A Time of Peace by Beryl Matthews Page A

here without you. Please take me with you.’
    â€˜But I don’t know what I’m going to do.’ She chewed her lip anxiously, not wanting him to make a rash move, but she could see his point. From what she’d seen when she first came to the paper, they had treated him like dirt.
    â€˜Then I’ll get a job somewhere else.’ His head came up proudly. ‘I deserve better than this, and so do you! You won’t make me change my mind.’
    â€˜All right, if you’re sure?’
    â€˜I’m positive.’
    â€˜Give in your notice, then, and come with me. If I can get another job, I’ll try to take you with me.’ She watched the relief on his face and decided that she would pay his salary every week out of her own savings until they found another position. There was a lot of potential in Pete, but he would never be given a chance at the
Explorer.
And he
was
right, they both deserved better.

8
    â€˜You’re home early,’ Rose said when she walked into the kitchen.
    â€˜I’ve left my job.’ She kept her tone bright as she pulled Pete into the room. The decision was made now and she wasn’t going to let the disappointment drag her down. ‘This is Pete.’
    â€˜Hello, Pete.’ Her father pulled a chair out from the table, totally unperturbed. ‘Sit down and have a cup of tea with us.’
    The boy eased himself into the chair, never taking his eyes off Kate’s parents.
    â€˜Have you left as well, young man?’ Rose asked.
    He nodded shyly. ‘I want to stay with Kate. She’s taught me such a lot.’
    â€˜And what are your family going to say about your handing in your notice?’ Bill asked.
    â€˜Er …’ Pete looked as if he hadn’t thought about this before. ‘I don’t suppose they’ll be very pleased.’
    â€˜I’m going to pay his salary myself, Dad,’ Kate assured him. ‘Until we get another job of course.’
    Her father nodded approval, then smiled at the worried boy. ‘Where do you live?’
    â€˜Fulham, sir.’
    â€˜Well, you stay and have dinner with us, and then I’ll drive you home and explain to your family, shall I?’
    â€˜Oh, thank you, sir.’ He looked very relieved.
    â€˜I’m not sure you’ve done the right thing, Pete,’ Kate told him. ‘Mr Stevenson obviously doesn’t think I’m a good photographer.’
    â€˜That’s nonsense,’ her father reprimanded.
    She pulled a face to hide the hurt she was feeling. Her father would jump to her defence: they were very close and he would be more than a little prejudiced where she was concerned.
    â€˜Tell us what happened.’ Her mother, as expected, went straight to the point.
    Kate explained, and then told her mother, ‘But don’t worry about the article. I’ll get another paper to run it.’
    Pete had been sitting quietly drinking his tea, and then his cup clattered back into the saucer. ‘The Chief shouldn’t have spoken to Kate like that. She’s the best photographer on the paper.’
    â€˜We know she is.’ Rose smiled, refilled his cup and then looked pointedly at her daughter. ‘What are you going to do now?’
    â€˜First I’m going to sell the orphans story to another paper, and then we’ll have to find a job. Or I could open my own studio.’ Kate didn’t know where that idea had come from, it had just popped into her head, but it might be the solution. ‘Then I could work freelance for any paper who would buy my pictures.’
    â€˜It’s a good idea, but it would be hard work starting up your own business,’ her father said. ‘Still, I’m sure you’d soon have plenty of clients.’
    She turned to her assistant. ‘What do you think, Pete? Do you reckon we could make a go of it?’
    He nodded vigorously. ‘I’m sure we