A Time of Peace (17 page)

As Jon gazed at the bubbling liquid, he wondered what the devil he was doing here. This wasn't anything to do with him, but he'd been included without a second thought.

‘Quiet everyone,' James said, calling them to order. ‘Kate has something to say and a presentation to make.'

Holding a large envelope in her hand, she moved to stand beside her friend. ‘Pete, you took a big chance when you left the
World Explorer
to stay with me, and by your hard work and enthusiasm this shop is turning into a good business.' She paused. ‘We're also very grateful to you for going to James so quickly before Christmas, and staying with Mum and Dad through that dreadful time. I know your family rely on your salary, and it has worried me very much to realize that you didn't have any job security should things have turned out differently.
My family would have looked after you of course, but I wanted to do something more for you.'

She handed him the envelope and kissed his cheek. ‘Welcome, partner.'

Jon was too busy trying to make sense of Kate's words to notice Pete's reaction. She was talking as if she could have died and left the boy high and dry, but that didn't make sense: she was in perfect health, as far as he could see. He frowned and turned his attention back to the boy, who was nearly in tears as he looked at the document.

Bill raised his glass. ‘Let's drink to Pete and wish him every success in the future.'

Jon sipped his champagne and found Reid standing beside him. ‘What's this all about?' Jon asked.

‘Kate's given Pete a 40 per cent share in the business.'

‘But he's so young!'

‘He'll be twenty this year and has a good business head on his shoulders. Kate wanted to make him secure for the future.'

Jon took another mouthful of his drink. ‘Well, she's certainly done that, but why?' He never received an answer, because Reid moved away.

Pete recovered his composure and began to speak, his voice husky with emotion. ‘I couldn't believe my luck when I was ordered to be Kate's assistant at the paper. She taught me with such patience and didn't laugh when I told her I wanted to be a photographer like her. In fact she gave me a camera and encouraged me to go out to take pictures. I had no hesitation in coming with her when she left the paper. She's often joked with me and called me her partner, but I never expected anything like this.' His voice broke, and he paused to give Kate an
affectionate smile. ‘I'll work hard for the success of our business. Especially now that I really am your partner!'

Laughter and a round of applause followed this last remark, as the glasses were refilled.

Kate came over to Jon and held out her hand. ‘Hello. Pete said you've come for a portrait?'

‘It's for Eddie,' he told her, as Pete joined them.

‘Is that the little boy at the home?' Pete asked.

‘Yes.' Kate gave a fond smile.

‘Why don't you have one taken together, then?' Pete urged. ‘I'm sure Eddie would love a picture of you both.'

‘What a good idea.' Jon took hold of Kate's arm, and they followed Pete into the studio, where all the portraits were taken.

He arranged them sitting side by side. ‘Put your arm around Kate's shoulder, Mr Devlin.'

He did as ordered and said quietly to Kate, ‘Smile for Eddie.'

She did so while the pictures were being taken. When the photography was finished, he stood up, holding out his hand to help her from the chair. What he saw in her eyes in that unguarded moment rocked him back on his heels. It was an emotion he'd seen many times in his line of work.

Kate Freeman was traumatized. Something had happened to her, or someone had hurt her. What was it? He couldn't ask, but he damned well wished he knew.

‘Have you seen these?' Bill slapped two papers on to the garden table. ‘What's our daughter up to? Why's she writing about who's sleeping with whom, and scandals like that? She doesn't need this kind of money.' He gave a weary sigh, sat down and lifted his face to the warm spring sunshine. ‘I don't understand what she's doing, Rose.'

She studied her husband's worried face. He was finding it difficult to understand what Kate was going through. ‘She's coping with the horror of the abduction in the only way she knows. Give her time, Bill.'

He sat up and frowned. ‘What do you mean? That happened three months ago, and she didn't seem terribly distressed once she was released.'

‘She disguises it well, but I understand the turmoil she's experiencing.'

Bill's expression softened. ‘Yes, you would. How long did it take you to come to terms with the attack on you?'

Rose looked thoughtful. ‘I don't think I really did until I married you. As you know, I was only fourteen when I was raped. I was ashamed of myself and somehow felt that it was my fault. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't walked through the park at that time of the evening – I should have fought harder … You know, all things like that. I felt guilty and I believe Kate is suffering in the same way.'

He was leaning forward in his seat. ‘But the situation she found herself in was completely different from yours. She assured us that she wasn't raped, and I believe her. She's never lied to us, Rose. Has she talked to you? Do you have any idea what she's struggling with?'

Rose was well aware that Kate hadn't lied to them, but she hadn't told them the whole truth either. Whatever had really gone on in that room, their daughter was keeping to herself. ‘She hasn't discussed it with me yet, but she will when she's ready. From her attitude and a few unguarded remarks, I'm pretty sure she believes she's a coward.'

He groaned. ‘That isn't right; anyone would have been terrified. But surely reporting and photographing every scandal she can find is not the way to deal with this.'

‘No, it isn't, but we must leave her to find that out in her own time.'

‘Hi.' Kate breezed into the garden and sat next to her father. ‘What a gorgeous day.'

‘You've finished early,' Rose said.

‘It's Susan's birthday, so Pete and I are taking her out for a treat.' Kate's grin was amused. ‘She's turning out to be more than Pete's assistant. I think they're rather attracted to each other.'

‘Are you going to the pictures?' Bill gave his daughter a thoughtful look.

Kate helped herself to a glass of home-made lemonade from the jug on the table. ‘No, we're going to see one of those new groups. Pete says they're great.'

‘If Pete's dating Susan, won't you be in the way?' her father asked.

‘This is my treat, so I'll stay with them for a while and
then come home. Beth and Steve are coming as well.'

‘Isn't it time you found yourself a boyfriend?' Bill asked hopefully.

‘I don't want one at the moment. I'm too busy.' She dismissed the suggestion with a shrug.

‘Doing things like this?' He pointed to the papers on the table, not hiding his distaste.

Kate picked up an evening paper. ‘I'm writing my own articles now as well.'

‘But why are you writing mindless gossip pieces? You've never been interested in that side of journalism. There must be plenty of worth while stories to photograph and write about. Are you proud of this?' Bill asked.

She bent down to stroke a neighbour's cat that had come to wind itself round her legs, begging for a fuss. She ran her hand along its back, scratching behind its ears as it rumbled with pleasure. Rose recognized the stubborn set of her daughter's mouth and knew she didn't want to answer that question. It wasn't often you saw this in Kate these days, but it had happened quite a lot when she'd been younger.

‘Answer me,' her father prompted.

She sat back again and stared across the garden. ‘No, Dad, I'm not proud of the work I'm doing, but it pays well and it's helping to expand the business.'

Bill sighed, perplexed. ‘You used to have such high standards. I know how much you wanted to work for the
World Explorer
and the respect you have for its lack of sensationalism. That was important to you once. And you're leaving Pete to take care of the shop. You only go there when there's too much work for him to handle.'

‘Pete doesn't need me there all the time. If he did, he'd
tell me. The success of the business is very important to him – and to me!' She gave him an anguished glance. ‘I don't want to argue with you, Dad. I'm doing the best I can.'

He leant forward and took her hands in his. ‘I'm worried; this just isn't you. From the time you could walk you've had a love of people. Many times I've watched you help them in a loving and understanding way. These people you're writing about have made their own problems. You're wasting your talent, darling.'

Kate looked down at their clasped hands, released her grip and shook her head. ‘I don't know what all the fuss is about. I'm twenty-four years old now, so surely I'm allowed to live my own life?'

Bill started as if he'd been stung and sat back, his expression one of sadness. ‘Of course you are. I'm only concerned about you, Kate.'

She stood up calmly. ‘I don't know what you're worrying about; I'm perfectly all right. Now I must change, please excuse me.'

Rose watched her walk away. She was obviously bottling up strong feelings, and it was even making her snap at her father. That was something she'd never done in her life. ‘We must try not to worry. She'll see sense eventually.'

‘I hope to God you're right, Rose.' Bill tossed the papers aside in disgust. ‘I've never heard her speak like that before. She's always been such a caring girl, but this abduction has changed her.'

Rose stood up and kissed her husband on the top of his head. ‘She's fighting inner demons and we must be patient. Howard has been charged with kidnapping and
attempted murder, so more happened in that room than she's told us, but she's our daughter, darling, and she'll come through this.'

The noise was deafening and Kate covered her ears. This was even noisier than the concert she'd been to with Beth. The more racket the audience made, the louder the band seemed to play. She liked Elvis, the Everly Brothers and bands like the Shadows, but that was when she played them at home on her Dansette record player, and she could control the volume. She had inherited her mother's aversion to loud noises; she wished she'd inherited more of her strength of character!

But even the ear-splitting noise couldn't drive out the memory of that spat with her father. She shouldn't have snapped like that, but she had to keep herself busy every minute of the day and was taking any commission that came her way. It wasn't work she liked, but it gave her little time to think. She had been irritated at the censure. Still, she had been in the wrong – again – and would apologize the moment she saw him. She turned her attention back to the seething throng of dancers.

Pete, Susan, Beth and Steve were thoroughly enjoying themselves, as was everyone else. Kate glanced at her watch: another half an hour and she would leave them to it. Her twenty-fourth birthday had been last month and she was too old for this. She fanned herself with her hand; it was unusually warm for the beginning of April and it was hot in here.

She was just about to say she was leaving when she saw Pete rush over to greet a young man who'd walked in. He was now being dragged towards her.

‘Kate!' Pete yelled. ‘This is my cousin Jim.'

The family connection was obvious, but Jim was several years older than Pete. She smiled, shook hands, and mercifully at that moment the music stopped.

‘Hello,' Jim said. ‘The famous Kate. Pete never stops talking about you and your shop. Would you like to go somewhere quieter and have a drink?'

He certainly didn't waste any time, she thought, noticing the gleam of appreciation in his eyes. He was a presentable man, but since the abduction she'd become wary of being alone with anyone she didn't know. ‘I was thinking of going home,' she told him.

‘Just one quick drink in the pub across the road.' He glanced at the stage. ‘I'd like to leave before they get going again.'

Kate laughed at the expression on his face, and, after waving farewell to the others, they left just as the noise started.

The pub was crowded, but Jim found her a seat and went to fight his way to the bar. While he was away, she had to repulse more than one attempt to chat her up.

‘Phew!' Jim plonked a pint of beer and the lemonade she'd asked for on the table. ‘That was worse than a rugby scrum.'

He was big enough to play that game, she thought, as her insides heaved, remembering what another large man had planned for her. Would this fear never leave her?

He squeezed in next to her and gave an engaging smile. ‘I know a lot about you, but you don't know anything about me. I'd better introduce myself properly. My name's Jim Sheldon and I'm Pete's cousin, as he told
you. I'm twenty-two and work in a factory as a toolmaker. I'm not married and I don't have a girlfriend at the moment.' He sipped his beer, and when he put down the glass the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement. ‘And I'm considered quite respectable.'

‘By whom?' she asked.

‘Oh, just about everyone.' He wiggled his eyebrows. ‘I hope you're impressed?'

His light-hearted banter made her laugh. ‘Does it matter what I think?'

‘It does, because I want to persuade you to come to the pictures with me tomorrow evening.'

He was Pete's cousin, so … She remembered her father's remark about her having a boyfriend. He'd been angry with her for the kind of work she was doing, and she couldn't remember when he'd ever been like that with her. It had hurt dreadfully … and her reaction had been disgraceful. ‘What's on?'

‘There's that creepy film
Psycho.
I've seen it once, but if you'd like to go …'

‘No, thank you!' Kate exclaimed in horror. ‘I've heard about that and I definitely don't want to see it.'

‘Hmm.' Jim looked thoughtful. ‘Well, there's
Spartacus
on at the Odeon, Leicester Square.'

‘That's better. I wouldn't mind seeing that one.'

‘Does that mean you'll come?' he asked.

Why not, she decided. It was no good shutting herself away from life; she had to start living normally again, if only to put her parents' minds at rest. ‘I'll meet you outside. What time?'

‘Can you make it six o'clock and we can have a bite to eat before the show?'

‘That sounds nice.' She finished her drink and stood up. ‘See you tomorrow, then.'

It was three o'clock in the morning, and Kate was still wide awake. She was watching a finger of moonlight casting a river of silver across the ceiling. The conversation she'd had with her father was still worrying her. Her parents were obviously concerned about her, and she knew they had every right to be; she was concerned about herself. Of late she'd become disgusted with her aimless pursuit of a story – any story. She wasn't a journalist, for heaven's sake, she was a photographer, and her father was right when he said she was wasting her talent. Where had her zeal gone, her dream to give something back to society for all the good she had in her life?

She rolled over and thumped her pillows into shape, and, as she did, her attention became focused on the photograph by her bedside. Eddie's little face was laughing at her, and she reached out to touch it tenderly. Her twice-weekly visits to Wilkins House were always a joy. Since her pictures and article had appeared in the news, conditions had improved considerably for the children in both homes, but that was the only positive thing she'd done in months.

She heard a sound downstairs and swung her legs out of bed. Her mother was a poor sleeper and was probably making tea. She headed for the kitchen.

‘Ah, I thought I smelt tea.'

‘Can't you sleep either?' her mother asked, as she walked in.

‘Afraid not.' Kate sat down and watched her mother warming the pot. ‘I hope I didn't wake you.'

When the tea was ready, Rose poured two cups and handed one to her daughter. ‘Your nightmares aren't so frequent now.'

Kate sipped the hot brew and waited until her mother was sitting. Her terrible nightmares were fading, thank goodness. ‘I'm sorry I've been worrying you and Dad. That's the last thing in the world I want to do.'

‘We understand that. But it's frustrating watching you act out of character. I know you've got to work it out for yourself, but it would help if you could talk about it.'

She knew well enough that her parents had given her room to sort herself out, but she wasn't making a very good job of it. She was still crying out in the night and waking up her parents. She'd send them back to bed, then bury her head in the pillow and sob quietly. She really was quite pathetic.