad feelings between us.”

  “Well, I accept it’s not your fault, Fred, but this wedding is really going to upset Rosa.”

  “I can well imagine. All round, my son has behaved like an immature pup.”

  Hannah began to mellow a little when it became clear that Fred didn’t condone his son’s behaviour. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell Rosa – she was devastated when Danny dumped her. Now this news about Danny’s wedding – I doubt if she’ll ever come back to the village now.” She bit her lip. “I miss her terribly, Fred, but at least she’s doing well in London.” She looked Fred in the eye. “I’m sorry about your eldest boy, Fred – I guess he wanted to get away too.”

  Fred sighed. “Kids can’t wait to escape from a backwater like this,” he said sadly. “They think the city can offer them excitement and wealth, but sometimes it just gobbles them up and spits them out when it’s finished with them.” He hesitated, and Hannah knew he was thinking of Joe. “What worries me most is that when things don’t work out for them, their pride stops them coming home again.”

  Tears filled his eyes, and he angrily brushed them away.