Meet Me at the Pier Head (13 page)

Tia’s heart lurched. His mother, then his fiancée – this was terrible.

Theo left and walked downstairs, opening the door to admit the very attractive young doctor. Simon Heilberg was dark-haired, blue-eyed, tall and handsome. ‘Hello,’ Theo said,
stepping out to allow the visitor in. When he received no answer, he grinned and walked away.

The younger man almost ground his teeth; she often talked about Theodore Quinn. She seemed quite captivated by her boss and landlord. Was there something going on? And did he have the right to
ask? After all, she’d told him often enough to bugger off.

Simon ascended the stairs. For six years, he had pursued Tia Bellamy. They had been close for a while, but she had drifted away from him, taking up with a series of adventurous males who had
travelled with her all over the country and abroad.
She will come back to me. I’ve always known that she and I are meant for each other.

He found her carrying dishes into the kitchen. ‘Did you feed him?’ he asked, trying in vain to keep his tone measured.

Tia sighed. ‘Yes. We had a murder today, so everyone’s upset.’

He perched on a stool, his mouth almost gaping. ‘Murder? Do tell.’

She went through the story again while washing her dishes. ‘The little girl will be a pupil of mine in September. It’s been a difficult day.’

‘So you’re going into school without being paid? Surely you don’t start work until September.’

Tia swallowed a quick and rather unpleasant answer about none of this being his business. ‘I’m learning my job, Simon. Would a surgeon attempt a tonsillectomy without having watched
someone else doing the operation?’

‘That’s different,’ he almost snapped.

‘More important?’ She dried her hands. ‘Well, let me tell you, Simon Heilberg – without good schoolteachers, there would be no surgeons.’

He held up a hand. ‘OK, I give up.’

With her hands on her hips, she faced him. ‘That’s your problem. You don’t give up, do you? Why did you follow me up here when I begged you not to?’

‘Ordered me not to,’ he actually snapped.

‘I won’t marry you. I’m not ready for marriage, and I’m not sure I ever will be. Whatever, whenever, it won’t be you. And I made that clear before you chose to
travel the length of the country. You’re a dear friend, and if I could choose a brother, you’d be in the running.’

He gazed at her. ‘When you say I don’t give up easily, Tia, you’re absolutely correct, because I love you.’

She walked past him into the sitting room, aware that he would be on her heels like a docile dog. ‘For a clever man, you display quite a lot of stupidity.’

‘I have a major flaw, a weakness,’ he replied. ‘It runs right through my core, and your name’s printed on it.’

‘Buy an eraser,’ she almost hissed, ‘or paint over me. I’m not available.’

Clearly deep in thought, he stared into the middle distance.

Tia picked up the evening paper.

‘It’s him, isn’t it?’ he challenged her. ‘The boss, the landlord, who must be at least ten years older than you. You’ve changed since you met him.’

Tia peered at him over the top of Situations Vacant. ‘Go back to Kent, please. Your father will be delighted to have you return to the practice.’

He snorted. ‘I’m going nowhere until you come with me.’

‘And I’m going nowhere, full stop. Right until the last minute, I hoped you’d show a bit of sense and stay where you were. You’re a first-class doctor with a
master’s in stupid.’ She threw down the
Liverpool Echo
. ‘You know I care about you, Simon. But not in the way you want and need, and I can’t make that happen,
because it’s impossible . . .’

He took himself off to the bathroom. Sometimes she annoyed him to the point where he felt like yelling and ranting, but he was too well bred for such behaviour. As he washed his hands, it
occurred to him that his and Tia’s roles were almost reversed, because she had reacted scarcely at all to the loss of her virginity, while he had taken the event very seriously.

He returned to the living room. ‘Shall we go for a drink somewhere?’ he asked. ‘There’s a decent pub just round the corner.’

‘Not tonight, Simon. It’s been a day and a half, believe me.’

He looked heavenward as if seeking divine guidance. ‘Tia?’

‘Yes?’

He cleared his throat. ‘Was I no good at it?’

‘No good at what?’

‘Sex.’

‘Ah, that. I can assure you that there were no faults in the mechanism. I just don’t love you, that’s all.’

Exasperated, he dropped into an armchair. ‘Then why did it happen?’

‘Well, I needed to find out what all the fuss was about, so I decided to do it with someone I knew and liked.’

His jaw dropped. ‘And it didn’t really mean anything?’

‘Oh, but it did. I trusted you not to hurt me. Simon, that was five years ago – well, the first time was. And for a while I thought we might stay together, but I moved on, and so
should you.’ She rose to her feet. ‘It’s friendship or nothing, and you knew this already before you came north. Coffee before you go? I have things to do tonight.’

He stood up. ‘No, thanks. I’ll see you soon.’ He kissed her cheek and left quickly. As he climbed into his car, he saw her leaning out of a window. She was shouting to Quinn;
she was telling him that she’d be down in two minutes. Too tired for a drink with a friend, but not too tired for Quinn. Damn and blast that man.
This is not me being paranoid after all.
Look at her face – she is glowing and smiling and . . . Drive off, Simon. Go back to your flat and think
. He revved the engine and sped away, burning rubber as he went.

Theo watched the black Ford as it turned onto the main road. She hadn’t gone with the good doctor, because she had chosen instead to visit the afflicted in Isabel and Clementine Streets.
What was more, Theo felt as if he’d won the bout on points, though he’d hardly categorized Simon Heilberg as competition. Was this a battle, then? The beginning of a war?

She arrived, hair in two plaits hanging over her breasts, blue ribbons on the ends of the braids, very little makeup, flat shoes, white socks, her skiffling jeans and a sleeveless blue blouse.
‘Hi,’ he said. ‘You look about fourteen. Well, you would if you weren’t so tall.’

Tia grinned. ‘So if I fall to pieces in your hands, you won’t need marinade to tenderize the flesh.’

‘Hmmm.’ He stroked his chin thoughtfully. ‘Fresh asparagus and baby potatoes, I think. Let’s go.’

They were nearing the city in his green MG when he next spoke. ‘Your follower is following us.’

She nodded. ‘It’s all right, I’m used to it.’

‘I’m not,’ he said. He had no intention of becoming used to it. Pulling over, he stopped outside an off-licence, allowing time and space for Simon to park a few yards behind
them. Without hesitation, Theo strode towards the black car. He pushed his head through the open window on the passenger side. ‘Do you need to speak to Miss Bellamy?’ he asked.
‘You seem to be in pursuit of her.’

Simon heard and assimilated the double entendre. ‘My flat’s near here,’ he said, his tone clipped.

‘But you stopped driving when I did, so I assumed—’

‘I’m going to buy wine.’ The doctor’s skin was suddenly flushed.

Theo stepped back. ‘Right. I’ll tell Miss Bellamy that she isn’t needed.’ He returned to his car.

‘Well?’ she asked.

He climbed in next to her, not bothering to use the door of the open-topped vehicle. ‘Says he’s buying some wine. Where’s his flat, by the way?’

‘Woolton.’

‘So he’s come out of his way, then. This must be a very good liquor store.’

Tia sighed. ‘I should never have told him I was moving up here. He won’t give up. But I was so excited that I opened my stupid mouth . . . Will I ever learn?’

Theo found himself hoping that she wouldn’t learn. Like Colin Duckworth, she owned an innocence that appealed to him. She appealed to him. This woman was probably easy to love, and a part
of him understood Simon Heilberg’s dilemma. ‘He’s suffering, Tia.’

‘As am I,’ she snapped. ‘Sorry. It’s not your fault.’

‘Seeing you with another man isn’t helping him, though.’

She fiddled with one of her plaits. ‘But you’re not another man; you’re my boss and my landlord and you’re very, very old.’

He burst out laughing. She followed suit until they were both doubled over in pain. ‘Jesus,’ he managed. ‘What the hell did you put in that shepherd’s pie?’

‘Body parts,’ she gasped. ‘A bit of cream in the mash and a tiny . . . oh, God, I’m going to cry . . .’

‘A tiny what?’

‘What?’

‘It’s your what, not my what. You introduced the what.’ He dried his eyes with the back of his hand. ‘A tiny what?’

She calmed herself. ‘Oh, that what. A tiny bouquet garni and a bit of nutmeg.’ A loud hiccup escaped from her throat. ‘Now look what you’ve done.’

‘What?’

‘Don’t start what-ing with me again, Mr Quinn. You’ve given me hiccups.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Why are we laughing, anyway?’

‘I have absolutely no idea, but your boyfriend is walking back to his car with two bottles of red and a very deep frown.’

Tia held her breath.

‘Why have you stopped breathing?’ her companion asked.

‘Trying to control my diaphragm,’ was the answer delivered with difficulty from behind clenched teeth.

‘He’s driven off.’

At last, she breathed. ‘Good. And he’s not my boyfriend; he’s a reject.’

‘Poor Doc Heilberg,’ Theo muttered. ‘Such a cruel wench, you are.’

She offered no answer.

‘Tia?’

‘I’m trying to stop the hiccups. I don’t want to be exploding all over Jack and Maggie and little Rosie, do I?’ It occurred to her that apart from the hour or so spent
with her sisters playing on Chaddington Green, this was the first time in a while that she’d laughed uncontrollably. With luck and a strong following wind, Teddy Quinn was quite good fun.
What was that saying of Ma’s? Ah, yes. ‘The way to a man’s heart might be via the digestive tract, but to win a woman, a chap needs to aim for the funny bone’ – that
was the one.

‘Are you composed now?’ he asked, the tone innocent.

‘Perfectly,’ she answered. ‘As long as I don’t laugh, I’ll be absolutely splendid. Drive on, please.’

Oh, yes, she was very BBC. Her accent, or rather the lack of it, enthralled him. It was as if she’d climbed out of the mesh on the speaker of his wireless, as the locals tended to name a
radio. Yet she wasn’t at all posh. For a reason he could scarcely explain even to himself, she belonged here. But she would probably fit in just about anywhere. ‘Where did you get the
body parts?’ he asked, his tone remaining guileless.

‘Shut up.’

‘You didn’t get into my secret room, did you?’

Had the car not been moving, she might have dug her elbow into his ribs. ‘The butcher,’ she replied. ‘Bits of dead sheep.’

‘I feel sick,’ he groaned.

‘Good. It’s no more than you deserve.’

They pulled up outside number thirteen, Isabel Street. Theo reached into the back of the car and lifted out a shopping bag. ‘Whisky,’ he explained. ‘Rumoured to be good for
what ails him.’

Jack welcomed them into his parlour, which was spotlessly clean. He had clearly been glued to
What’s My Line
, though he switched off his tiny television set before inviting them
to sit.

Theo handed over the whisky. ‘A drop before bed,’ he suggested. ‘And I want to come with you to see your doctor.’

‘But—’

‘Don’t argue with him,’ Tia suggested. ‘He’s in a very strange mood.’

Slowly, Theo turned his head and glared at her. ‘Miss Bellamy, would you mind having hiccups again? It’s the only thing that manages to stop you talking.’ He gave his full
attention to the caretaker.

Tia, standing behind Theo, put out her tongue.

Jack chuckled.

‘What’s she doing now?’ Theo asked without bothering to look at her.

Jack shrugged. ‘Nothing.’

‘Makes a change,’ muttered the headmaster. ‘Now, if you don’t want me to come with you to the surgery, I need a letter from your doctor stating that you are fit for work.
I refuse to allow any of my staff to be made ill by the job. Maggie Stone will take some weight off your shoulders by helping the other cleaners. You are the best janitor for miles, I’m sure,
but your health comes first.’

Jack nodded.

‘Do you need anything?’ Tia asked. ‘Washing and ironing, I’m your man. I’m sure we could manage shopping, too.’

‘Thanks, both of you, but my neighbours will make sure I’m looked after. And I’ll get you that letter, Sir – I mean Theo.’ He chewed on a thumbnail for a few
seconds. ‘I’d better tell you; Sadie’s drinking heavily. She found Tunstall’s stash of money, and she’s pouring it down her throat.’

‘Is she at Maggie’s?’ Theo asked.

Jack nodded. ‘And I know what she’ll do when she runs out of money.’

Theo mirrored Jack’s nod. ‘So do I. Rosie needs rescuing from her mother, too. What a mess.’

‘Can’t you talk to that girlfriend of yours?’ Jack asked.

‘Which one?’

‘Welfare. Every time she sees you, she looks like she needs a bloody knife and fork and a bit of gravy.’ The seated patient glanced past Theo and looked briefly at Tia. She
wasn’t pleased. Ah, was this young new teacher to be the one for Mr Quinn?

‘I’ll have a word with her,’ Theo said. ‘And I’ll talk to the education office, too. That poor child’s already had enough to contend with.’

Tia made sure that Jack had no immediate needs before bidding him goodbye and following Theo out of the house. A tiny knife seemed to be performing a dance in her chest; perhaps she should have
tried a little of Jack Peake’s medicine. Or had there been something amiss with the shepherd’s pie?

They sat in the car. ‘What’s wrong now?’ he asked.

And in that moment, she knew. If Teddy had girlfriends, she wasn’t happy. She wanted him; she wanted to be the one who would make him happier. ‘Nothing,’ she answered.
‘Jack looks a little better.’

‘He does, but I still want to hear from his doctor.’

Tia sat with her arms folded. It occurred to her that she might be the one closing shutters, guarding herself from life’s uncertainties, bad memories, frightening thoughts. So he had
girlfriends; or had Jack been joking? With deliberation, she uncrossed her arms as a sign that she had no intention of hiding from the world, of hugging herself in a corner like a child whose toys
were broken.