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to them, then William continued, 'My mother said& '
'William!' Laurie spoke with great restraint, she felt, even though
inwardly she was seething. 'It's what you think that's important, not
what your mother& '
'Mother and I rarely disagree about things that matter, and naturally
she's concerned for my welfare. I can't say I like the idea of ...'
'William! If you and your mother are going to be concerned every
time I employ a new man ...' She savaged the tender pork with an
unnecessarily vigorous knife.
'When we're married I'll do the employing!'
'No. William.' She set down knife and fork, and faced him
determinedly. 'I didn't think it mattered at this stage, but now I think
we'd better get things quite straight before we even contemplate
setting a day. Keen and Son is my affair, always will be,' she
emphasised, 'a trust from my father. I'm a qualified builder, you're
not. I know what I'm looking for in a workman ...'
'Oh?' He was actually sneering. 'And will they all have to be tall, dark
and handsome? That's all you knew about him when you took him
on. For an out of work labourer, I hear he's very pally with your aunt.
He's even eaten at your home! How do you know he's not trying to
ingratiate himself with you? That he's not just after the business for
himself?'
'You mean to say -' suddenly Laurie was seeing William through Sue
Fletcher's eyes and not liking what she saw' that there are actually
men low enough to do a thing like that? Pretend to be in love with
me, for the sake of getting their hands on a building firm?'
At her sarcasm, William's freckled skin became an unbecomingly
mottled red.
'I didn't mean... Laurie, you can't think I...'
'Can't I? Since in all of this you've shown more concern for the firm's
eventual fate than for mine? I suppose it would be quite all right if
he'd raped me, so long as that didn't affect...'
'Laurie!' William looked around the crowded restaurant uneasily.
Then, in a low voice, 'Has he tried anything of that kind?'
'No!' Laurie snapped. 'Of course not!'
'Then what on earth are you& '
'I suppose what I'm trying to tell you, William,' she said wearily, 'is
that I don't think I want to marry you after all.'
'Now look here,' William began to bluster. 'There's no need for that.
You can't do that. Good lord, it was only last Saturday you said you
would ...'
'Did I? I'm not sure I did. I think you assumed I'd accepted and I let
you because I thought that you genuinely loved me.'
'I do,' William began, desperation in his pale eyes. Was it at the
prospect of losing her or the association with Keen and Son? Laurie
wondered cynically.
'No, William, you don't, or you wouldn't listen to gossip, take any
notice of the things people like your mother say.'
'People like my mother!' He sounded as if she'd mortally insulted the
woman. 'Ill have you know, my mother...'
'Spoilt you rotten, I shouldn't wonder. But for once you're not getting
all your own way.' She pushed back her chair.
'Where are you going?' His eyes glittered angrily.
'Home and I'd rather go alone.'
'But the meal ...' He was becoming belligerent, forgetting the
crowded room, the growing interest of the spectators as it became
obvious he and his companion were having a violent disagreement.
'You stay and eat yours,' she told him. 'I'll pay you for mine if you
like, but to eat it would choke me.'
But William was rising hastily, throwing down money on the table.
'Of course I shall see you home. We have to talk ...'
'I've done all the talking I want to.' She moved towards the exit,
William hard on her heels.
Outside in the evening dusk he grabbed at her arm.
'Don't be stupid, Laurie. We can't just finish like this, and you can't
walk all the way home.'
'I wasn't going to. I'll get a taxi.'
'Laurie! You can't do this to me! We're engaged.'
She shook her head.
'No, William, we nearly were. I'm only glad we didn't put you to the
expense of buying the ring.'
'God, was I wrong about you!' he exploded.
'The mistake was mutual,' she said quietly. 'Goodbye, William.'
* * *
'Is that what you bought in Newcastle yesterday?' Sue Fletcher eyed
her niece with approval. ' A bit different to the ring you were
expecting to buy, eh, love? Oh, but I'm glad you found that young
man out before it was too late.'
'It wasn't just William,' Laurie was fair enough to admit. 'I was to
blame too, in thinking I could marry him. I should never have let him
think I would, but I just sort of drifted into it. Oh, Aunt Sue, the
relief! All along when William was talking about our future I knew
something was wrong but... Oh, don't let's talk about it any more. So
you like the dress? I went mad in Fenwicks. The new summer
colours are just fabulous.'
'Well then, let's look at you properly.' And as Laurie slowly revolved,
showing off the crisp navy and white summer dress, scoop-necked,
its full skirt belling out from a neat waistline, 'You look really bonny,
lass. I'm glad you enjoyed your trip.'
'I did,' Laurie confessed. 'I don't as a rule like cities, especially not
Newcastle. It's abysmally ugly, all modern high-rise buildings, fly-
overs and underpasses a motorist's nightmare. But the shopping
makes up for all that.'
'Curtis has been working up at the cottage all weekend,' Sue said
casually as she poured her niece a cup of afternoon tea.
'Today as well? Sunday?'
'He doesn't strike me as a man to be swayed by religious
considerations,' Sue said drily. 'Why,' even more casually, 'don't you
go up and see how he's getting on?'
At her aunt's words Laurie felt a strange churning sensation fill her
stomach, rising into her throat, her heartbeat increasing.
'I suppose I ought to go and see what he's been doing,' she said
frowningly. 'I don't really like the idea of him working up there
without supervision,' she added hastily.
'You can make that excuse to yourself if you like,' Sue told her, 'but it
won't wash with me!' She won a reluctant smile from her niece, then,
'Go on! Be off with you! Remember, love, while there's life there's
hope!'
Twice Laurie nearly turned back. This was why she'd been so panic-
stricken at the way she'd slipped into a tacit understanding with
William, because it for ever . divided her from Curtis, from any
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