Free A Time of Peace by Beryl Matthews Page B

in her stomach.
    As it was Saturday, Kate didn’t get up until ten. She’d had a restless night and only dropped off to sleep when the birds started to sing outside her window. She felt heavy-eyed and no nearer to deciding the best way to go, but
she recognized that that was probably her stubborn nature unwilling to let go of the job she had longed for. When she got downstairs, she found her mother alone in the kitchen with a cup of tea in front of her, completely absorbed in a book. She couldn’t remember a time in this house when a book wasn’t within easy reach. Her mother still had an insatiable appetite for knowledge.
    Rose looked up and smiled at her daughter. ‘I thought you were going to stay in bed all morning. Do you want some breakfast?’
    â€˜Just tea, please.’ Kate sat opposite her mother at the large kitchen table. ‘Where’s Dad?’ she asked.
    â€˜He’s taken the car to the garage. He said it’s developed a rattle and it’s driving him mad.’ Her mother gave her a penetrating look. ‘Are you all right?’
    Kate pulled a face. ‘Things aren’t going well, Mum. Can I talk it over with you?’
    â€˜Of course.’ Rose closed her book and poured her a cup of tea.
    Kate started to tell her about her disappointment that the job on the paper wasn’t working out. ‘I don’t want to do anything rash just because things aren’t going the way I planned,’ she told her mother.
    â€˜What do you really want to do in your career? I know you love photography, but I think you have specific plans you’ve never discussed with us.’
    Kate sipped her tea and gazed at her mother over the rim of the cup. ‘I’ve never talked about it because I might be aiming too high, but I’d just love the chance to work abroad and do something useful. Words are all very well, Mum, but pictures can bring a situation to life.’ She
pulled a face. ‘I was fooling myself because it isn’t going to happen.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜The Chief doesn’t think it’s a woman’s job.’
    â€˜Rubbish!’ Rose sat back and studied her daughter. ‘It wasn’t considered a woman’s job when I became a solicitor.’
    â€˜I know. This is supposed to be the age of liberation, but it doesn’t seem as if things have changed all that much over the years.’ Kate stirred her tea and watched it swirl in the cup. ‘There’s still a lot of prejudice against a woman taking on a man’s job.’
    â€˜Then convince them they’re wrong,’ her mother told her firmly.
    Kate looked up when she heard the vehemence in her mother’s voice. ‘If I kick up too much fuss, I’ll get the sack.’
    Rose’s dark eyes smouldered. ‘I rolled up my sleeves and fought every step of the way for what I thought was right, and still do. I took the knocks and disappointments in my stride and carried on, no matter what anyone thought about me. I hurt a lot of people along the way, and I’m sorry about that, but nothing stopped me.’
    â€˜Are you saying that I should stay at the paper and try to get them to give me a more responsible job?’
    â€˜No, I’m not suggesting that.’ Her mother shook her head. ‘This is your life and you must do what you feel is right, but if you think you’re wasting your time there, then move on. Find another way. Don’t give up your ambition and don’t believe it depends on a particular paper. It doesn’t. It depends on
you
, what you have inside you and how determined you are. When I was a young
girl I believed that because I came from the slums of London, all doors to a better education and life were closed to me.’ Rose’s eyes took on a faraway look. ‘I tried to kick open those doors, but do you know, Kate, they were open all the time and I just didn’t see it. What I’m