Opposite Sides (27 page)

Friday was hinting at a
wonderful weekend for after a light early morning mist, the sky
cleared as a high pressure settled down over England. Hans was
invited over to the Turner house for morning tea. He knocked and
waited for Ellen or Mary to open the door. It was Jan. He noticed
her hair had been cut and was much shorter than before.

“
My aunt’s
expecting you,” she said without any emotion in her voice. She held
the door open for him to enter. As he stepped inside, she added,
“I’ve heard you’re in love with Caroline Grace.”

“
Who told you
that?”

“
It’s common
knowledge.” She pushed her glasses back and looked at him down her
nose.

“
I think
she’s a very nice girl, that’s all.”

“
My aunt’s
not very pleased about it,” answered Jan keeping a firm hold on the
door.

“
What’s it
got to do with your aunt? She’s not my guardian. I don’t go to the
school any more. And I thought we were getting on better.” Hans was
annoyed with Jan and it showed in the way he spoke his
words.

“
I don’t know
about that. All I know is that she’s not pleased.”

“
It’s got
nothing to do with your aunt or you.” His answer was spat out as if
he wanted to hurt her with his words. Jan bit her quivering lower
lip and adjusted her glasses. Hans thought she was about to burst
into tears. He knew he had embarrassed and upset her, for that
little habit always gave her feelings away. “Well, are you going to
allow me in, or not? Or do I have to wait for Ellen or
Mary?”

Jan did not cry. Neither
did she answer him but she did finally open the front room door
wide enough for him to step through.

Miss Turner greeted him
cordially and indicated that he should sit where she could easily
converse with him.

“
Are these
rumours true, Mister Resmel, that you have a very soft spot for
Miss Caroline Grace?” She did not wait for him to answer. “My dear
boy, you cannot continue such a relationship. I’m telling you that
that you will find it very difficult should you wish to court that
girl. You know nothing about the family or about her father.
Besides, I think you’re too young at present to think about taking
on a relationship. You have not found a job to support yourself and
you are in no position to think about providing for a
wife.”

“
Nobody has
suggested marriage, Miss Turner. We’re friends. That’s
all.”

“
That will
please your uncle.”

“
My uncle?
What does he know?”

“
Nothing as
yet. He understands that your first priority is to find a good
permanent position. He doesn’t want you to throw opportunities away
and I agree with that. Once you have established yourself and have
a settled address, then you can think about courting, if that is
what is on your mind.” Mary knocked and brought in the tea pot and
three cups. A few minutes later she returned with the plate of
small cakes. Miss Turner broke off her conversation with Hans and
addressed her maid. “Mary, would you also bring us some
serviettes.”

“
Yes,
ma’am.”

“
And tell
Miss Janine that we’re ready to take tea.”

Hans shifted in his
chair. The thought of Jan joining them did not appeal to him. Last
time he had visited, Jan sat opposite him and spent most of the
time in a silent stare. This time Jan actually spoke to
him.

“
Tell me,
have you heard from Miss Friedl?”

“
Yes, but she
does not write often.”

“
Pour out,
will you, Janine ?” Miss Turner offered Hans a cake. “She was a
good little worker,” Miss Turner commented. “I’ve heard of other
foreign girls seeking work in this country.”

“
Yes. Uncle
wrote that there’s not much work in Austria or Germany. He has
advised me to stay here and look for work. For a while, at
least.”

Jan half stood and
reached for a cake. She took one and held it awkwardly in her
cupped hands. Her aunt’s eagle eyes had already noticed.

“
Do use a
plate, Janine. It’s so common to hold food like that.”

Jan picked up a plate and
placed her tiny cake in the centre of the tea plate.

“
What are you
doing later this afternoon?” She took a small bite and replaced the
remainder on her plate.

“
Probably
going boating down the river.”

What Jan said next
surprised him.

“
Why don’t
you take Anne, for example?” Jan looked directly at her aunt. Hans
knew full well that Jan knew Anne was not available. “I’m sure
she’d like to go boating.”

“
Anne’s going
out with Gerald this afternoon. I thought you knew. I think they’re
making up a foursome and going out in Osbert’s
motorcar.”

“
Janine’s not
got anyone to take her out.” Miss Turner looked quite intently at
Hans. She looked serious, too. “It’s such a lovely day.”

In his mind,
he said,
it won’t be
Jan
,
if that’s
what she’s thinking
but to Miss Turner, he
said instead,

“
Sorry. I’ve
already made arrangements.” There was a pause while he thought of
an answer. He did not want to admit it would be with Caroline.
Finally, he said in a quieter voice, “with Robert Brinkwater.” He
bit his little finger, then laughed a little and hoped he had not
betrayed himself. “Boys’ day out. ”

“
Then that’s
that then!” Jan seemed both resigned and annoyed at the same
time.

“
Yes, sorry
about that.”

It sounded awkward to him
but it was all he could think of. Jan huffed and put her empty
plate down with an audible bang. She stormed out of the
room.

“
Janine!” But
Miss Turner’s concern did not stop the hurried exit. She turned to
Hans. “Oh dear, it seems you have upset her again.”

“
I didn’ t
mean to.”

The rest of the afternoon
tea was spent with just himself and Miss Turner in the
room.

When Hans met up with
Caroline, he told her what had taken place at the Turner
house.

“
I don’t know
what’s wrong with Jan Turner. One minute she appears to hate the
sight of me and the next she wants me to take her out. Then,
because I said I was going somewhere with Robert, she got the huff
and was hostile. She is absolutely crazy. What a girl!”

“
I think
she’s all right,” said Caroline. “We’ve always got on well together
every time we’ve met.”

That took Hans aback. He
didn’t know Caroline knew Jan. Neither had hinted they had any
knowledge of each other prior to Hans having met
Caroline.

“
What do you
know about her?”

“
Jan’s never
been allowed the freedom most of us have. I think my father is
strict but her aunt is far stricter and keeps a very close eye on
everything Jan does. She is so protective. Poor Jan, she hardly
dares to go out of her aunt’s sight and she says things she doesn’t
always mean. I’d hate to be in her place. I think she’s being like
that because she’s not allowed to be herself. I think Jan does
things because it is her only way to rebel and can you blame her?
She sees others having a good time with their friends and she
wishes she could do the same.”

“
Who? Jan?
But she’s younger than any of us. We would not want her tagging
along.”

“
She is only
younger by a year or two,” Caroline pointed out. “That shouldn’t
make any difference. Besides, she’s not the wild cat you seem to
think she is.”

“
Jan Turner!
Jan Turner?” Hans shook his head in disbelief. “You, you know
her?”

“
Oh, yes.
We’ve known each other since we were babies. We’re second cousins.
Miss Turner is aunt to us both.”

No wonder Miss Turner had
been against any involvement between himself and Caroline Grace.
But that didn’t stop them arranging to meet up again on Saturday
and this time Hans was determined to spend the entire day with
Caroline. They had agreed to meet outside the small café in the
High Street at nine in the morning. Hans waited just outside,
leaning against one of the lamplights. He didn’t notice Caroline’s
arrival.

“
Hello, Hans.
Been waiting long?”

He turned as she tapped
him on his shoulder.

“
No,” he
lied. In fact, he had been there since half past eight.

“
You said
nine. It’s not quite nine and . . . ”

“
I’m
impatient.”

“
Or keen.”
She laughed and brushed down her skirt. It had acquired a few spots
of mud on it thrown up when a motorcar passed close by.

“
Well? Where
are you taking me?”

“
Surprise.”

“
Can you wait
just a mo’,” she said. “I’ve just got to get something from the
shop over there.” She pointed three shops along the road to the
sweet shop. “Back in a jiffy.”

Hans leaned against the
lamppost again.

“
What the . .
. ?”

It was Jan Turner. She
stopped in her tracks in the middle of the pavement, letting her
shopping bag sink on to the pavement.

“
Hello.”

“
Hello,
Jan.”

“
You going to
my aunt’s?”

“
Um, er, no.
I’m waiting for someone.”

“
I see.
Robert by any chance?”

Why she had mentioned his
name she had no idea but as the two had been seen in each other’s
company, Jan considered it could be him.

Hans glanced at the new
watch he had recently acquired. Caroline could appear any minute
now and he did not want to be caught out. He wrapped an arm around
the lamp post as if it were the waist of the girl in his
mind.

“
It’s
actually
Caroline
I’
m waiting for this time.
She
’
ll be here
any minute.”

The two stood looking at
each other for a minute in awkward silence, the full shopping bag
and the lamp post between them.

“
I s-see,”
she finally stuttered. “Going for a boat ride again?”

“
I told you,
that was with Loppy.”

“
Oh?
Yesterday it was Robert! So you said! Or let me guess.
I
’
d say,
Caroline. Not Robert at all.” Her eyes narrowed and the muscles in
her face twitched. “You’re a liar, Hans Resmel!”

“
You
shouldn’t be so nosey, Jan Turner. Then I wouldn’t have to lie to
you!” He snapped his words out at her. As he looked away, he caught
sight of Caroline as she reappeared from the sweet shop. “Must
go!”

He grinned triumphantly
at Jan, then releasing his arm from the post, he made a dash across
the road so that Caroline did not come face to face with her angry
cousin. Hans grabbed Caroline by her arm and hurried her away in
the opposite direction. Jan was left standing where she had met
him. Her mouth half open in an unfinished exclamation and her
shopping still in front of her feet.

It was marvellous to get
out into the fresh air at last. It had been a long time since Hans
and Caroline had been able to enjoy each others company again. They
walked along the bank of the river in a westerly direction
following the flow downstream. Hans carried the small picnic basket
which Mrs Harrison had prepared. They would have to walk for a good
hour and a quarter before they reached the spot he had previously
found. As the path left the riverside, they made their way
alongside large spreading beech and oaks which had been planted to
give shelter to the fields of corn just beginning to show signs of
a golden autumn change. The day was perfect, as perfect as any day
could be.

The pathway edged the
fields and then turned back towards the river again where they
followed it downstream for another thirty minutes or so. They could
hear the constant quacking of ducks as they swam in and out of the
overhanging vegetation which grew along the river’s edge. Wild
flower-heads scented the air and along the water’s edge, they could
hear the occasional gentle swish of a willow branch as the river
current caught it and tried to drag it along. Hans picked up a
small pebble and bounced it across the surface of the water. He
made a slight whistle sound as he watched the bounces. Caroline
looked at him, and laughed.

He took her hand and led
her over a crest to where a tree had fallen down during one of the
winter storms. They sat down on one of the smooth branches together
and Hans balanced the picnic basket on it between them. Caroline
opened up its lid and took out several sandwiches, two for Hans and
one for herself. They began eating.

“
Do you come
here often?” Caroline asked as she bit into her
sandwich.

“
No, but I’ve
been here several times. It’s peaceful here and not many people
seem to know this little area.”

“
Did you see
the way Jan looked at you when we were in the High
Street?”

“
You noticed?
I thought you didn’t see her.”