Sunshine and Showers

by June Francis

  In the weeks that followed, Joy’s lodgers appeared to be settling in without any difficulty. Mr Donavan left the house most mornings about six, without taking breakfast, and arrived back about three. Some days he went out about ten and came home at nine in the evening. When Grant asked him what he did for a living, he answered that he worked in the kitchen of a hotel and had his meals there.

  ‘Truthfully, Joy, I thought he seemed vaguely familiar but I can’t remember where I’ve seen him before.’

  ‘Does it matter?’ asked Joy.

  ‘I suppose not but for my own satisfaction I’d like to place him.’

  Joy could understand that but did not think it was anything to worry about.

  Mrs Sanderson asked Joy would she be prepared to go halfy-halfy with a small two-ringed gas cooker that she could have in her room. Joy agreed. After six weeks she offered a cooked Sunday lunch to both her new lodgers for an extra sixpence a week. Mr Donavan accepted her offer but Mrs Sanderson declined. Once the weather improved, she and her son had started to go out on Sunday.

  Joy had still had no news from David Tanner and she was getting impatient. But at least William Donavan was being of help and offered to chop some of the logs into kindling for her. She liked him the better for it.

  A week later she caught him whittling with a sharp blade at a piece of wood. It was taking on what looked like an interesting shape but he would not tell her what it was going to be. He only smiled and told her it was a surprise. Then he asked her how long the house next door had been empty and who owned it.

  ‘A Mr Parker used to live there but he disappeared a few years ago. There was a scandal attached to his name and no one knows where he went afterwards. Until quite recently, the house was occupied by an elderly relative of his who died. I’m surprised a For Sale notice hasn’t gone up yet. Naturally, I’ll be interested to see who buys it. Someone who’ll be a good neighbour, I hope.’

  ‘I agree that you can’t have too many good neighbours,’ said Mr Donavan. ‘Ones who’ll give you a helping hand and keep an eye on the place when you go away.’

  A few days later, when Joy was doing some gardening, she thought she heard noise coming from next door. She took a bucket and placed it upside down by the fence. Climbing up on it, she peered over into next door’s garden. She caught a glimpse of a man walking up and down and his gait seemed vaguely familiar, as did the back of his head. When the man turned round, she saw that it was a sunburnt David Tanner.

  ‘My goodness! Mr Tanner!’ she exclaimed.

  David glanced up and his lean features showed no surprise. ‘Mrs Bennett, I was coming to visit you.’

  ‘Why didn’t you write to me?’ she blurted out. ‘And what are you doing in that garden?’

  ‘I’ve been having a look round the house and now I’m looking at the garden and have come to the conclusion both need a lot of work.’

  Joy could not help but think that he must be considering buying the property. ‘But how did you hear about it being empty? I haven’t seen it advertised in the Echo. When did you arrive back in England?’

  ‘Only a couple of days ago. This house belongs to one of my clients,’ said David.

  One of his clients! Joy slipped and let out a cry as she fell off the bucket.

  ‘Mrs Bennett!’ shouted David.

  Joy could only groan for she had narrowly missed landing on a rose bush but she had caught her hand on a thorny branch and it hurt like billy-o. She was struggling to get up when David appeared beside her. He dragged her upright and asked if she was all right.

  ‘No, I’m not,’ she said, wincing as she gazed at her hand.

  ‘That must really hurt.’ David took hold of her wrist and carefully drew out a couple of thorns that had ripped the skin at the side of her hand.

  ‘I feel a bit faint,’ she whispered and sagged against him.

  David hastily put an arm around her waist. ‘Here, let me help you inside.’

  She allowed him to half carry her towards the house and all the time the thought was buzzing in her head that he could not possibly be Leonard Parker’s solicitor.

  David glanced at the sleeping baby in the pram and then at Joy’s shuttered face as he helped her up the step and into the kitchen. He lowered her into a chair and then carefully went down on one knee so their faces were on a level. ‘Are you feeling better now?’

  Her eyes opened and gazed into his with a puzzled expression. ‘Frankly no. My hand is still hurting but what’s really bothering me is your saying that you have a client who owns next door. Why did you never mention that to me?’

  ‘I saw no need. Mr Parker was a client of my father. I inherited him when I took over the business but it was only late last year that he got in touch with me.’ David got up from his knee with difficulty and pulled up a chair and sat opposite her.

  Joy could not take her eyes from his lean serious face. ‘We are talking about Leonard Parker?’

  ‘Yes.’

  She drew in her breath with a hiss. ‘Do you know that he is a thief and a murderer?’

  David’s expression was wary. ‘Allegedly.’

  ‘Allegedly!’ She could not ignore the pain in her hand any longer and stood up and went over to the sink. ‘I don’t want to believe that you’re involved with him.’

  ‘I’m not here to talk about him,’ said David, an edge to his voice. ‘But about your shares.’

  ‘You never wrote to me and you didn’t even respond to the information I sent to Tilly, so why should I now think that my shares are important to you?’ She felt angry, hurt and disappointed.

  ‘I knew nothing about your letter until I returned to New York and saw Don and Tilly again,’ he explained. ‘The discovery of the share certificate was the best news you could have given me. When I arrived in Utah it was to discover that Mrs McIntyre was dead.’

  ‘Dead!’ Joy turned the tap on too far and cold water gushed out onto her damaged hand, causing her to yelp.

  ‘Are you all right?’ asked David, getting to his feet.

  ‘Yes!’ she snapped.

  ‘I don’t believe you. That hand is sore and I feel it is my fault.’

  ‘Of course it’s your fault. You gave me a shock turning up in next door’s garden and informing me that Leonard Parker is a client of yours.’ She gritted her teeth against the pain. ‘And then to blurt out that Mrs McIntyre was dead…’

  ‘Let’s not discuss Parker but what I decided to do when I heard that the share certificate had been found.’

  ‘Is it due to client confidentiality that you won’t discuss him?’ asked Joy. ‘I don’t think you know the kind of man you’re dealing with.’

  David’s tanned features tightened. ‘I find that remark insulting. I can’t understand why you are letting yourself get all worked up about Leonard Parker. He didn’t steal from you or hurt any of your relatives, did he?’

  The colour rose in Joy’s cheeks. ‘That might be true but—’

  ‘It was Parker who gave me Mrs McIntyre’s address in Utah.’

  Joy’s jaw dropped. ‘You mean he knew her?’

  ‘Yes! He’d bought shares in the mine from her.’

  ‘I can’t believe it!’ Joy realised the tap was still running and hastily turned it off. ‘How did Mrs McIntyre die? Perhaps he had something to do with it?’

  ‘I can’t see how he could when he was thousands of miles away,’ said David with asperity. ‘The mining office in Utah was torched and she died in the fire. Most of the paperwork was destroyed. Her cousins were not prepared to accept my word about O’Hara having received money from your husband without proof.’ His grey eyes were steely. ‘I explained the situation but, although they were sympathetic, they stuck to their guns. You can imagine how I felt but I couldn’t blame them for behaving like businessmen. Mining is a tough business with a lot of money to be made or lost. The work takes place in a harsh terrain and it made me appreciate the early pioneers and their courage even more.’

  ‘Th
e Covered Wagon and The Iron Horse,’ said Joy automatically.

  David nodded. ‘The coming of the railway made a tremendous difference. People are still prepared to emigrate westwards. I liked the country but I haven’t got the stomach to live there.’ He paused. ‘Now, are you prepared to listen to what I did, once I knew the share certificate was found?’

  Joy took a clean dishcloth from a drawer and stared at him as she carefully dried her hand. She could not help but be fascinated by what he had said so far but was still disturbed that he was Parker’s solicitor. ‘Go on.’

  ‘I wrote to them suggesting that when next one of their representatives comes to England they see the certificate for themselves. I was not prepared to let it out of our possession.’

  Joy could see the sense in that but wondered when and if one of their representatives would bother coming to England if they already had their money. ‘The letter enclosed with the certificate has O’Hara’s signature on it. They just want to hold on to the money,’ she said.

  ‘I wouldn’t deny it,’ said David. ‘But with the certificate found they’ll have to return your investment to you. Either that or you hang on to those shares. As your solicitor, I would certainly advise you to consider keeping some of them.’

  ‘I didn’t know you were my solicitor. I told you that I couldn’t afford to pay you a fee.’

  ‘I never asked for one. I was prepared to help you because you were in a difficult situation and also a friend to Patsy. I could put the certificate and letter in the office safe. If your husband had involved his solicitor, then I doubt they’d have gone missing.’

  Joy thought it was for certain that Rita would never have got her hands on them. ‘I wouldn’t argue with what you say.’

  ‘The shares are valuable and ownership will need to be transferred to you. You’ll also have to produce proof you are Robbie’s widow.’

  Joy decided she needed to think more about David Tanner being her solicitor. As much as she was attracted to him, she did not like the idea of sharing him with Leonard Parker, amongst others. But there was information she still needed. ‘When you say the shares are valuable, how much money are we talking about?’

  ‘I can’t name a definite sum. Values of shares can go up and down. What I can tell you is that your shares could be worth a lot more in the future so it would be worth your while holding on to them.’

  ‘But I could do with the money now. I’ve taken in a couple of extra lodgers to boost my income but it’s not an ideal situation.’

  He frowned. ‘Did you vet these lodgers?’

  The muscles of Joy’s face tightened. ‘You’re as bad as Grant. He said I should have looked into their backgrounds. I believe that I’m a good judge of character, the same as you. Besides, I haven’t anything to steal if you’re hinting they could be thieves.’

  ‘OK! Never mind that right now,’ said David, leaning forward. ‘I saw the site of the mine. The seams of silver near the surface have all been worked but there are seams deeper below the surface which require specialist equipment to extract it. But there’s also a possibility that there’s a vein of another important metal on the land owned by the company.’

  She could not conceal her interest. ‘What is it? Gold?’

  He smiled. ‘No. It’s pitchblende which is a source of uranium.’

  Joy frowned. ‘I haven’t heard of it. What’s so important about it?’

  ‘Uranium contains radium which is radioactive. It was discovered not so long ago by a married couple, Pierre and Marie Curie, that cancer can be treated with radium.’

  Joy remembered her father’s suffering and her expression altered. ‘I do remember mention of it, and if one day it could really cure cancer, then I’d like to have a part in helping with that cure. I nursed my father when he had cancer.’

  ‘I don’t know all the details and I should imagine it’s purely in the experimental stages. I haven’t had the opportunity to look into it at any depth. But by the sound of it, I reckon there could be a great demand for it in the future if it does do the trick.’ David was watching her face. ‘But, of course, if you need the money I could buy your shares. You could name your price.’

  Joy’s brown eyes held his gaze steady. ‘Explain how shares work to me.’

  ‘When there’s a profit during the year you’ll receive dividends from your shares.’

  ‘So I don’t have to sell them to have an income?’

  ‘No. But it all depends on whether the company makes a profit.’

  Joy thought about that and guessed that Robbie’s intention had been to provide her with an ongoing income. Then she thought of Robert and suddenly it struck her that, if she hung on to the shares, once they were transferred she could leave them to him. ‘I think I’ll hang on to them and one day they’ll be my son’s. He’ll be able to think of them as his inheritance from the father he never knew.’

  There was a hint of pain in David’s smile. ‘I think that’s a good idea. If you’ll fetch the certificate and letter I’ll put it in the office safe for you.’

  Joy made no move to do as he suggested. ‘I still have difficulty dealing with the idea that you also represent Leonard Parker. I suppose you didn’t read your father’s case notes about him?’

  David frowned. ‘There are no case notes in my father’s files. Parker told me about the accusations himself. He said that he was never taken to court because the police had no evidence of his being involved in the crime some believe he committed. He says he’s innocent.’

  Joy raised a hand and then let it drop and said wearily, ‘He’s only giving you his version of the truth. He disappeared before the police could catch him. They raided the house next door but he ran away. He’s a thief and a murderer.’

  ‘Allegedly,’ said David sharply.

  ‘I don’t know how you can defend him! He buried the man he murdered in our garden.’

  ‘He said that was an accident and he panicked.’

  Joy made a humphing noise. ‘What I can’t understand is how he could still own the house, once it was known he was a criminal.’

  David said patiently, ‘He was never convicted, so his slate is clean. Haven’t you ever heard of being innocent until proven guilty?’

  ‘Of course I have! But surely the fact that he ran away is convincing evidence of his guilt?’

  ‘It could also be proof that being an innocent man he panicked.’

  A sharp laugh escaped Joy. ‘He panicked all right. How can you represent him?’

  ‘You make it sound as if I’m about to defend him in a murder trial in the high court!’ said David, exasperated. ‘But I have to admit that you’ve given me some cause to doubt him now.’

  ‘Good!’ Joy was relieved. ‘I know he can be totally convincing.’ She put on the kettle. ‘Cup of tea?’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Would you like something to eat?’

  ‘If it’s a slice of your home-made cake, I wouldn’t say no.’ David watched her as she moved around the kitchen from stove to table to cupboard.

  She glanced at him and thought he looked fed up and tired. Impulsively she said, ‘I’m sorry. You must hate me for bringing all this up when you put in so much time trying to help me.’

  David’s expression changed. ‘I don’t hate you. I’m only involved with Parker in as much as I’m dealing with the sale of the house next door. After that our connection will end naturally.’

  Joy nodded. ‘I do appreciate all that you’ve done. I wish I could pay you a fee.’

  David shook his head. ‘There’s no need for that. I did it for you as a friend.’

  Joy placed a slice of cake on a plate besides his cup and saucer. ‘Thank you. Maybe leaving money invested for Robert’s future might prove a mistake but I’m touching wood and keeping my fingers crossed.’

  David was silent as he drank his tea and ate his cake. ‘If you need to increase your income have you ever thought of hiring yourself out as a part-time caterer?’


  Joy smiled. ‘You’ve been listening to Patsy too much but I’ll bear in mind what you’ve said, Mr Tanner.’

  Before either could say anything further there came a whimper and the sound of the pram being joggled. Joy went outside and reappeared a few moments later with Robert balanced on her hip. He was sucking his fist and stared at the man from thickly lashed brown eyes. David returned his regard and Joy would have had to be blind not to recognise the yearning in the man’s eyes as he looked at her child. She felt deeply sympathetic towards him.

  ‘Is he like his father?’ asked David.

  ‘I never knew Robbie when he was young, but yes, he has his hair and the occasional expression. Sadly his sister, Rita, died earlier this year. She was someone who could have talked to Robert about what his father was like when he was just a lad.’

  ‘What a shame.’ From a pocket David took out his wallet and extracted a banknote. Reaching for Robert’s free hand he rolled up the note and placed it in his fist.

  Joy felt embarrassed. ‘There’s really no need for you to feel that you have to give him anything.’

  David frowned. ‘Don’t spoil my pleasure.’

  ‘In that case Robert says thank you,’ said Joy.

  David gazed at her from unfathomable eyes. ‘I can see this young man is hungry. Time for me to leave.’

  Before she could prevent him, he left.

  Joy gazed after him, remembering the little that Rose Tanner had said about the war injuries that had caused his impotence, and felt a surge of anger towards the dead woman. Then she sighed and removed the banknote from Robert’s fist. Her eyes widened when she saw it was a five-pound note. Riches! It would buy her son a decent pair of shoes once he started walking, and more. Maybe there might even be enough over to go into his piggy bank. Her mother had always said that it was never too early to start saving. Thank you, David.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  ‘Come on, kids! Come on, Patsy!’ Greg hurried them out of the house to the passageway at the bottom of the garden where his motorbike and the sidecar he had borrowed were parked. Helen was still sleepy because it was only five o’clock in the morning but a total solar eclipse was expected and it would only last a brief time. They were leaving Mrs Smith asleep in bed.