by Dilys Xavier
Katie watched Richard hurry to his car, and smiled as she recalled meeting Rex Charteris at a previous dinner party. That was at Richard’s home, too, and Greg had been with her then. She remembered how the professor had gone on about his travels to faraway places on that occasion as well, but he certainly wasn’t dull company. Anyway, the evening would be a change for her, and that was something she needed right now. Moreover, it was good to feel needed, whatever the reason.
After she finished in the kitchen, Katie wandered out into the garden. The early afternoon sun highlighted the roses, and she breathed deeply as the slight breeze wafted the heady perfume of ‘Peace’ around her. She could never get enough of the delicate fragrance, so she lifted one of the plate-sized blooms to her face and breathed in deeply again. She closed her eyes as she inhaled… this was so exquisite that it made her want to stay here forever.
As she looked carefully around the rose beds, she realized that many of the bushes were past their prime now, but even though she had neglected them, they still produced lovely blooms. ‘I need dozens of new hybrids to add to what Greg planted for me,’ she murmured. The thought of digging them up seemed a daunting task. She would have to give that gardener a ring, and soon. She returned to the house just as the phone rang.
‘Elspeth here,’ the strident voice said. ‘You haven’t forgotten I’m coming tomorrow?’
‘Er… no, I haven’t forgotten, but could we postpone it, because I…’
‘Can’t do that,’ Elspeth interrupted. ‘Everything’s arranged now.’
‘But, Elspeth, I need to…’ Katie failed to get her words across to her friend, who cut her short yet again.’
‘I’m not taking no for an answer. Expect me tomorrow for lunch.’ There was just a moment’s pause. ‘Gotta rush now… see you soon.’
Katie sighed. That meant organizing a couple of trips to entertain Elspeth, or spend the whole time listening to her dictating what she should do, and when, and how she should live her life. It was all very well for Elspeth, who didn’t appear to have suffered any great loss when her husband died. In fact, it had given her the chance to control her own money, and plenty of time to become more involved in all the village activities. It had given her total freedom and she seemed to be enjoying it thoroughly. She attended every possible meeting held in the village from the history group to the reading circle, and the list went on and on. Katie sighed again. The trouble was that most of her friend’s conversation revolved around those interests, and it all left her feeling cold.
Still, if that was what kept Elspeth happy, then it was okay for her, but it was not what Katie wanted for herself. She had never previously made time for such activities, and she was loath to start now. Maybe the gardening club might be interesting, but that would be the only one.
After Katie replaced the receiver, she noticed the scrap of paper on which she had scribbled the gardener’s telephone number. She dialled it and listened to the soft, lilting Irish accent on the other end of the line, requesting the caller to leave a message on the answering machine. She explained why she had rung, and left her name, phone number and address, and asked him to call when he was in her area.
Back in the kitchen, she decided it would be best to cook a few things now, rather than try to do it with Elspeth under foot. Several hours later she had a sponge cake made up, a casserole for tomorrow’s lunch, a couple of meat pies and an apple tart. Exhausted, she sank into the comfortable chair in the sitting room and put her feet up to watch a film on television. The program was one she had been looking forward to, but focusing on it now seemed difficult; her mind wandering to Richard’s dinner invitation, and Rex. What would she wear? Giving up on her program she headed upstairs to sort through her wardrobe, but after a quick look at everything, she realized that nothing there would feel right for the occasion. She’d need to go shopping, fairly soon.
Pleasantly tired that night, she slipped between the sheets and quickly drifted off to sleep. She dreamed about how she swept into the sitting room at Richard’s dinner party, and watched Rex Charteris raise an appreciative eyebrow; that pleased her immensely. When she woke up the next morning, she remembered her vivid dream, and wondered what it meant. She had no yearning to attract another man… certainly not while her memory of Greg was still so strong, but she acknowledged a need to feel appreciated by someone, to feel alive once more, and excited about something.
She was well aware that Richard regarded the professor as a bit of a bore, but then, he was probably not at all interested in listening to the man reliving his exotic holidays. As she thought about it, she considered that Rex might be the person best able to advise her where to go when she finally felt up to holidaying abroad. A cruise, maybe, she mused, or a trip to Italy? She had always wanted to see Pompeii and Herculaneum. Visiting such historic places that had been dug free of volcanic deposits, was an exciting idea, and no doubt she could even spend a few days in Rome as well. The very thought of talking with Rex about exotic places was exciting. In fact, the thought of going away anywhere was exciting now. She needed to get out of the house. It would be something to look forward to.
Katie was surprised at how optimistic she felt the next day. It must be all the things she’d planned for this week. First was Elspeth’s visit, and then the dinner party. She showered and dressed, then hurried downstairs, picking up her mail in the hall as she headed for the kitchen. As usual, most of the letters were bills or circulars, but there was one in a pale blue envelope that stood out from all the rest. It was addressed in a hand she did not immediately recognize. Curious, she sat at the kitchen table and tore it open even before making her cup of tea. Her hand flew to her mouth as she read the brief note.
Chapter Two
‘Oh, dear,’ Katie murmured, shaking her head in disbelief at the letter’s contents.
My dear Katie,
I am too emotional and full of self-pity to face up to talking on the phone about the sad news I have for you, so I decided to write instead. My dear sister, your Aunt Mabel, is no longer with us. She had been poorly for some time, and passed away soon after being admitted to hospital. I really can’t believe she’s gone; foolishly, I always thought Mabel would go on forever.
The funeral is on Thursday, and although I know this is short notice, I hope that you will be able to attend. Maybe you will stay on for a few days afterwards, so that we can discuss certain matters of importance. I will look forward to seeing you, my dear.
Your ever-loving Aunt Bertha.
She read the letter again as guilt set in. She had made little effort to keep in touch with her aunts. In fact, she had made only occasional contact with them since Greg had died over three years ago. Now one of them was gone forever.
She glanced at the clock remembering Elspeth’s visit. She’ll be here any minute. Well, she’ll just have to cut her visit short so that I can get to the funeral. There was no way she’d let Elspeth go with her to the funeral. It was just the sort of thing her friend would offer to do, but Aunt Bertha would not appreciate dominant Elspeth trying to tell her what to do with Avondale Manor. No, it would be better to go alone, or with Richard or the girls.
She made some more tea and gazed out the kitchen window. Things certainly had changed quickly. It was only yesterday she was thinking her life was dull and uninteresting, and now she had a number of things lined up. She would have to go immediately to see Aunt Bertha; she hadn’t been there for ages. Then, sadly of course, the funeral meant a second visit to Avondale Manor within days. Then immediately on her return from seeing Aunt Bertha, there was Richard’s dinner party. There was also the need to go shopping for a nice outfit for that particular evening.
The sound of a car on the gravel drive caught her attention, Looking out the window she saw Elspeth stepping out of her blue Citroen Xsara. For several seconds, Katie studied her visitor as she reached into the vehicle for her baggage. Elspeth’s car was smart enough, but her outfit was as drab as ever. Her nut-brown hair wa
s the same style it had always been; long, lank and wispy. She sighed, poor Elspeth. If only she’d give as much attention to herself as she did to other people’s business, she’d do well, she mused. She was a lively soul, well meaning, and intelligent, but she looked downright dowdy. As Katie gazed at her, she had to admit the woman’s face was attractively puckish, and her figure was still trim. She headed outside to meet her old school friend.
‘Hey, you look a darned sight better than when I saw you last,’ Elspeth commented, critically eyeing Katie up and down. She pulled a bag off the back seat, then grabbed her friend’s arm, and propelled her towards the front door. ‘So what’s happened to make you look your old bright-eyed self again, eh? Tell me all.’
‘The healing passage of time, no doubt,’ Katie said. ‘Plus the fact that I have to partner one of Richard’s guests at a dinner party soon.’
‘Oh? I guessed it could be something like that. Someone I know?’
‘I doubt it. He’s one of the firm’s consultants, a Professor Charteris. I’ve met him before at Richard’s, and he’s very nice… not at all stuffy, like you’d expect a professor to be.’
‘Hey, matter of fact I do know a little bit about him, ‘Elspeth said, as she dumped her bag on the floor. ‘I’ve heard he’s a bit of a lad with the ladies, and a jolly smart fellow by all accounts. From the bright gleam in your eyes, I’d say the thought of that dinner party has given you a new lease on life.’ She slipped off her jacket and peered into Katie’s face, cocking her head to the side as she appraised her friend. ‘It’ll take your mind off any miserable thoughts that might creep in.’
Thinking she had better warn Elspeth straight away about Aunt Mabel’s funeral, Katie handed her the letter from Aunt Mabel.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry to learn of your aunt’s passing,’ Elspeth said, when she finished reading it. ‘Anyway, don’t worry; I’ll leave before you start your round of trips to Hereford. Pity, but it can’t be helped.’ She seemed quite unperturbed, and carried on chatting as usual. ‘By the way, I’ve heard through the grapevine that a new committee is being set up in this village; I think you should join it. That’s the best way to meet someone new.’ She studied Katie’s face for a moment. ‘You’re still a pretty woman, you know; your hair is gorgeous, and your figure is cat-walk style. Gosh, Katie, there’s bound to be someone out there for you, someone who… ‘
‘Elspeth,’ Katie interrupted sharply, ‘I’m not looking to replace Greg. And let’s get this straight—I’m not looking for a man, either.’ She glared at her friend. ‘Got it?’
‘I didn’t mean it that way,’ Elspeth retorted, indignantly. ‘I know you’ll never find another Greg, but I’ll bet there’s a lovely guy for you out there,’ she persisted, undaunted by Katie’s reprimand. ‘Someone who’s lonely, someone you could relate to.’ She hunched her shoulders. ‘You could do with a nice companion to take you out now and again — that’s what I was thinking; nothing more.’
‘I know you mean well, Elspeth, but I wish you wouldn’t try to run my life for me. I know what I want. And I’ll do what I want, if, and when, I want.’ She took a short breath in exasperation. ‘Look, I answer to no one. It’s my life, and I like it the way it is, so please leave me to myself.’
‘Right,’ Elspeth said, with a shrug, and tightened her mouth. Suddenly, she changed the subject. ‘Let’s go for a run after lunch. Somewhere nice, somewhere interesting.’ She bounced over to the window and looked out. ‘Yes, it’s ever so quiet here; don’t know how you stick it day after day. We must go somewhere nice.’
‘Yes, it really is a gorgeous day,’ Katie said. ‘We’ll drive through The Wye Valley, take a stroll around Tintern Abbey, and have tea in that nice hotel across the road. The big, posh one.’
‘Good.’ Elspeth wriggled herself back comfortably in a chair. ‘So what’s for lunch? I was up very early this morning, so I’m hungry.’
Katie sighed. Elspeth hadn’t changed one iota since her youth. She was a kind soul at heart, but so bossy that few could tolerate her for long. She always thought she knew better than anyone else and, of course, she always had the last word. No wonder she had never found a second husband. No man would take that kind of telling from any woman; well no self-respecting man anyway. Like her, they would probably find that a few days with Elspeth were more than enough. Yet, despite her friend’s continual demands, Marguerite enjoyed Elspeth’s company, and looked forward to taking her out for the rest of the day.
They set off and, as they made their way along the Wye Valley, Katie thought of Greg. He had loved the leafy tree-lined roads that led to the abbey ruins, but the memory wasn’t hurtful today. In fact the reminiscing was rather pleasant. The winding roads were busy with traffic, because the place was so popular with tourists. Trees bent over from both sides of the road almost touched overhead. As the sun streamed in through little gaps in the trees where they weren’t touching together, sunlight made interesting patterns on the ground.
As they drew close to the Tintern Abbey ruins, Katie’s eyes searched the car park for an empty space. To her relief, she spotted one, and pulled in right alongside the ruins. Many a time, Katie had wandered around the ancient heritage site where busloads of day visitors streamed in all through the summer. ‘What a shame the abbey was so pillaged after the dissolution of the monasteries,’ she said, looking up at the magnificent windows. ‘Old Henry Vlll has a lot to answer for, but even in this state, it still looks majestic.’
‘Oh, Katie, take a look at that man over by the newspaper stand,’ Elspeth said, too busy to listen to what Katie was saying. ‘Hey, isn’t that Cuthbert Alexander?’ Elspeth nudged her frantically, her eyes wide with amazement. ‘I haven’t seen him in years, but it certainly looks like him. I remember him so well.’
‘Yes, I think it really is Cuthbert,’ Katie replied, staring at the man Elspeth had pointed out. ‘I’m pretty sure he did history in the sixth form. He’s changed very little in appearance, but I shouldn’t think he wears his dental brace any longer.’ She gave Elspeth a playful dig in the ribs. ‘You did have a real crush on him, didn’t you, in spite of his crooked smile?’
‘Yes… and it never really left me. He was my very first love,’ Elspeth whispered, looking longingly at the man as he climbed into his car and drove off. She heaved a sigh. ‘I wonder if he ever married… and what he’s doing now. Pity he wasn’t near enough for us to have had a word with him; I’d have loved that.’ She gave a wry smile and a little shrug. ‘Missed the boat again… haven’t I?’
‘Never mind. Come on, I’ll treat you to a fresh cream tea across the road.’ Despite her friend’s perpetual demands, Katie thoroughly enjoyed the day out, and although they had spent all day together, they talked well into the night, with Elspeth regaling all the gossip of her own village, and prattling on about her latest activities.
Katie struggled against a yawn. ‘I really must turn in now. I know you always find the guest room comfortable, but let me know if you need anything.’
***
The sun streaming in through a tiny gap in the curtains woke Katie the next morning. She stretched languidly, still aware of that lovely feeling of well-being, and looked forward to the day ahead. After a refreshing shower, she prepared breakfast, and the inviting aroma of sizzling bacon quickly made Elspeth appear. Katie placed the breakfast in front of her friend, and sat down beside her with a bowl of fresh blueberries and porridge.
‘I’m sorry, but I have to get to Hereford today to help Aunt Bertha.’
‘Of course,’ Elspeth said. ‘I understand, don’t worry. I’ll come again soon.’
Relieved that her old friend seemed not to mind, Katie went upstairs to pack an overnight bag, while her visitor relaxed with the morning paper. When it was time for Elspeth to leave, she hugged Katie. ‘You take care on those busy roads, mind; it’s a long drive.’
Katie watched her friend’s little car disappear through the big iron entrance gates, and then climbed into her own vehi
cle to set off set off for Hereford. She took her usual route on the quieter roads, avoiding the motorways like they were poison. Taking her time, Katie was able to savour the beautiful countryside on the way. The warm afternoon sun had heated up her car, and it was a relief to get out and cool off when she reached Avondale. All smiles, Aunt Bertha hobbled out to greet her with outstretched arms.
‘I’ve been so looking forward to seeing you again, my dear, that I’ve sat in the window watching for you. Do come in.’ Her aunt sounded excited. ‘How long can you stay?’ she asked, giving her another hug.
She kissed her aunt on the cheek. ‘Not long, I’m sorry. I’m afraid I promised Richard I’d partner one of his special guests at a dinner party on Friday, so I must get back in time to prepare. You see, I have to go shopping for something nice to wear to his party.’ She put her arm around her aunt’s shoulders. ‘I’ll be back for the funeral, of course; this is just a flying visit to see that you’re all right.’
‘Well, I’m fine, really, but you’re here now, and that’s all that matters,’ Aunt Bertha said, wistfully, but from the look on her face it was obvious that she was disappointed. She grasped Katie’s hand and led her into the comfortable sitting room where her handyman neighbour had lit a cheerful log fire even though the weather was not cold.
Katie studied her aunt. Curly, white hair framed what had once been a pretty face, and Bertha still bore the smooth-skinned Barrett family look that Katie had inherited and passed on to her own children. Although now elderly and much overweight, Bertha still carried herself well and was mentally alert.
‘Now Katie, I have something to tell you.’ She tapped her forehead. ‘The old memory fades a little at times you see, so I must say it straight away before it leaves my mind forever. Your Aunt Mabel has left you a sizeable inheritance.’
Katie gasped. ‘I never realized that Aunt Mabel was well off.’
‘Aha, but she was, make no mistake about that. One for the stock market, was our Mabel,’ Bertha said, with a little wink. ‘Even I didn’t know what she was worth until now.’ Then she smiled and lightly tapped Katie’s hand. ‘I haven’t done too badly either, my dear… she’s left all the rest to me, bless her.’ She gave Katie a funny little look. ‘Mind you, that’ll come to you one day as well, because I’m not likely to spend it, and you’ll inherit everything else around here.’ She gestured at the original oils and watercolours that filled every available foot of the walls, hiding most of the faded Victorian wallpaper.
