Part 19 (2/2)

'I've just seen the article in the Sunday Sphere,' Susan said. 'How awful for you and all the rest of the cast. You must be so upset and disappointed. Did you know about this when you visited last time?'

'Well, yes, I did actually.'

'And you never said a thing. How are you managing, dear? Did you lose all your money?'

'Quite a lot of it, yes, but don't worry, Susan. I had a temporary job and the paper paid me well for the article. Of course, everyone will know now that I ended up with the proverbial egg on my face, but never mind.'

'Have they caught this man this Fortune person?'

'No and I'm not holding my breath that they will. He's left the country and covered his tracks pretty well.'

'Do you have a place to stay? Will you be able to find another job?'

'I'm staying with Dianne at the moment. We've made up our little quarrel. My agent, Harry, put money into the show too and it's put him out of business so I have to find a new agent.'

Susan sighed. 'Oh dear, what a disaster for you all! Louise have you heard any more from your birth mother?'

'No and I don't want to. That's a closed chapter as far as I'm concerned. Anyway, if she's read the article, she will have lost interest in me by now. Thanks for ringing, Susan. I appreciate your concern.'

'Not at all. You know where I am, don't you, if you need me?'

'Yes, and thanks again. It's nice to know there's someone on my side.'

'What about your young man the one you told me about? He was in the show too, wasn't he?'

'Yes, he was, but that's all over, Susan.'

'Oh. I'm sorry to hear that, dear.'

Susan hung up with a sigh. Whatever Louise had done in the past, it was certainly catching up with her now. She thought briefly of the rebellious child she had taken on all those years ago when she married Frank. Louise hadn't been easy to bring up, especially once she reached p.u.b.erty. There was a time when it seemed that she would never have a normal life, but somehow she'd put all the distress she had suffered in her youth aside and made a life for herself. It was true that she'd become a difficult and unpredictable woman, but she'd suffered so much in her young life that Susan tried to make allowances. Maybe the trauma and the underlying sense of loss would never leave her.

It was two days later that Karen rang again.

'Mum can you do me the most amazing favour?' She rattled on before Susan had time to reply. 'The things is, this agency, you know the one that offered me the job, need me to do some work for them today.'

'And you have no one to babysit?'

'Not at such short notice. It would only be for the morning, Mum. I'd be so grateful.'

'Does Simon know?'

'What's that got to do with anything?'

'I'll take that as a no, then.'

'What he doesn't know can't hurt him. I really haven't got time to discuss it now. Can you have Peter or can't you, Mum?'

'I suppose so. When and where do you want me?'

'I'll pop him round to you on my way. Have to go now. See you soon.'

Karen's visit was swift and brief. She handed a bewildered-looking Peter over unceremoniously. 'I've left the buggy downstairs by the front entrance,' she said breathlessly. 'It's a lovely morning so if you take him to the park I'll meet you there say, by the cafe at one o'clock. OK?' And before Susan could confirm that this was convenient for her Karen was already halfway down the stairs.

Peter popped his thumb into his mouth and looked up at his grandmother. 'Mummy gone.'

Susan bent to pick him up. 'Yes, darling. Mummy's gone but she'll be back again soon. Have you had any breakfast?'

His little face brightened. 'Poddidge?'

'Yes, Granny'll make you some porridge and then we'll go to the park, shall we?'

As Karen had said, it was a lovely morning and Susan let Peter walk beside the buggy down to the lake. She'd brought stale bread and they bought a bag of corn which Peter delightedly threw to the ducks. They went to the playground and Peter went on a swing a baby one this time and sat on Susan's lap for a gentle ride on the roundabout. At the cafe they each had an ice cream, after which Peter began to look decidedly sleepy. Susan put him into the buggy and tucked his blanket round him, and by the time they had walked across the park to the bowling green, he was fast asleep. Grateful for five minutes' respite, she sat down on one of the benches to watch the elderly men playing their sedate game. The warm suns.h.i.+ne made her drowsy too and her eyelids had closed when suddenly she heard someone say her name.

'Susan.'

She opened her eyes to find Ted standing in front of her. 'Good morning, sleepyhead.'

Her heart leapt and she felt the warm colour stain her cheeks. 'I wasn't asleep,' she said. 'It's just the sun. It's very warm and and dazzling.'

'Of course it is.' He chuckled and sat down beside her. 'Young Peter looks cosy.'

'Yes.' She sat up straight. 'I we were just going, as a matter of fact.'

'Back to the flat? Mind if I walk with you?'

Susan glanced surrept.i.tiously at her watch and sighed. It was almost half past twelve. Karen would be here in half an hour. She couldn't go now. 'No, not back to the flat,' she told him. 'Karen is picking Peter up at the cafe at one o'clock. I was going to walk across there in a minute.'

'Then I'll come with you.' He looked at her searchingly. 'That is if you've no objections.'

'There's really no need,' she said stiffly.

He laid a hand on her arm. 'Susan, please. Surely at our age there's no need for us to keep up this ...' He shook his head. 'Whatever you want to call it.'

'No well.'

'I've missed you very much these last weeks.'

She turned to look at him. 'I thought you'd found a new companion.'

He smiled. 'The lady you saw helping me on the allotment was a fellow gardener's wife,' he explained. 'They saw me struggling to keep your plot going as well as mine and offered to help.'

Susan bit her lip. 'Oh. I see.'

'There's a lot you don't see, my dear,' he said. 'And that's all down to me. I should have been more upfront with you. My only excuse is that I didn't want to frighten you away. If you'll just let me ...'

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