The Runaway Woman (23 page)

‘Careful of what?’ Kathleen asked.

‘I’m not really sure. Everything, I suppose. “Be careful!” is always what parents say to their kids when they run off.’

‘So, did you get onto the beach all right?’ Kathleen had this captivating image in her
mind of cliffs and a wide beach, and the two young girls running, happy and excited.

‘The beach was completely empty,’ Lucy recalled, ‘with not a soul in sight. I could not believe that we had this great big, beautiful beach all to ourselves.’

The memories came thick and fast. ‘I’ll never forget it,’ she told Kathleen excitedly. ‘It was exactly the same when Martin and I took the children there
years later. It was still unspoiled, and since that last visit many years ago, I’ve had a hankering to go back.’ Slightly embarrassed, she said softly, ‘I know it sounds soppy, but it was the kind of place that somehow gets right into your soul.’

Kathleen smiled. ‘Sometimes a place – or a person – can do that to you,’ she said knowingly.

She could see the longing and regret in Lucy’s eyes. She
could hear it in her voice, and she was convinced that Lucy had made the right decision. ‘I’m glad you’ve chosen to go back there,’ she said. ‘I think it’s the right thing to do. It will give you a chance to reflect. The peace and tranquillity, and the comfort of wonderful memories with family … it will help to heal you, Lucy, I know it will. And once that begins to happen, you’ll find you have
a clear idea of what you want to do next.’

Lucy was close to tears. ‘Thank you, Kathleen. I don’t know what I would have done without you.’

‘Don’t give it a second thought,’ Kathleen chided. ‘You would have done the same for me. Just remember, I’m here if you need me.’ She gave a long sigh. ‘Oh, Lucy! I really do wish I could come with you … but I can’t.’ She had an idea, though. ‘After you’ve
sorted yourself out, maybe the two of us can have a week or so in this beautiful place, and you can show me around. What d’you say to that?’

‘Oh, that would be lovely!’ Lucy got out of her chair and gave her friend a long hug. ‘Yes! We’ll do that … just you and me.’ She would not forget.

Kathleen called for a taxi to take Lucy to Bedford station.

‘He’ll be here in ten minutes,’
she told Lucy. ‘I found his number on a card in a shop window a few weeks back. I thought it might come in handy. Apparently, he’s local, and he never overcharges. He also has a reputation for being a safe driver.’

In a surprisingly short time the taxi arrived. Nervous and excited, Lucy said goodbye. ‘I can never thank you enough, Kathleen.’ She wrapped her arms about this wonderful, caring friend,
and held her as though she would never let go.

‘Ring me as soon as you get there, will you, Lucy?’ Kathleen discreetly brushed away her tears. ‘I’ll be waiting for your call.’

‘I’ll ring you the minute I arrive,’ Lucy promised, ‘and, please, Kathleen, don’t forget the story we decided on, in case Anne should come round. I don’t like deceiving her, but I think it’s a necessary evil. For a multitude
of reasons, I do not want the chldren finding out where I’ve gone, and why.’

‘I understand. If she does ask, I will simply tell her that you really needed to get away and be on your own for a while. I’ll explain that you’ve gone to stay with my old aunt, and that she is not on the telephone.’

‘Thank you.’ Lucy explained, ‘I don’t want her telling Martin or Paula any different. The less anyone
knows where I am, the better … for now, anyway.’

‘So, do you think you will eventually tell them about Martin and Paula, and that it was the main reason you had to get away?’

‘I have no idea how it will all end.’ Lucy was deeply ashamed that this was the second time in as many days that she had not been altogether honest with her daughter. But it had to be done because the last thing she needed
was Anne, or anyone else, coming after her and upsetting her plans. ‘I can’t let anyone know where I am, Kathleen, because I know they would chase after me, and just now I must be on my own … to think, and plan, and hopefully sort out my life one way or another.’

‘Don’t fret about it, Lucy,’ Kathleen advised.

Lucy appreciated her understanding. ‘For your information only, Kathleen, I expect
to book into a hotel at the seaside, and I’ll call you from there. I’ll just have to make up some story about where I’m phoning from if I talk to Anne. Remember, won’t you? Any calls I make to you or the family … will be from there.’

The tearful goodbyes over, Lucy climbed into the taxi.

‘Morning, miss!’ The driver was a burly, jolly sort. ‘Railway station, is it?’

‘Yes, please, but could
you make two quick detours first?’

‘Don’t see why not, my lovely. Especially as you asked so nicely.’ He gave her a wide, toothy smile. ‘Off on a holiday, are you?’

‘Sort of.’ Lucy was careful to give nothing away.

‘Right then … let’s be off.’ He dropped the engine into low gear and began easing the car away from the pavement. ‘So, where are we headed first?’

‘To the High Street. I’ll tell
you where to stop when we get there. Thanks.’ She glanced anxiously up and down the street as they drove off.

Thankfully, the street was clear, except for Katheen, who was still waving from the doorway. ‘Stay safe and keep in touch!’ she called out.

Lucy wound down the window to remind her, ‘I’ll call you when I get there!’

She stifled her emotion and turned her eyes to the front. ‘I’ll only
be a minute on the High Street,’ she instructed the driver. ‘I’ll tell you the second detour afterwards … if that’s all right?’

‘Whatever you say, miss. You’re the boss.’

‘Thank you.’ Lucy enjoyed being called ‘miss’. It made her feel young again.

Lucy now set her mind to the journey. If all went well at the High Street, she would go straight on to the second destination. From there, it would
be the station. But if her first errand did not bear fruit, she would not even be going to the station. Instead, she would probably be heading back to Kathleen’s, which, after all the planning and worry while making up her mind, would be a huge disappointment.

Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on what might just be the start of an amazing adventure.

Ten minutes later, the taxi turned into
the High Street.

‘Now then, let’s see if we can park.’ The driver knew from experience that it was never easy to find somewhere to park here, what with competition from cyclists and motorists.

Luckily, as he cruised along, he noticed the driver of a grey Hillman Minx signalling that he was waiting to pull out.

‘Well, that was lucky! I was just about to drop you off and drive up and down, until
you were ready to leave,’ he told Lucy.

The moment he was safely parked, Lucy opened the door and got out. ‘I shouldn’t be too long,’ she said. ‘About fifteen minutes, or thereabouts.’

‘That’s all right.’ The driver leaned back and stretched his arms. ‘It’s your time and your money. The sooner you’re back, the smaller the bill.’

His gentle warning spurred Lucy on. She could not afford to run
up a huge fare because he was having to wait. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can.’ She set off at a run.

At the lower end of the street, she stood outside the chosen shop, gazing in at the window and wondering whether she might regret doing what she had in mind. Come on, Lucy, move yourself! she silently chivvied herself. You heard what the driver said. It’s you that’s paying for his waiting time!

She glanced at the haphazard display of merchandise in the window. There were numerous collections of what looked like expensive jewellery; a smattering of old leather-bound books; any number of pretty pieces of china and bric-a-brac.

Right at the back of the display, hanging from the back partition, were some small oil paintings, and alongside these, framed photographs of old ships and handsome
country houses.

In amongst the particular displays were numerous odd items, a scattering of fascinating curiosities, none of which Lucy could easily identify.

Lucy was concerned to see so many items, most of them obviously valuable, and all no doubt previously owned by someone who had cherished them dearly. It made her wonder about the people who, like her, had found themselves in a situation
where they had little choice but to pawn or sell their valuables.

Shifting her sorry gaze away from the window display, she tried to think of another way of raising money, but it was a futile exercise. She suspected Kathleen, had she known, would have moved heaven and earth to help her financially, but Lucy thought her dear friend had done more than enough already, and swiftly dismissed the issue
from her mind.

Her thoughts brought her to the taxi waiting down the street. It’s make-your-mind-up time! she told herself. The taxi fare is climbing, and you haven’t even made a start.

Her attention was then brought to the big sign above her head, which read in large black capitals:

TOM FISHER’S PAWNSHOP

We buy goods, and also lend money on items of interest

With little choice, Lucy braced
herself and pushed open the front door. ‘Hello!’ The shop appeared empty. ‘Is there anyone about?’ she called in a firm voice.

She got a fright when a big man suddenly answered from behind her, ‘There’s no need to raise your voice, woman. I get enough o’ that from the missus!’

Lucy swung round to face him. ‘I’m sorry … only …’ At the sight of him she was momentarily struck dumb. A huge, mountainous
blob of a man, he wore a blue beret that sat in the middle of his head like a pimple on a haystack, and had a long, thin moustache sweeping down to a broad chest. His green eyes were unnervingly piercing.

‘What can I do for you?’ he demanded impatiently.

Having never been inside a pawnshop before, Lucy was decidedly nervous.

‘Hurry up, woman!’ He gave a long sigh. ‘State yer business; we in’t
got all day!’

Before Lucy could explain her business, he gave an almighty sneeze, yanked a mucky handkerchief from his pocket, flicked it in the air, then caught it in his hammer-fist and wrapped it about his bulbous nose. That done, he gave another sneeze louder than any Lucy had ever heard before.

‘Got summat to pop, have yer?’ he sniffed. ‘Let’s ’ave a look at it then?’ He glanced at her
bag. ‘In there, is it?’ Impatient and excited, he was almost jogging on the spot.

Momentarily tongue-tied, Lucy was reminded of a pantomime character. ‘Yes, I have got something I’d like to pop … or pawn … if you please?’

‘Right, then! ’Ere’s the deal. If you’ve got summat worth a bob or two, I might buy it off you … if you’ve a mind to sell, that is. Or I might lend you money against it, bearing
in mind that when you come to get it back you must return the sum of money that I lent you in the first place. And on top of that, I shall require another ten per cent over and above the sum of money that you borrowed.’ He waggled a fat finger at her. ‘We need to get that clear right now, before we go any further.’

‘Ten per cent? It seems a lot.’

‘Mebbe, but you won’t get better terms nowhere
else. In fact, you’ll more than likely get a top-up of fifteen per cent. I in’t that greedy, but I do need to mek a living.’

‘Ten per cent really does seem a lot, though.’ Lucy was feeling out of her depth.

‘Well, if yer want to do business, them’s my terms.’ He drew in a mighty long breath, then blew it out with such force that it sent the paperwork flying off the counter. ‘You either tek the
offer or you leave it, meks no difference to me. If you tek it, you pays me back, plus the ten per cent interest, when you comes to collect the item. But this is all on condition that, having seen the goods, I agree to hold them for you. Got all that, ’ave you, woman?’

Lucy gave it more thought. Never before had she met such an obnoxious, rude man, and now she wasn’t at all certain that she could
trust him with the only valuable things she had in her possession.

‘Come on … mek up yer mind!’ The big man interrupted her thoughts. ‘Does them terms agree with you, or does they not? Because if they does not, then I’m not interested in doing business with you. So, what’s it to be?’

He gave another almighty sneeze, causing Lucy to jump in fright. This time he pinched his nose with his bare
fingers, then swivelled it about a bit before wiping it from side to side with the cuff of his sleeve.

After another loud, drawn-out cough, he was talking to her again.

Lucy found it difficult to concentrate on what he was saying, being both disgusted and fascinated by the long, shivering dewdrop hanging by a thread from the end of his nose.

‘Come on then, missus. Like I said, I in’t got all
day, so does the terms suit you, or does they not?’

‘It seems I don’t have a choice, so yes. But can you please be quick?’ she gabbled. ‘I’ve got a taxi waiting and the bill is getting bigger by the minute.’

‘What’s that you say?’ He gave a raucous chuckle. ‘A
taxi
, eh? Well, now, that’s a curious thing. There’s you in a pawnshop after borowing money, and there’s a
taxi
waiting outside, with
your name on it. Seems to me you should not be arguing over a ten per cent charge for my help in taking good care of your valuables, when it seems you have money to throw about on taxis! Huh! I should be so lucky.’