Free Far From Home by Anne Bennett

Village,’ Kate said. ‘It’s only up Reservoir Road and it’s well worth a look around there too.’

FOUR
    The following morning, as Susie settled herself in the tram beside Kate on their way to work, she said, ‘Nick came round yesterday.’
    â€˜Nick?’
    â€˜Nick Kassel,’ Susie said. ‘You know, David Burton’s friend?’
    â€˜Yeah, I know who he is,’ Kate said. ‘What did he want?’
    â€˜To see if we were all right, because we weren’t at the dance on Friday.’
    â€˜It isn’t compulsory.’
    â€˜I know,’ Susie said. ‘But I thought it nice. He thought we might have been poorly, that’s all. He only just caught us because we had just got in from seeing my nan.’
    â€˜It was tipping it down yesterday.’
    Susie nodded. ‘Don’t I know it?’ she said. ‘We were a bit damp, but Nick was saturated. Mom had his coat steaming over the fire before you could say Jack Robinson. And she insisted he stayed for tea. Said he had to, or his coat wouldn’t be dry, and she would notlike to be held responsible for him catching pneumonia.’
    â€˜And so at last your parents have met the illustrious Nick, who you dance most of the night with, every Friday.’
    â€˜Yeah, and they liked him, and to be honest I’m glad because I would like to do more than just dance with him.’
    Kate turned to her friend and saw the light shining in her eyes as she asked gently, ‘And how does he feel?’
    â€˜To be absolutely straight with you, Kate,’ Susie said, ‘Nick feels the same way. He has asked me out but I have refused.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜Because I don’t want to leave you on your own.’
    Kate felt suddenly cold. She knew Susie loved her, they were best friends, and she also knew she wanted her to leave the past behind her, where it belonged, and begin to look forward. And this was compounded when Susie said, ‘What do you really feel about David Burton?’
    Kate shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’
    â€˜He’s nice,’ Susie said. ‘And you did admit that you liked him.’
    Kate nodded. ‘I know.’
    â€˜D’you think you could ever feel more than just liking?’
    Kate shook her head. ‘To promise him anything more wouldn’t be fair to him,’ she said. ‘Most of my heart was left in Donegal with Tim Munroe.’
    â€˜I think David would take anything you had left,’ Susie said. ‘He really has got it bad. Nick said he’s dotty about you.’
    â€˜That’s why it wouldn’t be right for me to encourage him,’ Kate said.
    She wished she could, really she did, because she knew that it would please Susie and she really wanted to please her, but – even though she did like him better than any other man she had met since leaving Ireland – all she felt for him was a warm friendship. She looked at Susie and shook her head slowly. ‘I’m sorry, Susie. I’m not ready to love anyone else yet.’
    â€˜I’m sorry, too,’ Susie said, adding angrily, ‘and it is you that I am sorry for – because you might never be ready. You have been here three years now, and unless you get out of this mindset you’ll never find anyone to match up to your precious Tim, and you’ll look back when it’s too late and see the wasted life you’ve had.’
    Kate was sorry that she had annoyed Susie and very glad that they had to leave the tram then. As soon as they alighted they were joined by a gaggle of girls all making their way to the factory, but the words Susie had flung at her stayed in her mind all day as she worked on her machine.
    Â 
    Sally had found her way to Erdington and walked down until she came to the village green and a public library that opened on to it. She entered cautiously, glad to be out of the blustery wind, and inside she saw a room