A Time of Peace (27 page)

Bill looked deeply worried at this. ‘Dear God, Rose, I hope you're wrong!'

On Monday morning, Jon went to see Andrew Stevenson before returning to France. There were rumblings of trouble coming out of Berlin and he wanted to see if Andrew knew anything.

‘What's the news about Berlin?' he asked, when he was settled in the office chair with a cup of coffee in front of him.

‘There's a great deal of speculation, but we do know that during July over 30,000 East Germans defected to West Berlin, and they're still streaming across. East Germany must be facing collapse. Khrushchev is becoming belligerent and talking about war.'

‘I've heard there's a big build-up of Soviet troops in East Berlin. Do you want me to go out there and see what's going on?'

Andrew tapped the desk with a pencil, a frown on his face. ‘I think you'd better. Something's going to happen soon. I'm damned if I can figure out what, though.'

‘Khrushchev wouldn't be crazy enough to declare war on the West, surely?' Jon really couldn't see what the Soviets could do about the situation, but he had a nasty feeling that they would deal with it ruthlessly.

‘Who knows what that man will do? He's volatile and unpredictable.'

‘Right.' He finished his tea and stood up. ‘I'll return
to France and finish up there, then I'll catch a train to Berlin.'

Andrew nodded grimly. ‘Let me know where you're staying, and take a camera with you.'

‘You sure?' Jon raised an eyebrow in query. The Chief had told him in the past exactly what he thought of his attempts at photography.

‘I know you're no good with one of those things, so just do the best you can. I'm short of good photographers at the moment.'

‘You should have kept Kate Freeman.' He couldn't resist the dig.

The only reply he received was a bad-tempered scowl as he headed for the door.

The journey back to France was calm and the boat hardly rocked at all, but he still managed to be sick. Still, at least he'd been a little more comfortable without having Kate standing about two feet away from him, watching anxiously. It was a relief to step on to dry land again, and the first thing he did after driving into Paris was to take the car back to Rupert at the embassy.

‘I hope you've taken good care of it.' Rupert inspected every inch before giving a satisfied grunt. ‘Looks undamaged. You can take that heap of junk you lent me and dump it somewhere. It's embarrassing driving around Paris in a wreck like that.'

‘I'll get rid of it. I'm going to Berlin within the next couple of days.'

‘Thought you might,' was the terse reply.

Jon recognized Rupert was on the defensive, so it was unlikely he would get any information out of him. He
tried anyway. ‘What news do you have about the situation there?'

‘You know I can't tell you anything.'

‘It isn't a secret, Rupert, there's trouble brewing. Khrushchev's threatening the West, and the East Berliners are defecting in droves.'

Rupert sighed in exasperation. ‘You war correspondents are always looking for trouble. I agree that the Russians are becoming desperate, but they're impotent. There isn't anything they can do to stop the flow of people to the West.'

Jon's eyes flashed in irritation. ‘I hope everyone in the British Embassy isn't that complacent. You can try to write off Khrushchev, but he's not that impotent. He'll do something!'

‘And what the hell can he do? Nothing!'

As Rupert strode away, Jon shook his head in disbelief. If that was the general attitude, then God help the German people.

He drove the car back to his hotel and began making plans to leave.

That evening he did the rounds, knowing all of the haunts of those who might be in a position to hear confidential news. By midnight he was becoming increasingly concerned. It sounded as if Berlin were a powder keg just waiting to explode, with terrible implications for the rest of Europe. He'd better get out there as quickly as possible.

The next morning he gave his old car to a young waiter, who was delighted with the gift, packed his few belongings and headed for the station.

‘Hi, Kate.' Pete greeted her with obvious pleasure. ‘You look great. Did you enjoy your holiday?'

‘I had a wonderful time.' She gazed around the shop. ‘Where's Susan?'

‘Taking a week off while we're not so busy. August will be a quiet month, as this is the height of the holiday season.'

‘Now that I'm back, why don't you take some time off?' she asked him.

‘No, I don't want a holiday. I enjoy my work too much.'

She didn't argue with him because she knew that was the truth. ‘What bookings are there for this week?'

‘Mostly portraits and passport photographs, but there's a twenty-first birthday party on Friday and a wedding on Saturday.' Pete placed a new photo in the window and then came and stood next to her. ‘More people are going abroad for their holidays now, and they're all taking cameras with them, so what do you think about our running a developing and printing service?'

‘That's a great idea. Can we manage it with only the three of us?'

‘Yes, I've been thinking about this for some time. Susan is now good at developing films, and …' He hesitated. ‘Terry enjoyed working here so much that he'd like to join us.'

‘Terry?' Kate was astonished. ‘He'd be willing to leave his job at the newspaper?'

‘He talked to me about it and he's not happy there, Kate. The Chief keeps sending him away, and now he's married with a baby on the way he doesn't want to live
like that. He's been looking for another job but hasn't found one he likes yet. Until he does, he'd be happy to work with us.'

She dragged Pete into the back room, opened the account book and sat down, drawing up a chair for her partner. ‘We'd better grab him while we can. Let's see if we can afford him.'

An hour later they'd filled two sheets with scribbled figures. ‘He'll have to take a cut in pay. Do you think he'd consider that?'

‘I'm pretty sure he would.' Pete looked at her expectantly. ‘He's very good.'

‘I know he is.' Then she gave a mischievous grin. ‘I don't think Andrew Stevenson will take kindly to our pinching his best photographer, do you?'

Pete shook with suppressed laughter. ‘But I think he's going to leave anyway, so I don't think we should let that stop us.'

Kate studied the figures again and added a few more, as she made absolutely sure of her facts. ‘We are doing very well.'

‘That's because we're the best!' Pete lifted his head proudly. ‘We've gained a good reputation.'

‘If Terry joined us, we could think about opening another shop next year. And with a promise of a shop of his own we might be able to persuade him to stay permanently. What do you think of that idea?'

‘I was thinking about that myself.' Pete's eyes shone with excitement. ‘Do you think we really could?'

‘Yes, we'll make Terry an offer.'

‘He's at home today, so I'll go and collect him right now.' Pete rushed out of the shop.

When Pete arrived back with Terry, the three of them sat down and Kate explained their plans to take in people's holiday snaps for developing and printing. Then she told Terry what they could afford to pay him.

‘Think about it very carefully, Terry,' Kate advised. ‘We're planning to expand the business and would love to have you with us, but you'll be giving up a good job. And with a baby on the way – '

Terry stopped her. ‘I'd already given it a lot of thought before I mentioned it to Pete. I know it will be a drop in salary but I could manage on what you're offering, and it would be a regular job without the fear of being sent away to heaven knows where. That last trip to the Congo was enough for me. I don't want to risk anything like that again.'

‘We're thinking about opening another shop next year,' Pete said. ‘Would you be willing to run it for us, if we do? Providing you decide to stay with us, of course.'

Terry looked thoughtful. ‘That would certainly tempt me. I'd like that.'

‘Great!' Pete exclaimed, as he and Kate shook hands with Terry to seal the appointment.

‘I'll get my mother to draw up an agreement for you. As soon as you've worked your notice, come and join us.'

‘I'll go and resign immediately.' Terry rose to his feet. ‘Thanks to both of you.'

‘I think we're getting the best of this arrangement,' Pete remarked. ‘And with your help we'll be able to take on a lot more work.'

‘My wife will be happy to have me around more while
she's pregnant.' Terry looked pleased about being offered the job.

As soon as Terry left, Kate and Pete hugged each other and did a little dance.

‘There's no stopping us now!' Pete said. ‘One new shop a year?'

She couldn't help laughing at his enthusiasm. He was turning into a dynamic businessman, but he wasn't reckless; he thought everything out carefully. By the time he was thirty, he would be a force to be reckoned with. It made her proud to know that she'd been able to help unlock his potential. ‘Hold on,' she laughed. ‘Terry might only be with us for a few months.'

‘Oh, once he settles in he won't want to leave.' Pete sounded sure of this.

‘Your confidence, Pete.' Kate rolled her eyes at him.

‘Have I been wrong up to now?' he asked.

Kate pretended to give this deep thought, then said, ‘Actually I don't think you have.'

‘What are you going to do this week?' he asked her, changing the subject. ‘I can handle everything here until Saturday, then I'll need your help.'

‘I think it's time I did another article on the children's homes. Quite a few helpers have come forward, but they still need more. Standish House in particular.' She didn't visit there as often as she should because it upset her too much to see the babies without parents to love them. Wilkins House was different: the boys were older and she could talk to them. But the babies just watched with large soulful eyes, making her feel so blasted useless.

‘I'll nip round to the café and get us something for our lunch, then you'll have the afternoon to go visiting.'

Pete disappeared. Kate checked her camera and loaded a film. She was ready for the first pictures.

It was Wednesday when the article and the photos for the children's homes were ready. She walked through the door of the
World Explorer
wondering what kind of a reception she was going to receive from Andrew Stevenson. It was strange to come back.

The newsroom was in uproar when she arrived. The atmosphere was tense. She grabbed Mike as he shot past her. ‘What's going on?'

‘There's speculation that the Russians are going to blockade Berlin again. Troops in the West are on full alert. We're desperately trying to find out exactly what's happening out there.' He dived for a phone that was ringing incessantly.

Kate went to the Chief's office and found him in a state of agitation, shouting down the phone. ‘Well, bloody well find out!'

Joel Perkins was also there, standing quietly as if untouched by the sense of urgency running through the place. ‘Hello, Kate, how are your parents?'

‘They're fine, thank you. I think I've chosen the wrong moment.' She grimaced as Andrew Stevenson swore again and slammed down the phone.

What do you want?' he growled. ‘Are you after more of my bloody staff?'

‘Not at the moment,' Kate told him quite seriously, which only seemed to infuriate him more. ‘I've done a follow-up article on the children's homes.'

‘My God, we could be heading for World War Three and you want me to print that?'

Joel took the envelope from Kate. ‘Leave it with me. I'll see it's included in Saturday's edition.'

‘We won't have room for that,' the Chief snapped.

‘You'll make room, Andrew. This is important as well.' Joel placed the envelope in front of Andrew. ‘The welfare of these poor children is something I want this paper to be concerned with.'

The Chief gave a resigned sigh, realizing that if the boss wanted something printed, then he had little choice in the matter. He gave Kate a malicious glare, obviously not caring what Joel Perkins thought. ‘All right, you've got what you came for, and, as you've stolen my best photographer, you can try doing something useful.'

The phone jangled again and he snatched it up. She waited. Was he going to offer her an assignment?

He crashed the instrument down again. ‘You still here?'

‘You suggested I do something useful, so I'm waiting to see what you had in mind.' She nearly laughed out loud at his expression, and suddenly realized that he didn't intimidate her any more. She kept her eyes fixed on Andrew as she heard Joel chuckling softly.

‘Young woman, you're just like your mother,' he murmured.