Megan of Merseyside (36 page)

Robert had visited Wales many times before on walking holidays. He had enjoyed the challenge of the mountains, felt awed by their grandeur, but Megan knew all the mountains by name, as if they were old friends. He found her fierce proprietorial pride the day they climbed Moel Hebog very touching.

She took him to all her other favourite haunts and even right to the mist-clad top of Snowdon, where cotton wool clouds swirled all around them. They explored half-hidden
cwms
, sat beside tranquil blue lakes, sunbathed on the sandy shores at Porthmadog, and visited the centuries old castles at Harlech, Conway and Caernarvon.

Meeting her childhood friends, especially Ifan Jenkins, he could see why she had been attracted to Miles Walker. They were such complete opposites. Ifan was slow and shy; a gentle, easy-going giant, diffident of manner and purpose. In contrast, Miles must have seemed a sophisticated man-of-the-world with his glib tongue and devil-may-care manner.

Learning about Megan’s upbringing helped Robert to understand her better. He liked Jennie and Gwyneth well enough, but Megan had outgrown them in the intervening years. Their naive outlook on life reminded him of Megan when he had first known her. Yet he was sure that if either of them had been suddenly dropped into the heart of Liverpool, or any other big city, they wouldn’t have coped nearly as well as Megan had done.

The first time Megan kissed him goodnight of her own volition he was tempted to crush her to him, but ingrained caution held him back although his healthy physical craving, submerged for so long, ached to assert itself.

Later, alone in his room, at the other side of the hotel to hers, with only two days of their holiday left, he wished he’d taken advantage of such an opportunity to declare his love and ask her to marry him.

There’s no need to rush things. This holiday is just the cornerstone for what’s to follow, he told himself. From now on their relationship would be on a new footing; they were closer than they’d ever been.

‘Have you enjoyed our holiday?’ Robert asked as they sat in the Saracen’s Head having a drink on their last evening. His hand went out and covered hers and his blue eyes took on a smoky look as he tried to control the passion building inside him.

‘It’s been wonderful!’

Their lips met in a light soft encounter that became a deep passionate kiss. He felt her stiffen in his arms. Then with a barely audible sigh she freed herself from his embrace and moved away.

‘There’s such a magical quality about this place I feel bewitched by it,’ she said unsteadily. ‘It’s hard to believe that by this time tomorrow we’ll be in the normal world again and back in Liverpool with a thousand and one problems demanding our attention.’

Chapter Thirty-seven

‘YOUR MOTHER IS
drinking again!’ Her father’s greeting the moment she walked in the door brought Megan back to reality with a jolt.

‘Are you sure? I made quite certain there was no alcohol in the house before I left, not even any cider or cooking sherry.’

‘Then she’s obviously been out and bought some.’

‘You found it?’

‘Yes. Vodka this time! It was hidden in the back of her wardrobe. She’d been moody for a couple of days and I thought she was missing you. Then, on Thursday, I found her asleep in the armchair when I came home. When I tried to waken her, I realised she was out cold. Until then I hadn’t suspected anything.’

‘With vodka there’s no tell-tale smell.’

‘What are we going to do?’ He shook his head wearily. ‘Do you think we should get her back into a clinic?’

‘Must we?’ A shiver went through Megan at the memory of the trauma there had been last time. ‘Couldn’t we give it a week or two and see how she goes on? It might have been because she felt lonely. Were you working late while I was away?’

‘No, not really. It’s been quiet and I made sure I got back in good time.’

Megan watched her mother over the next few days and was forced to admit that her father was right about the drinking. Even though he’d taken away the bottle of vodka he’d found and tried to reason with Kathy, she was still drinking.

Megan couldn’t understand where she was getting it. She searched all the cupboards, the wardrobes and every possible spot, looking for the source of supply. She found it quite by accident. The bottle was small and flat and her mother had hidden it behind a row of books on the shelves beside the fireplace.

‘Grudge me my little bit of pleasure, do you?’ Kathy Williams scowled when faced with the evidence.

‘Of course not,’ Megan told her. ‘We would much rather you drank openly, though … and in moderation. We don’t want you back into the clinic for more treatment,’ she added as her mother looked at her in disbelief.

‘I’ll be careful, Megan!’ Tears spilled down Kathy’s cheeks. ‘It bucks me up, and helps me get through the day,’ she explained with a weak smile.

‘We’ll have to keep an eye on her,’ Megan warned her father later. ‘While we are out at work and she is on her own, she gets bored and lonely and that’s when she turns to the bottle.’

‘I sometimes wonder if she finds living on Merseyside something of a disappointment.’ Watkin sighed. ‘Yet when we lived in Wales all she could think about was getting back to Liverpool.’

‘So many things have gone wrong for her since we’ve been here,’ Megan said thoughtfully. ‘And
all
the old friends she was so looking forward to meeting up with seem to have moved away.’

‘You could have a point there! What do you propose we should do about it?’

‘Move back to Wales, I suppose. No, not to Beddgelert,’ she said quickly as she saw her father was about to protest. ‘I know she found it far too quiet there. No, I thought somewhere like Rhyl, where there would be plenty for her to see and do. Would you like me to make some enquiries?’

The following Saturday, Megan set off to house-hunt on their behalf. The first estate agent she visited was able to offer her a selection of three bungalows available to rent. She viewed them all but the one in Russet Gardens was, without a doubt, the most desirable.

It was only a short distance from both the shopping centre and the promenade. The living room was well decorated and there were two other rooms as well as a light, airy kitchen which overlooked the prettily laid out garden.

Her mind made up, she made the agent an offer. He accepted it without demur. The owners had already left the district and were anxious to rent.

Hugely pleased with her morning’s work, Megan went back to take another look at the property. Leaving her car parked in the driveway she walked from the bungalow to the promenade to make sure it would not be too far for her mother whenever she felt like a stroll.

The three-mile stretch of coastline offered an impressive view of distant mountain ranges
dominated
by Carnedd Llewellyn, the second highest mountain in Wales. After checking out the local shops, Megan took the coast road home, confident that her mother would be much happier living there than on Merseyside.

As she drove through Mostyn, she instinctively deviated from the main route and took the road that led to Tynmorfa. When the white bungalow the Joneses lived in came in sight she decided she’d seen enough. It was pointless reviving memories long since dead, she told herself.

Too late she remembered there was nowhere in the lane where she could turn round, which meant either backing all the way to the main road or driving on as far as the Walkers’ house.

As she manoeuvred the car into their gateway, a huge black Doberman came skittering down the gravel drive, barking furiously.

‘Jason!’ Impulsively, Megan opened the car door as the huge dog came rushing towards her.

‘Heavens! There’s a surprise seeing you again. Megan, isn’t it?’

‘Mrs Jones!’ Megan stopped patting the dog and looked up, startled.

‘It’s been a long time since you were down here. Come on in and I’ll make you a cup of tea.’

‘I’d love to stop, but I’m on my way home from Rhyl, and I’m already late.’

‘Funny way to come from Rhyl.’ Sybil Jones smiled. ‘Come on,’ she insisted, ‘a couple more minutes won’t make that much difference. I can tell you all the news then.’ Her beady brown eyes glistened. ‘There’s a crowd of weirdos living up
there
now,’ she added, nodding towards the Walkers’ house. ‘Friends of Miles, most of them. All living in together like animals. Men, women, children all sharing everything, even the bedrooms! None of them do any work. Miles gives them money. They get by on that, and what they can forage from the garden … and their dole money.’

‘How many did you say there were?’

‘Twenty or more. They have wild parties when Miles is here,’ she added disapprovingly. ‘They’re on drugs, of course, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they gave stuff to the youngsters as well,’ she added darkly. ‘There’s some right shindigs, I can tell you.’

‘Don’t the police know?’

‘Our local bobby does, but he says what they do in their own place is their own business. They’re not causing a public nuisance, not tucked away up here. We don’t want to make a fuss since our home goes with the job, but there’s some right goings-on, I can tell you! Some of the men frighten me silly when I pass them in the lane. Oh, you’ve no idea what it’s like. It’s enough to make his father turn in his grave. Mrs Walker never comes here at all these days. We’ll walk up to the house and you can see for yourself …’

‘No … no thanks!’

‘Miles comes and stays here most weekends. He’s probably up there now, though I haven’t seen his car drive up the lane today.’

The thought that she might encounter Miles made Megan even more anxious to get away and as soon as she left Tynmorfa she pushed the matter
to
the back of her mind. There were more important things to think about than Miles and his weird friends.

She decided to let her father pick the right moment to explain to her mother about the move and to take her to see the bungalow.

Kathy didn’t enthuse about the idea, but neither did she object.

‘I hope your mother’s going to show a bit more interest when it’s time to start packing,’ mused Watkin. ‘She didn’t even seem to care whether our furniture would fit into the bungalow or not.’

‘Why don’t you buy everything new, Dad?’ Megan suggested. ‘That way, leaving Liverpool will give Mam a fresh start. It would be a chance to help her put aside her memories of Lynn.’

‘Everything new? That would cost a fortune! What would we do with all the carpets and curtains and furniture we’ve got now?’

‘I shall still be living here so it’s a case of either you buy new, or I do. And I think it would be better if you were the ones to start afresh.’

‘There’s stupid I am.’ He laughed. ‘I forgot you wouldn’t be coming to Rhyl with us. Surely, you won’t want to stay on here in this house? Not all on your own, girl! Why not give up this place. You can afford to rent one of those posh flats they’ve built at New Brighton. You know, Portland Court. All nice and modern, right on the prom with lovely sea views and everything.’

‘We’ll see,’ promised Megan. ‘Let’s take things a step at a time. This place will do me for the
moment
and give you a chance to make sure Mam likes living in Rhyl. You might even want to come back here, you know.’

‘I don’t think so, not now that I’ve seen Russet Place,’ he assured her. ‘It’s a lovely spot, and so handy for everything. Your mam is bound to love it there once she’s settled in.’

‘Well, let’s hope so,’ agreed Megan, ‘because I was thinking that we could open a depot there and you could run it.’

‘Do you think you are going to be all right living here on your own, then?’ he asked anxiously.

‘Of course I will be. Robert’s always on hand if I have any problems.’

‘Yes!’ Her father raised his eyebrows. ‘I was hoping that perhaps you …’

‘Stop it, Dad!’ Frowning, Megan cut him short. ‘We agreed a long time ago that you wouldn’t try any matchmaking. Remember?’

‘But Megan you can’t go on making him wait for ever!’

‘Wait for what? I haven’t promised him anything, have I?’

‘Come on, girl, you know what I mean. The man is in love with you. He’s been crazy about you ever since the first time I brought him home. All these years he’s waited so patiently, giving up his time and his ambitions, so as to devote himself to your interests. You must see it.’

‘We’re just good friends,’ she affirmed stubbornly.

‘He wants to marry you, Megan! And if you don’t make your mind up, then one of these days
you’ll
find you’ve left it too late. Robert will have packed his bags and gone!’

‘Megan, can you meet me for lunch at the Rendezvous Restaurant? It’s urgent.’

It was so unlike Robert to make such a request that Megan was on tenterhooks for the rest of the morning as she puzzled over what he wanted to see her about. It had to be something very important, she decided. Otherwise he would have waited until he came into the office with the bills of lading and any other documentation that had amassed during the course of the day.

At one o’clock, she locked the office door and set off for Hackins Hey. Robert had already arrived and had ordered omelettes for them both.

‘Your message sounded very ominous, is there something wrong?’ she asked as she sat down.

‘Well,’ he lowered his voice and leaned across the table until their heads were almost touching, ‘there’s a rumour going round that Walkers are about to go bankrupt!’

‘Oh, poor Miles!’

Robert stared at her in silence, shaking his head in disbelief. He had just told her what he thought to be the greatest piece of news he’d heard in years, expecting her to be overjoyed, and all she could do was murmur ‘Poor Miles’. As far as he was concerned, Miles Walker was simply getting all he deserved.

‘Is there anything we can do to help?’

‘I would have thought help was the last thing you’d have in mind,’ he retorted cuttingly. ‘I
expected
you to be over the moon that he was on his way out.’

‘Is that why you told me?’ Her eyes were inscrutable as they levelled with his.