Far From Home. Anne Bennett

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      Kate nodded. ‘She loves it,’ she said. ‘She loves her job and the fact she has money in her pocket, which in itself is quite a novel experience, and she can’t get over all the entertainment there is for her to enjoy when she does have time off. But I think, most important of all, she’s become very friendly with the trainee projectionist at the cinema, and I definitely don’t think she would like leaving him.’

      ‘Isn’t she rather young for that?’

      ‘Probably,’ Kate said. ‘But what can I do about that?’

      ‘Not a lot,’ David agreed. ‘What about her elder sister?’

      ‘What do you mean?’ Kate said, though she knew full well what David was getting at. And then, with relief, she saw Susie and Nick waiting at the tram stop and she said, ‘Come on, let’s hurry. It’s too cold to stand for long in this weather,’ and the opportunity to talk further was lost.

      In the interval, Susie and Kate headed off to the Ladies’, and Susie barely waited till the door shut behind them before saying, ‘Well?’

      ‘Well what?’

      ‘Come on, Kate. I‘ve been dying to ask you.’

      ‘Ask me what?

      ‘Don’t be stupid,’ Susie snapped. ‘You and David, of course.’

      ‘What about me and David?’

      ‘You know,’ Susie said. ‘You looked ever so lovey-dovey to me when you arrived at the tram station earlier.’

      ‘It seemed sensible. It was cold, that was all.’

      ‘And was it sensible of him to buy you a whole box of chocolates?’

      ‘No,’ Kate said. ‘That was far from sensible. I didn’t expect him to do that and he is very generous, but I know what it is to truly love someone.’

      ‘D’you know?’ said Susie. ‘I’m not sure that you do. It might not be love that you feel for Tim Munroe at all, but infatuation, probably made all the sweeter because you knew from the start he was unobtainable.’

      Kate stared at Susie and Susie knew she had hit home. For the first time she saw doubt flit across Kate’s face as she digested Susie’s words and wondered if there was an element of truth in them.

      ‘I mean, you have never been courted by Tim – walked out together or anything, have you?’ Susie asked, knowing they hadn’t. ‘The most you two have done is gaze at each other. You don’t know anything about him really.’

      ‘Don’t be daft, we nearly grew up together.’

      ‘I know that. So you know Tim the child, the boy, but nothing at all about Tim the man. I bet when you got to a certain age, your mother at least made quite sure you were never left alone together.’

      Kate nodded, because that had been true.

      ‘Well, here there’s a man that you have admitted you like and who more than likes you. I mean, you’ve really enjoyed yourself tonight, haven’t you?’

      ‘Oh, yes,’ Kate said. ‘And the pantomime is great, but we should really be getting back because the first bell has just gone.’

      ‘I know,’ Susie said. ‘We’ll go now, but you will think about what I said?’

      Kate nodded. ‘I will,’ she promised, and she would because – quite apart from anything else – she felt she owed her friend a favour, and knew it would make life easier for the budding relationship between Susie and Nick if she agreed to go out with David.

      SIX

      The next morning, Kate got up in a really good mood, remembering how much she had enjoyed the previous evening. The day before, as well as getting the dress for herself, she had bought Sally a lovely Fair Isle-patterned hat, gloves and scarf set for Christmas. They had never got much in the way of presents in Donegal, and any they did have they left until after Mass to open, but the weather was so raw that morning that Kate decided to give Sally her presents before they left for church because she knew it would keep her a lot warmer, especially as they couldn’t have a warming cup of tea or a bite to eat as they were both taking communion.

      Sally had really sad eyes that morning and Kate thought she was probably thinking of their home. She knew that her younger sister had really hoped that her mother would write to say she had forgiven her, especially as she had paid back nearly all the money she had taken, but she had received nothing. When Kate gave her the present, Sally was so overwhelmed with sudden love and gratitude for her sister that tears stood out in her eyes. Kate was so moved by Sally’s response that she said, ‘You might as well have the other things as well,’ and gave her the set of lace hankies and a little bottle of California Poppy perfume.

      ‘Oh, Kate, you are so lovely,’ Sally said, dabbing the perfume behind her ears immediately. ‘I have things for you too.’

      ‘You shouldn’t have spent money on me,’ Kate said. ‘I told you not to. You don’t earn that much.’

      ‘I know I don’t,’ Sally said. ‘But I owe you so much that I would buy for you if I couldn’t afford even a card for anyone else. And ooh, I can’t really wait until after Mass to give them to you either, so you must have them now.’

      Kate was thrilled because the silk stockings were of the best quality and the slippers were fur lined, and she exclaimed in delight, ‘My feet will be as warm as toast in these.’

      ‘Yeah, well, I saw your others were thin and very raggedy looking.’

      ‘It was one of the first things I bought when I came to Birmingham three years ago,’ Kate said. ‘Because my feet used to ache so much after standing all day on the factory floor and I have never thought to replace them. In fact, I like these new ones so much I will take them with me to Susie’s house and wear them all afternoon.’

      ‘Good,’ Sally said with a large grin on her face. ‘But hadn’t we better be making our way to Mass now, or we’ll be late.’

      ‘Oh, yes,’ Kate said. ‘You’re right, and it might be hard to hurry because I think it’s quite icy out there.’

      It was. The cold was the sort that almost burnt the back of the throat and the frost sparkled and crunched underfoot, and they linked arms for greater warmth. The streets were quiet and the only ones out were people like themselves making their way to a church of some kind. Many of them greeted the two girls as they walked past.

      When they had gone a little way, Sally, her voice slightly muffled because of the scarf wrapped around her mouth, said to Kate, ‘So, who were the flowers from?’

      ‘Tell you later; too cold now,’ Kate said, puffs of white spilling from her mouth as she spoke.

      ‘That’s not fair,’ Sally protested. ‘When I got in last night, they were sitting there in the vase and there was no sign of you. And when you did come in you said you were too tired to discuss it. Then this morning when I asked again you said we haven’t time. So, what’s the big mystery?’

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