her mother’s.
‘Nothing, you haven’t done anything, Simon. It’s just that I’m worried sick about Katy. You must’ve seen how she’s changed.’
‘You’ve both changed. I really thought it was something I’d done. I know I’ve been late home a few times lately but I’m trying to keep ahead of the game by ringing people at home when they get in from work.’ He reached for her hand and squeezed it. ‘You do know that there’s never been anyone else but you, don’t you?’ He stood. ‘I’ll just kiss Katy goodnight and then you can tell me all about it.’
Dazed, Susan knew she would have to do so, that she would have to tell Simon that Katy had only changed since his younger brother had been to stay.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘Morale is lousy here,’ Jack told Rose when he rang from his office the following morning. ‘Whatever happens today I’m having a few hours off. I can’t keep going at this rate for much longer. I don’t think any of us can. Anyway, the reason I’m calling is to see if you’re free for dinner tonight. Arthur as well, if he’s up to it.’
‘That sounds great, Jack. I’ll speak to Dad right away. Shall I book somewhere?’
‘Yes, wherever you like. Make it for around seven if you can, I need a fairly early night.’
Rose could picture his handsome face, probably now grey with fatigue, and realised how much she felt for him. Until they argued,of course. But she still wasn’t ready to commit herself and wondered whether she ever would be. She said goodbye, hung up and dialled her father’s number. He took a long time to answer. It worried her. He could be out or in the bath but since her mother’s death she frequently feared the worst.
‘I’d really love to join you, as long as you don’t mind me playing gooseberry,’ Arthur said when he finally answered the phone. He had responded in the affirmative so quickly that Rose wondered just how lonely he was. He tried not to show it, nor to make any demands upon her time, but she knew exactly what he must be going through, and he had lived with her mother twice as long as she had done with David. At least he was no longer hundreds of miles away. And thankfully, through his previous visits, he already knew quite a lot of people in the area. ‘We’ll call for you about half six. There’s no need to dress up.’ Rose had decided upon Chinese. They all enjoyed it and Jack would be too exhausted to appreciate a more formalised meal. Several new restaurants had opened in Penzance over the past year or so, including one owned by the hotelier and sixties ex-supermodel, Jean Shrimpton, and her husband.
Although it was still very early she tried ringing the restaurant and left a message and her number on their answering service. As she hung up, Rose realised that it was Friday and that time was running out for Bethany Jones. She tried not to think about it.
There was work to be done; some general housework, which she loathed, washing to go into the machine and then the choice of sketching some more wild flowers, planning the next oil painting or taking some photographs. Few people realised that the quality of the light in Cornwall could be as clear in the winter as in the summer. But how else could the postcards of St Ives or Hayle Towans, for instance, show a blue sky, a turquoise sea fringed with white spume, cliffs adorned by palm trees above the fine, pale gold of the sand whilst the beaches were devoid of people? That day was such a day. Rose decided not to waste it. She would work outside somewhere. When the light altered she would continue in the attic.
It was so mild it might have been May. Throughout the month there had been rain and a few days of gale force winds but the real storms would come later, probably in January.
Rose programmed the washing machine,hoovered and dusted each room and cleaned the bathroom. Once the clothes and linen were flapping on the line strung between the shed and the branch of a tree, she
‘Nothing, you haven’t done anything, Simon. It’s just that I’m worried sick about Katy. You must’ve seen how she’s changed.’
‘You’ve both changed. I really thought it was something I’d done. I know I’ve been late home a few times lately but I’m trying to keep ahead of the game by ringing people at home when they get in from work.’ He reached for her hand and squeezed it. ‘You do know that there’s never been anyone else but you, don’t you?’ He stood. ‘I’ll just kiss Katy goodnight and then you can tell me all about it.’
Dazed, Susan knew she would have to do so, that she would have to tell Simon that Katy had only changed since his younger brother had been to stay.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘Morale is lousy here,’ Jack told Rose when he rang from his office the following morning. ‘Whatever happens today I’m having a few hours off. I can’t keep going at this rate for much longer. I don’t think any of us can. Anyway, the reason I’m calling is to see if you’re free for dinner tonight. Arthur as well, if he’s up to it.’
‘That sounds great, Jack. I’ll speak to Dad right away. Shall I book somewhere?’
‘Yes, wherever you like. Make it for around seven if you can, I need a fairly early night.’
Rose could picture his handsome face, probably now grey with fatigue, and realised how much she felt for him. Until they argued,of course. But she still wasn’t ready to commit herself and wondered whether she ever would be. She said goodbye, hung up and dialled her father’s number. He took a long time to answer. It worried her. He could be out or in the bath but since her mother’s death she frequently feared the worst.
‘I’d really love to join you, as long as you don’t mind me playing gooseberry,’ Arthur said when he finally answered the phone. He had responded in the affirmative so quickly that Rose wondered just how lonely he was. He tried not to show it, nor to make any demands upon her time, but she knew exactly what he must be going through, and he had lived with her mother twice as long as she had done with David. At least he was no longer hundreds of miles away. And thankfully, through his previous visits, he already knew quite a lot of people in the area. ‘We’ll call for you about half six. There’s no need to dress up.’ Rose had decided upon Chinese. They all enjoyed it and Jack would be too exhausted to appreciate a more formalised meal. Several new restaurants had opened in Penzance over the past year or so, including one owned by the hotelier and sixties ex-supermodel, Jean Shrimpton, and her husband.
Although it was still very early she tried ringing the restaurant and left a message and her number on their answering service. As she hung up, Rose realised that it was Friday and that time was running out for Bethany Jones. She tried not to think about it.
There was work to be done; some general housework, which she loathed, washing to go into the machine and then the choice of sketching some more wild flowers, planning the next oil painting or taking some photographs. Few people realised that the quality of the light in Cornwall could be as clear in the winter as in the summer. But how else could the postcards of St Ives or Hayle Towans, for instance, show a blue sky, a turquoise sea fringed with white spume, cliffs adorned by palm trees above the fine, pale gold of the sand whilst the beaches were devoid of people? That day was such a day. Rose decided not to waste it. She would work outside somewhere. When the light altered she would continue in the attic.
It was so mild it might have been May. Throughout the month there had been rain and a few days of gale force winds but the real storms would come later, probably in January.
Rose programmed the washing machine,hoovered and dusted each room and cleaned the bathroom. Once the clothes and linen were flapping on the line strung between the shed and the branch of a tree, she
Similar Books
