Chapters (52)
- Cover
- Margaret Dickinson
- Dedication page
- Contents
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Part Two
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Sow the Seed
- Note
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Copyright page
‘Oh Mam, would you really?’ Kate flung her arms about her mother’s waist and dragged her into a dance around the kitchen table. ‘Oh, thank you, thank you!’
Kate’s happiness was complete. She was back home at Fleethaven Point. She knew her mam loved her even though baby Lilian took up so much of her attention, and, best of all, she was back with Danny.
*
‘Danny, do you know why your mam and mine dun’t speak to each other?’
‘Haven’t a clue,’ he replied airily and grinned at her.
‘Danny – be serious a minute.’
They were walking along the beach as they did now every Sunday afternoon.
‘Me – serious?’ He flung his arm around her shoulder. ‘How can I be serious when I’m that happy to see you looking better, I could burst.’
‘Stupid!’ She shoved him away, pleased yet shyly embarrassed by his display of affection.
‘Ya blushing, Katie Hilton. Ya blushing,’ he teased and then dodged out of her way as she aimed a playful cuff at him.
She voiced her thoughts about the strangeness of two people in such a small community deliberately ignoring each other.
Danny wrinkled his brow. ‘D’you know, I never thought about it afore. But now you come to mention it, it’s always been like that.’ His grin broadened. ‘Mebbe when they was young they fell out over some bloke.’
Kate regarded him solemnly. Danny had said it as a joke, but Kate was not joking. ‘Well, there’s summat, an’ I’ll tell you summat else.’
‘What?’
‘Whatever the reason is, no one’s telling. When I ask questions, they all clam up and say, “Dun’t ask, Katie, dun’t ask.”’
‘Well, ya’re such a nosey little blighter. If they dun’t want to tell ya, that’s their business. It’s got nowt to do with us and it’s not going to come between us.’
He flung his arm around her shoulder again and they walked along in companionable silence.
Somewhere in the universe, sadistic Fate laughed.
Thirteen
1930
‘Are ya coming out on me boat?’
Kate skidded to a halt on her bicycle, sending a shower of small stones on to the grass verge. She looked up to see Danny standing on the bank at the side of the lane.
‘What? Now? Bit late at this time of day, isn’t it?’
‘It won’t be dark for a couple of hours yet. Oh, do come, Katie.’