1848453051 (25 page)
Authors: Linda Kavanagh
‘Will you teach me to ride?’ Laura asked anxiously.
Kerry nodded. ‘Okay, but I don’t want you falling off and damaging my bike.’
‘Huh!’ said Laura, annoyed now. ‘I can see you’re more concerned about your bike than about me.’
Kerry grinned. ‘You’re right – because once you’ve learned on mine, your parents will buy you a brand new one, and I’ll be left with the old one that you’ve wrecked!’
Although still annoyed, Laura could see Kerry’s point of view, but she was still determined to acquire this new skill.
‘Okay, I’ll strike a deal with you. If I damage your bike, I’ll let you ride my new one when we go out cycling together. But I can’t let Mum know, because she’d kill me!’
Grinning, Kerry nodded. ‘You’ve got a deal. Come on – let’s get started!’
‘And while you’re here, could you fix my skateboard?’
Kerry nodded. ‘Of course. What’s wrong with it?’
‘I don’t exactly know, but one of the wheels is definitely stuck.’
‘It’s probably rusted up since last summer. I told you to oil the wheels before putting it away, didn’t I? But I’ll bet you didn’t.’
As she watched Laura’s cheeks turn red, Kerry didn’t need any reply.
‘Dad, Kerry is teaching me to ride a bike,’ Laura said proudly, as she joined the family for their evening meal.
Alan felt a pang of guilt, realising that he should have been the one to do it.
‘That’s great, love,’ he told her enthusiastically. ‘Would you like me to help?’
Laura shook her head. ‘No, thanks. I’ve nearly mastered it already. But you can watch me at the weekend – I should be able to do it perfectly by then.’
‘So I guess you’ll be wanting a bike for your next birthday?’ Alan said, smiling.
‘You’re not bad at all,’ Kerry conceded grudgingly, as they finished Laura’s latest cycling lesson. ‘I think your dad was impressed, too.’
‘Thanks,’ Laura said, blushing. She was delighted with her progress, and thrilled that her father had come along to watch her ride successfully around the lawn at Greygates the previous afternoon.
Kerry and Mr Thornton had also shared a knowing wink, and Kerry knew he was grateful she hadn’t told Laura about the secret lessons he’d given her. Kerry liked sharing a secret with Mr Thornton – in a way, it was almost like having a secret father of her own.
As Laura climbed off, Kerry inspected her bicycle. ‘You don’t seem to have done any damage,’ she declared magnanimously, ‘so I’ll let you off our deal. Just as long as you give me
one
go on your new bicycle when you get it?’
‘Hmmm …’ Laura murmured pointedly. ‘But what if you damage
my
new bike?’
‘You catch on fast, don’t you?’ Kerry said, grinning, as she leaned her bike against the wall. ‘Anyway, I wasn’t really going to hold you to it. And I’ve fixed your skateboard, too – it’s in your shed.’
‘Oh, thanks – that’s brilliant!’ Laura said, smiling.
‘No problem,’ Kerry said gruffly, embarrassed by Laura’s obvious admiration. ‘It only meant adjusting one of the wheel nuts where it had rusted.’
‘Come on, let’s go and get some juice from the kitchen,’ Laura suggested. ‘Riding a bike is thirsty work!’
‘Okay,’ said Kerry and, arm in arm, they headed across the lawn towards the house.
After Kerry had gone home, Laura joined her mother in the living room.
Sylvia put down the newspaper she’d been reading. ‘So you can now ride a bike – that’s marvellous news, darling!’ she said. ‘Before Daddy left to check on something at the factory, he was telling me how clever you are! I’ll come and watch you tomorrow, if you like? It was good of Kerry to teach you.’
Laura nodded, sitting down in an armchair opposite her mother. ‘Mum, is Kerry’s mother very rich?’
Sylvia laughed. ‘Good heavens, what a strange question! No, Kerry and her mother aren’t rich – but they’re not exactly poor, either. They’re just not as well off as we are.’
‘But Kerry’s mother has the most amazing ring – with a diamond that’s much bigger than any of yours,’ Laura insisted. ‘It sparkles in the light – it’s amazing.’
For a split second, Sylvia had felt that old, familiar jolt of anger that rose up inside her any time diamond rings were mentioned. But instantly she chided herself – there was no point in allowing herself to become continually riled by it. She was never going to know what had become of the ring Alan had bought, and it would serve her best to forget all about it.
‘Have you eaten your supper, darling?’
Laura nodded.
Sylvia kissed the top of her daughter’s blonde head. ‘Well, then, run along and get ready for bed. You’ve had a busy day – cyclists need lots of rest, too, you know!’
A
week of relative peace ensued after Laura’s visit to the police. There were no more phone calls from Jeff, and she was feeling upbeat about life again. Although Kerry was insistent that she could stay as long as she liked at her apartment, Laura had taken a day off work to search for a new place to live. It wasn’t fair to her friend to have to share such a small and cramped space indefinitely.
As she sauntered along the street, surveying estate agents’ windows, Laura felt happy and confident about the future. She’d made a dreadful mistake by marrying Jeff, but hopefully that was all in the past now and, if he’d just leave her alone, she could get on with her life.
She’d also been to visit her doctor, and been given sedatives to help her sleep. She hadn’t actually taken any yet, but the mere fact of having them in her possession seemed to have acted like some sort of placebo – she’d been sleeping like a baby ever since.
She was also toying with the idea of actually buying a flat – although she’d inherited a huge amount of money when she’d reached twenty-five, she’d never touched it because of the guilt she felt over her parents’ and brother’s deaths. Now she was beginning to see the sense of owning her own place. It would make her feel secure, and beholden to no one. But it
was a big decision, and she was scared of tying up so much money in a property she might later realise wasn’t suitable for her needs.
She was also greatly relieved that she’d never told Jeff about the money – she had Kerry to thank for that. Although Jeff didn’t seem to have any financial worries, he did like to spend, so he might have been very happy to access her money. He might even have tried pursuing her in the divorce courts for a substantial share of it.
In one of the estate agent’s offices, Laura explained her indecision about buying to Avril, the young woman who’d elected to answer her queries.
‘Well, we have a luxury apartment at the corner of Green Street – it’s available for rent, but the owner is intending to put it on the market next year. If you rented it and decided you’d like to buy it, you’d be in pole position to make an offer.’
‘That sounds interesting,’ Laura said enthusiastically. ‘I like the Green Street area. When can I see it?’
‘I can take you there now, if you like. It’s got a concierge and is dual aspect, so I think you’ll really like it. The concierge is a security feature that many people like, especially single women.’
Laura was pleased. It sounded perfect for her, especially in her present situation with Jeff. She also liked the idea of being able to live somewhere before having to make any decision about buying it.
The second-floor apartment in Green Street was bright and airy, and had extremely high ceilings, which Laura instantly loved. She was captivated by the sense of space they engendered, and even though it was only a two-bedroom unit, it had a wide hall, a large living space and two very large bedrooms.
She was also intrigued by the unusual layout – the entrance
hall, kitchen and living areas were over the large bedrooms, luxury bathroom and built-in storage units downstairs. Access to the bedrooms below was via a beautiful staircase.
‘What an unusual layout – I’ll bet the architects have won prizes for this design!’ Laura said, gazing around in awe.
Avril nodded. ‘This building was a major restoration project some years ago. The whole interior was gutted and redesigned. It’s quite spectacular, isn’t it?’
The rent was also high, and there was a hefty annual service charge, but Laura felt that the extra facilities were well worth it.
‘I love it,’ she said happily. ‘But is it okay for a friend to see it before I decide?’
‘Of course.’ Avril smiled. ‘But I get the feeling you’ve already made up your mind!’
Laura nodded. ‘It’s just that I’d feel better having a second opinion – I’ve a tendency to rush things, and it’s already landed me in lots of hot water!’ She smiled. ‘How soon would I be able to move in?’
‘I can have the paperwork done within the next two weeks. Then it’s all yours.’
Laura nodded happily. She had a good feeling about the apartment, and she just knew Kerry would love it, too.
Kerry was just as impressed by the apartment as Laura.
‘Wow!’ was her immediate reaction as she stared up at the high ceilings and the large living room, flooded with light. ‘This is amazing!’ Kerry whispered. ‘The layout is so airy and spacious. It’s fantastic!’
Laura grinned. ‘I just needed your opinion first.’
Kerry gave a mock gasp. ‘Have you had a personality transplant? Where’s the impetuous woman I used to know so well?’
Laura grinned. ‘I guess Jeff taught me a few valuable lessons.’
‘Well, he’s gone now, and it’s the start of a whole new life for you, love – congratulations! Let’s go out tonight and paint the town red!’
T
he afternoon sunlight shone through the closed curtains, illuminating the slick of sweat that covered their naked bodies. Both of them were dozing, made sleepy by lovemaking. Suddenly, a sound interrupted their post-coital afterglow.
‘What was that?’ Ellie asked anxiously, sitting up and checking her watch. ‘It couldn’t be Kerry – it’s far too early for her to be back from tennis.’
Alan smiled at her. ‘Stop worrying! It was nothing.’
Ellie lay down again, and he took her in his arms.
‘I hate living like this,’ she whispered. ‘Always afraid of being discovered, afraid of every little sound.’
He silenced her with a deep kiss. ‘It won’t be for ever, love – we’ll find a way to be together soon. I promise.’
For a while, they lay together in silence, each listening for any other unfamiliar sound. But all they could hear was the sound of each other’s breathing.
Ellie was the first to break the silence. ‘I think she should be told the truth. Kerry deserves to know that you’re her father.’
‘Not now, love – she’s still too young. When we’re finally a couple, and can be together all the time, we’ll tell her.’
‘I wish I could have you with me all the time,’ Ellie said wistfully, pulling the bedclothes over her naked body.
‘So do I,’ he whispered, kissing her nose playfully. ‘and you
will
have me, very soon. But we can’t afford to rock any boats just yet.’
‘That doesn’t stop me wishing,’ she replied, brushing a tear from her eye. ‘I wish I’d been the one who met you first. Then we wouldn’t have to go through this charade all the time.’
‘Let’s not spoil the little time we have together. I want it to be joyful – I want to show you how much I love you!’ Alan replied, stroking her face and tenderly kissing her nose. ‘Now, I’m going to make love to you again, and that will let you know just how much you mean to me!’
Groaning, she surrendered to his tender ministrations. He knew exactly how to excite her. Every touch, every look, turned her on. And she knew it was the same for him – they just couldn’t get enough of each other. It had been like that for years, yet they’d never grown tired of being together.
Afterwards, they lay in silence, exhausted but still savouring their delight in each other.
Eventually, he looked at his watch. ‘It’s time for me to go, love,’ he whispered. ‘Kerry will be home from tennis within the hour.’
After a final kiss inside the front door, and having checked that the coast was clear, Alan stepped outside. As his eyes adjusted to the strong sunlight, he thought he saw a sudden movement over near the outhouse, but when he looked again, he could see nothing. It was probably just his overactive imagination – Ellie’s fears were making him jittery, too. His visits to her were always fraught with the fear of being caught. He strode quickly to his car, which was, as usual, parked behind the house, well hidden from the road. He checked his watch again. With luck, he’d be home in time to join the family for dinner.
K
erry awoke from her dream, her forehead clammy. She’d gone to bed early and fallen asleep quickly. Now she felt disoriented as she looked at her watch. It was just before midnight. The streetlights outside provided backlighting for the trees as they blew in the wind, throwing bizarre shadows onto the glass of the window. She suddenly realised that a phone was ringing somewhere in the distance. It had to be her own mobile phone, since Laura had gone to a movie with her colleague Maria, and was staying overnight at the other woman’s house.