The Loving Stopped

8/13/2019 The Loving Stopped

1/129

The Loving Stopped

J Steele


2/129

CHAPTER ONE

LIFE had been a shade dull of late. Having left the part to see! refuge in the

"loa!roo#$ %hitne "onsidered that #abe she &as happ &ith her dull e'isten"e.(he &asn)t en*oing this parti"ular part$ that &as for sure. (he &ished$ not for

the first ti#e that evening$ that she had not given in to Tob +eston)s plea thatshe partner hi# at the event.

,-o "o#e$) he)d begged earnestl. ,I !no& ou told #e ou &ere off/ #en &hen Ias!ed ou for a date a "ouple of &ee!s ago$ but I &ouldn)t be a nuisan"e. Honestl$

I &ouldn)t.)

Tob &or!ed for the sa#e fir# and$ li!e herself$ &as t&ent0three ears of

age$ but to %hitne he see#ed ears ounger. (he li!ed hi# 1uite &ell$ but onlbe"ause there &as si#pl nothing in the eager0to0please *unior e'e"utive that

anone "ould possibl disli!e.

,Oh$ please "o#e$) Tob had rene&ed his persuasions$ and had #ade a gaping hole

in %hitne)s defen"es &hen$ loo!ing li!e a little bo lost$ he)d said in s"ared tones$,2al)s threatened to partner #e &ith a fe#ale fro# her &orldl0&ise set if I "an)tbring # o&n partner3)

%hitne &asn)t so "ertain about the i#pli"ation that she herself "ould not be

fro# the ,&orldl0&ise) set$ but she relented and put Tob out of his #iser. ,(o$I)ll "o#e$) she told hi#. ,%hi"h part of London does our sister live in4) she as!ed$

and realised that she &as "o##itted to go &ith hi# &hen$ his relief evident$ hereplied "heerfull$

,Oh$ the part)s not at 2al)s pla"e3),It isn)t4)

He shoo! his head$ and &as still "heerful as he revealed that it &as so#ething inthe nature of a surprise part for the fian"5 of one of his sister)s girlfriends. Ap0

parentl$ %hitne gleaned$ so#eone b the na#e of 6leda Caufield &as engaged toso#e globe0trotting industrialist &ho &as returning to England after a three0#onth


3/129

absen"e. 6leda$ &ith 2alerie)s help$ &as dru##ing up everone the "ould thin! ofto give hi# a resounding ,&el"o#e ho#e).

,He)ll7er7li!e that$ &ill he4) %hitne as!ed8 to her &a of thin!ing$ an #an&ho had been a&a for three #onths "ould be forgiven for preferring to have his

fian"5e solel to hi#self. (till$ perhaps this &as the natural &a to go on in the,&orldl0&ise) set.

,6leda see#s to thin! so$ and so does 2alerie$) Tob replied. ,And$ sin"e 6ledahas the full "o0operation of the house!eeper at Heathlands9)

,Heathlands4) %hitne 1ueried.

,(loan Illing&orth)s ho#e in :er!shire$) Tob pro#ptl supplied.

The na#e of her unsuspe"ting host passed %hitne b *ust then. ,:er!shire3)she e'"lai#ed.

,It)s no distan"e at all via the #otor&a$) Tob assured her$ and added$ ,2al hasplent of roo# in her "ar. (he sas she)ll drive us$ then I shan)t have to &at"h ho&

#u"h I drin!.)

%hitne had ele"ted to &ear a "ool$ loose0fitting dress &ith slender shoulder0

straps on that &ar# ;a evening &hen Tob +eston and his sister "alled for her.An notion she #ight have had$ though$ that 2alerie +eston #ust in so#e &a

rese#ble her ounger brother &as &a off0bea#. For not onl &ere the theopposite in loo!s$ but$ &here Tob &as &ar# and s&eet and !ind$ his sister "a#e

a"ross as being "old and as hard as nails.The had arrived at Heathlands &ithout %hitne "hanging her opinion of

2alerie +eston. ,Cir"ulate$) she had instru"ted her brother$ and &ith a sntheti" "r

of ,-arling3) she had &alt


4/129

that she "ould #a!e noises about going ho#e$ %hitne$ &ith her innate good#anners$ suddenl re#e#bered that she "ouldn)t sta s!ul!ing in the "loa!roo# for

ever#ore.

(o#eone else "o#ing into the s#all ante0roo# sa& %hitne tou"hing her fingers

to her long$ dar! bro&n hair as if she had *ust been tiding it. Tring to putso#ething of a s#ile into her large green ees$ she then nodded to the ne&"o#er

and &ent ba"! to *oin a part &hi"h had deteriorated in no ti#e into a glorified,boo


5/129

(he barged her &a angril through the dan"ers$ halting &hen$ having goneround a bend$ she found that she at last had so#e spa"e$ and that she had "o#e to

the botto# of the stair"ase. (he forgot about the stair"ase #o#entaril$ though$&hen she be"a#e a&are that her su""essful atte#pt to get a&a fro# the "la##0

handed #an had not been &ithout "asualt$ and that the ba"! part of the slenderstrap over the right shoulder of her dress had been &ren"hed fro# its #oorings.

(he &as "ross enough to &ish that she had dug her elbo& deeper into the #an)spodg flesh$ but then she forgot about hi# for a #o#ent &hen$ to her surprise$

she noti"ed that a""ess to the stair"ase had been blo"!ed off b a series of gatesand hurdles.

%ondering$ for all the house!eeper &as said to have "o0operated over thepart$ if she &as "on"erned to !eep the part isolated to the ground floor$

%hitne turned her ba"! on the stair"ase. %hoever had had the brain&ave to gate

the stairs$ it had been su""essful$ for she "ould i#agine but fe& of thoseasse#bled still being fir#0footed enough to "li#b to rea"h the out0of0bounds area$even if the thought of doing so.

Tu"!ing her bro!en shoulder0strap inside the top of her dress$ %hitne too! afe& steps and peered round the bend to see that the part &as still in full s&ing.

In the hope of spotting Tob$ she too! a 1ui"! s"an of the people there. The onefa"e she spotted above all others$ ho&ever$ &as that of the red0fa"ed "lo&n &hose

"la## hands had been responsible for her bro!en shoulder0strap.

,Oh$ bother it$) she #uttered "rossl bet&een her teeth$ for it &as obvious that

he &as sear"hing for so#eone. (eeing herself as the #ost li!el "andidate$%hitne du"!ed ba"! around the "orner$ and sa& that her onl es"ape la in an

up&ard dire"tion.

Not &anting to feel those "la## hands on her again$ she lightl but fir#0

footedl set about going &here she had ever faith that that #an "ould not go.

Having rea"hed the first0floor landing$ she stood ba"! in the shado&s &here

the light fro# the botto# of the stairs "ould not penetrate. It &as fro# therethat she revie&ed the situation.

Apart fro# her feeling of revulsion at the thought of having that #an)s handson her again$ she supposed he &as other&ise 1uite har#less. :ut it &ent &ithout

saing that he "ould &ell prove tedious if she #et up &ith hi# again and$ fro# herpoint of vie&$ she)d had her share of tediu# for the evening.

Realising that she preferred her o&n "o#pan to that of an of the peopledo&nstairs7and$ sin"e Tob had loo!ed slightl the &orse for drin! the last ti#e


6/129

she had seen hi#$ that in"luded hi#7%hitne staed &here she &as. Rela'ing herslender fra#e against a &all$ she heartil &ished that (loan Illing&orth$ or

&hatever his na#e &as$ &ould hurr up and soon "o#e ho#e.

Ho& long she stood there$ !i"!ing against the !no&ledge that until their

unsuspe"ting host arrived ho#e she "ould not leave the part$ %hitne "ould nothave said. All she !ne& for sure *ust then &as that$ sin"e Heathlands appeared to

be in a ver isolated area$ and sin"e she had no transport of her o&n$ she &as stu"!at the part until Tob)s sister &anted to leave.

+no&ing &ithout having to as! that 2alerie +eston &ould thin! she had gone outof her #ind if she as!ed her if she &as read to go et$ %hitne a&ned fro# a

#i'ture of tiredness and boredo#. It &as &a past her nor#al bedti#e.

Thin!ing of bedti#e "aused her to earn for her bed$ and she "ast a loo! of

longing at the bedroo# door opposite &here she stood. If nothing else$ there &ouldbe so#e&here 1uiet to sit in there$ she "onsidered. It too! so#e effort of &ill to

resist the i#pulse to go over and to tr the door0handle$ but %hitne did so$re#e#bering that$ sin"e the house!eeper had seen fit to lo"! one or t&o of the

do&nstairs roo#s$ she had probabl lo"!ed all bedroo# doors too.

%hen her good #anners again de"reed that she should not sta hiding a&aupstairs until the "r of ,(urprise$ surprise3) &ent up$ %hitne left her position bthe &all. (he sighed as$ &ith the intention of *oining the #=l5e$ she relu"tantl

"rossed the landing.

(uddenl$ though$ and &ithout her !no&n volition$ it see#ed$ she found that herhand &as "urled round the "old "era#i" of the !nob to the bedroo# door. %hat&as #ore$ her fingers see#ed in"apable of leaving that door0!nob until she had

tested it. %hitne did *ust that$ and dis"overed that the door &as not lo"!ed.

(lo&l$ the door opened$ but &hen she peered in$ she "ould #a!e out little fro#

&hat s#all light penetrated the roo#$ save that there appeared to be one giganti"0si


7/129

(he had no idea &ho nor#all used this bedroo#$ but it &as not all thati#portant. (he &ould not be staing for #ore than a #inute.

It &as good$ though$ to sit here in the 1uiet dar!ness. ;u"h too late$ sherealised that she should never have given in to Tob)s persuasions to partner hi#.

%eariness of the &hole &ret"hed evening &ashed over her as she li!ened thegoings0on do&nstairs #ore to a rugger s"ru# than to an part she had been to

before.

%ithout thin!ing$ she eased off her shoes and brought her feet up on to the

#attress as a fair0#inded and fresh thought dropped into her head. %as it thepart &hi"h &as at fault$ or &as it her4 %as she a !ill*o$ that she had been able

to find no pleasure &hatsoever in the goings0on at the part4 %ould she feel the&a she &as feeling no& if it had been -er#ot she had partnered$ and not Tob4

Painfull$ %hitne &ondered &hether she &ould have felt the &a she did no&about things before she had #et -er#ot. -er#ot9

Her thoughts fle& ba"! to sue #onths ago. (he had been a se"retar atHobson)s 6arden I#ple#ents then$ and had en*oed her &or!. Then$ one ;onda$-er#ot (elb had started &or! there as the ne& sales #anager$ and$ as he &as

introdu"ed around$ he and %hitne had #et.

Fro# that first handsha!e$ fro# his first ,I *ust !no& that I)# going to en*o&or!ing here)$ %hitne had !no&n that her life &ould never again be the sa#e.

Nor &as it. In no ti#e she and -er#ot &ere dating ea"h other as regularl as

-er#ot "ould #anage it. For$ as he had e'plained$ ,%ere it not for # ne& *ob$ andthe fa"t that I)ve so #u"h to learn$ so #u"h &or! to put in if I)# to be the bestsales #anager Hobson)s has ever had$ I)d see ou ever night of the &ee!$ # pet.

:ut9)

,-on)t sa an #ore$ I understand$) she had told hi#$ grateful for the t&oevenings a &ee! he "ould #anage and &ishing that she &as his se"retar so thatshe "ould &or! late &ith hi#. >uite si#pl$ she loved hi#.

(he had been going out &ith hi# for t&o #onths &hen$ doing so#e bits of

shopping one lun"h hour$ she had bu#ped into A#anda Clar!e$ the &o#an &ho &aslu"! enough to be -er#ot)s se"retar. (in"e neither !ne& the other &ell$ %hitnehad #ade so#e pleasant re#ar! in passing$ and &as about to go on &hen she sa&

A#anda0hesitate. %hitne had hesitated$ too$ and that &as ho&7the t&o of the#halted7she had &aited to hear &hat "o##ent A#anda had to #a!e. Onl later had

she realised that she had left A#anda &ith little "hoi"e but to sa so#ething.

%hat she did sa$ though$ &as to ro"! %hitne to her ver foundations. ,Is it


8/129

right$ that ou)re going out &ith -er#ot (elb4) she had as!ed in a sudden rush.

(uspe"ting that #abe A#anda &as a tin bit *ealous$ %hitne "ould none the

less spea! onl the truth. ,?es$) she had told her #odestl$ ,&e)ve been going outtogether for so#e &ee!s no&.)

%hitne had still been sear"hing for &ords &hi"h #ight ta!e the edge off anpain A#anda #ight be feeling &hen A#anda revealed that it &as not *ealous &hi"hhad #ade her hesitate and as! the 1uestion she had$ but "on"ern7"on"ern for her3And it &as not A#anda &ho felt pain$ but %hitne$ &hen -er#ot (elb)s se"retar

said$ ,?ou do !no& that7he)s #arried$ don)t ou4)

,;arried3) %hitne had gasped$ her e'"la#ation revealing that she had !no&n

nothing of the sort. ,He "an)t be3) she)d further e'"lai#ed. ,?ou)ve got it &rong3?ou)ve9)

,As! hi#$) A#anda had "ut in 1uietl$ and she had &al!ed a&a.Reeling$ not &anting to believe a &ord of it$ %hitne had gone ba"! to her

offi"e to have a fairl unprodu"tive afternoon. He "ouldn)t be #arried$ &ent her

thoughts. Perhaps he had been #arried$ but &as no& divor"ed.

Had she not !no&n that -er#ot &as out that afternoon$ she #ight &ell havegone along to see hi# then to as! hi# outright. :ut$ sin"e he &as not in his offi"e

that afternoon$ %hitne had had to s&eat it out until the evening. As lu"! &ouldhave it she)d had a date &ith hi# that night$ but as the ti#e for hi# to "all at her

flat had gro&n nearer she had been visited b a s#all #e#or or t&o. (he had

re#e#bered the ti#e she had bought a "ouple of theatre ti"!ets to surprise-er#ot over a sho& &hi"h he had e'pressed an interest in seeing.

,%ould ou believe it4) he)d groaned &hen she)d told hi#. ,I)ve a long0standing

arrange#ent to7pi"! # aunt up fro# the airport on (aturda.)

%hitne had started to hate the logi" &hi"h had suddenl &o!en up to as!$ &hat

up0and0"o#ing thirt0ear0old ba"helor$ &ho had never so #u"h as #entionedhaving an aunt before$ used up his (aturda nights in &aiting for her at an airport4

-id he$ in fa"t$ have an aunt &ho fle& in o""asionall$ or7did his &ife not let hi#

out on (aturda nights4(he had felt si"! inside at the thought$ si"! inside too as she re"alled ho&$ as

she &as hugging hi# goodbe one evening$ -er#ot #ust have thought that her

#outh &as #u"h too "lose to his "ollar.

,-on)t get lipsti"! on # shirt3) he had "ried$ alar#ed.

,;$ ou are fastidious$) she had teased hi#$ and had pointed out$ ,I)# not


9/129

&earing lipsti"!7no&).

:arel a&are of &hat she &as doing$ %hitne #oved fro# her sitting position on

the over0large bed at Heathlands$ and la do&n. %ith her head against the pillo&s$she dre& her !nees up to her sto#a"h as though to &ard off #ore si"!ness$ and

her thoughts &inged ba"! to ho& she had opened the door to -er#ot thatThursda night.

,Hello$ pet$) he)d greeted her. ,%hat a sight ou are for sore ees3)

,Co#e in$) she had invited$ but she hadn)t been able to &ait beond "li#bing the

stairs to her flat and "losing the door after the# before$ ba"!ing a&a fro# thear#s that &ould have grabbed her$ she had as!ed hi# bluntl$ ,Are ou #arried4)

,%hat9 4 %ho94 -on)t be9)

His blustering evasion had hit at the gut of her. ,6oodbe$ -er#ot$) she had told

hi# in frigid tones.

Ignoring his double0ta!e at this ne& person he had not previousl #et$ she had

had the door open b the ti#e he)d re"overed to tell her$ ,It)s not &hat ou thin!3)

,Are ou or aren)t ou #arried4) she had persisted "oldl$ this ne& frigid0

sounding person in "harge of her a stranger to her$ too7a stranger &ho had ta!enover fro# the nor#all 1uiet and unargu#entative person she &as #ore fa#iliar

&ith.

,I7a# #arried. ?es$ I)# #arried) -er#ot had been for"ed to o&n. ,:ut I love

ou.)(he "ould feel herself &ea!ening. (he &anted -er#ot to love her. That he

should sa he loved her &as the fulfil#ent of all her drea#s. ,:ut ou still live &ithour &ife4) she had as!ed$ so#e of the i"e leaving her voi"e$ for$ disappointed

though she o&ned she &as$ perhaps she "ould ad*ust to hi# being a #arried #an ifhe and his &ife had de"ided to "all it a da and &ere separated.

:ut the ans&er &hi"h -er#ot had given her had not been the one she had beenhalf0&a to e'pe"ting. ,I have to live &ith her$ for the #o#ent$) he had replied.

,?ou7have to4),%hile the !ids are s#all$ I "an do no other$) he had told her$ sho"!ing her into

silen"e$ be"ause she *ust had not given a thought to the possibilit that he #ighthave "hildren3 ,:ut as soon as the)re old enough$ I)ll be able to leave her$ and ou

and I9)

:ut suddenl$ %hitne &as re"overing fro# her sho"!. %hite0fa"ed at &hat she


10/129

had *ust learned$ she had abruptl stopped hi# before he "ould go an further.,?ou and I nothing3) she had told hi#$ and$ opening the door &ide$ she had refused

to hear another &ord.

That night she had shed tears over a #an &ho &as *ust not &orth her tears.

%hen later she had dried her ees$ though$ she)d &ondered if those tears had allbeen on a""ount of everthing being over bet&een her and -er#ot$ or if perhaps

so#e of the# had been be"ause &hat had happened had resurre"ted the hurt ofher #other)s pain.

(he had been t&ent &hen$ ans&ering the door one da$ she had been"onfronted b a &o#an of about thirt0five ears of age. %hitne felt si"! at

heart &hen she thought of ho&$ if onl she had thought to as! the &o#an herbusiness$ she #ight have been able to save her #other fro# being utterl

devastated. :ut the &ere a happ fa#il unit$ and she had seen nothing &rong in

ta!ing the &o#an through to the sitting0roo# &hen she had said that she &ouldli!e to see ;rs La&ford.

,I)# sorr$ I didn)t get our na#e$) she re#e#bered$ s#iling at the &o#an as

she)d introdu"ed her #other.

,; na#e)s uni#portant$) she had replied$ and had then pro"eeded to renderthe# both spee"hless &hen she had told the# both that she &as the #istress ofLa&ren"e La&ford$ and had been for the past five ears. (ha!en rigid as #u"h b

the length of ti#e as b the fa"t that her father had a #istress$ although at that

stage she had not trul believed it$ %hitne had been all set to sho& the &o#anthe door. :ut *ust then La&ren"e La&ford had arrived ho#e$ and as he entered thesitting0roo# three pairs of ees &ere dire"ted on hi#.

,%hat the9) he)d started to bluster$ his ees shooting fro# the &o#an &ho had*ust "lai#ed to be his #istress to his ashen0fa"ed &ife.

,I had to "o#e$) the &o#an had dra&n his attention ba"! to her$ and &hile$horrified$ %hitne had loo!ed on$ her father)s #istress had revealed ho& he hadpro#ised and pro#ised to leave his &ife$ but ho& she had finall got fed up &ith&aiting$ and had "o#e to his ho#e7perhaps in the hope of giving hi# a helping hand

to tell his &ife that he &as leaving.

:ut it didn)t turn out li!e that. For one thing$ it had appeared that La&ren"e

La&ford had never had an intention of leaving his "o#fortable ho#e. Nor did he.%hat had gone on bet&een hi# and her #other after&ards$ %hitne never !ne&$

but her #other &as never the sa#e again. (he gre& vague$ forgot to do things shesaid she &ould do$ and %hitne had realised that$ unable to get over the sho"!$ her


11/129

thoughts #ust "onstantl have been on her husband)s betraal.

Nor had she ever got over that betraal. It #ust have been on her #ind all the

ti#e$ %hitne realised &hen$ so#e #onths later$ her #other$ &hile out driving$&ith no one else involved$ had "rashed her "ar into a stationar lorr. (he had

never re"overed fro# the #otoring a""ident$ and had died a fe& das later.%hitne still loved her father$ but she no longer felt "lose to hi#. %hen

shortl after&ards he had #arried again7though not to the &o#an &ho had beenhis #istress7%hitne had left ho#e.

(he had gone to London$ had lived in a hostel and had started &or! at Hobson)s6arden I#ple#ents. (he had been &or!ing at Hobson)s for four #onths &hen she

had been lu"! in finding herself a flat.

The da after she had finished &ith -er#ot (elb$ %hitne gave in her noti"e

at Hobson)s. A #onth later she started &or! at Alford Plasti"s$ and one of thefirst people she had #et there &as inoffensive Tob +eston.

,Are ou doing anthing tonight4) he had as!ed in the first &ee! of her being

there.

,?es$ I a#3) she had told hi# belligerentl$ and had "ared not a da#n then &hosefeelings she hurt. A #onth later$ though$ and she &as beginning to reason that not

all #en &ere the sa#e. And the #ore she got to !no& Tob$ the #ore she &as ableto see his vulnerabilit. (o#eho&$ she *ust felt #ean being nast to hi#$ and she

ended up hurting no one but herself.

%ith thoughts of Tob ba"! in her head$ %hitne &ondered if perhaps she

ought to brave the part and go loo!ing for hi#. Ho&ever$ she felt far #ore"o#fortable up here on her o&n than she had done sin"e she had first set foot

inside Heathlands. Ho& #an hours ago that &as$ she thought tiredl$ the lord onl!ne&. : her "al"ulations7and it &as too dar! in the roo# to read the dial on her&at"h7%hitne guessed that it #ust be so#e&here around t&o o)"lo"! in the#orning. And the ra"!et &as still going on do&nstairs3

;ore &eariness "rept over %hitne as she "losed her ees and tried to su##on

up the &ill to go and find Tob. The trouble &as$ it &as so "o#fortable up here.:esides$ if she didn)t go do&n7&ith that uninhibited "re& do&nstairs7she)d stillbe bound to hear the "heer that &ent up &hen the part0giver in "hief arrived

ho#e.

Feeling a shade "old$ she absentl gathered so#e of the top "over around her

and then$ thin!ing that onl half a *ob$ she #anoeuvred her slender for# until she&as beneath the it.


12/129

H##$ lovel$ she #used$ ta!ing a #ental note to s#ooth the "over over beforeshe left the roo# in a #inute. In the #eanti#e$ &hat about (loan Illing&orth4

%here on earth &as he4 Had his flight been delaed for so#e reason4 Thin!ing offling brought to #ind -er#ot)s spending one (aturda7so he had said7pi"!ing up

an aunt fro# an airport. (uddenl her head &as stuffed &ith bitt pi"tures of afa"eless (loan Illing&orth$ of her father$ of her #other$ and of -er#ot (elb$ and

as i#age after i#age fought for pre"eden"e$ suddenl$ to the ba"!ground #usi" ofthe rau"ous part belo&$ %hitne fell asleep.

(he stirred fro# her slu#ber$ believing that she &as in the #iddle of so#e

night#are. For indeed$ night#are *ust about "overed &hat she a&a!ened to. (he&as disturbed first b the sound of so#eone shrie!ing a shrill$ ,Co#e on$ ou lot$ou !no& I told ou that the upstairs part of the house &as taboo3) The ne't

#o#ent$ before %hitne had an idea of &here she &as$ so#eone had "rashed into

the bedroo#$ found the light s&it"h$ and flooded the roo# &ith light.Having slept in the dar!ness to the a""o#pani#ent of loud #usi" and a general

din$ the "hange fro# dar!ness to light$ the "hange fro# the "a"ophon of noise she

had slept through to the sudden silen"e7the sudden hushed silen"e7brought%hitne properl a&a!e. And that &as &hen the night#are reall began3

(he &as ling on her side &hen she surfa"ed to #ove one bare ar# and shoulderfro# beneath the bed"over under &hi"h she found herself. Then she opened herees and$ disbelieving$ suddenl her ees &ere &ide. For$ too stunned to #ove a#us"le$ she sa& fro# the broad$ na!ed shoulders that #et her ga


13/129

b the door$ %hitne re"ognised that the &o#an &ho &as berating the #an besideher &as none other than her hostess$ 6leda Caufield3

%hitne had never #et 6leda)s fian"5$ (loan Illing&orth. :ut$ as she turned herhead to ta!e in the #id0thirties$ 1uite good0loo!ing hun! of a #an &ho &as sha!ing

his head as though to banish all sleep a&a7 she had a ver "ertain feeling thatshe *ust had3


14/129

CHAPTER T%O

%HITNE? did not have ver long in &hi"h to stud her fair0haired$ gre0eed

host. For$ her voi"e rising$ 6leda Caufield had "eased berating her fian"5$ and hads&it"hed to venting her spleen on her.

,As for ou$ ou bit"h$) she hissed$ ,I hope ou)re satisfied that$ through ou$ #

engage#ent is over3),?0ou9 I didn)t9 I)#9) %hitne &as "ertain she hadn)t done anthing &rong$

but$ as though it &as all part and par"el of the night#are$ she *ust see#ed in0

"apable of getting that #essage a"ross. And then$ so#e&hat to her relief$ (loanIlling&orth &as ta!ing over.

%hitne guessed that he &as #ightil disturbed that his fian"5e had *ustbro!en off their engage#ent be"ause she sa& hi#$ heedless of &ho &as about$

snat"h up the robe &hi"h had so#eho& #steriousl appeared at the end of thebed. Not 1ui"! enough to avert her ees &hen she be"a#e a&are of his intent$

%hitne "aught a gli#pse of na!ed$ #us"ular thigh as (loan Illing&orth$ shrugginginto the robe as he #oved$ un"urled his long length fro# the bed.

(he &as still staring$ still stunned &hen he &ent over to his fian"5e.;ira"ulousl$ everone *ust see#ed to #elt a&a$ and %hitne &at"hed as$ ta!ing

hold of 6leda)s ar#$ (loan Illing&orth led her fro# the bedroo#.

%hitne la fro


15/129

but she &as still hesitant about sho&ing herself before 6leda and her fian"5 hadpat"hed things up. The &a things stood$ she had done enough for tonight$ albeit

inno"entl. Never$ though$ had she thought to be a part of su"h a s"ene.

%hat (loan Illing&orth &as doing going to bed &hen his fian"5e had laid on a

&el"o#e0ho#e part pu


16/129

# "lothes the &hole ti#e I)ve been here. E'"ept for # shoes$) she addedhurriedl.

,Are ou bragging or "o#plaining4) he #o"!ed.

%hitne de"ided right then that she did not li!e ;r (loan Illing&orth$ and$

intent upon ignoring hi#$ she stooped do&n loo!ing for her shoes. (he found the#*ust under the bed$ and she lost no ti#e in putting the# on. (he &as a little tallerthan average$ but even so$ even &hile (loan Illing&orth &as sitting &hile she stood$%hitne felt better for having added a "ouple of in"hes to her height.

:elatedl though$ even &hile not li!ing hi#$ and even though she !ne& that he&as &aiting for her to leave so that he "ould get so#e sleep$ she realised that she

o&ed hi# an apolog.

,I)#7sorr$) she said as levell as she "ould as she too! a step to&ards the door.

,I !no& I shouldn)t have "o#e in here and #ade free &ith our bed$ but9),?ou &ere alone4) he 1ueried$ #a!ing her blood pressure soar.

,Of "ourse I &as alone3) she snapped.

,?ou &eren)t en*oing the part4) he as!ed$ #asterl &ith the 1ui"!ness of his

"on"lusions$ she observed.

,It7isn)t7er7the sort of part I)# used to$) she found herself e'plaining in the

politest ter#s$ sin"e it &as his fian"5e &ho had thro&n the event.

,%hi"h &as &h ou de"ided to go to bed4)

,Not intentionall3) she denied$ and before she "ould thin! about it$ ,I didn)t hearou "o#e to bed$) she added.

,I tried not to disturb ou$) he replied$ and had she not !no&n better she &ouldhave s&orn there &as a grin at the ba"! of the re#ar! *ust ding to get through.

,?ou !ne& I &as there3) she e'"lai#ed$ ta!ing his re#ar! at fa"e0value.

,A"tuall$) he dra&led$ ,no.)

,Oh$) she said dull$ and realised that he #ust thin! that she &as as thi"! as t&oshort plan!s that she hadn)t "ottoned on to his sense of hu#our. ,%ell$ an&a$) she

said$ ta!ing another step to&ards the door$ ,I)# sorr about that$ and I)#7er7sorr that 6leda &as upset7 &hi"h is onl natural$) she inserted 1ui"!l$ ,but no&

that everthing)s all right again and ou)re engaged on"e #ore$ I)ll9)

,No& &here$) (loan Illing&orth interrupted$ ,did ou get the i#pression that I)#

on"e #ore engaged to be #arried4)


17/129

,?ou)re7not4) %hitne gasped$ halting abruptl$ and ta!ing a step ba"! into theroo#.

He shoo! his head$ ,Not$) he stated.

,Oh$ dear$) %hitne fretted$ as she realised that 6leda had been too upset to

listen to his e'planation. ,I)# sorr$) she said again$ and$ a""epting that she "ouldsa she &as sorr until she &as blue in the fa"e$ but that that still &ould not gethis engage#ent #ended$ she told hi# fir#l$ ,I)ll go and see 6leda. I)ll #a!e herunderstand that ou &ere entirel bla#eless and that ou didn)t even !no& that I

&as in that bed &hen ou9) (he "a#e to a stop &hen she realised that she shouldbe e'plaining all this to the &o#an he loved. ,I)ll go no&$) she said deter#inedl$ and

#ade to turn to&ards the door.

,%here$ #ight one as!$) his voi"e arrested her$ ,are ou going4)

,%h$ do&nstairs$ of "ourse$) %hitne told hi#. ,I)ll as! 6leda if I "an have afe& &ords &ith her and9)

,If ou)re hoping to find # e'0fian"5e do&nstairs$ I)# afraid ou)re in for a

disappoint#ent$) he "ut her off. ,(he)s gone.)

,6one3) %hitne repeated blan!l. ,:ut9)

,As the rest of her friends have gone.)

,The rest of her9) %hitne &as gasping as &hat he &as saing began to sin! in.

,The part$ as the sa in the song$) he told her urbanel$ ,is over.)

,Over3)

,?ou reall &ill have to !eep off the bird seed$) (loan Illing&orth #ur#ured

sar"asti"all.

%hitne ignored his hardl veiled suggestion that b repeating everthing he

said she &as sounding *ust li!e a parrot$ and she su##oned so#e aggression of hero&n. He &asn)t as "lever as he thought he &as. ,Over or not$) she snapped$ ,not

everone "an have left$ be"ause the people I "a#e &ith &ill have staed behind togive #e a lift ba"! to London.)

(loan Illing&orth &as so sure of hi#self that he did not even as! &ho she had"o#e &ith. ,Ta!e # &ord for it$) he told her$ his tone short in response to her

uppit #anner$ ,there)s no one left.)

,Ho& do ou !no& there)s no one left4) she 1uestioned hi# hostilel.

,:e"ause I &at"hed the last "ar leave3) he rapped.


18/129

That he had lost an s#all sign of being affable and &as no& revealing a hint ofanger &as no #ore than she should e'pe"t$ %hitne realised. After all$ she had

been instru#ental in "ausing his fian"5e to brea! off their engage#ent. :ut$ forthe #o#ent$ %hitne had a #ore pressing proble# than helping hi# and his fian"5e

get ba"! together again.,:ut$) she "ried$ ,if Tob and his sister have gone7 I)ve no &a of getting ho#e3)

The loo! &hi"h (loan Illing&orth thre& her told her that he "ouldn)t have "aredless about Tob$ or about Tob)s sister$ or about her. It &as "lear that he thought

that her predi"a#ent &as nothing to do &ith hi#. :ut it see#ed that his need to"lose his ees had got to hi#.

,For 6od)s sa!e3) he bar!ed$ and obviousl seeing nothing for it but to find asolution$ he snarled$ ,6o and "lear up do&nstairs or so#ething3 I)ll see about getting

ou ho#e &hen I)ve "aught up on so#e sleep.)

A little ta!en aba"!$ %hitne realised that she &as going no&here until this

un"ivil brute had #ade friends &ith ;orpheus. (till$ she had hardl thought she&ould be staing to "lear up &hen she had a""epted the invitation to the part.

,?ou &ant #e to "lear up after9)

,I don)t see &h the hell # house!eeper should do it3) he told her shortl. -a&n

&as "reeping through the night s! &hen he "o##anded$ ,Put the light out on our&a$) and$ turning his ba"! on her$ "on"luded their "onversation b ling do&n and$

she presu#ed$ "losing his ees.

Hoping that he &ould a&a!e in a better #ood$ %hitne sni"!ed the light s&it"h

off as she left the bedroo#. ;iserable "reature$ she #uttered under her breath$and observed ho& ever one of the hurdles that should have prevented all but the

#ost stead0footed fro# negotiating the stairs had been re#oved. ;ore thanli!el$ (loan Illing&orth had re#oved the hurdles &hen he had "o#e ho#e$ %hitnethought. (he &as &arned of the state in &hi"h she &ould find the other roo#s&hen she sa& ho& liberall stre&n &ith debris the hall &as. (he had not seriousl

"onte#plated doing an of the "learing up but$ as she &al!ed through the otherroo#s the guests had used$ she "ould not help but agree &ith the brute of a #an

upstairs. No house!eeper should have to "o#e on dut to a house loo!ing li!e this3

Realising that she &ould &ear a tren"h to the !it"hen if she atte#pted to ta!e

the used dishes there b tra$ %hitne found a trolle and &as soon hard at &or!.

Her #ood during the ne't hour s&ung #an &as. (he "ountered her belief that

(loan Illing&orth &as a #iserable "reature &ith the feeling that$ &ith his &el"o#eho#e after three #onths a&a being a bro!en engage#ent$ he had ever right to


19/129

be upset.

Having "leared the hall of all the "lutter$ she de"ided to &ash up the dishes and

glasses she found there before she &ent on to the ne't disaster area. There &as adish&asher plu#bed in beside the sin!$ but it &as a #a!e she &as not fa#iliar &ith$

and %hitne de"ided against using it in "ase she turned a &rong !nob and &re"!edthe #a"hine.

(he &as up to her elbo&s in soapsuds &hen she began to feel belligerent again.%ho else$ in their right #ind$ &ould s!ivv a&a at the !it"hen sin! at five o)"lo"!

on a (unda #orning4 On that instant$ %hitne too! her hands out of the suds and$rebelling$ she dried the#.

Five #inutes later$ her hands &ere in the &ater again. It &as one thing to thin!$blo& (loan Illing&orth$ let hi# do his o&n &ashing up8 but 1uite another to !eep

do&n a "ons"ien"e &hi"h insisted$ ah$ but he &on)t have to do it$ &ill he4 %hitne"ould not re#e#ber seeing an sign of his house!eeper$ but it &as a fair bet that

she &ould be the one lu#bered &ith the "learing up if she didn)t do it. And$ as thatshort0te#pered "reature upstairs had stated$ &h the hell should she4

%hitne still didn)t see &h she should be the person) to be lu#bered &ith the

"hores$ but beneath all her strongl antagonisti" feeling there la a #u"h strongerfeeling of guilt. For$ through her$ ho&ever inno"ent she &as$ (loan Illing&orth hadlost the &o#an he loved. And %hitne !ne& ho& it felt to lose the person ou

loved.

That the t&o "ases &ere in no &a si#ilar #ade no differen"e to that deep0do&n feeling of guilt$ she dis"overed. (he had been the one to thro& -er#ot over$not the other &a around as in (loan)s "ase$ but that in no &a lessened the hurt.

%hitne finished her first load of &ashing0up and left the !it"hen to begin&or! in the dra&ing0roo#. (he had *ust #anaged to get rid of the last ring0#ar! on

a highl polished table &hen she too! a #inute out to loo! round at the rest of thebeautiful furniture in the roo#. Feeling slightl a#a


20/129

#istress$ %hitne started on #ore &ashing0up. (he ferventl hoped that$ on"e6leda Caufield had "ooled do&n$ (loan &ould be able to get her to see reason.

At seven0fifteen$ %hitne thought she deserved a "up of tea$ and she set the!ettle to boil. (he &as in the #iddle of her first rest &hen a &o#an of about fift

"a#e bris!l into the !it"hen and$ seeing her ta!ing her ease$ stopped dead.,6ood #orning$) %hitne s#iled. ,I hope ou don)t #ind #e #a!ing free &ith our

teapot. I)# %hitne La&ford$ b the &a.)

,Ho& do ou do$) the &o#an replied and$ after introdu"ing herself$ ,I)# ;rs

Orton$ ;r Illing&orth)s house!eeper$) she added$ a shade &aril$ %hitne thought$,Are7er7there other7er7guests still here4)

,No$ onl #e$) %hitne soon put her out of her an'iet$ and$ dra&ing a thi"! veilover the happenings in that upstairs bedroo#$ added$ ,I sort of7got left behind7

&hen everone else &ent ho#e.),I7see$) ;rs Orton #ur#ured$ although she didn)t reall loo! as though she did.

,;r Illing&orth has said he)ll see about getting #e ho#e$ on"e he)s "aught up onso#e of his rest$) %hitne found she &as e'plaining.

,He)s a !ind #an$) ;rs Orton offered.

Perhaps he treats his house!eeper !indl$ %hitne #used$ but so far she had

seen #ore of his bad0te#pered side than his !ind side. ,I thought I)d have a "up oftea$ and then I)d do so#e "learing up$) she de"ided to "hange the sub*e"t.

,Oh$ I "an)t let ou do that$) ;rs Orton protested$ all too "learl una&are thatthe good fairies had been slaving a&a for the past three hours. ,:esides$ I)ve *ustta!en a loo! around$ and the house is no&here near as7er7 untid as I i#agined it&ould be.) %ith that$ and giving her the i#pression that she &ould be a shade

happier to have her !it"hen all to herself$ the house!eeper set about finding theright ho#es for the dishes &hi"h %hitne had &ashed.

,I)ll ta!e # tea into the dra&ing0roo#$) %hitne told her$ not &anting to getunder ;rs Orion)s feet if she &as the sort &ho &ent about her duties &ith bustling

speed.

,(hall I #a!e ou so#e brea!fast4) the house!eeper relented.

,Oh no$ than!s$ ;rs Orton$). %hitne replied. ,I "ouldn)t eat a thing$)

Nor "ould she. %hat she &anted #ore than food$ %hitne realised as she too!

a seat on the "o#fortable0loo!ing "ou"h in the dra&ing0roo# and finished her tea$&as eight hours of solid sleep.


21/129

(uddenl a&are of a feeling of tiredness$ %hitne pla"ed her "up and sau"erdo&n on a nearb table and !i"!ed off her shoes. (tret"hing out on the "ou"h$ she

thought that ;rs Orton had enough to !eep her bus else&here$ and$ sin"e it "ould&ell be #id0afternoon before (loan Illing&orth surfa"ed$ she "ould see no good

reason &h she shouldn)t "at"h up on so#e of her sleep too.This ti#e &hen she "a#e round fro# sleep$ it &as not to find herself loo!ing at

the broad$ na!ed shoulders of (loan Illing&orth. This ti#e$ she opened her ees toloo! straight up into his &at"hing gre ees and$ suddenl$ as she sa& hi# standingtall$ &ith his broad shoulders "overed in a "he"!ed shirt$ %hitne)s heart set up

the #ost une'pe"ted thudding.

,%hat ti#e is it4) she as!ed hi# as she sat up and slipped her feet into hershoes and &ondered &h seeing hi# dressed should have affe"ted her so #u"h

that she didn)t have the brain po&er to "he"! her O&n &at"h.

,6etting on for ten$) he replied$ affabl enough$ she thought$ given the &a she

had ruined his future.

,Has 6leda7our fian"5e7our e'0fian"5e$) she 1ualified$ ,rung4)

,%h the deu"e should she4) he derided$ #a!ing her realise that perhaps she&asn)t so instantl &ide a&a!e as she had thought.

,I)# sorr$) she apologised$ and e'perien"ed a rush of irritation &ith hi#$ and&ith herself$ that he see#ed &ithout effort to have her in a "onstant state of

apologising to hi#. To "ountera"t an thought he #ight have that she &ent through

life grovelling$ she snapped bluntl$ ,Can &e go no&4)

,%here the hell to4) he rapped ba"!$ e1uall bluntl.

,?ou said ou)d give #e a lift to9)

,I &ant # brea!fast3) he snarled$ and see#ed about to stride off &hen he"he"!ed. ,I suppose I)d better feed ou$ too. Co#e on$) he said shortl.

%hitne &as about to tell hi# &hat he "ould do &ith his food$ but as he rea"heddo&n and hauled her un"ere#oniousl to her feet she &as overta!en b a sudden

feeling of breathlessness. All at on"e she &as ver #u"h a&are of hi# and the &a

he to&ered over her. >ui"!l$ she too! a s#art step a&a.

: the ti#e she had re"overed her e1uilibriu#$ he &as es"orting her along thehall and$ sin"e she *ust then dis"overed that she &as starving$ the #o#ent &as lost&hen she &ould have told hi# that he "ould eat b hi#self.

The roo# he too! her to &as one she had not been in before$ and she guessed

that it #ust be one of the roo#s &hi"h ;rs Orton had thought to lo"! before the


22/129

invasion of last night.

(loan Illing&orth had an innate "ourtes$ %hitne &as to find. For$ even &hile

annoed &ith her$ as he undoubtedl &as$ he had pulled out a "hair for her at thebrea!fast table and &as &aiting for her to be seated before he &ent round to his

o&n "hair.,Than! ou$) she #u#bled$ and had so#e #inutes in &hi"h to "o#pose herself

&hile ;rs Orton brought in t&o plates of ba"on and egg.

The house!eeper had gone out again$ and %hitne)s host &as tu"!ing into the

deli"ious0s#elling repast$ as she &as$ &hen she thought that$ sin"e she had annoedhi# the last ti#e she)d started to as! for a lift to London$ perhaps she had better

use a bit of ta"t the ne't ti#e.

Realising that probabl the onl reason he had turned gru#p &as that he had

other things planned for that da than seeing to it that she got ba"! to her ho#e$%hitne found that to be beholden to hi# had #ade her$ "onversel$ short on ta"t.

,(hall I4) she offered pleasantl$ tou"hing her hand to the "offee0pot handle.

His terse nod #ade it harder than ever for her to find ta"t to as! hi# anthing.

(he *ust hated as!ing for favours. ?et$ sin"e she didn)t &ant to spend #u"h #oreti#e "ooling her heels at Heathlands7nor "ould he &ant her there an&a$ she &as

sure of that7%hitne daintil poured the# both a "up of "offee.

(he handed hi# his &ith a faint tra"e of a s#ile. ,;r Illing&orth$) she began$

!eeping her voi"e as pleasant as before. (he halted &hen she found that gre ees&ere suddenl pinning hers. As she stared at hi#$ it stru"! her that if she did not

!no& better$ she &ould have s&orn there &as the ver devil dan"ing in those greees3

,;r Illing&orth4) he 1ueried. Her e'pression #ust have told hi# that she didn)t"onsider she !ne& hi# &ell enough to "all hi# b his first na#e. :ut he left her

stunned and gaping &hen$ "oping her o&n pleasantness of tone$ he #ur#ured$,After sleeping &ith #e$ I)# still ;r Illing&orth to ou4)

,?ou7ou9 I9) %hitne spluttered$ and she &as never #ore glad that there &as

no one around to hear this "onversation.,Co#e to thin! of it$) (loan Illing&orth &ent on &hen %hitne proved too "ho!ed

to get #ore &ords out$ ,I)ve been #ore than re#iss in the na#e depart#ent #self.

Tell #e$) he &ent on$ ,sin"e I &as su"h a "ad as not to as! beforehand$ &hat is thena#e of the &o#an I so re"entl had the pleasure of sleeping &ith4)

-is"ounting the idea that there &as an devil dan"ing in his ees$ %hitne


23/129

realised that the onl reason for hi# bringing up the sub*e"t of the# being in thesa#e bed together &as that 6leda #ust be to the forefront of his #ind. :urned on

his brain #ust be the pi"ture of hi# &a!ing up to find his fian"5e standing in thebedroo# door&a$ sho"!ed and dreadfull upset that$ after organising a surprise

part for hi#$ the surprise had been to find hi# in bed &ith one of the guests.,; na#e is %hitne La&ford$) she told hi# flatl$ and$ &hen she had been

deter#ined not to apologise again$ ,I)# sorr$ I reall a#$) she *ust had to tell hi#.

,?ou)re sorr ou found the part so unutterabl boring that$ sin"e ou had no

transport to leave$ ou de"ided to hide ourself a&a &here ou thought no one&ould find ou4)

(he had been apologising for the sho"! she had "aused his e'0fian"5e. :ut hisoutline of the &a her thoughts had gone$ if not ver polite to her hostess$ &as

prett near a""urate.

,I hadn)t #eant to go to sleep$) she #uttered. ,And I "ertainl didn)t !no& it &as

our bedroo# &hen I9)

,It see#s to #e that ou didn)t give a da#n &hose bedroo# it &as$ or &hat7upsetting7"onse1uen"es #ight follo& our a"tions$) (loan retorted toughl.

The #e#or of her o&n upset$ her o&n pain fro# her brea! &ith -er#ot$ &as

enough to !eep %hitne)s ees glued to her plate. (he had no defen"e$ she !ne&that she hadn)t. :ut she did not &ant to see the pain she had !no&n #irrored in the

gre ees of the #an opposite her be"ause$ through no fault of his o&n$ his love

had bro!en &ith hi#.

,Can)t9) she began hus!il$ but the &ords to as! hi# if he didn)t thin! he "ouldget ba"! together again &ith 6leda *ust refused to leave her throat. %hitne

"oughed to "lear a "onstri"tion$ and then found herself saing so#ething verdifferent fro# &hat she had intended. Pride$ she "ould onl sur#ise$ &asresponsible for the non0grovelling person &ho raised her head fro# her plate and$tilting her "hin a defiant fra"tion$ told hi# evenl$ ,(in"e # a"tions have resulted

in su"h disastrous happenings for ou$ I don)t suppose I "an "o#plain that ou haveobviousl had se"ond thoughts about helping #e get ba"! to London.) >uietl$ and

&ith dignit$ %hitne pla"ed her nap!in on her side0plate. ,(o$ sin"e I have to be at# se"retarial *ob in the #orning$ I)ll than! ou for7for9 our hospitalit$ and I)ll

start9)

,-id I sa I)d had se"ond thoughts4) he sli"ed in bluntl.

,No$ but9)


24/129

,Then !indl don)t *u#p to "on"lusions about &hat I thin! or ho& I thin! oranthing else about #e$) he told her "uttingl. ,I)ve told ou I)ll see about getting

ou ho#e$ and that)s # intention.)

%hitne did not li!e the feeling that she had *ust been &ell and trul slapped

do&n for her i#puden"e. ,2er &ell$) she told hi# stiffl. ,:ut sin"e$ &hen I put thisdress on esterda evening$ I didn)t thin! that I)d be spending the &hole of toda

in it too$ "an ou give #e so#e idea of ho& long it &ill be before I "an get ho#e to# flat$ to a bath and a "hange of "lothes4)

His ans&er &as to toss his serviette do&n on the table too. Not loo!ing theleast bit friendl$ he told her disagreeabl$ ,6ive #e ten #inutes to get so#e

paper&or! together$ and &e)ll be off.)

,?ou)re going to our offi"e3) she e'"lai#ed.

%ithout another &ord (loan Illing&orth got up fro# the table and strode fro#the roo#$ and %hitne fell ba"! into her sour #ood. Leaving the brea!fast0roo#$

she &andered out into the hall.

True to his &ord$ ten #inutes later$ (loan "a#e and found her. The brief"ase he"arried "onfir#ed$ as she had thought$ that he &ould be "alling in at his offi"eon"e he had dropped her off. @nspea!ing$ the &ent fro# the house$ and silentl

he opened the passenger door of his dar!$ slee! and speed0loo!ing "ar.

In no ti#e Heathlands &as #iles behind the#. -earl did %hitne &ish she

"ould put the happenings at Heathlands as 1ui"!l to the ba"! of her. Nothing but a

gri# silen"e &as "o#ing fro# the #an behind the &heel$ and she supposed that she"ould hardl bla#e hi# that he)d rather be giving a lift to a &art0ridden "rone$ *ustthen$ than her.

As the neared London she told hi# &here she lived$ and he too! thatinfor#ation in &ithout a"!no&ledge#ent. %hitne loo!ed out of the side0&indo&$and tried hard to hate hi#. :ut guilt &as "utting deeper$ and hate hi# she "ouldnot.

(he guessed that$ for all he &as not out&ardl sho&ing it$ he &as being torn

apart inside about 6leda. And$ suddenl$ her o&n pain over -er#ot &as being #ag0nified and &as "ausing her heart to go out to (loan.

%hitne &as still feeling for hi# &hen$ after she had given hi# a fe& further

dire"tions$ he pulled his "ar up outside of her flat. And$ so#eho&$ although shethought she read in his e'pression that he &ould be glad if she)d get out of the "ar

so that he "ould get on$ she *ust had to dela hi#.


25/129

,(loan$) she said hus!il$ the ,;r Illing&orth) &hi"h she had previousl "alled hi#lost so#e&here under her urgent need to help hi# pat"h up his bro!en engage#ent.

Cooll$ he turned his head to surve her earnest e'pression. ,(loan$) she repeated1ui"!l$ and there &as a nervous "at"h in her voi"e &hen$ e#otion ta!ing her along$

she al#ost begged$ ,if there)s anthing I "an do$ anthing at all9)Her voi"e faded to nothing as$ &ith one eebro& slanting aloft$ (loan

Illing&orth told her i"il$ ,(o#e #ight sa$ ;iss La&ford$ that ou)ve done #orethan enough alread3)


26/129

CHAPTER THREE

TO:? +E(TON &aiting for %hitne &hen she arrived at her offi"e the follo&ing

#orning$ and he &as ab*e"t in his apologies &hen he begged her forgiveness forabandoning her at the part.

,I didn)t #ean to$ I s&ear I didn)t$) he said earnestl. ,I &as ta!ing "are ho&

#u"h I &as drin!ing$ too. Onl$) he ended #iserabl$ ,so#e idiot got the bright ideaof la"ing # drin!s$ and7&ell$ I "ouldn)t re#e#ber ver #u"h about the part &henI &o!e up in # flat esterda afternoon.)

,?ou7er7#ust have been in a state$) %hitne #ur#ured "arefull as she&ondered if an of &hat he re#e#bered in"luded the fa"t that (loan Illing&orth

&as no longer engaged to be #arried$ and that she &as the "ause3

,I &as in a &orse state &hen I rang # sister to as! ho& I)d got ho#e$ and she

told #e that she)d driven #e ho#e$ but not ou3I &as in a proper ste& &hen shesaid ho& she)d got so#e "hap to pour #e into her "ar and to go &ith her to help her

at the other end$ but that she)d left ou to get a lift &ith so#eone else. ?ou didget a lift &ithout an proble#$ didn)t ou4) he as!ed an'iousl.

,Oh$ es$) %hitne replied$ still &ondering ho& #u"h he !ne&.

,Oh$ good$) he said on a relieved breath$ and added$ ,I &anted to "o#e round to

our pla"e esterda to see if ou &ere ho#e safel but$ &ell$ to tell the truth$ Ihad a splitting head$ and I &asn)t at all sure &hat sort of re"eption ou)d give #e.)

He paused$ and then as!ed tentativel$ ,The "hap &ho gave ou a lift7he &as allright$ &as he4 I #ean$) he added$ ,he didn)t tr9)

,He &as fine$) %hitne relieved his #ind$ &hile at the sa#e ti#e she held ba"!fro# infor#ing hi# that the #an &ho had given her a lift ho#e &as the #an &hohad been his host for the evening. ,Er7&hat ti#e did ou leave$ b the &a4) she1uestioned Tob$ a tou"h tentative herself.

,I)ve no idea$) he replied. ,Though it #ust have been before 6leda Caufield)sfian"5 arrived$ be"ause 2alerie gave #e an earful esterda about ho&$ through


27/129

#e$ she)d #issed the best part of the part.)

,Oh$) said %hitne &ea!l$ and found that she *ust did not have the nerve to as!

hi# &hat his sister had #eant b that re#ar!. Had she #eant the best part hadbeen &hen the host of the surprise part had arrived$ or had she #eant7&ord

having alread rea"hed her ears7 that the best part had been &hen 1uite a fe& ofthe "ro&d had surprised their host in bed &ith one of the guests4

Fortunatel$ %hitne)s boss *ust then arrived. ,6ood #orning$ ;r Parsons$) Tobgreeted hi# in the sa#e good0natured &a in &hi"h he spo!e to everone$ and$ as

he re"alled that ;r Parsons had a reputation for not "aring for ti#e0&asters$ ,I)llsee ou later$ %hitne$) he s#iled$ and &ent on his &a.

%hitne 1uite li!ed her &or! at Alford Plasti"s$ but it &as not too de#anding&or!$ so that throughout that da she had plent of ti#e in &hi"h to let her #ind

run free. Over and over again she thought of everthing that had ta!en pla"e sin"eshe had gone to that part &ith Tob on (aturda. -earl did she &ant to !no& if

(loan Illing&orth had been able to pat"h things up &ith his fian"5e$ but$ short ofgetting in tou"h &ith hi# to as!$ she had no &a of !no&ing.

(he &as still fretting over the fa"t that through her inno"ent a"t t&o people

&ho &ere in love had been "aused pain$ &hen she &ent ho#e that night. (he &as&ishing that she "ould !no& if the engage#ent had been #ended &hen$ at abouteleven &hen she &as thin!ing of going to bed$ her upstairs neighbour "a#e and

!no"!ed her &ell0!no&n !no"! on her door.

Eri"a Fane &as a &ar#0hearted &o#an of thirt &ho$ &hile holding do&n ade#anding *ob$ &as studing for a degree &ith the Open @niversit. %hileeffi"ient in her *ob$ and in her studies$ ho&ever$ Eri"a tended to be forgetful in

other s#aller #atters.

%hitne opened the door to her$ &ell used b then to the pe"uliar hours &hi"h

Eri"a)s studies #eant she !ept. ,%hat "an I9 4) %hitne began$ but she stopped&hen Eri"a &aved a tin of sardines in the air.

,I)# not on the "adge tonight$ I)# returning$) she bea#ed.

,Co#e in$ if ou)ve ti#e$) %hitne invited.,-on)t #ind if I do$) Eri"a replied$ and the ad*ourned to the !it"hen &here

%hitne #ade t&o #ugs of "o"oa$ and &here Eri"a said$ ,I)# ding to pr7&here

&ere ou on (aturda &hen$ sardines in hand$ I "a#e !no"!ing at our door4)

,Co#e and sit do&n$ and I)ll tell ou$) %hitne ans&ered.

,Cru#bs3) Eri"a e'"lai#ed &hen %hitne had given her an outline of ho& she had


28/129

"o#e to be found in bed &ith (loan Illing&orth &hen 6leda Caufield had "o#e intothe roo#. ,?ou)re *ust not the tpe3)

,I)ll ta!e that as flatter$) %hitne said dril. ,:ut7 &hat "an I do4)

,As I see it$ nothing$ !iddo$) Eri"a told her. ,?ou sa ou offered to do anthing

ou "an$ but$ &ell$ 1uite honestl$ if I)d "aught # feller7I should be so lu"!7 inbed &ith so#e fe#ale$ then the last person I)d &ant to see &ould be said fe#ale.Leave it$) she advised. ,Love$ as ou !no&$ poppet$) she inserted gentl$ being theonl person in &ho# %hitne had "onfided over -er#ot$ ,is a prett po&erful

e#otion. The)ll get ba"! together again$ I)# sure$ if the haven)t alread.)

%hitne "arried Eri"a)s advi"e &ith her &hen she &ent into &or! the ne't da.

(he &as still tring to "onvin"e herself that everthing &as ba"! to nor#al on the(loan and 6leda front though &hen$ on her &a to the "offee #a"hine around #id0

#orning$ Tob +eston fell into step &ith her.

,I &as hoping to see ou$) he s#iled$ and &hile %hitne)s guilt "ons"ien"e gave a

start that &ord #ust have rea"hed hi# of her being found in bed &ith (loanIlling&orth$ he &ent on to sa$ ,I)d li!e ou to go out &ith #e again$ but I don)tsuppose ou &ould7&ould ou4)

%hitne fa"ed the fa"t that she had a de"ided aversion to su"h a sordid phrase

as her ,being found in bed) &ith anone$ and relief that Tob still !ne& nothing of&hat &as no& be"o#ing an irritant to her &as responsible$ she realised$ for her

repl.

,Provided ou)re not thin!ing of ta!ing #e to an #ore parties9) she began &hen$his fa"e lighting up li!e a bea"on in his pleasure$ Tob snapped up &hat he sa& asher a""eptan"e of a date.

%hitne dated Tob several ti#es over the ne't t&o &ee!s. %hen$ at the endof their third date$ though$ he #ade an atte#pt to !iss her$ she 1ui"!l avertedher head and his !iss landed on her "hee!.

,No4) he as!ed.

,No$ Tob$) she told hi# fir#l. ,I told ou9)

,I !no&$ ou)re off/ #en$) he repeated &hat she had told hi# and$ li!e the lovehe &as$ he had "onfessed$ ,I tried it on$ despite &hat ou told #e. %ill ou forgive#e and "o#e out &ith #e again if I pro#ise to behave #self4)

%hitne !ne& then that she li!ed Tob ver #u"h. He &asn)t as!ing &h she&as ,off #en$ he *ust a""epted that she &as. ,%ho "ould resist ou4) she s#iled.

,; #other thin!s I)# "ute$) he replied$ and %hitne laughed$ and &hen b the


29/129

end of their ne't date Tob had not so #u"h as atte#pted to hold her hand$ she!ne& that$ in a sisterl !ind of &a$ she had gro&n 1uite fond of Tob.

(he &as at &or! on a Frida #orning$ al#ost three &ee!s to the da sin"e Tobhad ta!en her to that part$ &hen she put do&n a pie"e of &or! she had been going

over and stared into spa"e. (he &as beginning to thin! that that part &as going tohaunt her for the rest of her life$ be"ause so#eho& never a da see#ed to pass

&ithout (loan Illing&orth popping into her head at so#e ti#e. E*e"ting hi#$ along&ith her guilt "ons"ien"e$ fro# her thoughts$ she pi"!ed up her &or! again. Forgoodness) sa!e$ he)d had ti#e to e'plain everthing to 6leda Caufield a do


30/129

%hitne &as staring$ in so#e disbelief$ at the dead telephone in her hand.

,; gidd aunt3) she e'"lai#ed aloud$ and repla"ed the re"eiver$ feeling her

ha"!les start to rise at the boss treat#ent she had *ust re"eived.

;utin &elled up in her as she re"alled that she had a date &ith Tob that

night$ but that the lordl (loan Illing&orth hadn)t even thought to as! if it &as"onvenient &hen he)d stated$ ,I)ll see ou tonight$ at eight)3

%ishing that she had thought to ta!e his phone nu#ber so that she "ould haverung hi# ba"! and told hi# that tonight &as not "onvenient$ %hitne 1uietl

si##ered against hi# for the ne't fe& #inutes.

Presu#ptuous blighter3 she fu#ed. (o &hat if she had put hi# in the &rong &ith

his fian"5e4 (he alread had a date for that evening3 For all (loan Illing&orth!ne&$ he "ould &ell have ruined a budding ro#an"e on her hori


31/129

#inute there that ou &ere saing that ou didn)t &ant to see #e ever again$ not*ust tonight.)

,?ou)re getting tou"h in our old age$) %hitne teased hi#$ and she had al#ostreturned the phone to its "radle &hen$ on an afterthought$ she said$ ,Oh$ b the

&a$ &here "an I get in "onta"t &ith (loan Illing&orth$ do ou !no&4),(in"e ou !no& &here he lives$ it has to be business$) Tob said "heerfull$ and

in happ ignoran"e$ he told her$ ,?ou)ve heard of Illing&orth International8 trthere. He runs it.)

%hitne put the phone do&n in so#ething of a state of sho"!. (loan Illing&orth&as head of Illing&orth International$ that vast #ultinational "o#pan3 And she7

she had a date &ith hi# that night3

It too! %hitne until so#e ti#e after her lun"h hour to get over the sho"! of

learning &ho (loan Illing&orth &as. (he had !no&n he &as an industrialist$ shere"alled$ but never had she "onne"ted hi# &ith the Illing&orth &ho presided over

the Illing&orth International board.

%hitne &ent ho#e that night realising that$ if so#e &isp of #e#or hadn)tstraed to re#ind her$ &hile she &as tal!ing to Tob$ that she hadn)t !no&n &hereto "onta"t (loan$ she &ould never have as!ed Tob the 1uestion she had. As it &as$

she !ne& not onl that he ran Illing&orth International but also$ sin"e the na#eIlling&orth "ould not be "oin"idental$ that he o&ned it.

Pattering about her flat prior to ta!ing a bath$ she &as still thin!ing of ho& she

had so un!no&ingl trotted out her 1uestion to find out &here (loan &or!ed$ &hen$li!e a bolt fro# the blue$ so#ething suddenl hit her. (he !ne& ho& she had foundout &here (loan &or!ed7 but ho& had he found out &here she &or!ed4

%hitne &as still ra"!ing her brains &hen$ half an hour later$ she la soa!ing inher bath. (he had a good #e#or of several of the things that had passed bet&eenthe#. And she "ould "learl re#e#ber telling hi# she did se"retarial &or!. :ut she&as positive she had not told hi# &here3

(he got out of her bath telling herself that &hether she had told (loan &here

she &or!ed or &hether she hadn)t &as not all that i#portant an&a. He !ne& heraddress$ so$ if all else had failed$ all he)d had to do &as either drop her a noteas!ing her to phone hi#$ or "all round in person to see her. The fa"t that he hadn)t

forgotten &here she lived &as endorsed b the fa"t that$ &ithout as!ing for are#inder$ he &as "alling at her address that evening.

+no&ing for "ertain that (loan &ould not have telephoned her if his engage#entto 6leda &as still on$ %hitne &as donning the dress she &ould &ear &hen$ as she


32/129

re"alled to #ind his tall$ lithe build and his good0loo!ing fa"e$ she &as suddenlvisited b the #ost pe"uliar sensation.

Ho& ridi"ulous$ she thought$ and$ s"orning the idea that the sensation had beenanthing to do &ith e'"ite#ent at the thought of having hi# for her es"ort$ she

s#oothed the folds of the pale a#ber sil! around her hips$ and stepped into hershoes.

At eight o)"lo"! pre"isel$ she &as seated in an eas "hair$ read and &aiting.(he &as perfe"tl "ool$ "al# and "olle"ted. At one #inute past eight$ the outside

bell to her flat rang$ and suddenl she felt de"idedl *u#p.

Pi"!ing up her bag$ %hitne &ent fro# her flat$ and lo"!ed the door behind her.

Then she too! a deep breath and negotiated the stairs to the ground floor. (hehad herself under "ontrol as she rea"hed the outer door$ or thought she had. :ut$

*ust the sa#e$ she dis"overed that she needed to ta!e another deep breath beforeshe pulled the door ba"!.

,A pun"tual &o#an3) (loan e'"lai#ed before she "ould spea!$ observing fro# the&a she toted her bag that he &as not going to be as!ed in to &ait. ,A beautiful andpun"tual &o#an$) he rephrased his observation.

Funnil enough$ the &ords on his lips did not see# to her ears to be insin"ere

flatter$ and$ as (loan too! possession of her elbo& and es"orted her to the lu'ur0ious "ar standing at the !erb$ %hitne e'perien"ed that #ost pe"uliar sensation

again.

Oh$ all right$ then$ she "on"eded &hen &ith her seated ne't to hi# (loan droveoff8 #abe it &as e'"ite#ent that gripped her. :ut &hat &as &rong &ith that4,%here are &e going4) she as!ed hi# as she a""epted that the last ti#e she had

felt an&here near li!e she &as feeling no& &as &hen she had gone out &ith-er#ot.

(loan !ept his ees on the road ahead as he told her the na#e of a s#art and&ildl e'pensive restaurant. ,Is that all right &ith ou4) he en1uired.

,Fine7fine$) %hitne replied$ having re"eived the distin"t i#pression that she

had onl to sa the &ord and he &ould have ta!en her else&here to dine. It &asthen that she realised that (loan Illing&orth &as the #ost suave and sophisti"ated#an she had ever #et. For the fa"t that he had "onveed that i#pression$ &ithout

having to state outright that he &ould ta!e her to an alternative restaurant if shepreferred$ see#ed to sa it all.

Perhaps$ she #used$ &hen shortl after&ards she &as sitting a"ross the tablefro# hi# in the restaurant$ it &as all part and par"el of his sophisti"ation that she


33/129

in no &a felt un"o#fortable or a&!&ard at being in his illustrious "o#pan$ or insu"h s#art surroundings. (he &as not so di#$ though$ that she did not understand

that he &as #ore bent on putting her at her ease than reall &anting to !no& theans&ers to the 1uestions he as!ed her over their starter "ourse. He &as tring to

bring her out b as!ing #ore about her.Realising$ as she did$ that he &as onl being polite as a lead0up to &hat he

&anted to as! &ith regard to enlisting her aid over his e'0fian"5e$ %hitne sa& nohar# in getting things on an affable footing.

,%hat "an I tell ou4) she plaed along &ith hi#. ,I &or! at Alford Plasti"s asse"retar to a ;r Parsons$ and I9) (uddenl she bro!e off. ,Ho& did ou !no& I

&or!ed at Alford Plasti"s$ b the &a4 I)# sure I never said &here I &or!ed$ and9)

,?ou didn)t$) (loan "onfir#ed. ,%hat ou did do$ though$ &as to #ention a Tob

and his sister.)

,?ou !no& Tob +eston4) Even as the 1uestion left her$ %hitne &as &ondering

&h Tob had not told her if (loan had rung hi# to as! if he !ne& &here she&or!ed. Espe"iall &hen$ after brea!ing her date &ith Tob for that night$ she had#ore or less as!ed hi# e'a"tl that sa#e 1uestion in reverse7did he !no& &here

(loan Illing&orth &or!ed4 :ut it &as not Tob &ho had told (loan &here she #ightbe found fro# nine to five on a &ee!da$ she &as to dis"over.

,I !no& oung +eston about as &ell as I !ne& his "hal!0fro#0"heese sister$)

(loan infor#ed her$ and &ent on to leave %hitne fairl open0#outhed &hen he en0

lightened her$ ,I "ouldn)t see ou being a friend of 2alerie +eston$ &hi"h left ou$ in# opinion$ as being a friend of her brother. No& &here$ I as!ed$ &ould a #an li!ehi# #eet a &o#an li!e ou4)

,?ou de"ided he)d #et #e at his pla"e of &or!4) %hitne suggested faintl. ,?ourang hi# and9)

,I de"ided that ou both #ust &or! for the sa#e fir#$) (loan agreed. ,The tri"!&as to re#e#ber &here he &or!ed.)

,?ou didn)t ring hi# to as!9)

,I rang Alford Plasti"s and as!ed to spea! &ith ;iss %hitne La&ford.),?ou !no&$) %hitne said$ &hen a fe& #o#ents of digesting &hat he had said had

sun! in$ ,I)# not at all surprised that ou)re the head of a large international

"on"ern.)

,I thin! that)s a "o#pli#ent$ but I)# not sure$) (loan said$ and for the first ti#e

%hitne &itnessed that he had the #ost fabulous grin.


34/129

Her ees &ent do&n to her e#pt plate$ and *ust then the &aiter "a#e to theirtable. The se"ond "ourse had been served &hen %hitne loo!ed at (loan again.

,Er7)she said$ but the 1uestion she &anted to as! &ould not sta do&n$ and she*ust had to en1uire$ ,%h$ b the &a$ "ouldn)t ou see #e as being a friend of

2alerie +eston4)For a #o#ent$ %hitne thought that he &as not going to ans&er$ but suddenl a

&ar# loo! had "rept into the stead gre ees that studied her fa"e. ,?ou)re polesapart$) he replied seriousl.

It &as the &ar# loo! in his ees that did it$ %hitne realised. For$ en"ouragedb that loo!$ she "ould not resist returning$ ,I thin! that)s a "o#pli#ent$ but I)#

not sure.) Oddl$ her heart gave a happ s!ip &hen$ revealing that she had a#usedhi#$ (loan did not #erel grin$ but laughed. (he dis"overed that she li!ed the

sound.

,?ou)re right$ of "ourse$) he told her &hen his a#use#ent had faded. And &hile

%hitne &as realising that she &as glad that he had not lu#ped her in the sa#ehard and brittle "lass as 2alerie +eston$ he &as saing$ ,I "an)t see #an$ if an ofthe fe#ales at that part three &ee!s ago ris!ing their nail polish to "lear up the

&a ou did.)

(he &as a little sha!en on t&o fronts at on"e. :ut %hitne firstl de"ided thathe #ust #ean an of the fe#ales e'"ept his e'0fian"5e$ 6leda. And then$ having

not forgotten that ;rs Orton had no idea of the tiding up she had done$ she

1uestioned hi# about the se"ond. ,Apart fro# # re"eiving e'pli"it orders that oudidn)t see7er7&h the hell7our house!eeper should "lear up$ ho& do ou !no&that I did an of it4)

,Apart fro# # being "ertain that ou &ouldn)t hesitate to tell #e &hat to do&ith # e'pli"it orders/ if ou felt li!e it$) (loan batted ba"! at her$ ,I !ne& ou)d

been hard at it fro# the #o#ent ;rs Orton reported ho& ;iss Caufield)s guestshad put everthing to rights/ before the)d departed.) It &as the first ti#e duringthe evening that he had #entioned his e'0fian"5e$ but the #o#ent &hen %hitne&ould have brought up the sub*e"t of &h she &as dining &ith hi# at all &as lost$

&hen he "ontinued$ ,; #e#or of it after everone had gone &as that it loo!ed#ore as though a tornado had &hipped through the do&nstairs$ rather than it being

put to rights/.)

,Oh$) she #u#bled as she "o#prehended his dedu"tions. ,%ell$) she said$ loo!ing

for an e'"use to "over her a"tions$ ,I *ust "ouldn)t leave it as it &as for ourunsuspe"ting house!eeper to find.)


35/129

,(ee &hat I #ean4) (loan #ur#ured$ and %hitne &as thin!ing that he had *ustre0endorsed his "o#pli#ent$ saing that she &as poles apart fro# 2alerie +eston

&ho &ouldn)t have "ared a button &hat state the pla"e &as in for the house!eeperto find$ &hen (loan "ontinued$ ,(o ou &or! at Alford Plasti"s. %hat happened

before that4)%hitne had to thin! fast to "at"h up &ith hi#$ and to see that he had gone

ba"! to the beginning7al#ost as if he reall &as interested to !no& #ore abouther. :ut$ although she &as "ertain that he "ould not possibl be that interested$she &as e'perien"ing the pain of re#e#bering &hat had happened before she &ent

to &or! at Alford Plasti"s.

,:efore Alford)s$ I &or!ed at Hobson)s 6arden I#ple#ents$) she said brightl7perhaps a shade too brightl. ,And before that$ I lived in Ca#bridge &ith #

parents. Onl9) her voi"e faltered ,9onl &hen # #other died$ and # father

re#arried$ I thought it &as about ti#e I stood on # o&n t&o feet. (o I "a#e toLondon.)

,?ou didn)t get on &ith our step#other4) (loan 1uestioned.

:ut suddenl$ %hitne pulled herself together. (he did not !no& &hat it &as

about (loan Illing&orth$ but$ though she hardl !ne& the #an$ and though she hadal&as thought of herself as rather a private person$ here she &as giving hi# apotted version of her life histor3

,I got on &ith her 1uite &ell$ a"tuall$) she told hi# "ooll$ but she found that

she *ust had to add$ her "ool tone gone$ ,:ut ho#e7*ust &asn)t the sa#e an #oreafter # #other died.)

Realising that (loan had done it again and on"e #ore had her revealing that

&hi"h onl her "lose "onfidante$ Eri"a$ !ne&$ %hitne &as *ust about to pla"e thepersonal ball fir#l in his "ourt b as!ing ho& she "ould help hi# &ith regard to his

e'0fian"5e &hen he again shoo! her &ith his po&ers of per"eption.

,%ho &as he4) he as!ed.

,%ho4) she 1ueried$ "o#pletel #stified. Her breath &as "o#pletel ta!en

a&a at his repl.,The #an at Hobson)s 6arden I#ple#ents &ho hurt ou$) he ans&ered.

,Ho& do ou !n9) she started to fire &hen she had her breath ba"!$ but sin"e

she had as good as ad#itted that she had been hurt b so#e #an at her old pla"eof e#plo#ent$ %hitne tilted her "hin a proud fra"tion. ,%ho he &as is noti#portant$) she said stiffl. ,I haven)t seen hi# sin"e I left Hobson)s$ and9)


36/129

,:ut ou)d li!e to4) (loan 1uestioned$ sounding tough.

,No3) %hitne denied sharpl. (he re"alled angril that onl after she had !no&n

she loved -er#ot had she found out #ore about hi#$ and she turned her anger on(loan$ telling hi#$ ,I dis"overed too late that he &as #arried$ and &as still living

&ith his &ife and fa#il. Ho& "ould I &ant to see a #an li!e that &hen$ aside fro#an other "onsideration$ I !ne& the hurt # father "aused # #other &hen she

learned that for ears he had been betraing her and had been having an affair&ith another &o#an4)

Oh$ 6od3 %hitne thought as her anger fi


37/129


38/129

For a long ti#e after she had finished spea!ing$ (loan *ust sat loo!ing at her.%hitne did not !no& for sure &hat he &as thin!ing$ but she had a prett shre&d

idea that he &as glad she had not #isinterpreted the reasons behind his invitationout. Although it see#ed an age before he at last ad#itted it.

,?ou)re7right$ of "ourse$) he o&ned$ &ith a rueful s#ile. ,I did &ant to see oufor reasons &hi"h are7 h##7a little different$ perhaps$ fro# nor#al.)

,6leda9) %hitne stepped in to pro#pt$ ever read to help hi# out.

(loan)s sha!ing his head thre& her so#e&hat. Though she &as #ore staggered

than thro&n &hen he finall "a#e "lean$ and told her$ ,Not 6leda.) And &hile%hitne stared at hi#$ he told her sole#nl$ ,I)ve had to a""ept that # e'0fian"5e

and I &ill never be anthing to ea"h other no&$ and9)

,:ut$) she started to protest$ ,ou have to be3 ?ou belong to ea"h other3 If I

hadn)t happened to be in our bed *ust at that parti"ular #o#ent$ ou and she&ould still be engaged3)

(loan shrugged7#anfull$ %hitne thought. ,%hatever$) he said$ and &ent on$

,:elieve #e &hen I tell ou that I !no& that 6leda Caufield and I &ill never #arr.)

,:ut9) %hitne tried again to protest$ onl$ as if she had not spo!en$ (loan &asgoing on$

,Ho&ever$ &ith the star! fa"t being that I no longer have a fian"5e$ I have a7a#ore i##ediate "on"ern.)

,?ou7have4) she 1uestioned on a gasp.(loan nodded$ and see#ed to hesitate$ and then$ ver 1uietl$ he said$ ,;7

#other.)

,?our #other3) %hitne e'"lai#ed$ her ees shooting &ide.

Again he nodded as he told her$ ,; #other &as so over*oed &hen I told her of# engage#ent that I *ust7 dare not7tell her it)s bro!en.)

Having for#ed the vie& that there &as little &hi"h (loan &ould not dare$%hitne sat stunned for a se"ond. ,?ou #ean that our #other has reall ta!en to

6leda and &ill be9),In a"tual fa"t$) (loan bro!e in$ ,the t&o have never #et. :ut # #other has

&aited so long for a daughter that she &ent a little over the top &hen I bro!e thene&s of # engage#ent to her.)

,-id she4) %hitne #ur#ured faintl.

,(he did$) he ans&ered$ and &ent on$ ,The thing is$ %hitne$ that the da after


39/129

# return to England$ # #other &as7involved in a7traffi" a""ident$ and9)

,Oh$ I)# so sorr$) %hitne breathed$ realising fro# the hesitant &a he had

spo!en that it upset hi# to tal! about it. And$ re#e#bering her o&n #other beinginvolved in a traffi" a""ident$ she began fearfull$ ,Is she9)

,(he)s re"overing fro# her7phsi"al in*uries$) he told her 1ui"!l. ,:ut$ sin"eonl I !no& ho& #u"h it &ill upset her to hear that I)# no longer engaged$ I7*ust"an)t tell her. Not et.)

,Of "ourse ou "an)t$) %hitne said stoutl$ her heart going out not onl to

(loan$ &ho through her fault entirel and not his7&as no longer engaged to be#arried$ but also to his poor #other.

(uddenl$ though$ through her e#otional sensitivit$ %hitne realised that shehad no earthl idea &h (loan had as!ed her to dine &ith hi#. He had ad#itted he

had &anted to see her for reasons that &ere a little different fro# nor#al. :ut ifhe had a""epted that his engage#ent &as irretrievabl bro!en$ and it therefore

follo&ed that he did not &ant her help in getting ba"! &ith 6leda$ &hat otherpossible reason$ for goodness) sa!e$ "ould he have4

,(loan$) she said slo&l$ and she sa& that he &as loo!ing at no one but her$ ,&h$#a I as!$ did ou invite #e to eat &ith ou tonight4)

For long #o#ents he stared levell at her$ and then$ suddenl$ he replied$ ,Ineed a fian"5e to present to # #other &hen she)s dis"harged fro# hospital. (in"e

through ou I)ve lost the onl legiti#ate fian"5e I)ve had$ I propose$ %hitne$ that

ou shall ta!e her pla"e.)


40/129

CHAPTER FO@R

TI;E and again on (aturda #orning %hitne &ished that she had never uttered

that phrase &hi"h had in"luded the &ords$ ,if there)s anthing I "an do9) (he hatedde"eption of an !ind$ and et here she &as having agreed to de"eive (loan)s

#other into believing that she &as his fian"5e3

%hitne tried to i##erse herself in her "hores$ but she found$ even as shegave her alread tid flat a thorough ,going over)$ that phsi"al &or! in no &astopped the brain fro# thin!ing.

Again she &ondered ho& she "ould ever have agreed to (loan Illing&orth)spreposterous suggestion3 :ut &ondering about it did not #a!e it go a&a. It &as a

fa"t that she had agreed that$ on"e his si"! #other &as out of hospital$ she &asgoing to de"eive the poor &o#an.

%hitne sighed. Reliving the events of the previous evening$ she didn)t see thatshe "ould have done anthing else but agree to de"eive her. For it see#ed that

sin"e her a""ident ;rs Illing&orth had been in a "onstant state of an'iet abouther son. As (loan had e'plained$ to tell her no& of his bro!en engage#ent "ould dohis parent onl har#$ be"ause she &ould then start fretting about his bro!enheart.

Re"alling ho& her head had *er!ed up at that last bit$ %hitne also re"alled hoanfull (loan &as "overing up the fa"t that he &as bleeding inside. (he had felt

a&ash &ith guilt that$ through her$ he &as suffering. ,Oh$ (loan9) she had saidapologeti"all$ and it had been then that he had$ figurativel spea!ing$ t&isted her

ar# b re#inding her of her ,if there)s anthing I "an do9) offer.

,?es$ but I #eant in relation to 6leda9) she had tried to protest.

,And &hat &ould ou "all this$ if not in relation to her4) he had de#anded.

%hitne polished furniture and plu#ped up alread plu#ped0up "ushions$ and

railed i#potentl against her fate. Oh$ if onl ;rs Illing&orth had #et 6ledaCaufield$ then this far"i"al s"he#e of (loan)s &ould never be able to get off the


41/129

ground. As it &as$ his poor$ frail #other &as not et &ell enough to "ope &ith theintrodu"tion of a real fian"5e$ let alone a #o"! one.

(loan had not e'plained &h his #other and fian"5e had never #et$ so %hitne"ould onl assu#e that the engage#ent #ust have happened shortl before he had

left England to do his three0#onth spell of globe0trotting. >uite obviousl therehad been no #utuall "onvenient ti#e for all three to #eet8 ti#e onl for (loan to

a"1uaint his parent &ith the *oous ne&s that her long &ait for a daughter &as"o#ing to an end.

(he &as alread sensitive to his #other)s feelings$ or an #other)s feelings forthat #atter$ and %hitne sighed again as$ "o##itted to go through &ith it$ she

&ondered &h (loan had thought it ne"essar to ta!e her out to dinner last night4He "ould *ust as easil have told her &hat he had to$ perhaps if not over the phone$

then in the "o#fort of her flat. That &as$ she thought sourl$ unless he had

&anted to "he"! first that she didn)t eat her peas &ith her !nife before he voi"edhis outrageous plan to introdu"e her to his #other as his fian"5e.

%ith the !no&ledge hanging over her that (loan Illing&orth &ould be in tou"h

again &hen his #other &as &ell enough to #eet her$ %hitne gre& fed up &ithherself and &ith the thoughts that "hased around in her head. Putting a&a her

"leaning #aterials$ she rinsed her hands and &ent upstairs to see! out Eri"a.

,If ou)re studing$ I)# not staing$) she told her &hen Eri"a "a#e to the door.

,Cru#bs7those beans I borro&ed fro# ou last &ee!3) Eri"a e'"lai#ed. ,I forgot

all about the#$) she added$ and &ent on$ ,I)# not studing$ and providing ou haven)t"o#e on a bean hunt and &ill turn a blind ee to the "lutter7I onl "lean up &henthere)s an R/ in the #onth0) she 1uipped ,7then "o#e in and have a "up of "offee

&hile I tell ou # ne&s.)

%hitne laughed and &ent in. Eri"a &as *ust the toni" she needed. ,(o$ I)#

sitting "o#fortabl$) %hitne told her &hen Eri"a had "leared a spa"e at the!it"hen table and re#oved a pile of boo!s fro# the other !it"hen "hair$ and theboth sat drin!ing "offee.

,6uess &hat4) Eri"a bea#ed$ unable to hold it in an longer. ,I)# an aunt3)

,Ni!!i4) %hitne 1uestioned$ a&are that Eri"a)s #u"h0loved ounger sister &holived in the ;idlands had been about to produ"e.

,I had a phone "all five #inutes ago. Isn)t it great4) she e'"lai#ed. ,;other andson both &ell$ although the poor little perisher)s been blighted &ith Eri" for his

#iddle na#e.)


42/129

,%h$ that)s lovel3) %hitne told her.

,The senti#ent is$) Eri"a agreed$ finding a sudden urgent need to blo& her nose.

The e#otional #o#ent over$ ho&ever$ the tal!ed for #an #inutes on the ne&arrival$ a#es Eri"$ &hen Eri"a then announ"ed her other pie"e of ne&s7there &as

a ne& #an in her life. ,Though &hen I)ll have the ti#e to see hi#$ lord alone !no&s$)she said$ and &as tal!ing of !illing t&o birds &ith one stone b getting hi# to ta!e

her to see the ne& bab$ &hi"h "ouldn)t possibl &ait beond ne't &ee!end$ thenshe suddenl said$ ,I)# hogging it all7&hat)s ne& &ith ou4)

,I7er7&ent out to dinner last night &ith7(loan Illing&orth$) %hitne"onfessed.

,(loan Illing&orth3) Eri"a e'"lai#ed &ith &idening ees. ,Isn)t he the #an ou&ere found in bed9)

,The sa#e$) %hitne said 1ui"!l.%hen she returned to her flat$ "onfusion had repla"ed the depression she had

felt &hen she had gone up to see Eri"a. For as she had told Eri"a &here (loan had

ta!en her$ and the ins and outs of &hat she had eaten$ %hitne had dis"overed inherself an ut#ost relu"tan"e to tell her friend7&ho &as the soul of dis"retion7anthing at all about (loan)s proposal that she pla the part of his fian"5e. And if

the fa"t that for on"e she had held ba"! fro# "onfiding everthing in Eri"a &asnot suffi"ient to #a!e her &onder &hat had held her ba"!$ %hitne had #ore to

&onder at &hen she realised so#ething elseB that as she had told Eri"a the parts

she had$ it had "o#e to her that she had found (loan Illing&orth)s "o#pan notonl sti#ulating$ but7es7en*oable.

Pu


43/129

ti#e sin"e she and -er#ot had split$ so#ething had happened &hi"h had left littlespa"e in her head to thin! painful thoughts of hi#.

: the end of that &ee!$ though$ thoughts of -er#ot and the de"eit he hadpra"tised in not telling her that he &as #arried had "rept ba"! to #ingle in &ith

her thoughts on the de"eit she &as going to pra"tise on (loan)s #other7&hen(loan)s #other &as &ell enough.

%hitne #ade her &a ho#e fro# her offi"e on Frida a&are that ;rsIlling&orth #ust still be ver poorl in hospital$ be"ause she had thought that

(loan #ight ring her$ but not so #u"h as a peep had she heard out of hi#.

Thoughts of (loan and ho& he &as probabl spending a lot of his ti#e visiting

his #other in hospital o""upied %hitne during the evening. %hen she &asn)tthin!ing of (loan$ she &as thin!ing of -er#ot$ neither sub*e"t doing ver #u"h to

"heer her up.

At eleven o)"lo"! she de"ided to go to bed and forget about the pair of the#.

At five0past eleven Eri"a galloped do&n to her flat and !no"!ed her usual tattoo onher door.

,ust re#e#bered$) she panted$ the pen"il sti"!ing out fro# the top0!not stleof her hair denoting that she &as in the #iddle of studing$ ,have ou got a de"ent

suit"ase I "an borro&4)

,Co#e in$) %hitne invited$ and &as$ as ever$ "heered b Eri"a$ &ho bree


44/129

had happened to #a!e hi# "hange his #ind about &anting her to a"t the part of hisfian"5e$ but 1uite "learl so#ething had. It &as not outside the real#s of possi0

bilit that he and 6leda had #ade it up$ of "ourse.

%hitne)s bro& &rin!led8 oddl$ she found that last thought displeasing.

(he had *ust returned fro# getting herself a #id0#orning "up of "offee &hen$ans&ering her phone$ she &as #ade a&are that her sigh of relief had been a #itepre#ature.

,?ou)d better let #e have our ho#e phone nu#ber$) (loan Illing&orth snarled in

her ear.

The sho"! of hearing hi#$ as #u"h as his disagreeable tone$ "aused %hitne to

trot out her phone nu#ber before she "ould thin!. ,Ho&)s9) she began to follo& upto as! ho& his #other &as$ but$ for the se"ond ti#e &hen tal!ing to hi# on the

phone$ she found that she &as tal!ing to the air. A flare of anger e'ploded in her.,-a#n hi#$) she fu#ed$ and sla##e

The Loving Stopped

Documents

Transcript of The Loving Stopped