Country Wives (25 page)

Unsure of her ground and of his reasons for saying what he did, she blurted out, “You’ve forsworn women, have you?”

“No. I’m simply not free.”

“I see.” Kate could have cut out her tongue for saying what she had and quite simply didn’t know how to rescue the situation. She flushed bright red and hadn’t a clue what to say anymore. What on earth did he mean he “wasn’t free”?

Cutting through her embarrassment, Dan asked, “Another drink, Kate?”

“No thanks, I’d better be going. Sorry to have said what I did. I didn’t mean to pry. I’ll walk to the practice to get my car. Thanks for the drink and for inviting me to the lambing.”

Dan stood up. “My pleasure.” He endeavored to be pleasant, but his effort didn’t quite succeed because his eyes remained blank. “I’ll drive you; it’s a long walk in the cold.” He picked up his keys from the table and, taking hold of her elbow, led her outside.

They drove the short distance to the practice in silence. Eventually, just as he pulled up in the car park, leaving the engine running so there was no question of him wanting to stay talking, he said, “One day perhaps I’ll explain, but not right now. It’s all very personal. Thanks for your company, you make a good assistant.”

“Except for crying like an idiot.”

“No, it shows you have a heart and a deep concern for animals. So long as you’ve done everything in your power to make things come right, that’s the secret. Have no regrets.” Dan waited until she’d started up her car and then with a wave drove away. Kate wasn’t quite sure if his advice referred to veterinary work or his private life. Whichever, the advice made good sense. Even so, she was no nearer to finding out what made Dan so uptight about women. He must have very deep feelings for that girl in the photo for him to be so seriously affected by her. If she was dead, then why wasn’t he free? If she wasn’t, where was she?

K
ate was on duty at the desk by herself the following day when Sergeant Bird arrived full of excitement. “Just going off duty. You won’t believe it, but we’ve caught the beggars who tortured poor Copperfield.” He clenched both fists and banged them on the desk. “All five of ’em. Not only that, I’ve got them for all the car thieving in the parking garage. They’ll be drawing their pensions by the time they get out.”

“Really? Good work!”

“Oh yes, brilliant!” He thumped the desk again.

“How did you do it?”

“Well, we were looking at the security film from the parking garage, and this time they were on the film. We’d caught them red-handed doing the stealing, and like a flash it came to me that I knew one of the lads. Took a day or two for it to click, but then it dawned.” Sergeant Bird took time off to contemplate his delight at his inspirational moment, while Kate hung in suspense, waiting. “One of them was the lad I’d interviewed about poor Copperfield.”

Kate stood transfixed, fingers poised over the keyboard. She
couldn’t help it, he was so passionate, so … “‘That’s him!’ I shouted. ‘I know him. It’s that little sod Bobby Turner.’”

“So?”

“So this time we got him to the station, showed him the video and bob’s yer uncle he came clean. The game’s up, I told him. Might as well do yourself a favor. So of course he agreed to cooperate, and we’ve got the lot in the nick at the moment. They were all in it together, tying that poor cat to the back of a bike and racing him down the slopes at the car park. Terrible. Terrible. Every last one of ’em we’ve got. What a coup.”

“How many did you say were involved?”

“Five. Thought doing that to him was a joke, the nasty little beggars. It’s only thanks to Bunty and Mungo that Copperfield’s still alive. But…”

“Yes?”

“But…” He paused for dramatic effect. “They’re only the tip of the iceberg; they were stealing the cars to order for an international gang.”

“In Barleybridge?”

Sergeant Bird nodded. “In Barleybridge. It’s not only London where they have the big gangs. Oh, no. So it could lead to a big arrest.” He winked significantly at Kate.

“Well, all thanks to you. I’m so pleased. Wait till I tell the others. If you go on like this, there’ll be nobody left in Barleybridge. We’ll all be in the nick. I have to confess I went through a red light the other day and …”

Abruptly he lost interest. “Bunty in?”

“Yes, but she’s …”

But Sergeant Bird had gone in the back to find her. He returned in a moment, white as a sheet. In fact, almost as green as a pea. Kate had to inquire about his health. He replied in an awestruck voice, “My God!”

“What is it?”

He looked down at his hands in horror. “Her hands were covered in blood and you could see …” He fled reception with the speed of light. Kate put down her pen and rushed outside after him. Poor Sergeant Bird was being disgustingly sick in Miriam’s ornamental bushes right outside the front door.

“You’d better come in and sit down a minute. I’ll get you a glass of water.”

She helped him in and sat him on the nearest chair. He sat shaking, his handkerchief held to his mouth. After he’d sipped the water, he wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead and said more calmly, “You could have warned me they were operating. It was ghastly. I’d no idea.”

“Some of Mungo’s operations are a bit intrusive.”

“Intrusive! It looked like a slaughterhouse in there. Mungo shouted at me to get out. He’s never spoken to me like that before.”

“He doesn’t mean it. He gets tense when he’s operating; his ops are very tricky, you see, very intricate. Not like a common garden neutering. Don’t take it to heart. We’ve all had to learn to ignore his outbursts when he’s doing a difficult op. Must get on. Sit there till you feel better.”

As she finished speaking, the alarm sounded from Mungo’s operating room and Kate heard the
thud thud
of Sarah One’s clumpy shoes as she rushed in to assist. Kate maintained a calm exterior, remembering what Joy said about not alarming the clients, but inside she was turbulent with anxiety. Obviously something was going badly wrong with the operation. Then she heard the hurried tattoo of Joy’s shoes as she too hastened to help. There were raised voices, controlled but anxious: the tension in the air moved in palpable waves down the corridor. Tied as she was to the reception desk, Kate could only worry.

Then Joy’s unhurried footsteps came back down the corridor. Sarah’s clumpy shoes returned to the other operating room,
where she was working with Rhodri, and Kate had to know. She left the desk and put her head round Joy’s office door saying quietly, “Joy, everything all right?”

She whispered, “Fingers crossed. Heart stopped. Got it going, though. Seems fine now. Mungo’s just closing up.”

“Who was it?”

“Cadbury that chocolate Labrador bitch. The client had been warned it was risky, but they decided to go through with it. I tell you, we thought she was a goner. It was one heck of a dodgy moment back there. Tea all round, I think.”

“A cup for Sergeant Bird too.”

Joy raised an eyebrow at the prospect of making tea for him as well. When Kate had explained, she smiled rather grimly and went to put the kettle on. To Kate’s surprise, Bunty emerged into the reception area carrying a mug of tea, which she gave to the Sergeant and then sat down beside him, saying “I’ve put sugar in for you.”

There was something about their body language that alerted Kate, and while she attended to the clients she kept a wary eye on the pair of them. She heard Bunty say, “But of course there was blood on my hands, well, on my gloves; we were
operating
, for heaven’s sake.”

“I know, I know, but it was just such a shock. I’ve never seen … you …”

“Then you’ve seen the real me. All right? Got to go, another op.”

“Please apologize for me to Mungo.”

“Of course. Drink your tea.”

Sergeant Bird nodded. “You won’t have heard. I’ve got the scum who tortured poor Copperfield.”

“Good. Throw the book at them. See you, Aubrey.”

Kate covertly watched Sergeant Bird’s face as Bunty left him. It was a strange mixture of admiration and, well, let’s face
it … love. And she had called him Aubrey, which no one else ever did, and Bunty had avoided catching her eye as she passed her. Well, surprise, surprise!

K
ATE
had a further surprise that evening when she was scheduled to take her mother out for a meal. They’d agreed to meet by the fountain in the mall, and when Kate spotted her mother walking toward her, she almost died. Her outfit was more suited to a reception at 10 Downing Street than a meal at a modest Italian restaurant. Kate was thankful that Mia had turned down her invitation to join the two of them. Her mother’s appearance would only have put her back up. “It’s very considerate of you,” Mia had said, “but, no, I won’t, thank you. It’s something between you and her, and I shall be in the way.”

“Of course you won’t. Please come. I want you to come.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, I won’t, Kate. I feel you and she have to get to know each other, and I shall just be a nuisance. Now go along and have a good time. Remember, there’s all the rest of your lifetime, so don’t go rushing anything, will you?”

Kate gave herself a last look in the mirror. “There’s no need to worry. I shan’t be going to live with her or anything. It’s tempting, but no thanks.”

“I see.”

“Look, Mia, I mean it. I’m not going to live with her. I want to stay with you.” Out of the blue came the terrible idea that maybe Mia was being reasonable because she actually wanted her to go. Kate’s heart shot into her throat; she spun round and looked her straight in the face, but she couldn’t tell from Mia’s blank expression what she was thinking. “Do you
want
me to go; is that it?”

Mia’s face crumpled and she held out her arms. “Go? Of course not. Of course not.” They hugged each other tightly.
“I’m trying not to stand in your way, if that’s what you want. I’m just trying to be sensible, not to put pressure on you, you know. Oh, Kate! If only Gerry…” Mia drew back, wiped her eyes and, putting a smile on her face, added, “I know there’ll be a time when you’ll launch out on your own; that’s inevitable, but right now isn’t the time and I want you to stay. Till you’re qualified, you know.”

“You’ve got such faith in me. I just hope I won’t let you down.”

Mia sniffed. “You won’t. Now get off or you’ll be late. Have a good time.”

So now what should she do? Change her plans to accommodate her mother’s outfit? There was no way that she, Kate, could afford anywhere more expensive than the Casa Rosa, and that was that.

“Kate, dear!” Her mother bent forward to kiss her cheek and gave Kate a noseful of expensive perfume. “I’m not late, am I?”

“No, you’re not.”

“Where are we going to eat? The Askew Arms?”

“No, at the Casa Rosa, just down here, round the corner.”

“The Casa Rosa? I’ve never heard of it. Is it Italian?”

Kate nodded. “It is very nice, though.”

“I’m sure.” Her mother looked disconcerted. “Look. I know money must be tight. Mia won’t have much, I expect, and you certainly won’t, working as an accounts clerk at that practice. So why not let it be my treat? Eh? How about it? We’ll go to the Askew Arms.”

Getting no reply, her mother took hold of her arm and shook it affectionately. “What do you say?”

“I don’t know.”

“Go on. I can afford it, you can’t. Let me treat you and we’ll have a lovely talk. The food is astonishingly superior, considering the size of Barleybridge.”

Kate studied the smart navy suit her mother wore, the lustrous pearls at the neck, the immaculate makeup, the large pearl earrings, the gold lapel brooch studded with pearls.

“I’m dressed up to make a good impression. I’m nervous you see.”

Stubbornly Kate replied, “It is my invitation. I’ve booked the table. I’m paying.”

Her mother sighed. “Very well, so be it.”

Just as they reached the restaurant door her mother asked, “I hope the kitchens are all right. I’ve asked to inspect kitchens before now.”

“Not tonight, you won’t.”

The evening went downhill from there. They found no common ground. In fact, it was hard to believe that their relationship was that of mother and daughter. Her mother did her best to retrieve the situation, but even her skills couldn’t surmount the awkwardness between them. Finally, as Kate paid the bill, her mother whispered, “You should have let me take you to the Askew Arms. It would have been much better.”

With her change pushed into her purse, and a zipper which wouldn’t close and a handbag which for no reason had become too small to hold it, Kate slammed out with a curt goodnight to the waiter and marched her way down the mall toward the car park, her mother trotting along behind her on her high heels.

“Wait! Let me catch up.”

But Kate didn’t wait. She stormed along on the verge of tears, angry and disappointed.

“Kate!” Her mother labored up the stairs to the second floor, trying to catch her up. “I’m parked on the first floor, Kate!”

Kate stopped and turned round. “I think we’d better not see each other again. I’ll return the clothes. I haven’t worn them. It’s for the best.” She looked anywhere but at her mother, breathing hard and thoroughly distressed.

“What have I done wrong? I’ve tried my best.”

Kate took a deep breath and let her temper rip. “You are rude and arrogant with no thought for anyone’s feelings but your own. Selfish, that’s what you are. How could I possibly have afforded the Askew Arms? It’s way out of my bracket at the moment, and you should have realized that. If I’d suggested a fish and chip shop, you should have gone without a murmur. I’m so disappointed.” Her temper spent, Kate added sadly, “But it’s no good, is it? We’re not made for each other. Thanks for trying anyway.”

“I have tried. I really have. I want it to work. I want you to come and live with me and let me support you. You can’t cope with five years at college without some help. That’s big money. I’m certain Gerry won’t have left you big money, and Mia hasn’t any, has she? It’ll cost me nothing really to help. Let me?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll phone in another week, and you’ll come round for tea. Don’t bring the clothes back, though, those are yours whatever. Smile for me? Mm? We’ll try again.”