phone, which he did, grumbling all the way. Holding back tears she told Winnie what had happened.
‘Come now, and stay with us for a couple of nights before you start your new job,’ Winnie said at once. ‘We can stay indoors to make sure you don’t see – you know who.’ She said this to prevent the children overhearing Matt’s name. ‘The children would love it.’
‘No, Winnie, I daren’t. Now I’ve found a new job – albeit a temporary one – and a new home, I can’t risk his finding me and having to move on.’
‘Then can we meet in Cardiff?’
‘That would be lovely. As soon as my hours are sorted and I have a regular day off, I’ll write and we can arrange it.’
‘Until then, I hope everything works out for you. Oh, have you seen Ian lately?’
‘No, and he won’t know about Mrs Thomas and once I move—’
‘He’ll turn up again, I’m sure of it.’
‘I’m not.’ Faith said sadly. ‘My luck is not that good.’
*
Ian was trying to find her but he had failed. On telephoning the house he had been told by someone who didn’t give a name that there was no Faith Pryor at the address. He guessed the voice was Samuel’s but had no way of being sure. He called at the house but there was no reply and when he enquired at a neighbours’ he was told that they knew nothing except that Mrs Thomas had died. He made another call to the house and this time a man he didn’t know told him Faith was far too busy to see him and not to telephone the house again.
Faith was certain to be at the funeral and once he learned the date and time he planned to be there too.
Knowing she was doing it for Mrs Thomas and not Samuel, Faith got up early on the day of the funeral and began cooking. By 10.30 the plates were filled with appetizing bite-size savouries, assorted cakes and sandwiches.
Samuel looked and nodded, but that was the only acknowledgement she had of her work. She held out her hand. ‘My money?’ she asked.
‘You’ll be here later, to help serve, won’t you? I can give it to you then.’
She disappeared into her room, where boxes and a suitcase were packed with her few possessions. As soon as the guests left, piling into the private cars and the funeral cars, she waited for the cortège to slowly move off towards the church, then she went out, wearing her best black coat and hat, and cut across the fields. When all the mourners were inside the building she slipped in and sat at the back. She wasn’t going to allow Samuel to stop her showing her respects for her employer.
As the service came to an end she nipped out, scuttled around the church, and bumped into Ian Day.
‘Faith, I’m so glad to see you. I’ve called at the house but I was told you weren’t there or were too busy.’
‘Ian. I don’t understand. I wasn’t told about anyone calling.’
‘I telephoned too, and it was only by luck that I heard about the death of your employer.’
‘Look, I have to go. I was told not to attend the funeral and I need to get back before the others arrive.’
‘I’ll come with you, then we’ll arrange to meet. I’m anxious to know what you plan to do next.’
They talked as they hurried back over the fields. When they got back to the house Faith went into the kitchen to fill kettles and start making tea. Ian saw the bottles of red wine on the side and opened two of them, took white wine from the fridge and then with a wink, darted out of the back door as the front door opened to a group of chattering women.
The mourners hardly spoke to her as she handed around food and drink. They were strangers and must presume that she had been hired for the occasion. She wasn’t upset, her mind was on Ian and his surprising appearance.
When the last guest had gone Faith stood in the kitchen and looked at the used china and cutlery stacked ready for washing. She went into the living room to find Samuel and asked again for her money. He handed it to her, correct to the last shilling
‘Come now, and stay with us for a couple of nights before you start your new job,’ Winnie said at once. ‘We can stay indoors to make sure you don’t see – you know who.’ She said this to prevent the children overhearing Matt’s name. ‘The children would love it.’
‘No, Winnie, I daren’t. Now I’ve found a new job – albeit a temporary one – and a new home, I can’t risk his finding me and having to move on.’
‘Then can we meet in Cardiff?’
‘That would be lovely. As soon as my hours are sorted and I have a regular day off, I’ll write and we can arrange it.’
‘Until then, I hope everything works out for you. Oh, have you seen Ian lately?’
‘No, and he won’t know about Mrs Thomas and once I move—’
‘He’ll turn up again, I’m sure of it.’
‘I’m not.’ Faith said sadly. ‘My luck is not that good.’
*
Ian was trying to find her but he had failed. On telephoning the house he had been told by someone who didn’t give a name that there was no Faith Pryor at the address. He guessed the voice was Samuel’s but had no way of being sure. He called at the house but there was no reply and when he enquired at a neighbours’ he was told that they knew nothing except that Mrs Thomas had died. He made another call to the house and this time a man he didn’t know told him Faith was far too busy to see him and not to telephone the house again.
Faith was certain to be at the funeral and once he learned the date and time he planned to be there too.
Knowing she was doing it for Mrs Thomas and not Samuel, Faith got up early on the day of the funeral and began cooking. By 10.30 the plates were filled with appetizing bite-size savouries, assorted cakes and sandwiches.
Samuel looked and nodded, but that was the only acknowledgement she had of her work. She held out her hand. ‘My money?’ she asked.
‘You’ll be here later, to help serve, won’t you? I can give it to you then.’
She disappeared into her room, where boxes and a suitcase were packed with her few possessions. As soon as the guests left, piling into the private cars and the funeral cars, she waited for the cortège to slowly move off towards the church, then she went out, wearing her best black coat and hat, and cut across the fields. When all the mourners were inside the building she slipped in and sat at the back. She wasn’t going to allow Samuel to stop her showing her respects for her employer.
As the service came to an end she nipped out, scuttled around the church, and bumped into Ian Day.
‘Faith, I’m so glad to see you. I’ve called at the house but I was told you weren’t there or were too busy.’
‘Ian. I don’t understand. I wasn’t told about anyone calling.’
‘I telephoned too, and it was only by luck that I heard about the death of your employer.’
‘Look, I have to go. I was told not to attend the funeral and I need to get back before the others arrive.’
‘I’ll come with you, then we’ll arrange to meet. I’m anxious to know what you plan to do next.’
They talked as they hurried back over the fields. When they got back to the house Faith went into the kitchen to fill kettles and start making tea. Ian saw the bottles of red wine on the side and opened two of them, took white wine from the fridge and then with a wink, darted out of the back door as the front door opened to a group of chattering women.
The mourners hardly spoke to her as she handed around food and drink. They were strangers and must presume that she had been hired for the occasion. She wasn’t upset, her mind was on Ian and his surprising appearance.
When the last guest had gone Faith stood in the kitchen and looked at the used china and cutlery stacked ready for washing. She went into the living room to find Samuel and asked again for her money. He handed it to her, correct to the last shilling
Similar Books
