The Mersey Daughter (Empire Street #3)(76)
The awful thing was of course that nobody did understand what was at the root of it all, not even her closest friends. She’d allowed them to carry on thinking that Peter was nothing special, that she was so upset because she’d chosen that particular route – and to some extent that was true. But underneath it all was the agony of not knowing what that expression had meant when he’d reached out to touch her, and the idea that he might die without her having the chance to find out. She had to know, she had to. Even if it was just a joke on his part, she would rather know. Yet it was likely that she never would. The longer the silence went on with no news from the hospital, the more the cold hand of dread closed around her heart. The infection must have taken hold and he must be fighting it. How long could he go on doing that? Even if he was extremely fit to start with, wouldn’t the body have to give up sooner or later?
Angrily she pushed a chair out of the way and almost ran down the corridor, desperate suddenly for fresh air. She would walk around the grounds, and then she could get rid of some of this useless energy that fizzed through her veins, but she’d be within reach when the vital message finally arrived. If it ever did.
‘Laura! Wait a minute!’ Kitty was hurrying after her. ‘Where are you off to in such a hurry?’
Laura sighed and waited for her friend. ‘Oh, nowhere. Thought I’d take a stroll around the block, stretch my legs. Make the most of it being a fine day. What are you doing here? Have you finished early?’
Kitty looked at Laura with concern. There were shadows under her eyes, and her hair, usually so glossy, hung lank around her gaunt face. ‘Yes, we’re meant to be learning about the most up-to-date telephone system, but the demonstration material got delayed and won’t be here until tomorrow, so they let us go. I thought they might make us do extra square bashing, but for once they didn’t.’
‘Good thing too,’ said Laura, trying to act normally. ‘We’re all pretty expert at bashing those squares by now.’
‘We are,’ Kitty agreed. ‘I’ll come with you if you don’t mind. I’ve been inside nearly all day and could do with some fresh air.’ She buttoned her uniform jacket, which she hadn’t had time to take off, and linked her arm through her friend’s. ‘I’ve been meaning to ask you,’ she said as they stepped outside and the keen breeze hit their faces, ‘would I be able to borrow another frock? You said before you wouldn’t mind.’
Laura nodded. ‘Of course. Ah, has the dashing doctor got leave, then? That’s the only thing that gets you all dressed up, if I’m not much mistaken.’
Kitty laughed. ‘You’ve got it in one. Yes, he’s got his dates confirmed and he’s going to come for a long weekend. He’ll stay with his parents, and I’m going to meet them this time. He’s asked before, of course, but I thought it was too soon. Now, though, it feels right. I thought I should look my best though.’
‘Oh, you don’t scrub up so badly when it comes to it,’ Laura said, trying to be happy for her friend. ‘You’ll look wonderful, Kitty, and he’ll be proud of you. I shall make it my mission to have you as near to perfect as can be.’
‘Thanks, Laura,’ said Kitty warmly. Even though she was far more confident about the meeting these days, it would be a huge boost to have Laura’s lovely clothes and the power of her expert eye to ensure she looked the part of a rising young doctor’s girlfriend. ‘I really hope he doesn’t have to cancel for any reason. There have been hardly any raids over Merseyside for ages now, though. He says it’s been much quieter, so he thinks it will be all right.’
Laura squeezed Kitty’s arm. ‘Of course it will. He won’t cancel; he’ll be far too keen to get down here to see you.’
Kitty nodded, knowing it was true – he really did want to be here with her, and this time she was bubbling with excitement at the thought of seeing him again. But she had to put her excitement to one side and find out what was wrong with her friend. She wasn’t fooled by Laura’s light tone for an instant. She’d come to recognise how clever Laura could be at putting up a brave front, but she knew she wasn’t sleeping – she was restless nearly all night. It was most unlike her to want to mooch about in the grounds when there were more exciting things to do only a short bus ride away.
She wondered how best to broach the subject. Laura had been touchy – to say the least – over the past few days; downright rude sometimes. But she mustn’t let that deter her. Finally she decided to come straight out with it.
They came to a halt under a tree that was rapidly losing the last of its leaves. ‘Laura, hang on a minute.’ Kitty faced her squarely. ‘You aren’t acting yourself,’ she told her friend. ‘I know the night of the fire was pretty bad, but is that all that’s wrong? Why aren’t you sleeping properly?’
Laura fought the instant desire to fling herself away, to say it was none of Kitty’s business. She’d come out here to try to escape her whirling thoughts, not to have to explain them. But Kitty had that determined look about her, and Laura knew she couldn’t avoid her easily for long. But how was she to begin when she didn’t fully understand herself?
‘Oh, I don’t know.’ She clenched her fists. ‘It’s hard to say, it’s such a muddle.’
‘Try, Laura.’