LITMIR.BIZ

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said ‘hope’. I hope so. He knew he was being ridiculous. What did it matter?

      Daniel smiled briefly, said goodbye to Robbie, then turned away from the dilapidated cottage, conscious that something strange was happening to him.

      He thought about her for the rest of the day, picturing snapshots in his mind: the way she had looked, stranded in the mud with her son in her arms, her smile, the vulnerability of her expression on that first evening at the cottage when she had looked so tired and somehow strangely alone. Her expression in that last moment of seeing her, almost as if she had wanted to cry…

      He dwelt on the image long into the night. He accepted an invitation from friends and found himself thinking about her between lulls in the conversation. One of the group, a beautiful woman, a friend of a friend whom he saw from time to time, even commented on his lack of attention when they were sitting around the dining table in the expensive restaurant on the green. ‘You look thoughtful,’ she murmured playfully as she sipped her coffee. ‘Something on your mind?’

      ‘Not something, someone!’ Joe, another old friend, who had drunk too much wine and had a house almost opposite on the far side of the green, grinned inanely. ‘I saw you this morning! Playing Sir Galahad to that colourful woman with the little boy!’ He turned to the others assembled around the circular table. ‘Honestly, it was a picture to warm the cockles of your heart! Mind you, Sandra the Sexpot didn’t look too pleased to be left on her own!’

      ‘You could be in serious trouble, Daniel!’ someone else remarked laughingly. ‘She won’t chase after you any more.’

      ‘Oh, I think he’s safe enough,’ Joe continued. ‘From what I gather she’s just as determined as ever she was.’

      ‘Shut up, Joe, and drink some more coffee!’ Daniel’s voice revealed an uncharacteristic edge of anger. He rose to his feet, conscious of the surprised looks from around the table. ‘It’s been a long day. I think I’ll have an early night.’ He glanced down at the woman at his side. ‘Do you want me to take you home?’

      He saw her expression and knew she had expected a rather different ending to the evening. ‘No, it’s all right,’ she replied stiffly. ‘It’s too early yet. I’ll get a taxi.’

      He took the long way round, avoiding her cottage. The detour would add several minutes to his journey, but what did that matter? The fresh air would help to clear his head anyway.

      He wondered what she would be doing on this Saturday night. Cleaning again? He hoped not. He pictured her hands, remembering the short, unvarnished nails and faintly callused palms. There had been no ring. Did that mean…? Not necessarily. Daniel pictured the man with his short jacket and tattooed hands and found that he didn’t want to believe that they were together.

      Cathy had just put Robbie to bed when the doorbell rang. It made her start. She stood for a moment in the kitchen, wondering who it might be, half hoping that it was Daniel, so that she could apologise. She had acted so ungratefully. She really didn’t know what had come over her. Cathy ran a shaky hand through her hair and walked towards the front door.

      ‘Sandra…!’ She told herself she was foolish to feel so disappointed.

      ‘Hello, Cathy! I was passing and I saw the light…’ Sandra glanced beyond Cathy into the hallway. ‘Are you busy?’

      ‘Er…no.’ Cathy pictured the mess in every room. ‘Come on in!’ She held the door open wide and Sandra walked past her into the gloomy hall. She looked so out of place, dressed as she was in an immaculate navy blue dress and strappy shoes, that Cathy was moved to warn her not to get too close to the walls. ‘I haven’t had a chance to clean everywhere yet,’ she explained. ‘They’re probably not too bad, but your dress looks very expensive and I wouldn’t want you to ruin it on my account.’

      Sandra’s smile as she made her way through into the living room changed to one of undisguised horror. It’s not that bad! Cathy thought irritably. She glanced around the kitchen, which she had scrubbed clean. OK, so it was a bit tatty, but even so…

      ‘How did you get on, after your little escapade this morning?’ Sandra examined a chair carefully before she sat down. ‘No lasting damage, I hope?’

      Cathy smiled. ‘None at all! In fact I think Robbie’s rather pleased with himself—he’s turned it into some kind of adventure. Would you like some tea?’

      ‘Umm…no, thank you. I can’t stay long; I’m on my way somewhere.’

      ‘You look very nice,’ Cathy remarked sincerely. ‘I love your dress.’

      Sandra glanced down at herself. ‘Thanks.’ She hesitated. ‘So…did Daniel stay long this morning, after he’d walked you and Robbie home?’

      Ah! Cathy thought. Now they were at the crux of the matter. She glanced across at Sandra’s deliberately indifferent expression and knew it would be cruel to tell her anything other than the truth. ‘No, he didn’t even come inside.’

      ‘Oh!’ The relief on Sandra’s face was clear for all to see.

      ‘He’s very handsome, isn’t he?’ Cathy remarked in conversational tones.

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Is he married?’

      ‘No.’ Sandra shook her head decisively. ‘I don’t think he’s ever come remotely close.’

      ‘But he must have a girlfriend.’ Cathy smiled. ‘I would have thought he’d be snapped up straight away.’

      ‘Not at the moment—at least nothing serious. And that’s the main thing, isn’t it?’ Sandra glanced across at Cathy and added, somewhat pointedly. ‘Of course, like all men, he’s more than happy to have a fling with someone, but when it comes to anything long-term he’s incredibly choosy. He wouldn’t get seriously involved with anyone who didn’t match up to his high standards.’

      ‘Really?’ Cathy didn’t bother to hide her amusement. ‘You seem very knowledgeable on the subject.’ She decided to get straight to the point. ‘Have you and he…?’

      ‘No.’ Sandra’s voice was undeniably flat. ‘No,’ she repeated, with a little more vigour. ‘Unfortunately not. However, I live in hope.’

      ‘He’s extremely good with children,’ Cathy commented, more for something to say than anything else. ‘Robbie took to him straight away. I’ve never seen him so chatty with such a comparative stranger.’

      ‘Yes…well, he’s very…’ Sandra struggled to come up with the right word. ‘Amenable,’ she said finally. ‘Always willing to help those in need.’

      Meaning me, Cathy thought.

      Sandra glanced at her wristwatch. ‘Well, this was just a flying visit; I really must be going. I’m meeting someone for dinner—not a patch on the delicious Daniel, of course, but I never like to refuse an invitation, especially if it means a free meal into the bargain!’

      Cathy made no comment. She began to see that Sandra’s reincarnation from frumpy schoolgirl to glamorous siren had not been the complete success she had first imagined.

      At the front door, Sandra paused briefly. ‘Daniel’s a very kind person,’ she reiterated. ‘And of course there’s the rebel element to consider as well.’

      Cathy wasn’t quite sure what she was talking about, but she smiled and said cheerfully, ‘Quite a combination, I should think!’

      ‘Exactly. But it’s just as well to be aware of these things from the beginning. There really is nothing worse than making a fool of yourself over a man, is there?’

      And with that rather ironic comment hanging in the air between them, Sandra walked out into the night.

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