A Time of Peace (35 page)

‘I thought you might not feel like cooking tonight, so I've brought you fish and chips.' He held them out to her.

‘Oh, thank you.' She stepped aside. ‘Please come in.'

‘Jon's brought us fish and chips,' Kate told Annie when they walked into the kitchen.

‘That's so thoughtful of you.' Annie took the packets from him. ‘My goodness, there's a lot here. You must stay and help us eat it.'

‘I won't if you'd rather be on your own …'

‘No, no.' Annie unwrapped the meals and popped
them in the oven to warm. ‘We'd be glad of your company, wouldn't we, Kate?'

‘Yes, we would,' she told him, and it was the truth. She wanted him to stay.

He accepted their invitation with a slight nod of his head.

‘Kate, go and tell Rose to come down. She loves fish and chips and we might be able to persuade her to eat.'

She went up the stairs and opened her mother's door quietly. If she was asleep, she didn't want to wake her.

The sight that met her eyes tore the very heart out of Kate. Her mother was standing in the middle of the room, clutching one of her husband's jackets to her and sobbing into it. The material was muffling great wrenching cries. She closed the door as quietly as she had opened it and started back down the stairs. She had to hold on to the banister because her legs wouldn't support her properly.

When she staggered into the kitchen, Jon surged to his feet as soon as he saw her and reached out, pulling her into the shelter of his arms. She went gratefully, seeking comfort. It had been a terrible shock to see her strong, controlled mother like that.

Kate turned her head and gave Annie a tortured look. ‘Mum – she's crying. I've never seen her like that before.'

Annie got up. ‘Most people haven't. I did, just once. Bill and Rose had been married about two years when they had the most almighty row. Bill left her, but he came back.' Annie got up and ran a hand over her eyes. ‘Only this time he won't be coming back. I'll go to her.'

It was past midnight when Jon drove away from the Roehampton house, the scene of so much pain. Rose had soon pulled herself together and had even managed to eat some of the fish and chips, but he suspected she'd used all of her considerable willpower so as not to cause her family any more upset. The grief in every member of that family was of a depth he had never encountered before. It showed what great love they all had for Bill. He was glad he'd bought himself this old car yesterday, as nothing on earth was going to make him leave Kate now and he would need his own transport.

Annie had asked Reid and Sam to come back at once, and he understood her choice. Jon only knew snatches of their life stories, but it was obvious they had been through so much during the war, as had Annie, and they were all used to dealing with trauma. Rose and Kate would be safe with them at their sides. He was pleased Jacques hadn't come, though. Kate was vulnerable at the moment, and he was afraid Jacques would upset her even more. He was also uneasy about their relationship. They were close – too close. He gave a disgusted snort and admitted to himself that he was jealous. He loved and wanted Kate, but was sure he wasn't the only one after her love. His gut feeling was that both Jacques and Gerhard were in love with her, with the French boy having the greater claim on her. Well, they'd have to get
past him, for he was sure he could love her and protect her better than they.

Early the next morning, when Jon popped into Wilkins House, he was surprised to find Kate having breakfast with the boys. He knew she often did this before starting work for the day, but he hadn't expected her there today.

She was smiling at something Tom was saying, and Eddie was watching her in adoration. He accepted a cup of tea from Mrs Green before joining them at the long table. Kate appeared perfectly normal and relaxed until she looked at him and he saw the anguish in her eyes. She was putting on a great show, and his heart bled for her.

Kate knew that she must tell Eddie about her father, because he often chatted about the game of football he'd had with him, and he was bound to ask about him sooner or later. She stooped down. ‘Eddie, I want you to know that my daddy's gone to heaven.' He was always smiling when she came; now the smile vanished from his face. He obviously knew what that meant. Kate was conscious of Jon coming to stand beside her and she was grateful for his silent support; it strengthened her.

‘Is he with the angels?' Eddie whispered.

‘Yes, and I expect they're having a lovely game of football.' She kept her tone light-hearted with great difficulty, but she must have been successful, because Ed's smile flickered into life again.

‘Yeah, he's nice and I bet the angels are glad he's there.'

‘I'm sure they are.' Eddie had only met her father twice and he had clearly liked him. Much to her relief,
he'd accepted her explanation without any fuss. She stood up and had to hold on to a chair because she was trembling. As Eddie rushed off to collect his lunch box for school, her shoulders sagged as if all energy had been drained from her.

‘Well done.' Jon placed his arm around her shoulder. ‘You handled that perfectly.'

‘Thanks.' She leant against him for a moment, glad of his closeness and understanding. ‘I suppose it will get easier.'

‘It will,' he reassured her. ‘You will always miss him but the pain will ease with time.'

Kate kissed his cheek. Her life had been a battleground from the moment she had walked through the door of the
World Explorer.
The conflict had started in a small way with Andrew Stevenson's hostility, gathering intensity with the kidnapping and trial, now she was in the middle of the hardest fight of all – the loss of her dear father. How was she ever going to come to terms with that?

Jon took her hand in his, watching her long delicate fingers curl around his large hand. She felt icy cold.

‘I didn't expect to see you here today.' He placed his other hand over hers in an effort to bring her some warmth and comfort.

‘I must get back to work as quickly as possible. Dad would want me to carry on with my life.' Her eyes clouded. And I didn't want to worry Mum. She's having a hard-enough job coping without me adding to her grief.'

‘How is Rose this morning?'

Kate looked down at their clasped hands and gave a
helpless shake of her head. ‘I'm so worried about her. So is Aunt Annie and she knows Mum better than anyone.'

‘Shall I go and see her, or do you think she would rather be alone?'

‘I'm sure she would be pleased; she likes you.' She gave him a grateful smile. ‘Annie, Reid and Sam are there, and the rest of the family will be in and out all day, but do go if you have the time.'

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. ‘Your mother's a special woman. I'll always have time for her.'

‘Thank you. She needs a lot of love and support to get her through this.'

‘She'll get it, and so will you.'

Kate gave him a rather wistful look. Are you going back to Berlin soon?'

‘No, I've told Andrew I want to work here from now on.'

‘What, stay in London?' She couldn't hide her surprise. ‘That's a sudden decision, isn't it?'

‘I felt it was time for a change.' He wasn't going to tell her the real reason – that he was in love with her. She wasn't ready for that yet. He raised an eyebrow in query. ‘Why, do you want to get rid of me?'

‘Oh, no,' she said hastily. ‘I'm glad you're staying.'

Her response gave him hope. She needed time to come to terms with the death of her father, and he would give her that. He reluctantly released her hand and stood up. ‘I'll go to see Rose now.'

‘Thank you.' She stood up as well. ‘I must go to the shop. I've left Pete on his own for too long.'

He watched her leave, get in her Mini and drive away.
What a terrible few months that family had had, and the final blow was losing the man they all loved so much. He couldn't help wondering how much the kidnapping had contributed to Bill's death. Quite a lot, he suspected.

‘Sad business, but she has a lot of courage and seems to be coping well.' Mrs Green joined him at the window. ‘I wish I could help. You feel so helpless at times like this, don't you?'

He merely nodded, his mind focused only on Kate and Rose. Kate would be all right, he thought resolutely; he'd make sure of that. Now he must go and see Rose – the other woman he loved.

Sam opened the door when Jon arrived at Roehampton.

‘It's good to see you, Jon, come in.' Sam shook hands with him. ‘We've stayed on for a few days. Maria and Jacques are next door with Will and Dora.'

There was no sign of Rose when they went into the kitchen. Annie and Reid were clearing up the breakfast things, and both smiled when they saw him.

‘Hello,' Annie said, ‘would you like a cup of tea?'

‘No, thanks, I've just had one with the boys. I saw Kate there.'

‘How did she seem?' Reid's brow was furrowed in concern.

‘In control.' He was aware that Kate was special to Reid and Annie. ‘How's Rose?'

Annie's hand shook as she placed a cup on the drainer. ‘Devastated. She's in the garden. Why don't you go and have a talk with her?'

He stepped through the kitchen door and into the garden Bill had tended so lovingly. The sun was shining,
and it was pleasantly warm. He found Rose at the end of the lawn with a hoe in her hand, prodding at a weed in the vegetable patch.

‘You missed one,' he pointed out as he stood beside her.

‘Hello, Jon, thanks for bringing us fish and chips last night.' She continued with her hoeing.

‘My pleasure.' He watched her tackle the weed he'd mentioned and hoped to coax her into a normal conversation. ‘That's it – not an intruder in sight.'

She rested her arm on the hoe and surveyed the plot. ‘You're right. I've dealt with all the little buggers.'

A smile touched his mouth. That sounded more like Rose. ‘I saw Kate this morning, and she said you wouldn't mind me calling.'

‘You're welcome here.' She turned her dark eyes on him. ‘Jon, are you in love with my daughter?'

The question had come out of nowhere and threw him for a moment, but he didn't hesitate. ‘Yes.'

‘Are you going off to some war zone any minute now?'

‘No, I'm not a war correspondent now. I'm staying here.'

‘Does Kate know that?'

‘Yes.' He couldn't fathom where this was leading. If she was about to tell him to leave her daughter alone, then she had a fight on her hands.

‘Do you intend to marry her?'

He braced himself to meet Rose's disapproval. ‘Yes, if she'll have me.'

‘Good.' Rose gazed at the flowerbeds again. ‘Bill loved this garden.' She spoke softly and then turned back to him. ‘You take good care of her.'

The look in those almost-black eyes rocked him back on his heels. It was a look that said the greatest love of her life had gone, and with it her reason for living. She had given up fighting. Rose Freeman no longer had any use for this life!

‘I will … we both will.'

‘Of course.' Her eyes cleared. ‘I shall be watching you, young man.'

He almost collapsed in relief. That had been the most frightening thing he had ever witnessed, but thank God, it appeared to be only a momentary lapse. He'd seen something like it before when he'd been reporting on some trouble spot in the world, but never in a woman as strong-willed as Rose. He'd seen people just give up and die for no apparent reason, and he was absolutely certain that if she decided she didn't want to stay here without her husband, then she
would
die. It was a terrifying thought.

‘I'll make her happy – that's if she chooses me and not Gerhard or Jacques.'

‘Jacques is like a very loved brother. Gerhard doesn't stand a chance.'

‘And you think I do?'

‘That is something you'll have to find out for yourself; I'm not omniscient.' Rose rammed the hoe into the ground until it stood up on its own. ‘Now, let's go and see if there's any tea in the pot.'

James arrived just as they walked into the kitchen, and, after kissing his mother and greeting everyone else, he said to Annie, ‘Put the kettle on, I'm gasping for a cup of tea.'

‘I'll make it.' Sam picked up the teapot.

Rose moved swiftly and took it out of his hands. ‘No, you won't, you still can't make a decent cup of tea.'

Sam leant against the sink, a glitter of amusement in his eyes. ‘I remember the first time I made you tea, you told me it was too weak to struggle out of the pot.' His shoulders began to shake in silent laughter when he explained. ‘It was during the war and I'd brought Annie home for a rest after her trip behind enemy lines in France. I was on my own in the kitchen when Rose swept in and threatened to box my ears if I didn't tell her who I was.' He was laughing now at the memory. ‘I fell in love with her then and I've adored her ever since.'

Rose raised her eyebrows at Annie. ‘He hasn't changed much, has he?'

‘Well, Rosie, he is a Frenchman, so what else can you expect?'

Laughter rippled around the room and Jon marvelled at the camaraderie and love between these people. They had obviously shared a lot of good and bad times together.

Sam became serious and reached out to hug Rose. ‘They were tough years, Rose, but we survived, and you
will
recover from this tragedy.'

‘Of course I shall.' Rose gazed around at them all. ‘I know I gave you all a fright last night, but you can stop fretting. I'm going to find it damned hard to live without Bill, but we had a good life together and I'm grateful for that. I might even go back into business – part time, of course.' Then she looked pointedly at James. ‘I expect to have some grandchildren for me to watch grow up.'

The feeling of relief that swept through the room was palpable to Jon. No one in this family, apart from Annie,
had ever seen this strong-minded woman lose control. It had obviously shaken them badly.

‘Aha, that's our Rosie talking.' Sam spoke with a pronounced French accent, and Annie grinned.

‘And you can cut that out,' Rose declared. ‘You didn't fool me with that fake accent in the war, and you're still not too big for me to box your ears.'

The room erupted into laughter. Sam usually spoke English without the trace of an accent, so this was obviously some game they had played in the past. He must get Kate to tell him about it some time.

Annie poured the tea and everyone sat around the large table. This was a strange feeling for Jon, as they seemed to include him without the slightest hesitation. It must have been wonderful to have grown up in a loving family circle like this. But it was incredibly painful now, when they had lost one of their loved ones.