A Country Affair (22 page)

“I’m sorry too. But we don’t know for certain it was his, do we?”

“No. But . . . I reckon it was, knowing Bunty and knowing Scott.”

“But we don’t
know.
”

“You’re saying that because you don’t
want
to believe it.‘”

Kate took on board what Stephie had said and quietly went away, disconcerted by how upset she was at how close to the truth Stephie had come.

Then she remembered how handsome Scott was, how attractive, how much she loved the touch of his hands, his sense of humor, the clowning he did, how dedicated he was to his work . . . and knew in her heart of hearts how transparently honest he was when he said he loved her. He’d always claimed he felt differently about her than any other girl he’d met, and those clear blue eyes of his couldn’t lie, could they? Of course not. He meant every word. Cheered by her own well-reasoned argument, she switched on the computer and began work, knowing that before the day was out, Scott would ring to make arrangements for tonight.

But Scott didn’t ring. Kate found all sorts of possible excuses for him, but pride forbade her to ring him and she spent an agonizing evening.

Chapter
14

T
he following morning it was Joy who received the first intimation of what had happened. On her doormat when she went to get the mail was an envelope addressed to her. She didn’t recognize the writing at first, but when she did, she frowned at the unexpectedness of it. A dreadful suspicion entered her mind. Surely not. Oh no. Surely not. But she bet her bottom dollar that she was right.

“Porridge or cereal?”

That was Duncan calling out to her, but she didn’t answer because she was occupied reading the opening lines of Scott’s letter: “I know you will be surprised.”

Joy flopped down on the kitchen chair. This was just too much. Too much . . . “I have decided to return to Australia on the first available flight.” She read on, seeing only the implications as far as staffing the practice was concerned and nothing more.

I know I should have given you notice of this holiday, but I had a phone call from my dad to say Ma was ill and needing major surgery, so I had to make a decision quick smart. Hopefully, I shall be back once Mother has recovered. Sorry, Joy, for putting the staffing situation in jeopardy. Will keep in touch.

Joy flung the letter down on the kitchen table and put her head in her hands. “I just don’t believe what he’s done.”

“Who?”

“Scott. He’s had it away on his toes. Done a runner. Hopped it. He can’t help it. It’s his mother, she’s ill. But all the same.”

“Didn’t he say he was going?”

“Not a word. As far as I knew, he was off yesterday and today, then on call all weekend.”

“He hasn’t made his mother ill on purpose.”

“I know, but I’ve a nasty feeling it will turn permanent, if you know what I mean. He won’t come back; I feel it in my bones. There’s been no sign up until now that he was getting itchy feet. I’ve sensed it before and been prepared—and taken steps—but none of them left quite as precipitately as this.”

Duncan suggested it might be woman trouble and his mother’s illness had given him a valid excuse.

“Surely he hasn’t got someone else pregnant.” She began spooning in cereal, not tasting it but eating out of habit. Then Joy choked and had to cough a lot to clear her throat. “Oh God! It can’t be Kate, can it? With all her high hopes. It’ll ruin things for her. The young devil! If it is, I’ll fly out to Australia myself and have it out with him. Ruining her chances. I’ll kill him!”

“Now, Joy, you don’t know that.”

“He was going to run out on Bunty if the baby had been his, but then she said it wasn’t, so he didn’t. I’m certain it was his, but she’d too much pride to admit it when he declared he wouldn’t stand by her.”

Tears began pouring down Joy’s cheeks and Duncan got up to put an arm around her. “Now come on. This isn’t like you. Go to work and see what the real picture is. Does he mention Kate at all?”

Joy pushed the letter toward him, shaking her head.

Duncan read the apologies, the thanks for all her help, about his enjoyment of working in the practice, and how he’d benefited from the experience and it would stand him in good stead, and how he hoped it wouldn’t cause too much disruption, and how sorry he was for letting her down like this but he’d be back as soon as he could . . . “No, he doesn’t. Maybe there’s a letter at the practice for her. I suggest you ring Mungo right now and warn him. He should shoulder some of the responsibility for the practice. It can’t all be laid at your door. Come on, Joy. Brace yourself.”

Before she left, he said he would come to have lunch with her to cheer her up.

“That’s kind. I don’t suppose that during the course of your misspent youth you qualified as a vet?”

Sadly Duncan had to confess that no he hadn’t, but if wishing . . .

“I’ll see you about twelve, then.”

At the practice, the Land Rover Scott had used was in the car park and on the doormat an envelope with the keys to it and the keys to the flat and a card saying in big letters
SORRY.

Sorry indeed,
thought Joy.
I’d give him sorry if I could lay my hands on him. Sorry! Huh!
At least Kate wasn’t in until lunchtime today, so she had some time in which to pull her thoughts together on how to break the news.

Mungo came down from the flat with Miriam.

“So, Joy, how did all this come about?”

“Don’t look at me; I’m just as surprised as you. No hint, not even an inkling that he was off. I was saying to Duncan before I left I’ve usually spotted when they’ve developed itchy feet and taken steps with the agency, but this . . .”

“But he hasn’t said he’s not coming back, so the big problem is his being on call this weekend.”

“Exactly! He hasn’t
said
he isn’t coming back but reading between the lines, I’m sure as hell he won’t. I’m declaring here and now that over my dead body do we employ another of our itinerant brothers or sisters from the Commonwealth. Never again.”

Miriam interrupted with, “Oh! I don’t know; they certainly add spice to life. He was definitely adding spice to Kate’s life when they got back from that emergency calving at Lord Askew’s. They were kissing very passionately in the Land Rover when I went out to walk Perkins.”

Joy smiled grimly at her. “They were, were they? If he’s done anything to harm Kate, I’ll personally do for him.”

“Look, if it’s any help, I’ll work on reception for you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. I’ve got to give a hand, haven’t I? Can’t let you sink. Would it help?”

“Of course it would; give me a chance to sort the staffing problem.”

Mungo said he intended doing Scott’s weekend on call, so that was covered.

“You two are angels. Thank you very much.”

Miriam linked her arm with Joy’s and said, “I’ll pop out with Perkins first, then I’ll be in. What I can’t understand is why so suddenly, without speaking to anyone? Still, he says he will be back, so it’s only for a short while. He always seemed happy enough.”

“I don’t know. I expect we shall never know.” Unless Kate has the answer, thought Joy.

Miriam kissed Joy and dashed away to collect Perkins for his walk.

T
HE
news of Scott’s departure was the talk of the practice all morning and Joy had to confess to looking forward to having lunch with Duncan to get some respite from it. He appeared at ten minutes to twelve, wanting the keys to the car so he could leave his walking boots in there and change into the smart shoes he’d put in the trunk as Joy was leaving for work.

“Hello, Miriam, they’ve had to call in the support troops, then?”

“Duncan!” She went around the desk and gave him a big hug. “How nice to see you. All hands to the pumps this morning, but your dear wife is close to solving our problem. The agency is sending a temporary around for an interview this afternoon. They’ve faxed his details and he seems very suitable.”

“Excellent.”

“I don’t know how we would manage without her.”

“Is she ready for lunch?”

“Go and see for yourself.”

“Joy! Ready?”

Joy slammed the filing cabinet drawer shut saying, “Get me out of here, quick.”

“You’ll need your coat. It’s cold.”

“Where are we going?”

“The sandwich bar down the road. We’ll walk.”

“I’ll put up with that if you’ll take me somewhere nice tonight. I shall need a bit of cosseting after the day I’ve had.”

“Agreed. There wasn’t a letter for Kate this morning, then?”

Joy shook her head. “I can’t be long. I’ve still got to talk to her. What a shambles. I’m worried sick.”

“Forget it for a while.”

The brand-new, up-to-the-minute chromium and red-leather transformation of the sandwich bar took Joy’s breath away. “This is definitely not how I remember it! It was so shabby before and the name’s changed. Ned’s Diner, no less. You knew, did you?”

“Yes. Thought we’d give the new management a chance.”

“I do like it. Very ‘New York,’ I must say. Do they do anything as mundane as a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with a caffe latte?”

“Let’s see.” Duncan picked up the menu. “They do. They do.” Joy found a seat and Duncan went to order at the counter.

When he came to sit with her, he asked, “So, you haven’t spoken to Kate yet?”

“No, and I must be back before one. Whether she knows or not, I can’t leave her to all the tittle-tattle that’s going on. The walls are bulging with speculation.”

“Complete change of subject. I’ve discovered who my mystery walker is.”

“You have?”

“Yes. He was waiting for me this morning. I knew something had happened because he wasn’t wearing his business suit. He starts Monday in a new job. It’s transformed him.”

“Never mind about the transformation. Who is he? Someone we know?”

“You’ll never guess.” Duncan deliberately paused before he told her. “It’s Adam Pentecost, Kate’s old boyfriend.”

Joy’s face was alight with amazement. “No! Adam Pentecost! Of course. Of course. Why didn’t I realize? Of course it was him. Well?”

“He’s going to work near Weymouth for a company that all but fell on his neck with delight. He is the answer to their prayers, apparently. He’s got an increase in salary and he’s going to look for a flat or a room or something in Weymouth and leave home.”

“Thank heaven for that. It’ll do him a power of good.”

“He hasn’t told his mother he’s moving out yet, though. She could be a big stumbling block.”

“It’s only what she deserves by the sound of it. I’m so pleased. I wonder if Kate knows. Fancy it being Adam! Kate will be pleased. At the very least it will have restored his self-confidence, which he was badly in need of, and it is a plus for her because it will get him off her back. Poor Kate. I feel so sorry for her about Scott’s leaving. I just don’t know how far she felt committed to him. She’d been fending him off for weeks, but I’ve an idea, well, in fact I know that . . .”

“Eat your BLT. Stop worrying about her; young ones have far more resilience than we credit them with. They get very badly hurt, but bounce back much more easily than older people do.”

“Yes, but she’s such a fine girl, I hate to think of her being hurt.”

T
HE
subject of Joy’s concern was at that moment stuck in traffic on her way to work and also thinking about how hurt she felt. He’d never rung and he wasn’t in today, and he was on call all weekend and she couldn’t understand his silence. The phone at his flat was working, she knew, because she’d finally given in and rung him last night. But there’d been no reply to her calls and the answering machine was switched off, which was very odd indeed when he knew perfectly well she’d have gladly lost her all to him the night before last.

The line edged a little nearer to the road works.

After an offer like that how could he now ignore her? But he had. Unless he’d been involved in an accident? Maybe he was lying in a hospital bed somewhere, unconscious. Or worse still, dead. Her mind raced through all the possibilities.

The line moved forward another ten yards.

But he’d have to be around at the weekend because he was on call. That was it. He’d decided to go to visit a friend or something for a couple of days and he’d be back tonight to start his weekend on call. Of course! That was it.

She could see the temporary lights now, at red yet again.

Although he could have let her know. Maybe her offer to make love for the first time in her life had made this free-as-air Aussie feel the leg irons closing around his ankles and he was warning her off with his silence. That was it. She was going too fast for him. What a fool she’d been.

The temporary lights changed to green and she slid forward again.

Too fast for
him
! Whom was she kidding?

This time she got past the road works and was pulling into the car park, unfortunately ten minutes late. And there, parked for all to see, was his Land Rover. He was here! Thank heavens. Her heart leaped into her throat. Waves of vibrant joy surged through her veins. She punched the dashboard with her fist and shouted, “Yes!” Wherever he’d been, he was back. Thank God. The dear, darling man. Despite her overwhelming relief, she decided to be as cool as cool could be in front of him. Not to punish him, no, but to let him know that she, too, knew how to handle a relationship. Oh yes! The thought of him—of smelling his smell; of seeing his bright, approving eyes; hearing his footfall—pushed up her pulse rate and she walked to the back door desperately trying not to look too eager.

Kate deliberately went straight to her office, hung up her coat. Speaking to no one, she switched on the computer and began the end-of-month figures. She’d print them out too before she took one single step toward seeking him out. But she’d been working only about ten minutes when Joy put her head around the door.

“Oh! You’re here.” She closed the door behind her and sat down.

“Look! I’m sorry I was late, but there were road works and it took ages. I’ll set off earlier tomorrow.”

“That’s all right; it happens to the best of us.” Joy studied her face and could see none of the anguish she would have expected to see if Kate had already heard the news. “I had a letter this morning at home.”

“You did?”

“Yes. From Scott.”

Kate’s heart lurched and she hoped Joy hadn’t noticed. “From Scott?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“What about?”

“Well . . .”

“He’s here. Why should he need to write?”

“You haven’t heard from him, have you?”

“No. Should I have?” This curiously stilted conversation felt as though it was turning into the overture to some bad news.

“I would have thought so.” Out of her pocket she took Scott’s letter and handed it to Kate. “Here, this is his letter. Read it.”

“Should I?”

Joy nodded. “Yes, please. It explains something.”

She’d make a good poker player, thought Joy. Her face had gone white, but apart from that there was nothing in Kate’s demeanor to indicate that she’d received a mortal blow. She remained absolutely still, read it through twice, then slowly and neatly folded it and handed it back.

She didn’t speak for almost a minute and then said in a voice not at all like her own, “You can feel underneath what he’s written that he’s not coming back, is he? He was supposed to be on call all weekend.”