The Fairbairn Girls (29 page)

Laura sank on to a chair, shaking her head in disbelief. ‘Walter, I don’t think you realize the trail of utter chaos you leave in your wake. I don’t even think you know how much you’ve hurt people. There are times when you take to drink that you become another person.’

‘You were in love with me when it suited you,’ he grumbled resentfully.

‘That’s true, but I’d never have married you if I’d realized there was another side to you,’ she admitted with a touch of sadness. ‘If you think I can forget all about losing our home and every single possession we ever had, which left me with Caroline and only enough money to get two train tickets to travel the short distance to come here, otherwise we’d have been on the
streets
. . .’ her voice rose in anguish, ‘then you’re completely in denial about the reality of life. Diana and Robert have saved Caroline and me from the workhouse!’

‘But I’m all right now. It won’t happen again, I promise you.’ Laura covered her face with her hands in utter exasperation. ‘You say that every time, Walter. You promise you’ll never touch alcohol again, but you always do. Now you’ve squandered every penny and there’s nothing left. We had everything when we were first married but you’ve neglected your affairs, spent money like water and ended up bankrupt. What do you think that has done to Caroline? To watch the bailiffs throw her toys into a van? To come here with only the clothes we’re standing in?’

‘I can’t help it.’ He sounded like a lost soul.

She fought back the tears. ‘And I can’t help you.’

‘Can I see Caroline?’

‘Not today. It’s too soon and it would make her very unsettled. I’ll bring her over to Rowena’s at some point; you can see her then.’

Walter stood up abruptly and she saw the tears in his eyes as he turned away and charged out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Laura wiped away her own tears. It was time she went back to dressmaking professionally so she could support herself and Caroline. There was no other way.

Diana raised her eyebrows when she heard about Laura’s decision. ‘Dressmaking?’

‘It’s the only thing I can do. Caroline and I can’t stay with you and Robert for ever. I’m going to have to earn money. Caroline has to be educated and given a chance in life, and Walter isn’t going to be able to provide that. I’m going to have to bring her up on my own.’ She spoke with sudden confidence. Seeing Walter again had made her realize she was the stronger of the two.

Diana looked appalled. The idea of having a husband who didn’t provide for his wife and children was unthinkable. ‘How will you manage? You must live with us, Laura. You can always work from here if you want to do some dressmaking and Nanny can look after Caroline while you’re sewing, but you can’t possibly fend for yourself.’

‘You sound like Mama,’ Laura pointed out. ‘I have two options. I can ask Helen if I can join her in business; that is if she’d have me. Or I can get the bank to lend me some money so I can start from scratch.’

‘How can you be so brave? You’ve just lost everything, Laura.
Everything!
You’re destitute, darling. Don’t you understand?’

Laura nodded. ‘I don’t need you of all people to rub it in. I know none of you thought I should rush into marriage with Walter, and you were right.’

Seeing Diana’s sympathetic expression, she continued, ‘I’m not the first woman to be left destitute! I’ll get back on my feet. I started my own business before and I can do it again.’

Diana looked pained. ‘You were on your own then, with no one but yourself to think about, knowing you could always go back to Lochlee if the worst happened.’

‘I’ll never forget the ghastliness of what happened and I don’t know if I can forgive Walter, but I do know that life must go on, if only for Caroline’s sake. It’s made me more determined than ever to rebuild my life. I promise you, Di, I’ll make a success of my business all over again.’ Laura held her sister’s gaze, her eyes full of resolve. She was ready to face the future, no matter what It might hold.