Free A Pearl for Love by Mary Cummins Page B

had had following the loss of Philip and her mother. Now she really felt that it was all behind her.
    Janie ’ s wedding brought genuine happiness to Catherine on behalf of her friend, and the final pang for what she had lost. Though her body felt vividly alive again, and that night she wept hot, silent tears into her pillow, then fell asleep exhausted.
    John was meeting her off the train when she returned, and although she had come down to breakfast with shadowed eyes and slightly swollen lids, she felt composed and at peace with herself.
    ‘ Are you happy with the Sheridans, Catherine? ’ asked Mrs. Neill, obviously bringing herself to ask the question. Catherine was now better able to understand her rather retiring nature, and to meet it half way.
    ‘ Yes, I ’ m happy, ’ she said, after a while. ‘ Not completely happy, perhaps, but then there ’ s always something, isn ’ t there? ’
    ‘ And what is there in Newcastle that worries you? ’
    ‘ I don ’ t know ... quite, ’ said Catherine, slowly stirring her tea. ‘ I thought it would be good to come here and look at it all from a distance, but I still don ’ t know that there ’ s anything wrong. Yet sometimes it feels as though something is brewing up, if you know what I mean. ’
    Mrs. Neill said nothing, but sat down at the table beside Catherine and reached for the coffee pot.
    ‘ Mr. Sheridan seemed very keen to have you, ’ she said slowly. ‘ He arranged all your affairs here very well. We hardly had to do a thing. Are you being given ... well, a lot of responsibility in his business? Too much, perhaps, for a girl like you? ’
    ‘ No, nothing like that, ’ laughed Catherine. ‘ They didn ’ t have to make a job for me, because there ’ s plenty for us all to do. But I don ’ t exactly run the show! ’
    She thought of Uncle James looking worried now and again, and knew she couldn ’ t discuss his business with Mrs. Neill.
    ‘ What axe his son and daughter Wee? ’ Mrs. Neill was asking. ‘ Are they happy to have you with them? And do you like them? ’
    ‘ I think so, ’ said Catherine rather slowly again. ‘ John is always charming and thoughtful, and Elizabeth sometimes ... sometimes I wonder if she ’ s completely happy. It ’ s hard to understand Elizabeth. ’
    And Michael Rodgers ? Catherine found she could not discuss Michael with the Neills. Instead she smiled brightly.
    ‘ Everything is fine, really. I like handling pearls. ’
    ‘ Even if “ Pearls mean tears ” ? ’
    ‘ That ’ s rubbish, I ’ m sure. The only tears would be if one lost them !’
    She began to tell the older woman some of her experiences at the shop, and soon they were both laughing, while Catherine helped to prepare Sunday lunch, then all three went walking round old haunts, and greeting old neighbours, before she caught her train back to Newcastle.
    It would be nice to see John again, she thought idly, remembering his tall, rather gangling figure and his friendly teasing grin. John had been a good friend and his ex- fiancée , Rosalie Craven, must need her head examined for throwing him over like that.
    And wouldn ’ t it be nice if Elizabeth would fix a wedding date? Perhaps she might ask her to be bridesmaid. But even as the thought entered her head, more treacherous ones pushed it out. Catherine found she didn ’ t want to be Elizabeth ’ s bridesmaid. In fact, she was beginning to feel torn in two. She wanted the other girl to be happy, but against her will, Michael Rodgers was getting in her way. That was the cloud which was now hanging over her in Newcastle, she acknowledged honestly.
    If she had any sense, she would leave the Sheridans now, before the cloud darkened and then drenched all of them.
    But where would she go? A great deal of the nameless fears and insecurity she had felt after the accident, still remained with her, and Catherine didn ’ t feel brave enough to step out, yet again, into the unknown.
    Nor could she go