Design For Loving (8 page)

‘
So that’s when you helped yourself to the money?’

He
couldn’t meet her eyes. ‘You’ve no idea how bad I feel about that but, at the time, I was desperate to get away and Ireland seemed as good a place to go as any. The thing is, I’d let slide to my so-called mates where I was living and guessed they’d follow me down here sooner or later and cause trouble. I realised I’d ruined my chances here and let you all down, but it was too late so I thought it best to go right away.’

K
atie was trying to get her head round all this. Jack looked so immature, so boyish and helpless. She wanted to believe him and to make sense of what he was telling her, but there were still so many unanswered questions.

‘
Oh, Jack, what are we going to do with you? And did you know the workshop was broken into? Obviously those mates of yours.’

He
looked genuinely shocked. ‘No! When was this?’

She
told him briefly what had happened. ‘So did you get to Ireland?’

He
nodded. ‘For a few days, but it didn’t work out as I’d hoped so I came back here. As soon as I can I’ll move on. It was good here whilst it lasted, but I’m a bit of a rolling stone.’

‘
So what did you do with all that money you took? You told me, on the phone, that it was to pay off a debt, now you’re saying it was to finance your trip to Ireland.’

‘
I used some of it for Ireland and the rest to pay off a long overdue debt and to help out a friend who was down on his luck. Now I’m afraid I’m virtually skint again, but I’ll pay you back as soon as I can, I swear.’

K
atie got to her feet. It was obvious they weren’t going to sort things out that afternoon and, besides, she’d had enough of being in the cottage.

‘
Look, let’s go and see Lyall, see if we can straighten out this mess you’ve got yourself into.’

He
shook his head vehemently. ‘No. I’ve had too many chances. I should never have got involved with those guys again. I need some space, Katie.’

Katie
practically lost patience. ‘And what about us, Jack? Come on, don’t you think we deserve some sort of explanation for your behaviour?’

Seeing
his drawn, pale face she relented and said softly, ‘Come on, Jack. I thought we were supposed to be friends.’

He
held his head in his hands and said in a low voice, ‘Lyall’s been a wonderful friend to me, too. I met him a few years ago when I was staying in a hostel where he was doing voluntary work. I’d got in with the wrong crowd and was a bit of a no-hoper ‘til he came along. He recognised I had some talent for pottery and encouraged me to develop it.’

He
paused. Katie was listening intently, a sudden tide of relief washed over her as he confirmed that Lyall wasn’t responsible for driving him away. ‘Everything was going well. Lyall helped me find some work, even let me share his flat until I got back on my feet, but then he told me he was going to Australia for about a year and had to rent out his flat. He said I could stay on until the new tenants arrived, and then I’d have to find myself somewhere else to live. That’s when I…’

He
looked up, his eyes bleak. ‘It’s no good. I can’t tell you the rest, Katie, not yet.’

Katie
sighed. ‘Jack you disappoint me! OK, if you’re not prepared to tell me anything else then just explain why you sold Aunt Alice’s cigarette box.’

He
looked shamefaced. ‘I didn’t. One of my mates pinched it off me when I was asleep. I wouldn’t have sold it for the world. I just wanted something as a keepsake.’

She
didn’t know whether to believe him or not. ‘There’s something else I don’t understand. Why did you come back here again after all that had happened?’

‘
Two reasons. One, I wanted to put things right with you all, but I’m finding that more difficult than I’d expected.’

‘
And the other?’ she prompted gently. ‘Aunt Alice has got some papers and other things of mine in her safe. My passport, birth certificate etc. I’d forgotten about them, but now I need them back. If you could ask her?’

‘
No way! If you want them then you’ll just have to ask her for them yourself.’

A
few minutes later she scooped up Sheba, promised to keep in touch and left.

* * *

Aunt Alice was tearful at being reunited with the cat. Katie decided not to mention her encounter with Jack for the time being and said she’d found her near the woods, obviously having been locked in somewhere.

She
met Lyall in the lane and told him she’d seen Jack, giving him a watered down version of events. He accompanied her home and came inside.

‘
So where exactly is Jack now?’

‘
I’d rather not tell you that for the moment. He’s in a dreadful state and I don’t want him to take off again.’

Lyall
frowned. ‘I knew when Jack’s e-mails ceased whilst I was abroad, that things had deteriorated, but didn’t know quite what to expect when I returned to England. Certainly not this. Perhaps you can persuade him to meet me somewhere. Here, maybe. Jack has a habit of running away from awkward situations, but he’s a survivor, Katie, and, after all, he’s considerably better off than when I first knew him. He’s got a change of clothing, a little cash and transport.’

‘
Transport?’ she queried, puzzled.

‘
Yes, he nicked Aunt Alice’s old push bike. Didn’t she tell you? Just between you and me, she was glad to be rid of it!’

He
caught her eye and suddenly they burst out laughing and the tension was gone, but there were still things bothering her.

‘
Why won’t either of you tell me what it was he did. Surely it can’t have been that bad?’

‘
It’s Jack’s story and he must tell you himself when he’s ready, Katie.’

‘
OK, and was it really a coincidence that you turned up here in Lyndhurst or did you come looking for him? Why should I trust you any more than Jack? I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you and, until this happened, we were getting on just fine.’

For
an answer, he pulled her to him and planted a kiss on her protesting lips. It sent shock waves through her.

‘
I appreciate that trust has to be earned, and hope I’ll soon have done that. I promise I’ll speak with Jack and try to sort things out one final time, but, at the end of the day, it’s down to him, Katie. Now, regretfully, I must leave you because I’ve got a dinner engagement.’

She
ought to be used to him playing havoc with her emotions by now, she told herself bitterly. She supposed he was going out with the sultry Olivia.

After
a solitary supper, Katie went to see Dylan and Faye to ask their advice about Jack. ‘It’s odd, isn’t it?’ Faye mused. ‘It’s almost as if Jack wanted to be found, otherwise why would he hang around here?’

Dylan,
always level-headed, suggested, ‘Why don’t we speak to Aunt Alice and persuade her to look through Jack’s possessions to see if there’s anything of significance.’

K
atie shook her head. ‘I don’t care what he’s done, Dylan. I just want to help him and persuade him to come home.’

The
following morning, Shelley startled her friends by announcing. ‘Jack’s back in the vicinity. Kevin saw him at the farm-shop.’

They
filled her in and, after a bit, she put down the brooch she was working on. ‘If he comes back here, I’m going to find it hard to forgive him.’

‘
Well, I for one don’t intend to give up on him,’ Katie said and, picking up her jeweller’s hammer, began to flatten a piece of metal, releasing some of her pent-up feelings.

By
the end of the afternoon, she had finished most of the exhibition work and turned her attention to making a few items for the Finches’ garden party.

Because
of the time factor, she knew they would have to be simple, just examples of what she could do.

That
evening, she was tempted to go to see Jack again but decided to leave it for a couple of days to give him time to think things through. She had just returned to Lavender Cottage when Lyall turned up.

‘
How about coming out to dinner with me tonight?’

She
stared at him, taken unawares.

‘
I’ve already got my dinner – lamb chops.’

He
sniffed, ‘but you haven’t cooked them, have you’? Come on, we can make it partly business and discuss the arrangements for Saturday week and the exhibition too, if you like.’

Reluctantly,
she agreed and, soon they were sitting outside a restaurant by a river, savouring the evening sunshine.

For
a while, he discussed the charity function at the Finches’. Apparently they’d been friends of his family for many years and he’d looked them up on his return to England, having met up with their niece recently in Australia.

Over
dessert, he turned the conversation back to herself. ‘So have you thought about your long-term plans for the workshop?’

She
spooned up the last mouthful of hazelnut meringue. ‘Not yet. We’re just taking each month as it comes and not looking too far ahead. We’ve had one or two quite successful projects and the London exhibition is probably the most ambitious so far. We’d naturally like our little enterprise to become such a success that we can expand, but Shelley and I just love being creative and, until recently, we were actually beginning to see a small profit margin.’

‘
So now you ought to be looking long term for a healthy profit margin. Anyway, we’ll see what transpires after the exhibition, shall we?’

She
longed to ask him what his future plans were, but something made her hold back. They lingered over coffee, talking about the theatre and music. When he saw her into the cottage he gave her a light kiss which filled her with longing.

To Katie’s relief, Jack was still at the cottage when she called the following afternoon.

‘
I’ve made some decisions,’ he told her. ‘I just needed a bit of space, to clear my head. I recognise what a fool I’ve been, but now I’m prepared to face up to what I’ve done and try to put matters right. I need to talk to Aunt Alice alone and try to explain things.’

He
sounded so genuine, so remorseful. Katie thought hard for a moment. ‘Supposing I told you Lyall’s going to be away for most of Saturday and Shelley and I will be at the workshop from mid-morning onwards? I could have a word with Aunt Alice and tell her to be on the lookout for you.’

Hoping
she was making the right decision, Katie told him she’d go and see Aunt Alice straight away. Realising there was something else she could do first, she marched off to the cafe to have a word with Dylan. He listened intently as she outlined her plan.

He
rubbed his chin. ‘So you’d like me to go round to Aunt Alice’s and be there when Jack arrives, but to keep out of the way? You wouldn’t ask me to do this if you weren’t just a bit worried about what might happen, would you?’

Katie
swallowed. ‘Perhaps it was a mistake to have suggested it. I don’t want Aunt Alice to be upset. She’s had enough problems, as it is, without anything else happening. I’d feel responsible if, if anything went wrong.’

‘
And you’ve absolutely no idea what it is Jack wants to say to her?’

‘
No. Only that he wants to speak to her on his own.’

Dylan
poured her a large coffee and then went to discuss things with Faye who was in the kitchen. When he returned he said briskly, ‘Look, how about I have a word with Aunt Alice now and find out if she’s happy about seeing Jack. I’ll explain I’ll be around in case of any problem.’

K
atie felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her. ‘Oh, that would be such a relief, Dylan.’

Aunt
Alice seemed puzzled by all the fuss, but agreed. She suggested he stayed in the back room within an earshot, although she couldn’t imagine that Jack would pose any threat.

At
around one o’clock on Saturday, Dylan put in an appearance. ‘Mission accomplished successfully,’ he informed them.

‘
Oh, thank goodness! Is he coming back to the flat?’ Katie asked.

‘
Not yet. He realises he needs to talk to the rest of us before then. He wasn’t aware I was in the cottage and I don’t know what he said to Aunt Alice, but she seemed quite happy. I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you.’

Eight

It
was early evening when Lyall returned. ‘Mrs Mason said I’d find you here. She’s told me about Jack’s visit. A very admirable lady your Aunt Alice, so where to from there, I wonder?’

K
atie shrugged. ‘I’m prepared to give him another chance, but he’d have to pay us back and prove his worth.’

Lyall
spread his hands. ‘Well, we’ll just have to wait and see then, won’t we? In any case, he’s lost his chance of taking part in the exhibition and it’ll depend on Dylan and Faye as to whether they let him have the flat back again. I gather he removed one or two items, so he’ll have to replace those.’

She
shook her head. ‘What a mess some people make of their lives!’

K
atie saw Aunt Alice at church the following morning and was promptly invited to lunch. ‘Lyall’s out, so I’ll be eating alone if you don’t join me.’

‘
So how did the visit go, yesterday?’ she asked her old friend, carefully.

Aunt
Alice’s face lit up. ‘I intended to tell you over lunch. Jack’s OK, a little thinner and very scruffy, needs a haircut and a shave, but other than that he’s the same old Jack. Anyway, we had a good old heart to heart and then I had another with Lyall last night. I feel so much happier about things, dear.

‘
Anyway, I knew most of what Jack had to tell me already. I’d worked it out for myself. Actually, I’ve got a bone to pick with you, young Katie. You knew where Jack was hiding out all the time didn’t you?’

‘
Oh, so he told you, did he?’

‘
I ought to have guessed. It was a pretty obvious place. Anyway, I’m glad we’ve cleared the air.’ Aunt Alice sipped her tea.

Katie
set down her cup. There was something she needed to know. ‘Did Jack, did he collect the things he needed from you?’

Aunt
Alice gave her a knowing glance. ‘Yes, as a matter of fact he did.’ Katie nodded. ‘Well, it’s up to him to make good now, although I don’t suppose he’s got much money left,’ she said casually, watching for Aunt Alice’s reaction.

‘
You’ll not catch me out like that, Katie Mead! What went on between Jack and I was private business, at least for the time being!’

And
Katie had to be content with that. Her attention was temporarily diverted by an oil painting over the mantelpiece, depicting a tranquil, rural scene.

‘
I haven’t seen that picture before.’

‘
I fancied a change so Lyall put it up for me. It was painted by Uncle George’s mother.’

Katie took herself off to the workshop where she found Shelley already engrossed in her enamelling.

‘
I thought you’d completed the exhibition work.’

Shelley
grinned. ‘So did I, but I had a bit of inspiration and felt in a creative mood. Anyway, we desperately need to replenish our stock, Katie. I’ve had to do some trail enamelling on my pendants for the shop because that’s the easiest. Does Lyall know Jack visited Alice Mason yesterday?’

Katie
immersed in outlining a pattern on to a brooch with a scriber, prior to etching, did not look up from her work. ‘Yes, I’ve just been to lunch with Aunt Alice. Tell me, Shelley, how would you really feel about Jack returning here?’

Shelley
considered. ‘Well, after all the trouble he’s caused, he’d have to turn over a new leaf and promise to stay out of things until after the exhibition. Oh, and he’d have to pay back what he owes us before taking a cut of the profits.’

Katie
laughed. ‘He’ll be drawing his old-age pension before he finishes paying off all his debts at this rate!’

‘
Perhaps he doesn’t want to come back. Anyway, Lyall’s here now and he’s much more reliable,’ Shelley said.

Katie
said, ‘Look, I quite understand how you feel, but Lyall only came to help out on a temporary basis. He’ll be off and away when he’s ready and then we’ll be back to square one again.’

She
was desperately trying to be realistic, but the thought of Lyall going away brought a lump to her throat, and she realised she was becoming too fond of him for her own good.

Shelley
packed her things away. ‘Well, that’s me finished for today. I’m off out with Kevin. See you tomorrow, oh, and Katie…’

Katie
looked up, ‘Yes?’

‘
If we want Lyall to stay then we’ll have to tell him so, rather than just waiting until it’s too late. If we’re not careful we’ll lose him and, personally, I don’t think you’re so indifferent as you care to make out!’

And,
with that remark, Shelley went off, leaving Katie to stare after her, open-mouthed.

Suddenly
the door opened and Jack stood there. ‘Lyall said I’d find you here, Katie. I’ve come to tell you I’m going away shortly until after the exhibition. I wanted to wish you all the best for it. You’ve all given me a purpose in life, even though I still go off the rails from time to time. If you’d consider having me back then I promise I’ll pay back every penny I’ve taken from you.’

She
nodded gravely. ‘OK. We can discuss all that with the others when the time comes.’

He
perched on a stool. ‘I think it’s high time I told you about Lyall, myself and Aunt Alice.’

She
finished what she was doing and gave him her full attention. ‘When Lyall left for Australia he arranged for a friend to deal with his mail, but the very next morning this official looking letter arrived. I thought it looked important so I opened it.’

He
paused for so long that Katie thought he’d changed his mind about telling her, and then he said quietly, ‘It was the enquiry from the solicitor about Aunt Alice’s nephew.’

K
atie was listening intently now.

‘
I’ve done a terrible thing, Katie and I’m lucky Lyall and Aunt Alice haven’t turned me in to the police. They’ve got reason enough. You see, it’s Lyall who’s Aunt Alice’s nephew, not me!’

Katie
’s head was in a whirl. ‘I can’t make sense of this. Lyall has a different surname from Aunt Alice so how can he possibly be her husband’s nephew?’

‘
John Mason, Lyall’s natural father, died when Lyall was quite young. A couple of years later his mother married James Travis and he adopted Lyall.’

Light
slowly dawned. ‘So you decided to reply to the solicitor’s letter, pretending you were Lyall?’

‘
Not exactly. It was a big temptation and a golden opportunity to solve my own problems. I took a photocopy of the letter and made a note of Alice Mason’s address and then I resealed the envelope marking it,
Gone
Away
.

Then,
a few days later I turned up on her doorstep explaining that I’d had cold feet when I’d first got the letter, but that now I’d had time to think about it, I’d decided to pay her a visit.’ Katie was still trying to make sense of what he was telling her. ‘So you’re not Jack Mason at all?’

He
shook his head. ‘My real name’s Jack Page. Coincidentally, Lyall’s full name is Lyall John Travis-Mason and of course, Jack is a nickname for John, so it was easy for me to say that’s what I preferred to be known as nowadays. As proof of identity, besides the solicitor’s letter, I showed her a bill with Lyall’s name and address on it and a couple of photographs of him as a child with his parents.’

‘
Very neat, you’d got it all worked out, hadn’t you? But what about your age difference? Aunt Alice is no fool and must have realised you looked younger than Lyall would.’

‘
Yes, that’s where I came unstuck, because I’d no idea that Lyall had stayed with her and Uncle George as a child. I knew George Mason had fallen out with Lyall’s father, but assumed it had been before Lyall was born.’

Katie
glared at him in disgust. ‘So you let Aunt Alice believe you were her husband’s long lost nephew? I just can’t credit you’d stoop so low, Jack. Deceiving an old lady like that! How could you?’

He
had the grace to look ashamed.

‘
Aunt Alice must have sussed me out fairly early on. She’s only just told me that she ‘phoned Lyall’s tenants who put her in touch with one of his friends. For some reason she took pity on me and allowed me to stay and let me think she really believed I was her nephew, even after Lyall arrived. Lyall said it was up to me to tell her what I’d done, but, of course, they’d both actually known for months.

‘
I know it’s difficult for you to understand, but I really wanted to belong. You see I was taken into care as a child and lost touch with my real family. Recently, I traced them through the Salvation Army. They’re living in Ireland now and that’s why I needed the money to go to visit them. They’d agreed to see me and, at first, I was over the moon, but then, when we met up, I could tell I wasn’t going to fit in and so that’s why I came back here. You and the others are the only family I’ve got now, Katie, and I’m going to miss you all so much if I have to go away for good.’

He
studied his hands. ‘Aunt Alice has forgiven me and says she likes the idea of having two nephews around and, if only you and the others could find it in your hearts to forgive me too, then I’d be so happy. I know I don’t deserve a second chance, but I promise I won’t let you down again.’

He
gave her a hug and a gentle kiss. She looked over his shoulders just in time to see the back of Lyall moving away from the open door. Now what would he think? He had obviously misconstrued the situation. She could have wept, realising that his opinion of her really mattered.

After
Jack had departed, Katie wondered if she should find Lyall and explain things, but why should she need to justify herself? What about Olivia Finch?

She
took a lump of clay from the bin and hurled it at the wall. It landed with a splat, narrowly missing Lyall.

‘
Artistic temperament?’ he enquired with raised eyebrows. ‘It won’t bring him back, you know. That was a touching little scene I witnessed just now. I was almost convinced there was nothing going on between you and Jack. Hopefully, you’re not considering walking out on us before the exhibition?’

K
atie glowered at him. Some perverse side of her nature made her say, ‘Of course not! What do you take me for? Jack’s prepared to wait for me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to lock up and you’re standing in my way.’

Lyall
looked as if he were about to say something else, but, instead, changed his mind and marched off to his car. She sighed, feeling as if she’d just thrown away any chance she might have had of getting closer to him.

For
a while, she hadn’t trusted him, but now the boot was on the other foot and it was obvious he didn’t trust her.

Well,
if he chose to jump to conclusions without waiting for an explanation, then why should she bother to correct his mistake?

She
had a restless night trying to come to terms with her emotions, knowing that she must keep them in check, for Lyall was obviously involved with Olivia Finch. Anyway, she had to accept that he would probably be moving on, once the exhibition was over, and must have no idea of the way she felt about him.

When she arrived at the workshop the following morning, it was to find a message from Lyall saying he wouldn’t be in until late, due to some unexpected business he had to attend to.

‘
Shades of Jack,’ Shelley commented when she arrived presently.

It
was, in fact, two o’clock when Lyall finally put in an appearance. He removed his jacket and hung it on a hook. ‘So how are we doing?’

‘
We are doing just fine. So what kept you?’ Katie enquired crossly.

He
collected his things together. ‘As a matter of fact, I’ve been up to London with Jack.’

Shelley
looked up from her enamelling. ‘Oh, so he’s finally decided to leave, has he?’

‘
Where’s he gone?’ Katie asked.

‘
I’ve taken him to a hostel run by a friend of mine. He’ll be all right there. Hopefully, it’s only a temporary measure until after the exhibition.’

Over
tea they discussed the final arrangements for the exhibition, but, for once, Katie’s heart wasn’t in it. She kept thinking about Jack and wondering if he really would return to Lyndhurst after the exhibition.

‘
He’ll be OK,’ Lyall said softly, as Shelley went to rinse the mugs. ‘He’s a survivor and quite capable of taking care of himself, as you’re aware. I gather he’s told you about the tangle he got into?’

‘
Yes, and about you being Uncle George’s real nephew. Why didn’t you tell me before, Lyall? It would have saved a lot of speculation and mistrust on my part.’