A Class Apart (73 page)

Kate turned back to the path and took the hand that reached out to her. She looked up and as she saw his face her breath caught in her throat.

His face broke into a grin and he pulled her up beside him. She looked searchingly into his eyes, hardly able to believe her own. For a long time neither of them spoke, until Nick suddenly laughed and pulled her into his arms. And then she was laughing too, as tears streamed down over her cheeks. “You got my card?” she said, finally.

“I did.”

“But how did you know where I was? I never said.”

Nick pushed the damp hair from her face. “It didn’t take much working out,” he answered, “once I knew you were in Scotland.”

She turned away, and quietly he watched her face, as for the very last time her eyes slipped from mountain to valley.

“They came here, you know. Ellamarie and Bob.”

He slipped an arm about her shoulder. “I know.”

“It’s over now. I came to say goodbye.”

Nick smiled and ran his fingers across her cheek. “Come along, I’m taking you home.”

As she followed him down the mountain she watched him move from rock to rock. She had missed him, even more than she had allowed herself to admit. And now, looking at his dark hair soaked by the rain and curling over his collar and his broad back tilting towards the rockface as he reached out to steady himself, she was overcome by the strength of her love for him.

“Nick,” she called.

He turned his head, his eyebrows raised in question, but as he saw the look in her eyes he stopped.

The rain grew heavier, but neither of them moved. The wind caught her hair and blew it about her face. Then, with droplets of rain running down her face and curling into her mouth, she whispered, “I love you, Nick. I love you so very much.”

His eyes held hers as he moved towards her, and taking her in his arms he pressed his mouth to her hair. “Don’t go away again, Kate,” he murmured.

“Oh Nick!” she cried, and clung to him fiercely.

He took her face between his hands and covered it with tiny kisses, tasting the salt of her tears through the rain. When he lifted his head to look at her she looked back, letting her eyes speak the words she was suddenly too shy to utter. His arms closed behind her, almost lifting her from the ground, and this time it was with a growing desperation that they kissed, moulding their bodies together and pushing their desire to the point where it could no longer be denied.

Taking her by the hand he led her into the trees.

Making love in the rain on the side of a mountain, waterfalls gushing downwards to join the river below, was something that neither of them would ever forget. And in the years to come they would look back and know that it was then that their daughter was conceived.

As Nick pulled the car to a stop outside the old stone-built hotel, Mrs Duff was waiting at the door.

“Och, there you are,” she said. “Come along in . . . Oh dear! And just look at you, what have you been doing to yourself?”

Kate looked at Nick and saw that he was laughing. “Mud,” he explained. “It’s all over your face.”

“Oh, you might have told me,” Kate cried, wiping at her cheeks but only succeeding in spreading the mud down over her chin.

Mrs Duff caught Nick’s eye and broke into a beaming smile as he shrugged his innocence. Then, standing back, she ushered Kate in through the door. As Kate looked across the dimly lit room her expression suddenly changed and her voice escaped in a cry of pure joy.

“Jenneen!” she cried. “What are you . . .?” But she didn’t have a chance to finish the question. Jenneen leapt up and threw her arms about her friend.

Nick laughed as he came in and found them both crying. He took out a crumpled handkerchief, but as he didn’t know which one of them to give it to he stuffed it back into his pocket again.

Mrs Duff came bustling in behind them, carrying a tray of tea which she set out on the table.

“Think I’ll go up and change.” said Nick.

“Oh, but there’s a cup of tea for you here,” Kate protested.

“Not for me,” Nick answered, and he turned away as he heard footsteps on the stairs.

Kate followed his eyes, then gasped as she saw Ashley coming towards her.

Later, after Nick had sat on the side of the bath sponging the mud from Kate’s face and legs, he lay back on the bed and watched her as she dressed for dinner.

“You’ll be late,” she said, catching his eye in the mirror as she combed out her hair.

“I intend to be,” he answered. “You’ve got a lot to catch up on, you three. Besides, I think they’ve got something they want to show you.”

“Oh?”

Nick was prevented from answering by a knock on the door.

Kate followed Ashley and Jenneen down to the small bar. They were the only ones staying at the hotel so had as much privacy as they could have wanted. Jenneen ordered the drinks, which Mr Duff brought to the table and then disappeared.

Catching Jenneen’s eye, Ashley nodded. Kate watched them and waited while Jenneen took something from her handbag.

It was a letter. Jenneen handed it to Kate. “From Ellamarie,” she said quietly. “She wrote it the night she died. I think it’s time you read it.”

The blood had drained from Kate’s face and her hand was shaking as she took the letter from the envelope.

During all the long months she had spent in prison, Kate had struggled to come to terms with everything that had happened. Jenneen had guessed rightly that Kate had believed herself to be doing penance for Ellamarie’s death as well as for what had happened between her and her father. Watching her closely, both Jenneen and Ashley were afraid that she might not be able to take it. But a long time had passed since that night. And now, as Kate read Ellamarie’s final letter, she could almost hear her speaking the words and felt her friend’s strength and courage reaching out to her in the way it always had. She realised the love and happiness Ellamarie had known before despair and heartbreak had claimed her. And she knew too what Ellamarie was asking. She was asking their forgiveness.

When Kate had read the last word she put the letter on the table and looked up. Her eyes were filled with tears, and with relief Jenneen and Ashley saw that they were tears of real grief, no longer remorse.

“So he did still love her?” Kate whispered.

Jenneen nodded.

“You see, it had nothing to do with us letting her down the night she . . .” Ashley’s voice trailed away. “She believed that by doing what she did, she could be with Bob for ever.”

Kate looked away and out through the uncurtained window. The clouds were passing overhead, billowing in the wind. In the distance the mountains pushed their way manfully through the misty dusk; they had brought her close to Ellamarie that day. Jenneen and Ashley followed her gaze.

“And she is,” Kate whispered. “Oh she is.”

There was a long silence. As they looked into one another’s faces they realised that it had been Ellamarie who had brought them all here tonight, not Kate.

Jenneen reached out for Kate’s hand. Kate swallowed hard, and lifted her other hand to take Ashley’s. She smiled, and her voice came in a broken whisper. “Sometimes it takes tragedy to make one appreciate life – and what would life be without friendship?”