And then things finally came out into the open one evening two weeks later when Kathy got home from work hot and flustered and decided to take a bath. Unlike back in the big house there was no indoor bathroom at the lodge, so they had to bathe the old-fashioned way in a tin bath that was brought in from the wash house and filled with hot water from the copper. It was a lengthy process but strangely they all seemed to find it quite relaxing to lie in a warm bath in front of the fire. Usually the others disappeared to give each other privacy but on this particular night Sunday was out visiting Cissie when Kathy got home and Livvy was over at the stables. So, after filling the bath she undressed and sank into the hot water. She was just climbing out when without warning Sunday appeared through the back door.
‘Oh, sorry, darling, I didn’t know you were …’ Her voice trailed away as she stared at her daughter’s slightly swollen stomach and the colour drained from her face as she asked falteringly, ‘Is there something you need to tell me, Kathy?’ Her voice came out as a squeak and Kathy blushed furiously as she grabbed a towel and hastily wrapped it around herself.
They stood silently surveying each other for a moment and it was Kathy who finally broke the silence when she said quietly, ‘I was trying to think how to tell you, really I was. I … I’m so sorry, Mum.’
Sunday pulled herself together with an enormous effort and forced a smile, although she was crying inside. ‘These things happen, darling. You’re not the first and I dare say you won’t be the last girl who lets their feelings run away with themselves before they’ve got a ring on their finger. Have you told David yet? I’m sure he’ll be thrilled. It’s more than obvious that he loves you. It will just mean that you’ll have to get married a little sooner than you’d planned.’
Kathy was so shocked that her eyes bulged. ‘D-David?’ she spluttered. ‘No … I haven’t told him and I’m not going to.’
Sunday looked confused as she placed the wicker basket full of vegetables she had just lifted from Cissie’s garden on the table. ‘But of course he’ll have to know. It isn’t something that you’ll be able to hide for much longer, is it?’
‘But you don’t understand.’ Kathy shook her head. ‘I don’t want to tell him … and there will be no wedding!’
‘Now come along,’ Sunday said coaxingly. ‘He deserves to know. We all know that he’d marry you like a shot if you’d only say the word. Let’s face it, you could do a lot worse. He’s a doctor with a wonderful career in front of him and he’s clearly mad about you. What more could you ask for?’
‘But I don’t love him,’ Kathy said dully as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. And then, before Sunday could say another word, she clutched the towel even more tightly about her and left the room, leaving Sunday standing there looking stunned.
‘It’s a pity she didn’t think of that before she allowed him to make love to her,’ she muttered with a shake of her head. ‘And what will become of her and the baby now if she refuses to marry him?’ When no answer to her question was forthcoming, she sat staring into space in silence save for the ticking of the old grandfather clock that they had brought from Treetops, which now ticked away the hours and minutes in the small entrance hall.
It was late the following afternoon as Kathy was about to finish her shift when David caught up with her in the foyer of the hospital. ‘Ah, here you are,’ he greeted her. ‘I’ve been looking for you all day. I thought we might go to the pictures this evening. Do you fancy it?’
Knowing how much she was about to hurt him, Kathy lowered her eyes. ‘Actually … I’ve got a bit of a headache,’ she muttered. And then mustering every ounce of courage she had she gently took his elbow and drew him into a corner, where they couldn’t be observed. ‘To be honest I’ve been meaning to have a word with you for some time now …’
Seeing the look on her face his smile faded and he had the horrible feeling that he was about to hear something that he wasn’t going to like.
‘The thing is,’ she rushed on before her nerve failed her. ‘I don’t think we should see each other anymore. Only at work, of course. Our relationship isn’t going anywhere and—’
‘But that’s down to you!’ he said angrily. ‘You must know by now that I love you, Kathy? I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d have me.’
It almost broke her heart when she glanced up to see the confusion and hurt on his face, but she was determined now. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said gently. ‘But I don’t love you, David.’
‘But you could if you’d only let yourself,’ he argued. He loved her far too much to let her go without a fight.
She shook her head, knowing now that it was time to be honest with him. ‘I think you should know that I’m … I’m going to have a baby.’
‘You’re what?’ He stepped back as if she had physically struck him and without waiting for him to say a word she turned and quietly walked away, leaving him standing there feeling as if his whole world had come crashing down about his ears.
Chapter Sixteen
‘So, I think it’s time we had a talk … don’t you?’ Sunday dabbed at her mouth with a crisp, white napkin. She and Kathy were eating their evening meal alone as Livvy – who still had no idea what was going on – had gone skating with her friends from work.
It had been two weeks since Sunday had discovered that Kathy was going to have a child and she had not mentioned it once – not that she’d had much opportunity to. Kathy had been avoiding her like the plague, locking herself away in her room when she wasn’t at work, and despite the lodge being small they had barely been in the same room together for longer than a few minutes. She had been hoping that Kathy would tell her what was going on, but as she had made no attempt to, Sunday had decided that as they had the house to themselves it was the ideal time to discuss the situation.
‘What do you want to talk about?’ Kathy’s face was blank as she pushed the food about her plate.
‘I would have thought, given the circumstances, that was fairly obvious.’
Kathy shrugged. She had known this was coming and, in a way, it was a relief to get it all out in the open. ‘There’s not much to say really. I’m going to have a baby – end of story,’ she said bluntly. ‘But if you want me to leave—’
‘Of course I don’t want you to leave!’ Sunday interrupted, horrified. ‘I just need to know what you … and David are going to do about it. I notice he hasn’t been around for a couple of weeks?’
‘We’ve finished. We’re not seeing each other anymore,’ Kathy informed her, and Sunday looked shocked.
‘Finished? Do you mean to tell me he won’t stand by you? Why … that’s awful. I can’t believe he—’
‘Mum, if you must know it was me that ended it. It … it isn’t his baby.’ There, it was said, and Kathy was glad it was out in the open at last. Not that she had any intention of telling Sunday who the father was – not ever. ‘So now you know, I repeat, do you want me to leave?’
Sunday’s shoulders sagged but she slowly shook her head. ‘No, but if the baby isn’t David’s then whose is it?’
‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.’
‘Is it some other doctor from the hospital? Or perhaps you’ve got yourself involved with a married man who can’t stand by you. Is that it?’
‘As I said, I can’t tell you.’
Sunday sat back for a moment trying to digest this news, but then she shrugged. ‘In that case we shall care for the baby,’ she said firmly. Kathy had been foolish, just as her mother before her had been, but Sunday loved her far too much to turn her back on her. As she thought back to the night Kathy had been born and her mother and twin brother had died, she prayed history wasn’t about to repeat itself.
‘You do realise that if I stay there will be gossip?’ Kathy warned.
‘So?’ Sunday’s eyes flashed. ‘You know what my mother always used to say, “While the gossips are talking about you, they’re leaving some other poor devil alone.”
And after what’s happened to us recently, what do I care? I’ve no doubt they’ve had a field day, but it isn’t so bad living here, is it?’
In truth, things were working out far better than she had hoped. Mr Willerby was a true gentleman. He had even invited her to tea on a couple of occasions, but as yet she hadn’t been able to bring herself to enter what she still thought of as her home as a guest. The only thing that did trouble her was Livvy’s attitude towards Giles Willerby. She appeared to hate him – and his grandfather, come to that – with a vengeance, but then Sunday supposed she would have felt the same about anyone who had bought her former home. She was still angry at Ben too, which Sunday thought was pointless. What was done was done. There could be no going back so she just wished Livvy would try and get on with things and accept their new life. And now suddenly there was to be another little person joining their family and come what may Sunday was determined to make the best of it.
Cissie showed no surprise at all the next day when Sunday confided to her about Kathy’s forthcoming baby.
‘I’ve had me suspicions fer a while,’ she admitted. ‘But the way yer have to look at it, it ain’t the end o’ the world. She ain’t the first to find ’erself in this position an’ she certainly won’t be the last! Is the baby David’s?’
Sunday sighed as she gazed towards the window. ‘She says it isn’t. To be honest, she won’t even discuss it so we may never know.’
‘Aw well, there’s enough of us to look after the little soul,’ Cissie responded matter-of-factly and Sunday could have hugged her. Cissie was never judgemental, which was just one of the many things she loved about her.
A month later, Kathy was working on one of the wards when a young student nurse approached her to tell her, ‘Nurse Branning, Matron would like to see you in her office.’
Kathy’s heart sank. She had been expecting this for a while now. It was getting harder by the day to disguise her swollen stomach, so after tucking the blankets about the patient in the bed and giving the girl a smile, she straightened, rubbed her hands down her apron and with her chin held high headed for Matron’s office.
‘Ah … Nurse Branning.’ Matron looked mildly embarrassed. She was a middle-aged woman who was known to be firm but fair and Kathy had nothing but respect for her. ‘I, er … don’t quite know how to broach this,’ she said haltingly. ‘But I was wondering … is there anything you would like to talk to me about?’
Kathy took a deep breath. This was it then, the end of her nursing career, for now at least, yet she was almost relieved to get everything out into the open.
‘There is actually,’ she admitted. ‘I was going to come and see you anyway to tell you that I’m expecting a baby, round about the end of September.’
‘I see.’ Matron steepled her fingers and tapped away at her bottom lip as if she was wondering how to respond. Kathy Branning was developing into one of her finest nurses and she would be greatly missed. But she had no option but to dismiss her. What example would it set to the other nurses if she allowed her to stay on? A young, unmarried, pregnant woman? It was common knowledge that, until quite recently, she and young Dr Deacon had been seeing each other. Now that she came to think about it, they seemed to have been avoiding each other recently and she briefly wondered if the baby was his, not that it was any of her business, of course, she silently reminded herself. What the nurses did in their spare time was up to them up to a point, but she did have the reputation of the hospital to consider and gossip like this would spread like wildfire once Kathy’s condition became common knowledge.
‘It’s all right, Matron,’ Kathy said suddenly. She almost felt sorry for the woman, knowing what a predicament she was putting her in. ‘I am quite happy to resign my position as of today.’
Matron had to stifle a sigh of relief. She had been dreading having to dismiss the young woman. ‘Then your resignation is accepted, nurse,’ she said stiffly, and then on a kinder note, ‘but I do hope you will consider coming back in the future? You are a good nurse and it would be a great shame to see your talent go to waste.’
‘Thank you, Matron.’ Kathy rose from her seat and after inclining her head she turned and left the woman’s office with as much dignity as she could muster, although inside she was crying. Outside the door she leaned heavily against the wall for a moment.
Oh, Ben, where are you? she wondered. You should be here to see your baby born!
At that moment, David hurried round the corner holding some patient notes. When he spotted Kathy, he paused for just a second, nodded and hurried on his way.
She watched him go. They had deliberately kept out of each other’s way since she had told him about the baby, and she had been mildly surprised to find that she missed him. They had always got on well and, while she didn’t have any romantic feelings for him, she had enjoyed his company. Rumour had it that he had recently been seen out with one of the other nurses and Kathy had scolded herself when she discovered that she actually felt a little jealous. But it was done now. With a sigh she went to collect her things from the staff room before making her way home.
Thankfully no one there was judging her. Even Livvy had taken the news of the baby well and seemed to be looking forward to having a little niece or nephew to spoil. At that moment she felt the child inside her move and her hand instinctively dropped protectively to her stomach. She was halfway through her pregnancy already and she suddenly realised with a little jolt that as yet she hadn’t got a single thing ready for the baby. But I will now that I don’t have to work, she promised herself, and in a slightly better frame of mind she hurried away.
Back at the lodge Sunday had just put the kettle on for a morning tea break when there was a tap at the door and, on opening it, she found John Willerby standing on the step with his hat in his hand.
‘Ah, Mr Willerby, won’t you come in?’ She held the door wide for him to step past her.
He grinned. ‘How many times do I have to tell you, it’s John?’ There was a sparkle in his eye, and she felt herself blush.
‘Sorry I just …’ She shrugged. ‘I suppose we do know each other well enough to be on first name terms now so John it is, and you must call me Sunday.’
‘It would be my pleasure.’
‘Good, then would you like to join me for tea? I was just about to make a pot, as it happens.’
He gave a gracious little bow and followed her into the kitchen just as the kettle on the hob began to sing. ‘Now that is what I call timing.’
She smiled as she spooned tea leaves into the pot and tipped the boiling water over them before placing the tea cosy over it and leaving it to mash.
‘And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?’ She ushered him towards a chair and sat down opposite him, suddenly noticing that he seemed rather ill at ease.
‘The thing is … I, er … I don’t quite know how to put this, so I’ll just come straight out with it. Have you noticed that Giles and Livvy are not getting on? I wondered if he had perhaps done something to offend her? He swore he hadn’t when I asked him, but they seem to be at each other’s throats every time they meet.’
Sunday looked very uncomfortable as she fiddled with the fringe on the chenille tablecloth. ‘In fairness I rather think this has more to do with Livvy than Giles,’ she admitted. On the few occasions she had spoken to the young man he had always been very polite.
When John raised a questioning eyebrow she rushed on, ‘I think it’s because … Treetops was Livvy’s home from the day she was born and she loves every inch of the place so I’m afraid she rather resents seeing someone else living there.’
‘I see.’ He stroked his chin thoughtfully and sighed. ‘Then I’m afraid there isn’t a lot you or I can do to improve the situation, is there? Apart from hope that she comes to terms with things in time, that is. But I would like her to know, and yourself and Kathy of course, that you are all more than welcome to visit any time you like. Speaking of which, I’d greatly enjoy it if you’d com
e to dinner next Thursday evening. Mr Dixon and his wife are coming, and I do so hate being the odd one out. You’d be doing me an enormous favour if you agreed to come, if only to make up the numbers.’
‘Then in that case I accept,’ Sunday agreed with a smile. It would be the first time she’d been in the house since they’d moved out, but she couldn’t avoid it forever. And John had been so kind, it felt rude to keep refusing his invitations.
Chapter Seventeen
‘I don’t know, it makes yer wonder what the world is comin’ to,’ Cissie grumbled as she sat in the small garden of the lodge with Sunday one sunny Sunday afternoon in early August browsing through the newspaper. It was a beautiful day with white powder-puff clouds floating across a clear, blue sky. She worked five mornings a week now at Treetops and often came over for a chat with Sunday in the afternoons. ‘It’s made a mockery o’ the monarchy since Edward married that American, Wallis Simpson.’
Sunday smiled. They had heard nothing else since the month before when the marriage had taken place in France. ‘An’ now my George reckons trouble is brewin’ abroad. He says he won’t be surprised if it don’t end in a war.’
‘Surely not,’ Sunday answered with a worried frown. It wasn’t the first time George had prophesied war. ‘How could the trouble abroad possibly affect us?’
Cissie shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea, but that’s what my George reckons an’ he’s usually pretty up on world affairs. He reads every newspaper he can get his hands on from cover to cover every single night.’
Just then Kathy waddled into the garden holding her back. She still had about another seven weeks before she was due, but she was so enormous that Sunday was on edge. Especially every time she thought back to what had happened to Kathy’s mother.
‘Phew, this heat is killing me,’ Kathy complained as she flopped heavily onto a chair beside them and swatted a wasp away. ‘And just look at my ankles,’ she groaned. ‘They’re like balloons.’
Time to Say Goodbye Page 10
