The Runaway

by Grace Thompson

  They shook hands.

  The second problem was that Verity didn’t eat meat. If anyone was going to be difficult today, Faith had guessed it would be Verity.

  ‘Omelette?’ Faith asked brightly.

  Before they had removed their coats, another car drove up and a young woman, with her husband and daughter stepped out. The first shock was to see how much alike were Joy and Faith. With a couple of years between them they wore their hair in a similar style, their clothes were in the same subdued shades and their eyes revealed the same excitement as they approached, hugged each other and kissed.

  ‘Joy?’ Faith said breathlessly.

  ‘I’m Joy, this is my husband, and our daughter. Helen Mary.’ She looked quizzically at Faith. ‘My middle name and yours.’

  ‘Then you really are my sister?’

  ‘So it seems. Today we’ll find out for certain.’ Faith shook hands with Joy’s husband Simon, then bent down to greet the little girl. ‘Hello, Helen Mary, come on in, the others are here.’ Simon was smiling at her, then looking at his wife. ‘Peas in a pod. No doubt about it,’ he said.

  Faith felt her heart racing making her feel breathless and she wondered how she would survive without bursting into tears. She concentrated on making the little girl feel at home and as soon as she began to set out the meal, she felt better able to cope.

  The meal was a success, apart from the slight inconvenience of cooking an omelette for Verity, who also refused the dessert, convinced the pastry on the apple pie had been made with animal fat. As Faith had guessed, Verity repeatedly managed to disrupt the otherwise pleasant gathering.

  ‘I was injured during an air raid,’ her mother told Faith.

  ‘Apparently she was unconscious, lying across me to protect me,’ Joy added.

  ‘I was very confused for months, and for a long time after that I believed you had been with us and had been killed in that same raid. So it was a long time before I started to search for you.’

  ‘It doesn’t mean you’re the daughter miraculously returned, though. There’s such confusion over names, and people moved so much, you could be anyone.’ Verity glanced a warning at her mother.

  ‘Why was Joy with you? I thought she had been evacuated at the same time as me?’

  ‘I had a message telling me she had scarlet fever and as soon as she was convalescent I brought her home.’

  ‘If you’d been together you’d have known that.’ Verity said.

  ‘We were promised a place together, at least, that was what I was told later, but we were separated. I don’t think I saw Joy after that first day.’

  ‘Surely someone would have told you?’

  ‘I was one year old.’

  ‘Not for ever! You’d have been told when you were old enough to understand, surely?’

  ‘I remember being told I no longer had a daddy but I chose not to believe it and even after all this time I sort of hoped he’d come back one day.’

  ‘Yet you didn’t ask about your sister? How odd.’

  ‘Of course I asked. I’ve never stopped trying to find her!’ Conversations were repeatedly stopped by Verity who seemed determined to disprove her claim.

  ‘I remember us being gathered in a church hall,’ Joy said. ‘You were sick and went away. That’s my last memory of you.’

  ‘You remember a sister,’ Verity insisted. ‘You can’t possibly say this is the same person. This is a preliminary discussion only.’

  ‘Discussion? I thought it was friends getting to know each other,’ Faith said.

  ‘It’s far too early to think we might be friends, and nothing has been said to convince me we might be more.’

  ‘Look at them. The similarity is amazing, and did you know they both trained as teachers?’ Simon argued. Verity tightened her lips but didn’t reply.

  At three o’clock there was a lull, no one willing to try again. Faith knew whatever she said would be criticized. She was relieved when a knock at the door announced the arrival of Ian and his mother.

  Conversations widened; the subject of relationships was avoided and the rest of the afternoon was relaxed. Vivienne helped her make tea, Ian handed round plates of cakes and sandwiches and at 5.30 the visitors prepared to leave.

  ‘I have a question for you,’ Verity said as she picked up her handbag. ‘How did you and that other person who came to Beautiful Homes, manage to be wearing the same ghastly coat?’

  Faith and Vivienne laughed but didn’t try to explain.

  As the two cars drove away Faith turned to Ian and said, ‘I still don’t know who Verity is.’

  ‘Fingers crossed she isn’t another sister,’ he said. ‘She’s prickly beyond.’

  A letter two days later confirmed that Verity was a sister, born after the death of their father. It also informed her that Verity was getting married in October and that she, Faith, was invited. She took the letter to show Winnie and to check on her friend’s recovery.

  ‘I’ll have to tell them about Matt and my abandoned baby,’ she said, when the letter had been reread. ‘They won’t want to know me once they know about that. This could be the end, just when I was feeling so hopeful.’

  When the card came inviting her to Verity’s wedding, Faith knew it was time to tell her secret. It was tempting to do so in a letter, but instead, she travelled up to London on a Sunday morning, intending to travel back the same day. Aware of the distress of having to tell her new family about her daughter, Winnie at once offered to go with her.

  ‘I know I can’t help,’ she said, ‘but we can travel together and go somewhere to have a meal and make it a bit of a day out. No matter how the day ends you won’t be on your own.’

  Faith thanked her friend and gratefully accepted.

  They left very early, intending to give themselves time for coffee somewhere before going to see Faith’s mother and sister. She wrote to the woman whom she still hesitated to call Mother, explaining that she needed to talk about an aspect of her life not so far discussed. ‘It sounded very mysterious but I didn’t want to even hint about what I had to tell them,’ Faith explained to Winnie. ‘And I won’t accept the wedding invitation until they know the full story.’

  ‘They wouldn’t turn away from you, no matter what you have to explain. After all the years of searching, your mother won’t let you go now. I’m certain of that.’

  ‘I wish I felt the same. I think Verity is the least keen to accept me. She and my mother have built that business and perhaps she’s afraid I’ll interfere or want a part of it.’

  They had arranged to meet at a hotel where lunch was available. Faith was pleased. It would be easier to talk over a meal. When they reached the place and walked into the dining room her mother and Verity were already there and, sitting beside them, she was relieved to see her other sister, Joy. ‘Thank goodness,’ she whispered to Winnie. ‘She’ll make coping with Verity a bit easier.’

  After introductions were made and the meal ordered, Faith waited with a beating heart for the first course to arrive. When at last the waitress went away, she said, ‘I had a child and I gave her up for adoption.’

  Verity dropped her fork to her plate and stared open-mouthed. Joy said nothing but sadness and sympathy were in her eyes. She reached towards Faith and touched her arm. Her mother just stared, but there was no anger, or even curiosity, just sadness in her expression too.

  ‘You must have had a very strong reason,’ her mother said. She continued to stare, awaiting further explanation.

  Faith haltingly told her story, Joy adding a question when Faith turned to her, unsure of how to continue. Unlike all the other times when she had recited what had happened to make her decide to leave her daughter, this time it sounded weak, cowardly and extremely cruel to the father. She was becoming less and less sure she had made the right decision. She now seriously doubted whether her conviction that Matt was likely to encourage the development of his own weaknesses in his child was true. She became very hot and colour rose in he
r cheeks as her words became less and less confident.

  As her words faltered and dried up, the others waited in silence. ‘You might think I was cowardly,’ she said, reading the expression on Verity’s face, ‘but in fact it took all my determination to walk away from my child. Whether you can believe it or not, it was an act of love. Allowing my little girl to grow up without knowing her father or being aware of his propensity for anger and hitting out, will give her the very best chance in life.’

  Verity looked away, but her mother offered her hands to Faith, who took them and tearfully said, ‘Thank you for listening. I’ll understand if you walk away.’

  ‘No, Faith. I want to sit here with you and talk. This matter is over and done with and there are so many other things we need to learn about each other.’

  Verity added little to the conversation and the mood became more light-hearted as they shared amusing anecdotes and memories of less serious events. Joy filled them in on the arrangements for Verity’s wedding and made sure Faith knew she was expected to attend. ‘It will be the perfect opportunity to meet some of your relations,’ she said, then added, ‘although, there are a few we’d like to hide from you!’

  Her mother insisted she was welcome to bring a friend. Ian came to her mind but she dismissed the idea of inviting him. She didn’t think he’d be easy with the idea of ‘meeting the family’. There were connotations of closeness in that which he obviously would not want.

  When Faith and Winnie reached home they went to tell the Gretorexes and Kitty and Gareth all that had been said. The strain of the day faded away as Winnie assured her that Joy and her mother genuinely sounded sympathetic. ‘From what you say I’d guess they want you to be a part of the family for always. I think you might have difficulty winning Verity over,’ she admitted, ‘but it’s only a matter of time.’

  ‘I have to buy something really smart for the wedding,’ Faith gasped, ‘and I haven’t any money!’

  ‘Don’t worry, you can borrow Olive’s coat!’

  Ian’s mother went with her when she looked in various shops for a suitable outfit. On two Wednesday afternoons, half-day closing at the bakery, they travelled to other towns where the half-day closing was on a different day. Each time they came home exhausted but without success. They eventually found the perfect outfit at a second-hand shop.

  The lady who ran the clothing shop had built a name for herself by buying from wealthy houses in some of the surrounding villages and selling from her rather scruffy premises just off the main street in town. One Saturday, having finished early, Faith and Vivienne walked past it on their way home and stopped to look at the window display. Without much hope they walked in and the small, bright-eyed owner came out. Without preamble she asked, ‘What’s the occasion? Wedding? Dinner party? Theatre?’

  ‘Oh, I’ve been invited to a wedding and …’ She didn’t finish explaining as the little woman had disappeared behind a curtain. She quickly reappeared carrying several outfits over her arm. ‘These will suit your colouring. Just arrived, this one has, fit you a treat, you being a bit heavy, like.’

  ‘Heavy?’ Faith laughed. ‘Heavy sounds even worse than overweight or plump!’

  ‘Well, dear, you’re no featherweight and what’s wrong with that?’

  Faith looked at other clothes on display but each time her hand was tapped gently and the woman shook her head as though telling off a naughty child. ‘Wrong colour,’ or ‘wrong style,’ she admonished.

  She ushered Faith into a small fitting-room and helped her into the dress and jacket she had recommended. It was a sage-green, straight-skirted dress, with a jacket lined and trimmed in ivory silk. ‘The woman was right,’ Vivienne whispered ‘It suits you and fits perfectly.’

  ‘Stay there,’ the owner instructed, ‘I’ll fetch the hat and shoes.’

  In less than half an hour they walked out carrying all Faith needed for Verity’s wedding and she was still laughing at the antics of the shop owner when she reached home.

  She tried the outfit on for Kitty and Mrs Gretorex to see and before she had taken it off again Ian called.

  ‘You look nice. Going somewhere special?’ he asked.

  ‘Not today, but I’ve been invited to my – my sister’s wedding.’ Deciding to risk asking him, she said, ‘I was told I could invite a friend, but I don’t think you’d like to spend hours with a lot of strangers, would you?’

  ‘Was that an invitation? It sounded as though you wanted me to refuse.’ He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘You prefer I didn’t go?’

  ‘I just didn’t want you to think I was presumptuous. I’d love to go with you.’

  ‘Then it’s arranged.’ He held her hand and turned her round and round. ‘Wow, if this is what you’re wearing I’ll have to wear my smartest suit.’

  Over the following weeks Faith’s excitement rose and fell like a wild tide. Ian was reassuring and promised her a wonderful day. ‘If the company is poor we’ll make an excuse and leave. Although I doubt whether even Verity can be difficult on her own wedding day.’

  The wedding was a large one and for Faith that was a relief. A small crowd all curious about her, asking questions, sizing her up, some suspicious, others blatantly hostile, would have been difficult to manage. Some guests were introduced to her as various cousins and an uncle and a couple of aunts but she took in very little. People gathered in groups and talked, glancing her way from time to time, some smiling, others wearing a frown, and she wished she could overhear what was being said. From some expressions, it would not be flattering, specially, she noted, when they had just spoken to Verity.

  ‘I’m not going to remember a thing,’ she wailed to Ian when yet another group had introduced themselves, then moved on.

  ‘This isn’t an exam, it’s an occasion to be enjoyed.’ Ian had been at her side throughout the service and the lull that followed and sat beside her at the wedding breakfast. Amid the smiles, there was only Verity to spoil the day. She scowled whenever she passed Faith and smiled only briefly at Ian when they were introduced; after that she ignored him.

  As they were about to leave they talked to someone who introduced himself as Uncle Dewi. He had obviously been watching the proceedings because he came up to Faith and said, ‘Don’t worry too much about young Verity. Afraid you’ve come to take half of the business, she is. She’ll come round.’

  ‘Why would she think that? It belongs to her and Joy and my mother. I’ve had nothing to do with building it up.’

  ‘The money, see.’

  ‘What money?’

  ‘It was your grandmother’s money that gave them a start and now you’ve been found, I suppose you’ll be entitled to your share.’

  ‘Please reassure Verity that I have no intention of interfering with Beautiful Homes and I don’t need money from any of them.’

  ‘I’d talk to your mother if I were you, she’ll be able to explain better than I.’

  On the journey home Faith and Ian talked about all they’d learned and their impressions of the newly discovered family.

  ‘Are you pleased with the way the day went?’ Ian asked.

  ‘I don’t expect to have a lot to do with them, they’re busy people and I live too far away for regular visits, but it will be good to have letters, and to remember birthdays and Christmases.’

  He laughed. ‘I saw you scribbling notes into your diary. Birthdays and addresses no doubt.’

  ‘You and your mother, Winnie and Paul and the children will always be at the top of any list I make, but I am happy that there are people in the world who are my family.’

  ‘And I’m happy that you’re happy.’ He smiled. ‘Now, what about going somewhere to eat? The wedding breakfast was a long time ago.’

  chapter eleven

  Mr Gretorex went away alone on several occasions, starting with a weekend then extending his absence for three then four more days. Faith longed to ask if there was a troublesome reason for this but, as always, Mrs Gretorex evaded question
s and changed the subject with expert ease, making it quite clear that her private life was just that: private.

  Mrs Gretorex filled her time in the house, helping Faith by doing some cleaning and preparing food. When there was nothing more pressing to do she knitted and sewed clothes for Kitty and Gareth’s baby. This delighted Kitty who wrapped them carefully in tissue paper and put them in a moses basket she had bought ready for the new arrival. She brought them out to show any visitors to the house and when Mr Gretorex came home after an absence of almost a week, she showed him. To Kitty’s embarrassment he brushed them aside with hardly a word.

  It was obvious something was wrong and although she longed to help, Faith knew she had to wait and hope that eventually Mrs Gretorex would come to her. The rent was paid regularly and the Sunday lunch arrangements still brought them together once a week and no one said anything further when Mrs Gretorex was alone.

  ‘Goes to the library a lot, she does,’ Olive reported, ‘and reads romances and historicals.’

  ‘Has there been anything happening at the building site?’ Faith asked.

  Olive shook her head. ‘I did see her sitting up there once. Heaven knows what she was thinking about, sitting there in the cold all alone. Worried I was, so I went back to the caravan and made a flask of tea, but when I got back she was gone.’

  Kitty told them later that their house was almost finished and Faith looked sad. It seemed likely that Mr and Mrs Gretorex would be leaving soon. They were unhappy and if he wanted to live somewhere else, his wife would surely go with him. Kitty and Gareth would move into their new home and once their baby was born they wouldn’t visit very often. She would be losing all her friends and it wasn’t a happy thought. Thank goodness for Winnie and Olive. They were close by and hopefully that wouldn’t change.

  On Wednesday afternoon Faith called to see Winnie and suggested a walk around the lake and a cup of tea in the café. She looked at her friend as she slowed down on the slightest incline. She sat on every available seat and on garden walls and even talking made her breathless. It was clear she hadn’t told them the truth about her illness. As they turned for home Faith was alarmed at how exhausted she appeared. Calling one day when she knew Winnie would be out, she asked Paul for the truth.