Wishing Water (40 page)

Lissa was surrounded by boxes, happily unpacking tiny garments and singing loudly to the strains of ‘Please, Please, Please Me’ on her transistor radio, when Renee arrived, breathless from running.

‘I’m sorry I’m late. Ooh, what a picnic this morning!’

The months of effort were beginning to bear fruit. They’d dusted and cleaned, tidied and repainted, disposed of the dreary mannequins and bought smaller versions for children’s clothes. A new green carpet covered the floor, and there were curtained cubicles in which their young customers could try on garments. The two glass counters shone and the wall of mahogany drawers had been given a new coat of yacht varnish by Jimmy, who had been a tower of strength. Lissa said as much now. You don’t know how grateful I am.’
 

‘The feeling’s mutual. I’m going to enjoy this job. Mind you, it’s a wonder Jimmy had time to help, since he’s so busy fighting this latest threat.’
 

‘What threat?’
 

Renee leaned on the counter and folded her arms, ready for a gossip. ‘That’s why I’m late. They’ve been at it for hours this morning, our Jimmy and this water consultant. Cocky little chap. Sending my Jimmy wild he is. Tramps about the fells and dales all day, treading his muck into the house every night, and all he ever talks about is how wonderful it is that so much rain falls here. Wonderful my eye! Jimmy’ll have apoplexy before he’s done. They argue all the time. I’m sick of it.’
 

‘Jimmy can hold his own corner.’ Lissa smiled, chuckling as she slipped a cherry red frock onto a mannequin. It looked perfect.

‘The latest rumour is that they’re going to flood Winster valley. There’s to be a meeting tonight. I’ve said I’ll go with him, to hold his hand like.’ She laughed. ‘Want to come? We could go on to the Marina Hotel for a bite of supper afterwards. What d’you say?’

‘It’s silly, I know, but Philip doesn’t like me going out in the evenings, except with him.’

‘You are joking!’

‘It’s all right, I’m used to it.’

‘Then you shouldn’t be. Does you good to get out. Anyroad, I reckon we should have a say on what they do to the lake, don’t you?’

Lissa knew Renee was right. It was important, and she should go. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been anywhere that Philip hadn’t arranged for her. But then she remembered her situation and sighed. ‘I’m defying Philip enough. I daren’t take any more risks.’

‘You still haven’t told him then? About the shop?’

Lissa shook her head. ‘I mean to, soon. I’ve been waiting for the right moment.

‘You’re sailing a bit close to the wind. The opening is on Saturday, after all. There’ll be all hell to pay if he finds out from someone else.’
 

Lissa chewed on her finger nails. ‘I wanted to be sure the business was going to be a success first. I could at least see if we have a good Easter. What do you think?’

She looked at her friend for reassurance, and found none.

‘Judgement day is nigh.’
 

Renee’s mind returned to her own problems, not unconnected with Philip Brandon. ‘If we could just get rid of Mr Spencer we’d be on cloud nine, Jimmy and me. He cramps our style, sitting with us every evening like a sour gooseberry. I wish he’d go jump in the lake himself.’
 

She sounded so vehement, that Lissa burst out laughing. ‘Bit extreme. Why not simply ask him to find alternative accommodation? Tell him he’s upsetting Jimmy.’ As you did with Derry, she might have added, but that would have been too unkind.

Renee looked surprisingly nonplussed for someone who was rarely lost for words. ‘Oh, well, he’s no trouble really, bless him. I tell Jimmy he’ll have to put up with it because the money comes in handy.’ Snatching up a cloth she took out her frustration on the glass counter, her round bottom in skin tight black jeans wobbling alarmingly. She wished she’d never opened her silly mouth. The last thing she needed was Lissa asking awkward questions.

‘Why not invite him to our opening. That might give him something different to talk about for a change. Does he have any children?’

‘Oh no, he’s single, lives with his mother. He wouldn’t be interested. Heavens, I’m that scared.’ Renee sank on to a stool, clutching a bunch of matinee jackets. And excited. Aren’t you?’
 

‘Scared rigid. I must make sure I order enough sherry. Or should we stick to wine, do you think?’

Lissa walked briskly to the office where she had a pile of paperwork that needed attention, and several telephone calls to make. She’d had the phone installed only the other day and used it for the slightest reason. She could ring Jan or Meg from the shop now and talk to her heart’s content. It was really quite wonderful to have this little bit of independence at least.

Lissa gazed at him horror-struck. ‘I can’t. Not on Saturday.’ Silently begging him to accept her word and not question her further. It was too much to hope for.

‘I would have thought you’d be delighted to entertain the Cheyneys? Hilary has been very good to you of late. I thought we’d invite them to lunch.’
 

‘I’ve already made plans. It will have to be next week.’ Lissa couldn’t believe her bad luck. It simply wasn’t possible. But how to explain all of this to Philip without telling him the truth? She couldn’t lose her fight now, not when she was so close to winning.

‘Cancel them.’
 

‘I can’t, Philip. Really, I’m sorry.’

He started to rub the bridge of his nose, a gesture he always made when he was keeping a tight hold on his temper. He let his gaze linger over the slender lines of her youthful figure, still showing no sign of pregnancy. She was an increasing disappointment to him. What was this urgent matter she’d planned. Could she be meeting a lover?
 

She smiled sweetly at him. ‘I’ll ring Hilary and make other arrangements.’ Ignoring his frown she went to the phone, wondering if she had the courage to tell him about the shop now. She had to tell him sometime. She’d already spent hundreds of Jeffrey Ellis’s inheritance on new shop fittings, stock, wages for Renee, and a multitude of other expenses. Failure now was not an option. She daren’t even consider the possibility.

All she had to do was keep Philip happy. Was that so difficult? And not appear too tired, or disagree with him too much, or he might start probing into her daily routine more closely, perhaps even regret agreeing to the voluntary work. Then she would be in real trouble. Housebound again, alibi gone. The prospect terrified her. Not that she could depend upon this ruse indefinitely. Hilary might discover the truth about the shop and blab about it to Philip. She was the greatest gossip in Carreckwater. Oh dear, Renee was right. She really ought to get the matter cleared up, but not now. Not quite yet.

The opening party was a great success. All the family came from Broombank, bringing far too much food and everyone drank to the success of the new business, congratulating Lissa on how splendid everything looked. Miss Stevens was there too, of course, wishing them all well. The shop refurbishments were generally admired and customers flooded in out of curiosity, and soon the till was ringing with welcome cash. It was all even more successful than she’d hoped.

Jan had her children with her, and Lissa wished the twins could be here too, to share her success on this special day, but knew they could never keep a secret. They would go right back and chatter excitedly to Daddy all about Mummy’s party and new shop.

But she couldn’t put it off for much longer, and hated herself for her own cowardice and deceit. Why hadn’t she told him the other day? He’d given her the perfect opportunity. Probably because she needed to plan exactly what to say before she began.

Now if she’d been married to Derry, the thought came unbidden, things would have been so different. She wished suddenly that he could be here, to see her moment of glory.

She half glanced across at the door, wanting so much to see him, she almost thought for a moment that he stood in the open doorway. This man was tall, broad-shouldered, smartly dressed in a crisp grey suit and a very conventional silk tie. Handsome. Strong. Certainly not a Teddy Boy. But then Derry wouldn’t be a boy, not now. He was walking towards her, smiling the same lopsided grin.

‘Hello, Lissa.’

‘Dear Lord, it can’t be!’

Lissa stared up into his face in wonder. Could it really be him? So different and yet - the same - and so very beloved. She was half aware of Renee giggling somewhere in the background. Heart thumping like a hammer, she tried out his name. ‘Derry?’
 

Then he was kissing her cheek, very properly of course, but it felt delicious. Her heart was melting and her mind had become quite empty of all sound and sensation except the fact that he was here, holding her hands, smiling into her eyes.

‘So, I was right.’ The voice from the door rang out across the shop and voices instantly hushed, faces turned. ‘No wonder you couldn’t spare any time to spend with me today. Derry Colwith is back in town, and you can’t keep your hands off him.’

Customers had quietly vanished, the door locked, and very gently Lissa began her explanation, aware as she did so of Meg ushering the rest of the family into the stock room beyond.

‘This isn’t how it looks. I didn’t know Derry was home.’ Even to say his name out loud was a delight.

‘That’s true,’ Derry put in. ‘I didn’t know I was coming myself until a day or two ago when Renee invited me.’

Philip silenced him with a few clipped words. ‘This is between myself and my wife.’
 

‘Yes, but I don’t want her blamed for my coming today, just to support her.’

Lissa put out a hand. ‘It’s all right. I wanted to tell you, Philip, about the shop - but I couldn’t find the words.’
 

‘Shop? What are you talking about?’
 

Lissa drew in a deep breath. ‘Miss Stevens has agreed to lease it to me.’
 

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘This is our launch party, my first day of business. I would have told you before, as I said, but either you never wanted to listen or I was too afraid. Isn’t that silly?’ She was gabbling now, reaching for a bottle of champagne. ‘Would you care for a glass?’ She thought for a moment he might knock the bottle from her hands as he had once swept the pie dish from the table. Instead he look her arm in a punishing grip and thrust her towards the door.

‘We agreed, that there would be no business. No career for you.’
 

‘You did express that wish, yes,’ Lissa said, in her most reasonable voice. ‘But I didn’t agree.’
 

‘You didn’t what?’
 

‘There’s no need for you to worry, Philip. You won’t be neglected in any way. I dare say you’ll never notice the difference.’

‘Lot’s of women work these days,’ Derry tried, and was frozen with a glance.

‘We’ll discuss this later. The car is at the door. Get in.’
 

Lissa glanced anxiously behind her. ‘I can’t leave my guests.’

‘
Get in!
’

Meg appeared, and, walking up to Philip, kissed him on the cheek, as if he were not trying to frogmarch her daughter off her own shop premises.

‘Philip,’ she said, in her sweetest tones, ‘how glad I am that you could come. Isn’t she a clever girl? You must be so proud of her. I certainly am.’ Meg swept a hand to indicate the displays: the rows of tiny knitted garments, pretty frocks and romper suits, neat little page boy suits with bow ties. ‘She’s done all this herself, you know.’
 

‘I had some assistance,’ Lissa said, rather breathless and bemused but grateful for Meg’s intervention.

‘Of course you did, sweetheart, but the idea was all yours.’ Meg beamed up at Philip.

‘She’ll go far, this girl. Oh dear, she hasn’t even got you any champagne. Come along, before Tam and Nick drink it all.’ And taking her son-in-law’s arm she led him back into the bosom of her family. ‘Chicken vol-au-vent or a sausage roll?’ she offered with a smile. ‘Why not have both.’ And Philip accepted a plate and a glass with the best grace he could manage.

The month was April, the lake water as clear as crystal. Chips of grey slate and shale shimmered beneath the surface like pale jewels. As Lissa walked along the lakeshore to Nab Cottage she watched with delight as the mute swans upended, their long necks diving deep as they sought some tasty morsel. The Lakeland air was pure and fresh, sharp with the promise of spring, and the circle of mountains seemed to lift up their faces to the smiling sun, as Lissa did. It felt good to be alive.

It had been a whole month since their launch day when Philip had discovered her secret. For Lissa, it had been the worst month of her life.

To begin with he’d hardly spoken to her for days. Then he called Hilary Cheyney and put an end to her charity work. That didn’t particularly worry her but his final thrust did. He spoke to Miss Stevens and made the poor woman agree to refuse Lissa the lease.

‘I’m sorry, Lissa. But I really can’t become involved in marital, or legal, disputes. And Mr Brandon has all my affairs in his office. It’s rather difficult. Best, I think, if you find other premises.’