A Country Affair (8 page)

“Lynne! Lynne! Can you come, please?” Kate shouted, and eventually, at a pace more suited to a summer’s afternoon stroll, Lynne appeared.

“What’s up?”

“What’s up?” Kate was on the brink of giving her a piece of her mind, but just then Miss Chillingsworth came back clutching her bag. She waited until peace was restored and handed the money to Kate.

“I’ll give you a receipt in just a moment.”

“Don’t worry, my dear. Please. I want to get home. Cherub must be tired.”

“I’d much rather . . .”

“Not at all.”

“Well, I’m on first thing tomorrow, so . . .”

“Good night, dear. And thank you. Tell Mr. Murgatroyd.” Miss Chillingsworth trotted out with her cat, waving cheerily to Kate. “I’m full of hope for tomorrow.”

Kate didn’t have her confidence. She wrote “Miss Chillingsworth” on the envelope and put the money in a drawer under some papers until she had a moment to open the safe, which had to be done when two of them were free to do so.

The evening dragged its feet and by the time the last client had gone, Kate was exhausted. Home, a meal and bed was all she could think about and then she remembered Adam was collecting her.
Blast.
She heard Graham and Valentine talking about the meal Valentine’s wife had planned for the two of them, and Lynne and the two Sarahs agreeing to go to the Fox and Grapes.

Seeing a way of avoiding a whole evening chewing over Adam’s plan of marrying her and dumping his mother on her, Kate asked, “Could I join you there? Would you mind?”

Sarah Two looked at her and smiled. “Why not? The more the merrier.”

“The only thing is Adam will be with me; do you mind?”

“Not at all. Lynne’s dragging her two brothers out with her, so we’ll make a night of it. It’ll be fun.”

“Thanks.”

I
N
fact, the evening that Kate had dreaded but had hoped to rescue by giving Adam no chance to talk about their future turned into a complete disaster. First, Adam hadn’t wanted to join them all, but Kate had insisted. Lynne’s brothers teased Adam mercilessly but in a very subtle way so that they were partway through the evening before Kate even realized what they were up to.

Finally, she made a move to leave while the night was still young.

“Don’t go; the party’s just getting going,” Lynne protested.

“I don’t intend to sit here to watch Adam on the receiving end of your brothers’ sarcasm. He’s been very patient so far, but that’s it. I’ve had enough.”

Eyebrows raised in surprise, Lynne pretended innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“If you don’t, they do.” Kate turned to the two young men and said, “I think your behavior has been childish in the extreme. It’s about time you grew up and learned good manners. Good night.”

She stormed out, followed by Adam, who had not recognized what they were up to. Kate, now thoroughly upset because she could hear the two of them laughing as they left the bar, turned the wrong way in the car park and had to ask Adam where his car was.

“It’s over there on the other side. I thought they were interested in what I did. They kept asking questions.”

“Oh, they did; they were just leading you on. Didn’t you see that? They are absolutely so arrogant. They think your job’s the biggest joke ever.”

“Joke? But it isn’t; it’s important. What do they do, then?”

“They both work in the City at something exotic, which means they earn thousands and thousands a year. They were both at Oxford and think themselves exceedingly superior. Which in my opinion they most certainly are not.”

Adam unlocked his Toyota. “I see.”

“Drive me home.”

“But they kept asking me questions about what my job involved.”

Kate sighed. “Honestly Adam, you are dim sometimes. They were mocking you. Couldn’t you tell?”

“No.” He crashed the gears, which made him wince. “I don’t understand why they wanted to do it to me.”

“Well, you wouldn’t, would you.” She shut her lips tight for fear she might tell him why. They’d set out to humiliate him because his job in their opinion—and she had to admit sometimes in hers too—was so ridiculously trivial as to be ludicrous and he hadn’t realized it. She should have felt sorry for him, but instead she felt nothing but . . .
Well, go on, then, Kate Howard, what do you feel?
That Adam was a joke? That her own self-worth made her not want to be associated with someone so full of his own importance that he couldn’t recognize blatant mockery? Sorry for him? A bit. But most of all she wanted to laugh. For a little while she smothered her true feelings and then they burst out of her in loud laughter. With her head thrown back, she simply roared.

The more she laughed, the more annoyed Adam became. His driving became erratic and finally he pulled into a turnout at the side of the road, switched off the engine and folded his arms.

Kate had to stop out of consideration for Adam. The first thing she did when finally she could speak was to apologize. “I’m so sorry, Adam. I don’t know why I laughed. I shouldn’t have done, but I did. Those two arrogant, pompous . . . Who do they think they are.”

“I did say you shouldn’t go to work at that place. I think you should give in your notice. In fact, I insist.”

“You do?”

“Oh yes!”

“You’re on thin ice telling me what to do.” It was too dark for Adam to see her face. If he could have he would have noticed that her lips were pressed firmly together.

“But if we are to make a go of it, we ought to make decisions together.”

“But you’ve just
told
me what to do and I won’t be told.”

“It’s for the best if they’re people like that.”

“They don’t work with me; they just happen to be Lynne’s brothers. This is getting nowhere. Drive me home.”

“See here . . .”

“See here nothing. Drive me home. Please.”

“I think there’s one thing that should be understood between us: I’m the man and . . .”

“You are?”

“You’re in a very funny mood tonight.”

Kate turned to look at him. “I think we’d better finish, you and I, don’t you?” Kate caught sight of his face in the headlights of an approaching car and wished to God she hadn’t said what she’d said. “You know, we’re just not on the same wavelength anymore and I think if we cooled it . . . you know . . . for a while . . .”

Adam gripped her forearm hard and pushed his face so close to hers that she could see in minute detail the tiny hairs in his nostrils and the beads of sweat on his upper lip. Taken totally unawares, Kate hadn’t a chance to escape. With his blazing eyes focused on her own she knew real fear for the first time in her life. “What are you doing? Adam! Let me go.”

His grip on her arm tightened. “When I’m good and ready. If anyone is going to say we’re finished, it’ll be me. Not you. You’re mine, my girl. Do you hear? Mine.”

“Let go!” Kate tried to force his fingers from her arm but didn’t succeed. “Please!”

“You were laughing at
me,
weren’t you? Not at them.
Me!”

“I don’t know who I was laughing at. Honestly. Just let go.” His breathing was getting faster and deeper, as though his anger was coming to boiling point. His racing heart was pressed against the arm he held and the pain in it was increasing as fast as the fear in her heart. His other hand grasped her knee and Kate realized her predicament was becoming extremely serious. One wrong move and he’d do something she’d have to live with for the rest of her life.

He squeezed her knee hard.

“Get off me, Adam! What do you think you’re doing? You’re hurting me. Stop it!”

Her anger was inciting him to intimidate her further and she knew she’d have to change her strategy.

“I shan’t ask you to go out with them again. You’re right, as always; we won’t bother with them anymore.” His grip relaxed slightly. “They’re not worth it.” He relaxed a little more. “They’re cheap little nobodies, that’s what, and not even amusing. I should have listened to you. You’ve more wisdom in your little finger than . . .” She reached up as though to stroke his hair. Catching him off guard, she took her chance. The chill night air hit her as she leaped in one swift movement out of the car and without stopping ran up the impossibly steep embankment onto the level bit at the top, then pelted hell for leather toward the chain of lights that she knew was Sainsbury’s car park. For one blind, panicking moment she thought she heard Adam’s footsteps behind her, but she was wrong. It was only his voice calling demandingly, “Kate! Kate! Kate! Come here!”

Mia always insisted she have a phone card on her and Kate thanked her lucky stars that she did. “Dad! Dad!”

“Kate?”

“Dad! I’m at Sainsbury’s, you know, the twenty-four-hour one. Can you come to pick me up? I’ll wait in the main entrance.”

“What the blazes are you doing there at this time of night? Have you broken down?”

“No. Just come. I’ll explain.” Gerry caught the panic in her as she began to make a mewing sound, too frightened now to speak.

“All right. All right. Calm down. Stay in the entrance where there’re lights and somebody about. Ten minutes. Right.”

S
HE
fell into Mia’s comforting arms and wept. “I’m being stupid, Mia, I know I am, but I’m so frightened. He’s not himself at all.”

“There, there, love, you’re all right now. Mia’s got you. Let’s go, Gerry. You can tell me all about it when we get home.”

“Been trying it on, has he?”

“Gerry!”

“Might as well be honest about it. Well, has he?”

“No.”

“That’s all right, then.”

“Sometimes, Gerry Howard, you need to engage your brain before you speak. There, love, calm down now. Here’s another tissue, look.”

“I don’t know him anymore. He’s gone mad.”

The brandy her dad poured for her when they got home calmed her fear and Kate explained to them both why she’d had to ring. “He went completely berserk. I should never have laughed, but it struck me as so funny that anyone could sit there all that time and never realize those chaps were having him on. He’s so full of his own importance, the stupid man.”

“Let me see your arm.” Mia turned to Gerry. “He’s bruised her arm. Just look at that bruise!” Gerry caught Mia’s eye and frowned. Not a word passed between them, but each knew what the other was thinking.

“Listen to me, my girl.” Gerry learned forward and took Kate’s hand in his. “If he rings and wants you to meet him somewhere, you agree so’s not to anger him, but
don’t go.
Come home and tell Mia or me, and we’ll stay at home with you. You’re not to go with him anywhere at all, and if he’s waiting outside the practice when you finish work, go back in and get that nice Mrs. Bastable to help. First thing tomorrow when I’m on the road I’m getting you a mobile phone.”

“Dad! There’s no need. When it came to it, Adam wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Oh, really? Well, I say there is. If there’s much more trouble with him, I shall go to the police.”

“No. No. Don’t do that! There truly is no need. It’s just me being daft.”

Gerry pushed back her jumper sleeve and pointed to the bruising. “Being daft? You say he loves you? Huh! You’ve heard what I’ve said and I mean it. Now, bed, with a couple of Mia’s herbal thingamajigs to help you sleep.”

Chapter
5

I
n the cold light of day, Kate decided she’d panicked unnecessarily and that she’d made a complete idiot of herself over Adam. Her dad gave her a kiss as he left that morning and told her to be on red alert when he got back because he’d have her new phone with him. “There’s no need, honestly, Dad.”

“Can’t a dad buy his daughter a present now and again?”

“OK, then, and I shall be glad of it.”

Mia waved Gerry off to work and came back in to sit with Kate while she ate her breakfast. She poured Kate a fresh cup of tea and asked her if she wanted more toast.

“Yes, I will. Are you eating this morning?”

“Don’t feel like it.”

“Mia, you must. You’re not worrying about me, are you? I’m all right now. I’ve come to my senses this morning, got things in proportion, you know. Come on, have this other slice of mine; I only need one.”

“All right, then. I will.”

“I’ve got to hurry; I don’t want to be late.”

“You enjoy it, don’t you?”

“Yes. Miss Chillingsworth’s bringing Cherub in this morning. She’s such a dear old thing and so worried about her cat. When you haven’t got a pet of your own, you don’t realize how much people care about them till you see them in tears.”

Mia patted her arm. “Don’t take it too much to heart, will you, or you’ll spend all your veterinary career weeping.”

“What career?” Kate had to laugh. “You’re right, there’s no room for tears, is there?”

“I bet that Scott gets upset over things.”

“I believe he does.”

“He’s a nice chap.”

Kate giggled. “He is; women eat out of his hand.”

“Given half a chance, so would I.” They both giggled with mouths full of toast.

“I’m off.”

K
ATE
parked her car in her usual place, picked up her bag, got out and as she locked the car, she glanced up at the hills and drew in a deep breath. This weekend she’d go walking—with weather like this, who could resist? There was a slight mist at the peak of Beulah Bank Top. Other than that, it was as clear as clear, looking out across the hills. The wind was slightly blustery but pleasant. Kate dropped her car key, bent down to retrieve it and as she straightened up, caught sight of the mawkish purple of Adam’s car, all by itself at the top of the car park, where the staff never needed to park.

If she’d been electrocuted, she couldn’t have felt greater physical fear. Her scalp prickled and her hair felt as if it stood on end. She staggered to the safety of reception as best she could. Halfway there it occurred to her that he might already be inside, for she was certain he wasn’t sitting in the car. Or was he? Should she look? She glanced briefly over her shoulder. He didn’t appear to be. Joy! Joy was on duty this morning. Joy.

She pushed open the glass door and called out to her, “Has anyone been asking for me?”

Joy looked up. “No. Should they be?”

“No, not really. There’s no one been here, then?”

“No, definitely not. I’m the only one here. My dear, what’s the matter?”

“To be honest, it’s just me being ridiculous.” Nevertheless, she went into the laundry room, which gave her a view of the car park, and Adam’s car wasn’t there. She was definitely going mad. How could she be so stupid? What on earth would he be doing at this side of town at this time in the morning when his office was seven miles out on the other side? Come to that, though, what was he doing in town yesterday, having what he called a late lunch? Being paranoid about time, he would never take the risk of driving so far and back and eating lunch all in an hour. She must have dreamed his car was there. It couldn’t possibly have been.

As she put on her uniform and sorted out her mind for the day ahead, she remembered Miss Chillingsworth and Miss Chillingsworth’s money. Heavens above, she’d never put it in the safe.

Kate went straight to the drawer where she’d put it for safekeeping, pushed her hand under the papers and couldn’t feel the envelope. The phone rang twice for farm calls before she could get back to searching again. She took all the papers out of the drawer and put them back in one by one. No, the envelope hadn’t slipped between anything at all. It was missing. She stood, looking at the drawer. Had she got the right one? Yes, she had. Had she and Lynne put it in the safe and she’d forgotten? The moment Lynne came out of the loo she’d ask her.

“I don’t know anything about any money. We certainly didn’t put it in the safe. I would have remembered. Sorry.”

Joy, watering the plants on the windowsills, overheard and asked what money they were talking about.

Now very worried about the whole incident, Kate went across to Joy to explain what had happened.

“You shouldn’t have accepted the money, you know, Kate.”

“I know that; I was only trying to help. She was worried that Graham wouldn’t do all he could for fear of embarrassing her about the money. Which I don’t think she has, really. I think she’s short but can’t bear the thought of losing Cherub. She only wanted us to know the money was
there.”

Joy emptied the watering can on the last plant, tested the soil with her fingers and said after a moment, “Well, now it isn’t. We have a golden rule, you see. Any money taken during the day must be entered and accounted for
on that day.
Otherwise, with different people being on duty we’d get into no end of a mess. Lynne should have done the sheet last night before she left and that hundred pounds should have been on it.”

“I know, but we were so busy we could have done with three of us on. She did do the sheet, but of course the hundred pounds wasn’t on it.”

“You did it with the best of intentions, I know, but I shall have to report it. You’ve thoroughly searched the drawers?”

“I’ve searched the one I put it in, yes.”

“Had everything out?”

Kate nodded.

“Say nothing at all to Miss Chillingsworth. She’s brought Cherub, has she?”

“No, which is surprising because she promised to be here at eight.”

“That’s odd. Leave it with me. I’ll tell Mungo in my own time, but it’ll have to be today.”

Kate had to say the words she didn’t want to have to say: “I haven’t stolen it; I promise you that.”

Joy looked her in the face, frankly and openly. “You don’t need to say that to me, my dear. I know that. You’re as honest as the day is long.”

“Thank you. I’m so sorry about it and if it doesn’t turn up, I’ll find the money, because it was my responsibility.”

“That’s a very fair offer, but I can’t accept it. You haven’t worked here a month yet, so I know for a fact you haven’t received a penny in salary.”

“Yes, but my granny Howard left me some money in her will and I got it this week, so by coincidence it isn’t a problem.”

Joy patted her arm. “Leave it with me.”

One by one the two Sarahs and Lynne were called into Joy’s office for a discussion about the missing money. Hidden away in the accounts office, Kate was in anguish fretting and fussing over it, thinking of all the possibilities of where it could have gone. When she heard Mungo’s footsteps coming down the stairs from the flat, her heart sank. It could mean her instant dismissal and she didn’t want that.

Joy called out, “Mungo! Have you a minute?” Joy’s office door was briskly snapped to and Kate knew her fate hung in the balance.

“G
OOD
morning, Joy. What’s up? Can’t be long, my first appointment’s in ten minutes and I’ve still got the notes to read up.”

“Sit down. Won’t keep you two minutes.”

Mungo folded his long body into a chair and waited. Loving him hopelessly, as she had for twenty years, Joy still experienced an instant explosion of happiness when she saw him. Was it his lean, intelligent face, his perfectly beautiful large brown eyes under their heavy brows, his handsome head of thick, well-cut black hair, or simply his lovableness that enraptured her?

“Yes?”

“Sorry. We have a problem. One hundred pounds has disappeared.” He listened gravely while Joy told him the whole story.

“Kate was trying to help, you see.”

“Help? Surely she knew our rules.”

“Of course, but she thought about efficiency well larded with compassion and it was the compassion that won.”

“She should have had more sense, a girl with her intelligence.”

“We are shorthanded at the moment, Mungo, as you well know. She’s new and was doing her best to cope.”

“New or not she should have known better.”

“And hurt Miss Chillingsworth?”

“The very least she could have done was to put it in the safe.”

“Exactly. I know that. I’ve interviewed the others and they claim no knowledge of the incident. Lynne was there when Kate put it in the drawer, but it doesn’t mean she saw her do it and it doesn’t mean she didn’t. As I say, they were very busy last night.”

“So what does Kate propose to do about it?”

“She’s offered to pay back the money.”

“Hm.”

“Well?”

“She’ll have to be dismissed. Today.”

An angry flush flooded Joy’s cheeks and she exploded with temper. “Oh no, she won’t. I won’t have it. She’s the best girl we’ve employed in years. Efficient, caring, quick to learn, enthusiastic, hardworking; I don’t want to lose her. I know, positively know, she isn’t the kind who would steal. In any case, I have her word on that and I believe her. We’re short enough as it is. Bunty isn’t back until next week and we’re still one receptionist short. If you’re prepared to do the accounts . . .”

“You’ll cope.”

“I won’t.”

“I can’t spirit new staff out of the air.”

“I don’t expect you to; that’s my job. I’ve only informed you because I must. You’ve always left the staffing to me. Anyway, I wasn’t asking for your advice, simply telling you what had happened.”

“So . . . I still say she should be dismissed.”

Joy tried a different tactic. “I’ve worked for you for twenty years and striven always to do my best through thick and thin, but if you insist on Kate’s dismissal, then you’ll have to dismiss me too.”

Mungo looked at her, eyebrows raised in amazement. “You too? What do you mean? We can’t manage without you. You know everything there is to know about this practice.”

“I’m not a permanent fixture here, you know, I am free to go if I wish.”

“But you wouldn’t leave me!”

“Wouldn’t I just! Might be the best move I’ve made in years. Better for all concerned. Fresh start. Break the old ties. I’ll go to the practice in the High Street. I understand they could do with some help since we’ve opened up here.”

Mungo was lost for words.

“I know why you’re taking this stance. I saw what you saw when Kate looked up and smiled at you when she was stroking Perkins. She brings back too many memories for you, doesn’t she? Dismissing her would be a good way of ridding yourself of the problem.”

“You’re being bloody stupid, Joy, or more likely bloodyminded. Sometimes you lose your sense of proportion, you know, always have done at moments of crisis.” He stood up and turned away from her to look out of the window, aware he’d been more rude to her than he had ever been and knowing she was right about Kate: That look she had given him at the lunch had rocked the boat and no mistake.

“Well, there’s been plenty of moments of crisis working for you, believe me.” As an afterthought and between clenched teeth she snapped, “And don’t you dare swear at me.”

Mungo recognized the fury in Joy’s voice and knew he’d gone too far. He held up a placatory hand. “I’m sorry, love. Truly sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my temper and I shouldn’t have sworn. I won’t tolerate theft, though. We have to be seen to take steps. React in whatever way you think fit. I’ll leave it to you. Must go.” He opened the door, then looked back at her and smiled as only Mungo could. “I’m sorry. You know? Friends?”

Her anger at his attitude melted away at his smile and she said, “Friends.”

She could hear him greeting his clients and their dog, using all his charm to ease their anxiety and succeeding, for the clients were eating out of his hand before the had even reached the consulting room. Joy smiled a little grimly at the way all his clients worshipped the ground he walked on. No wonder, though, because he was immensely good at his job. However, he couldn’t solve her present crisis, could he, for all his charm and talent?

A
T
lunchtime Joy issued an ultimatum. If the missing money was back in the drawer by the time they closed the cash sheet for the night, then nothing more would be said. She knew she was avoiding the main issue entirely and that, in fact, it solved nothing, but at the moment it was all she could come up with.

During the afternoon Miss Chillingsworth was discovered by Kate sitting quietly in the reception area, having made no one aware of her arrival. “Why, Miss Chillingsworth, you’ve come. I’ll tell Mr. Murgatroyd.”

Her tear-stained face told Kate all. “Oh no! Oh, dear, I am sorry.”

“In the night.”

“What happened . . . do you know?”

“I am sorry. In the night I woke up and had this dreadful feeling inside. I went downstairs to the kitchen and there she was. She’d struggled out of her basket by the stove—she always sleeps there: it’s warm all night, you see—and was lying on the floor, breathing all funny, and I picked her up and loved her, and she died as I held her.” Tears rolled down her face.

Kate took a clean tissue from her pocket and offered it to Miss Chillingsworth, but she was too overcome to notice, so Kate gently wiped away her tears for her. “What a lovely way for her to go, though, in your arms. That must have been so comforting for her.”

“She looked up at me as if she knew, just knew it was all over. Seventeen years we’ve been together, the two of us. I’m not going to be able to go back into the house and find her not there, but I had to let you know because you were expecting me.”

“Well, that was kind of you, to come to tell us. A cup of tea. How does that sound?”

“Thank you, dear. Yes, that would be nice.”

Kate told Graham and he came out of his consulting room to see her. “Miss Chillingsworth, let’s go in the back and you can tell me all about it.”