Free Jigsaw by Anthea Fraser Page A

said, sipping her drink, and, at Rona’s enquiring look, added, ‘You didn’t know I come from Buckford?’
    â€˜No, I didn’t. I’ll be able to pump you, then.’
    Dinah shrugged. ‘I doubt if I’d be much use to you. I haven’t lived there for thirty-odd years.’
    â€˜But it’s the history I’m interested in,’ Rona pointed out.
    â€˜Thanks! That makes me feel my age!’
    â€˜Seriously, Dinah. For instance, where did you go to school?’
    â€˜A local kindergarten, and then the college.’
    â€˜
Buckford
College?’
    â€˜Don’t sound so surprised! Actually, we were the first proper intake of girls. They’d only been allowed into the sixth form before.’
    â€˜Who was the head?’
    â€˜A man called Peter Rillington. He kept parrots, would you believe?’
    Rona clapped her hands delightedly. ‘That’s
just
the kind of thing I want!’
    â€˜One day the wretched things got out, and he had us all scrambling round the grounds trying to catch them.’
    â€˜And did you?’
    â€˜Some of them, and the rest made their way back when they got hungry. Needless to say, the head’s nickname was Polly.’
    â€˜That really is great. Would you mind if I popped round one day with a tape recorder?’
    â€˜Not at all, if you think it’s worth it.’
    â€˜Come on, girls!’ Max called. ‘The steaks are nearly ready.’
    What with Catherine Bishop and now Dinah, Rona reflected as she picked up a plate, she could probably have saved herself the trouble of staying in Buckford.
    Lindsey had booked seats for that evening at the Darcy Hall, where a visiting Russian ballet corps was performing
Swan Lake
. As she walked into the foyer with Hugh, she was reminded of the time she and Rona had met Rob Stuart, a man she’d subsequently fallen for, and who had turned out to be very different from what she’d supposed. God,
why
did she have such bad luck with her men? she wondered irritably. Why couldn’t she be like Rona, and settle happily with the right one?
    Hugh was looking good this evening; his blue shirt matched his eyes, and his usually pale face had a wash of colour. Though whatever his appearance, she thought wryly, the attraction between them never faltered. How much simpler life would be, if that weren’t so.
    The magic of music and dance enfolded her, and Lindsey relaxed, putting her worries on hold. It wasn’t until much later, after their love-making, in fact, that they reappeared in full force. Hugh’s fingers had been moving gently over her and she was on the edge of sleep when he said softly, ‘I’ve some news for you, darling; I’ve been saving it till the time was right, and it seems to me it couldn’t be better.’
    She frowned drowsily. ‘What kind of news?’
    â€˜Our period of rationing is over; soon we’ll be able to make love any time we want.’
    Suddenly awake, she moved her head sharply to face him. ‘What do you mean?’
    â€˜My transfer’s come through, sweetheart; I’m moving back to Marsborough at the end of the month.’
    She said stupidly, ‘But – you can’t.’
    He gave a short laugh. ‘What do you mean, I can’t? I can and I am. I thought you’d be pleased.’
    â€˜But – where will you live?’
    His fingers stilled on her body. ‘You
are
joking?’
    â€˜No, Hugh, I’m not.’ Lindsey heard her voice rising and made an effort to control it. ‘I’ve said all along that we can’t get back together.’
    â€˜Just what the hell do you think we’ve been doing, every weekend for the last three months?’
    â€˜I mean not permanently. I’m not going to marry you again.’
    â€˜I don’t remember asking you,’ he said nastily. ‘Well, I must say, this isn’t the reaction I