A Time of Peace by Beryl Matthews

that all right,’ he said.
    Kate listened to him chuckling as he went down the stairs.
    Pete was working in the darkroom when Kate arrived at work on Monday morning. He was making prints of some photos he’d taken over the weekend with his camera.
    The prints he showed her were competent, except for one of a tree with watery sunlight filtering through the branches. She held it up. ‘This is excellent.’
    â€˜Thanks.’ His eyes were glowing with a sense of achievement.
    â€˜Well done,’ she praised. Then she studied him thoughtfully. He was going to make a photographer and it gave her enormous pleasure to know she had helped him. ‘I’m just going to see the Chief. I have something here I think he might be interested in.’
    She headed for Andrew Stevenson’s office. In her head was the distressing memory of the overcrowded children’s homes, and in her hand photographs and an article. She’d laboured over it until two in the morning and was determined to have it published.
    Andrew glanced up when she tapped on his door. ‘What do you want?’
    Kate ignored the irritated expression on his face and stood in front of his desk. ‘I’ve got a story for you.’
    â€˜Turned journalist now?’
    Kate had just about had enough of this man; he never had a civil word for her. She put the photographs and article in front of him. ‘I used to write a bit when I worked on the local paper. At least have a look at it.’
    He shuffled through the prints, glanced through her typed pages, then handed them back to her. ‘Not our kind of thing.’
    â€˜I’ll take them to another paper, then.’ She moved towards the door.
    â€˜You can’t do that, you work for me,’ he snapped.
    That was the last straw for Kate. He wouldn’t run the story and he was denying her the chance to give it to another paper, effectively killing the article. Well, she wasn’t going to let that happen! Whatever the cost to her she would see it was printed in any daily she could
persuade to take it. The only thing that mattered was the welfare of these children.
    â€˜You’ll have my resignation in writing within the next fifteen minutes,’ she told him. ‘You’ve got your way and finally driven me out, so you can tell that shadowy figure
in high places
how clever you are!’
    Taking a deep ragged breath, she looked him straight in the eyes, and then without another word left his office for the last time. She didn’t have to put up with this!
    She was halfway across the newsroom when he called her name. Kate made herself turn and face him.
    â€˜Let me see that article again. Now that you don’t work for me I’ll buy it from you.’
    Ignoring his offer, she headed for her darkroom to collect her equipment. All she wanted to do was get out of there as quickly as possible.
    Pete had obviously heard everything and was waiting for her, ashen-faced. ‘Don’t leave,’ he pleaded. ‘I’ve been so happy working for you. Once you’ve gone, they’ll make me an errand boy again.’
    â€˜No, they won’t.’ She tried to assure the unhappy boy. ‘You’ve proved yourself in this job and they won’t move you.’
    â€˜They will, they will! I’ll be running around after everyone, being shouted at and insulted, and I couldn’t stand that again.’ He looked ready to burst into tears. ‘I’ve had a decent education, I’m not a fool, but they make me feel like one. It isn’t right. You’ve never made me feel like that. I won’t do it again …’ He ran out of breath and had to stop. ‘I’ll give in my notice as well.’
    Kate made him sit down on the stool. ‘You mustn’t
do that, Pete. This is a good job and you’ll work your way up.’
    He shook his head vigorously and began to write out his notice. ‘I won’t stay