A Time of Peace Read online

  After parking the car, she walked into the shop, and, finding Pete and Susan busy with customers, went out to the back and put the kettle on.

  ‘Lovely, just what I could do with,’ Pete told her as he walked into the room. She handed him a cup of tea. He sat down and stretched out his long legs. ‘As soon as I’ve finished this I must run. I’ve got a wedding at Caxton Hall at eleven and another at two.’

  ‘How busy are you?’ Kate perched on the end of the table.

  ‘Rushed off my feet. It’s the wedding season and bookings are pouring in.’ He drained his cup and stood up. ‘We need another photographer, Kate, because if it wasn’t for the car you bought me, I’d never be able to manage.’

  ‘Will I do?’

  He’d been making for the door but stopped and spun back to face her. ‘Are you serious?’ He beamed with pleasure when she nodded. ‘Ah, that’s wonderful. I’ve missed working with you.’

  ‘I’m sorry I’ve been so bloody difficult, Pete.’ She’d been putting everyone under unnecessary pressure, all because of one man – Derek Howard – and by doing that he was still getting his revenge. Well, it wasn’t going to continue. She would not allow him to win!

  A measure of strength and determination began to surge back into her. After the trial she was going to put it all behind her.

  ‘Grab your camera,’ Pete told her. ‘I can do with your help at once.’

  They went in Pete’s car, and she couldn’t help noticing again how changed he was. The boy Andrew Stevenson had given her as an assistant because he didn’t know what to do with him had turned out to be a treasure. There wasn’t a vestige of the timid, awkward youth left. He was tall, confident and one hell of a photographer. One day he was going to be better than her – if he wasn’t already. The time she’d spent teaching him had been one of the best things she’d ever done. And she’d gained a stalwart friend and business partner in the process.

  ‘I wish I’d known you had a date with Jim,’ he said, casting her a quick glance while they waited at traffic lights.

  So his cousin hadn’t wasted time telling him about last night.

  ‘He’s a nice-enough bloke, but there’s only one thing in this world he wants, and that’s money, or someone who has money.’

  ‘I realized that too late,’ Kate admitted, ‘but I was too harsh with him. I’m looking for ulterior motives in a lot of people these days.’

  ‘You were quite right to put him in his place.’ He continued driving as the lights turned green. ‘I believe he only turned up at Susan’s party so he could meet you. I should have warned you about him.’

  ‘There wasn’t any harm done.’ Kate smiled at him. ‘He said you’d told him all about me.’

  ‘The liar!’ Pete exploded. ‘When he found out who I was working for, he went and did a lot of research into your family. He must have thought that as he was my cousin he might be in with a chance.’

  ‘Well, he wasn’t.’

  ‘That’s a relief.’ Pete shook with silent laughter. ‘He said you’d sussed him out much more quickly than most girls, and that was a shame, he told me, because he really liked you.’

  They reached the Register Office just as the wedding guests were arriving, and from then on there wasn’t time to talk.

  The day swept by in a flurry of activity. Kate enjoyed working with Pete again, and they returned to the shop about four thirty – tired but pleased with the work they’d done.

  Before walking in the shop, Kate glanced up at the flat above the shop. It had been empty for weeks, and there was still no sign of a tenant. She handed her camera and bag to Pete. ‘Start on the developing – I won’t be long.’ Then she headed for the estate agents’.

  Half an hour later she was back with the keys to the flat in her hand. ‘I’ve rented the flat above the shop,’ she told Pete and Susan. ‘I’m going to live there.’

  ‘You’re leaving home?’ Pete’s eyes were wide with surprise.

  Kate watched Susan hurry off to serve a customer and turned to Pete. ‘I’m worrying the life out of my parents. I need to be on my own for a while.’ Her laugh was dry and devoid of humour. ‘I never thought I’d say that, but the nearer the trial gets, the more unbearable I become. I know everyone loves me and wants to help, but I feel stifled. I need some space to be myself.’

  ‘What’s the matter, Kate?’ Pete asked gently.

  ‘I’m frightened,’ she admitted. ‘Frightened of facing Derek Howard again, and terrified about the things I’ll have to reveal when I’m called to testify.’

  ‘We’ll all be supporting you, but if it makes you feel better, then go ahead and move in upstairs.’ He gave her an understanding smile. ‘Susan and I will help you make it comfortable.’

  She felt her spirits rise and knew she was doing the right thing. Most women of her age were either married or out on their own, and it was time she became more independent. The kidnapping had made her realize that she mustn’t reply on other people so much. She must become more self-sufficient, more able to stand on her own. Telling her parents was going to be hard, though.

  When they closed the shop, she headed for Wilkins House to see Eddie before he went to bed. She stayed to read him a story, and then, as his eyes began to close, she tucked him up. This was a treat he loved, so after kissing his cheek she watched him fall asleep with a blissful smile on his face.

  Kate stood up and gazed at the little boy with affection. This was the only time she felt at peace, and she came as often as she could now. As she turned to leave the room, she saw the photo of herself and Jon Devlin on the cupboard beside his bed. This was Eddie’s most prized possession. She gave the boy another gentle kiss to see him through the night.

  Her parents were clearing up after dinner when Kate arrived home.

  ‘Do you want something to eat?’ her mother asked.

  ‘No, thanks, I had tea with the boys.’ She gave her father a silent hug to say that she was sorry for the way she’d snapped at him, and was relieved when he squeezed her shoulder to let her know he understood.

  ‘Had a good day?’ he asked.

  ‘Very good.’ Her smile was genuine as she remembered the fun it had been working with Pete again, and Eddie’s little face in repose as he’d fallen asleep; it had been balm to her troubled soul.

  She told them all about it as they sat at the kitchen table drinking tea, and the worry gradually eased from their expressions as she chatted away. Now she was going to hurt them again, but there was no putting it off. ‘The flat above the shop is empty, so I’ve rented it. I’m going to move in there tomorrow.’

  There was absolute silence for a few moments, and Kate cursed herself for telling them in that abrupt manner. When neither spoke, she gave them a beseeching look. ‘I need to do this.’

  Her mother recovered first. ‘That will be handy for you, Kate. No more travelling back and forth.’

  ‘What’s it like?’ Her father sounded falsely bright.

  ‘Small but clean. There’s one bedroom, lounge/diner, bathroom and a tiny kitchen, and it’s already furnished.’ She knew this was the last thing they’d expected, but they were doing their best to sound pleased for her. ‘I could use some help with moving in the morning.’

  ‘We’d love to help you settle in, wouldn’t we, Rose?’

  Her mother agreed and Kate knew she’d done the right thing to involve them. It would have been cruel to do otherwise. She loved them too much to do that.

  Packing her things the next morning was painful, knowing she was leaving the home she’d lived in all her life. The tears were streaming down her face when her mother walked in.

  ‘You don’t have to do this,’ Rose told her.

  ‘Yes, I do, Mum.’ She wiped her face and summoned up a smile. ‘I need to be on my own.’

  Rose sat on the edge of the bed. ‘You’ll always have a home here if you want it, but, for what it’s worth, I believe you’re doing the right thing. I’d feel exactly the same as you in this
position. Don’t hide yourself away, though, that won’t solve your problems.’

  ‘I don’t intend to. I’ll phone every day and come to lunch on Sundays.’

  ‘Good.’ Rose stood up. ‘You’ll get through this bad time, but you’ve got to do it in your own way, so having a place to call your own might help. We understand that, Kate.’

  She kissed her mother for being so understanding, but if anyone knew about hard times, it was Rose Freeman.

  18

  Kate kept her word and over the next couple of weeks she found a measure of contentment. She had never liked being alone but now she welcomed the solitude. At night, in the privacy of her own home, she could rage or cry without distressing her parents, so that by the time the trial arrived she felt stronger, both mentally and physically.

  She’d had to go through everything with the prosecuting barrister, and James, whose constant love and support was a blessing. Much to her relief, she’d managed quite well, but there was no use kidding herself, she was dreading it.

  The night before the trial she packed her overnight bag and headed for Roehampton. She was going to need all the help and support her family could supply. This would be an ordeal for all of them, so they would band together and help each other, as they had always done in any difficult situation.

  Her parents were delighted to see her, and both gave her a hug.

  ‘Can I stay until the trial’s over?’ she asked.

  ‘You don’t have to ask,’ her mother said. ‘Your room’s always there when you want it.’

  ‘This house is empty without you and James,’ her father said, sighing.

  ‘How about putting your other wandering child up for tonight?’ James strode in with his bag. ‘I’ll take the spare room, as Kate’s turned my old room into a darkroom.’

  She’d planned this with James, and when she saw how pleased their parents were she nodded to her brother.

  ‘Right, let’s have a drink,’ Bill said. They all trooped after him into the sitting room.

  They had a brandy each, even Kate, who knew she was going to need it.

  Rose sipped her drink and studied her children. ‘You can tell us what this is all about now.’

  James smiled ruefully. ‘You don’t miss a thing, do you, Mum?’

  ‘I know you two well enough to guess when you’re up to something, and there’s more on your minds than keeping us company before the trial.’

  James glanced anxiously at his father. ‘You’d better have another drink, Dad, because we’ve got something to tell you.’

  ‘We know you’ve been keeping secrets,’ their father said. ‘So you’d better start talking, because we don’t want any unpleasant shocks at the trial.’

  ‘Who’s going to start?’ Rose put her glass down and waited.

  James glanced at Kate, and when she indicated that he should go first, he launched into the story of the ransom demand.

  ‘My God!’ Bill gasped. ‘The man’s mad. We’d never have been able to raise that kind of money. Why the blazes didn’t you tell me, James? You shouldn’t have tried to shoulder the burden on your own.’

  ‘I thought I could handle it, but if I couldn’t I’d have come straight to you. I would never have put Kate’s life at risk, you know that.’

  ‘I should damned well hope not,’ Bill exploded. ‘You had no right to keep anything from me.’

  Kate watched anxiously. She’d never seen her father lose his temper before, and she glimpsed the extent of his love for them both. It was humbling.

  ‘James was trying to save you from more worry,’ she told them. ‘He was ready to give everything he owned and was hoping for a chance to negotiate, but Derek Howard had no intention of letting me live. He would have taken the money and then killed me. I suspect James realized that.’

  ‘I did.’ James swallowed his brandy in one mouthful. ‘I was praying I could talk with Howard, and keep Kate alive until we could find her.’

  Her father drew in a sharp breath. ‘Tell us what really happened, Kate.’

  She unburdened herself, knowing they would hear this during the trial, leaving nothing out, and by the time she’d finished she let out a deep sigh of relief. That had been difficult, but she could talk about it now without falling apart, and that gave her hope for the trial. If she could just hold her composure during her time in the witness box, then she might be able to put this whole thing behind her and start getting her life back together again. Her emotions were being tossed around like a piece of flotsam, and at times she felt as if she had no control over her life any more. How she longed for the calm, confident Kate Freeman of before to emerge from the turmoil.

  Her mother handed her another small brandy and she sipped it gratefully.

  Rose nodded at her husband. ‘I think we’ve brought up a couple of children to be proud of, don’t you agree, Bill?’

  ‘I most certainly do.’ He lifted his glass to James and Kate. ‘Thanks for trying to shield us, but it wasn’t necessary.’

  She cast her brother a quick glance. Their father might say that, but he still looked drawn and ill. She knew James was just as worried as she was.

  As Kate dressed the next morning, she was glad she’d taken trouble over her appearance. She’d chosen a classic suit in a burgundy so dark that it was almost black; this was teamed with black suede court shoes and a cream silk blouse. The effect was elegant in its simplicity.

  She could hear voices downstairs, and gained comfort from the fact that she had much loving support. She headed for the kitchen. Reid and Annie had arrived and she hugged them, grateful to have them there.

  James smiled in approval when he saw her. ‘You look perfect.’

  ‘So do you.’ Her brother was wearing a beautifully cut suit in dark grey, with a tie almost the same colour as her outfit. She didn’t miss the dark shadow of strain under his eyes, though, and knew that he was dreading this.

  He touched her arm. ‘Soon be over.’

  She tensed at the thought of the next few days or weeks, or however long the trial took. Their barrister had warned them that they could expect some hostile questioning from the defence lawyers. No one was claiming that Howard was innocent, for he had been caught on his way up the stairs with a knife in his hand. After being told that, she knew he had been about to carry out his threat and kill her. Another ten minutes and rescue might have been impossible!

  She knew she mustn’t dwell on what might have been. She had to concentrate on seeing that Derek Howard was given a long prison sentence for his crimes.

  A plate of eggs and bacon was put in front of her, and, when she hesitated, wondering if her stomach could take the food, her mother said firmly, ‘Eat, Kate, it’s going to be a long day.’

  The food vanished from her plate, but she was hardly aware of eating it.

  Because of the serious nature of the crime, the trial was being held at the Old Bailey. Her mother knew the building well and Kate followed her, not taking much notice of her surroundings. If Derek Howard had pleaded guilty, then this would have been less of an ordeal, but she knew that his lawyers were going to try for a lesser sentence than that for kidnapping and attempted murder, by showing that he was unbalanced at the time and had not been aware of his actions. That made her furious! He had known exactly what he was doing and it had been well planned.

  They reached some seats in a corridor and her father gave her a reassuring smile. ‘Sit here, Kate, while your mother finds out what is happening.’

  ‘There will be a lot of hanging around,’ her mother explained. ‘They’ve got to choose a jury and that might take a while. I’ll see how they’re getting on.’

  Kate watched her mother walk along the corridor with her usual determined air. There were people hurrying along and in and out of the various doors, but they parted like the Red Sea to let Rose Freeman through.

  ‘I wonder if we can get some coffee while we wait.’ James stood up, and, as he wandered off, her father and Reid went with him.r />
  The men were already restless with nothing to do, and she was left with her Aunt Annie. Her mother had run through the proceedings with her. She knew what to expect, and until she was called there wasn’t anything she could do. Up to now she had not been greatly involved in the run-up to the trial. The hearing at the magistrates court had been brief, when it was decided that there was a case to answer. There would be a separate trial for the embezzlement. Grant Phillips was bringing that charge, and James had assured her that she wouldn’t be needed for that.

  Kate watched as Annie’s hand rested over her tightly clasped ones. She looked up and grimaced. ‘I’m so scared. I’m a coward, Aunt Annie.’

  ‘Kate, we all have times when we’re frightened, but that doesn’t mean we’re cowards.’ She cradled Kate’s hands in her own and smiled. ‘You haven’t anything to be ashamed of, sweetheart.’

  Kate knew her aunt had parachuted into France during the war to find a man who was missing. She’d found him badly injured, and, although Annie had managed to get him back to England, he had died.

  ‘Before I jumped out of the plane I was terrified, Kate, but a strange thing happened as the order came to jump. My mind cleared, and I was completely calm and focused on the task of finding Jack Graham. That will happen to you when you go into the witness box. Waiting is the worst time.’