The Reunion

by Claire Lorrimer

Genres: Sagas

Synopsis

Sally, Lee, Clare, inseparable companions through their school days, had made a vow at fifteen to meet up with each other in ten years time. Now at twenty-five, and as young women, they remember their younger selves. Lee, just beginning to make a name for herself in the artistic world. Entirely self-supporting since the death of her parents a few years previously, Lee had thrown herself heart and soul into her work. Clare has blossomed into an attractive and independent woman. By nature calm, placid, outwardly cool. It takes a good deal to shake her poise. But somewhere deep within her, Clare feels the warning note telling her that when one day she falls in love, everything would be different. Sally is vivacious but also headstrong and selfish, and is now engaged to Mark. They reunite for Sally's engagement party, but complications arise when Clare suddenly finds herself in love with her schoolfriend's fiancee ...

Release date: March 27, 2014

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Print pages: 192

Sample

Lee stepped off the bus and started threading her way through the crowded streets of the little market town towards Harrington’s tea-shop, a faintly amused smile tilting the corners of her beautifully curved lips. When Lee smiled it changed the whole character of her face. In repose, she could not be called beautiful, or pretty, although the intensity of her normal expression would always be arresting and therefore attractive. Brown-eyed, brown-haired, she would have been quite ordinary save for that expression and the extreme pallor of her face. Only when she smiled was she beautiful and one noticed nothing but that rich, generous expressive curving of her mouth.

Lee’s amusement was at her own expense. It seemed fantastic that at twenty-five, she should have remembered and kept a childish promise made at fifteen, coming thirty miles from London to do so at extreme inconvenience to herself. Just beginning to make a name for herself in the artistic world, Lee had more work waiting to be done than even a six-day week and late hours could absorb. It seemed that this post-war world had need of commercial artists and she, in turn, had need of the work. Entirely self-supporting since the death of her parents a few years previously, Lee had thrown herself heart and soul into her work, and now, at last, results were forthcoming. But to spend the best part of a precious day trailing down from London to Harrington Heath to keep a promise made ten years ago was surely a fantastic waste of time!

Nevertheless, she had come, not knowing whether the others would keep the appointment, but just in case they, too, had remembered and given up valuable time to see her.

Strange, she mused, how this little town brought back so vividly memories of ten years ago. In her mind’s eye, she saw three schoolgirls in tunics and regulation coats and hats, striding down this same street, arm in arm, confident of the future, of themselves, worried about nothing but the cost of the huge tea they were to eat at Harrington’s tea-shop, and later, swearing undying friendship throughout the years to come.

Sally, Clare, Lee, inseparable companions through their school-days, joyously flouting the saying that ‘two’s company, three’s none!’ Writing chain letters when they had left school to go to their different homes, Sally to the country, Clare back to Scotland, Lee to London; losing touch when the war had broken out and finally, for the last six years, no word, no sign, no news.

Lee recalled Sally’s impulsive voice, heedless of the other people seated at tables around them, saying,

“Whatever happens, let’s meet again, here, ten years from now. Of course, we’ll probably see heaps and heaps of each other after we’ve left school, but all the same, in case we don’t … what about it, Lee? Clare?”

And they had promised. She, Lee, had remembered. As she pushed open the door of the tea-shop, Lee could not help wondering anew if the others had remembered, too.

Clare sat down at one of the empty tables, casting a quick look at her watch. She was early, but it didn’t really matter. She would rather enjoy watching the door, trying to recognise among the faces of the newcomers, those girlish faces of her school companions. Of course, they would be changed, she told herself. She herself had changed. At school she had been tall, lanky, a head and shoulders above the other girls in her own age group. Her dark hair hung in straight, lanky strands and the clear blue eyes stared around her always with a hesitant, self-conscious and uncertain gaze.

Clare smiled. Really, her face had not changed so much, but the dark hair now hung in a loose page-boy round her shoulders, undoubtedly more flattering than those black rats-tails. At sixteen she had ceased growing and had filled out a good bit so that her five-foot-ten no longer seemed too tall. She knew she had a good figure and good taste in clothes – that she was according to modern standards, reasonably well-dressed, good-looking, attractive. This knowledge had helped to banish the inferiority complex of school-days and now, although still shy with strangers, she was by nature calm, placid, outwardly cool and inwardly calm. It took a good deal to shake her poise, but somewhere deep within her, Clare felt the warning note telling her that when one day she fell in love, everything would be different. She was not quite certain how she knew this, but in any case, it did not worry her. Up until now, she had never fallen in love. She had a large number of friends of both sexes, but they were nothing more than friends, and the few young men who had asked her out had never been very certain of themselves and had almost welcomed her refusals to repeat the occasions.

“I suppose I frighten them, or something,” Clare had once said vaguely to a girl friend. And did not doubt that the answer had been near the mark:

“You’re so calm, so unruffled, Clare. You make one feel – I don’t know – a little as if life doesn’t really touch you. That’s enough to chill any man’s ardour!”

Perhaps life hadn’t really touched her deeply yet. But one day it would. It was that very certainty which gave Clare her calm, her poise, her placid outlook. Now, she gazed around her unworried over the possibility that the other two might not turn up. If they did, then she would be wonderfully pleased to see them. If they didn’t – well, it was pleasant to see the little town again and to revive school memories.

She wondered what Lee was like now. She had been such an odd little girl – always scribbling – drawing things. Hopeless at mundane subjects such as arithmetic and Latin, she had shone brilliantly in anything artistic – music, painting, dramatics. What would Lee have made of the last ten years? Had she fallen in love? Was she married? Somehow Clare did not think so. Lee was not the ‘settling’ sort. Nor, for that matter was Sally – funny, vivacious, impulsive, podgy little Sally.

Clare smiled. Just the thought of Sally was enough to bring laughter to anyone’s face. Sally inspired happiness, cheerfulness, goodwill. Of course, she had always been in hot water at school. Whenever there was mischief done, Sally would be behind it! But it was so easy to forgive her. Blonde, blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked, she was a lovable child, a little too plump to be called pretty, but cuddlesome fitted her perfectly. Imaginative, quick-witted, Sally was one of the most popular girls in the school. She would always be popular, Clare thought. But with her quick-silver nature, never happy to stay doing one thing for long, it was unlikely that Sally had settled down to a hum-drum married life. It was far more possible that she had a multitude of admirers and laughingly danced her way among them, favouring first one then another – unless some film-star hero had carried her off to a romantic paradise in Tahiti!

Clare’s musing came to an abrupt halt as the door pushed open and Lee’s unmistakable figure came into view.

“Jumping jehosaphelt, I’m late!” Sally cried, fidgeting in her seat next to the driver. “Mark, dear, do step on it! Never mind the speed limit … oh, dear, we should have started sooner!”

The tall, dark-haired young man at her side gave her a quick smile.

“Darling, I hate to say it, but who wasn’t ready when I called for you?”

Sally’s young, happy laugh rang out.

“I know, Mark. But do hurry, there’s a poppet.”

She searched frantically in her handbag and pulled out a powder compact and dabbed her pert, tip-tilted nose, smoothed the curly fair hair away from her forehead, and finally lit a cigarette, momentarily relaxing against the leather seat.

“Of course, I’m quite round the bend to be worrying like this,” she said more to herself than to the young man seated beside her who was her fiancé. “The other two probably won’t be there. Still, I hope they are. I’d like to see them both again. I want to ask them to our engagement party, Mark. Darling, what shall I wear?” And without waiting for his answer, she went on, “I think I’ll blue my coupons and get something absolutely brand new. After all, it is an occasion. Mark, do you think we shall be happy? I think we will. I’m nearly always happy. I wonder if the other two are happy. You’ll like them. Lee is very unusual – at least she was as a child. I expect she’s even more so now. Different from the others. Still, Clare’s probably more your type. She’s rather placid and easy-going – a safe sort of person. She’s got an inferiority complex like yours, too. At least, she had … she’s not very pretty but there’s lots beneath the surface once you get to know her … Mark, what are you thinking?”

She studied the firm, tanned face of the man beside her with half-exasperated curiosity. One never did know what Mark thought, and he was nearly always deep in contemplation. In fact, she often forgot he was there. Still, even though it took him time to express his thoughts in words, they were usually worth hearing. Mark was very, very much in love with her and so he always said wonderful things. It was such fun being in love, and being engaged. Shane would have to get engaged, too. Shane was her twin brother. Everyone said they were as alike as two peas in a pod, and they were, really, except that Shane was well over six foot and she, Sally, only five five! And Shane always smoothed his hair down so that you couldn’t see the curls. He was an attractive person. All her girl friends fell for him. He got along very well with Mark, too, though of course, they were very different. Shane was like herself. Mark was quiet and thoughtful and reliable. He made her feel safe and secure, and his intensity was nice, too. Or perhaps that was the wrong word – it was exciting. Rather like playing with fire, except of course, she wasn’t playing. Mark had been in love with her ever since he was a little boy in the next door garden and everyone had expected them to fall in love and get married. After a year away from home in one of the women’s services, Sally had returned and things had blossomed into a more romantic vein and now, happily, they were engaged, unofficially until next week, when it would be announced at the party.

“Mark, what are you thinking?” Sally asked again, remembering that she had, as yet, had no answer to her previous question.

Mark grinned down at her.

“I was thinking, Sally, that even if these two school friends of yours were the most beautiful creatures in the world, they still would not be as pretty or nice or attractive as you!”

Sally laughed happily, and snuggled closer to him, her mood now sentimental and purring, like a contented kitten.

“You are nice, too, Mark!” she said softly. Then jerked upright and clutched Mark’s arm. “We’re there, Mark. There’s the tea-shop. Pull up that side. Oh, I do wonder if Clare and Lee are there. I’m dreadfully late – nearly half an hour. Perhaps they’ve gone …”

“Calm down, Sally,” Mark said slowly, as he pulled the car in to the side and parked it behind a large Ford. “They’ll be there.”

But Sally was already across the street and half-way through the door. With an affectionate grin, Mark locked up the car and went slowly after her.

Clare and Lee had finished their tea and were smoking as they discussed old times together. After the momentary strangeness, they had found one another much as they had expected and had already decided to follow up their reunion with further meetings.

Sally they had long since given up, but Lee, who had been constantly looking around her, recognised her other school friend as she burst breathlessly into the tea-room.

“Lee!” called Sally, unaware and uncaring of the curious glances from the people at neighbouring tables. “I am glad to see you. And Clare!”

She hurried over to them and sat down at the table, laughing excitedly in between sentences.

“I thought you’d both have gone if you’d ever come!” she told them. “Lee, you haven’t changed a scrap! Or Clare. Yes, you have. You’re both grown up and terribly chic. Are you married?”

“Calm down, Sally, old thing!” Clare said with her quiet smile. “We’ll order some tea for you and then you can tell us about yourself.”

“Oh, goodness, there’s Mark!” Sally exclaimed. “Still, he’ll be quiet and let us chatter.”

Lee and Clare exchanged amused glances and turned towards the doorway where Mark stood, looking rather anxiously around for Sally.

Lee’s first impression of Mark was complimentary. Sally could certainly pick the good-looking ones, she thought. Clare, in a sudden rush of shyness, formed no first impression of Sally’s young man. Hazily, she heard Sally making the necessary introductions. The next moment, Sally had squeezed him in between them on the sofa seat and Clare could only see his profile, turned away from her towards Sally.

The remainder of the tea-party became a confused riot of voices, laughter, reminiscences, with Sally and Lee doing most of the talking. Mark, Clare noticed, was doing all the listening. His eyes seldom left Sally’s sparkling, vivacious little face; he had ears only for what she had to say. Once or twice when Lee spoke of Sally at school, he turned to listen to her. Only once did he address Clare, and then to say, “It must have been fun for you being at school with Sally. I’ll bet she led you into all sorts of mischief!”

She answered him. She must have done. But she could not remember what she said. One thing and one thing only was she aware of and that so acutely that it blinded her to every other happening and being in the room – the man beside her. For the first time in her life, she felt her whole body tingling with a curious nervous reaction – to his voice, his eyes, the touch of his hand as he took his teacup from her.

What in heaven’s name is wrong with me? she asked herself angrily. He’s attractive, of course, but that’s no reason to fidget becuse he’s sitting so close to me. He’s Sally’s friend. And obviously deeply in love with her. Why should I be feeling like this?

But the questions, the introspection were all dream-like and cloudy. Only the heavy thudding of her heart was real – the odd tingling in her nerves and the desire to get away, away from everyone – the crowded tea-shop which suddenly seemed too small to hold everyone – from Sally’s voice, and Lee’s – from the man sitting beside her so near that it was only by an effort on her part that their elbows did not touch.

“Clare, you’re lost in a day-dream!” she heard Sally’s voice. “You’re just the same as ever. I want to hear all about you. What you’re doing – and everything.”

“I’m not doing anything exciting, Sally,” she answered with an effort. “I’m still in Scotland, helping Mother run the house and look after my sister’s three babes. They’re quite a handful and of course we haven’t any help. I do a bit of secretarial work for Father, too. In fact, I really ought not to have come away but I – well, we made the pact and I just didn’t want to break it.”

“I’m glad you didn’t, Clare,” Sally cried, leaning across Mark to place her hand on Clare’s arm to give it a friendly squeeze. “What’s more, you’re not going back yet, either. Is she, Mark?”

Mark nodded his head.

“You’ve got to come to our party next week, Clare,” Sally went on. “And you, too, Lee. You must both be there or it just won’t be a proper party at all. Now you will come, both of you, won’t you?” she pleaded.

Lee laughed.

“Sally, my dear old thing,” she said. “I’m a busy businesswoman these days. I haven’t time for parties, much as the idea appeals.”

“But it’s more than that,” Sally burst out. “It’s my engagement party.”

“Engagement!” Lee echoed. “Why, Sally, congratulations. I never guessed. You’re not wearing a ring.”

“Oh, it’s not official yet,” Sally laughed. “We’re announcing it at the party, aren’t we, Mark?”

“That’s right, darling,” he said. “But I must say it won’t come as much of a surprise. In fact I don’t know anyone you haven’t told the ‘secret’ to.”

Sally and Lee laughed.

“Oh, well, darling, I can’t help telling people things when I’m happy!” Sally said. “Clare, what on earth are you looking so stunned about? Don’t you think I’m old enough to get engaged or something?”

Lee spared Clare an answer as she said, “You’re not a day older than when we last saw you, Sally. Is she, Clare? If Mark’s a sensible man, he’ll wait a long while before he marries such an impulsive, frivolous-minded little girl.”

Sally laughed, knowing Lee was teasing her. Clare, looking at Mark, noticed a slight frown crease his forehead, but it passed almost immediately and when he spoke, he was smiling again.

“Oh, she’ll grow up quickly enough once she’s married!” he said. “Being a housewife these days adds years to a woman, I’m told – especially since she’s marrying a poor man.”

“Now Mark, don’t be silly,” Sally reproached him. “You know very well I’m the daughter of a very wealthy father. We’ve had this all out before. As I don’t like housework, I shall pay for a maid. Now that’s fair, isn’t it, girls?”

Mark did not look too comfortable having the financial side of his marriage discussed so openly and Lee changed the subject with her usual tact.

“Well, since it’s your engagement party, Sally, of course I’ll come, even if I lose three new commissions to do so.”

“And you, too, Clare?”

“Well, I don’t see how I can,” Clare said quietly. “You see, it means staying in London till next week and—”

“You’ll come and stay with me, Clare!” Sally said, remembering that Clare’s parents had never been very well off and that it might be difficult for Clare to afford a London hotel for a week. But Clare shook her head.

“No, Sally, dear, I really don’t think I ought to. Mother expects me back. Besides, you’ll be busy getting ready for the party and—”

“Why not come and stay with me, Clare?” Lee suggested. “I’ve got a tiny flat in the Chelseaest part of Chelsea, but there’s plenty of room if you don’t mind sleeping amongst the easels.”

Clare looked from Lee’s face to Sally’s and felt trapped. She didn’t want to go to the party. It seemed crazy not to want to, when she led such a quiet life in Scotland and it would be fun to wear evening dress again. But it went deeper than that. Something inside her was warning her not to go – some sixth sense, if there really were such a thing. Her grandmother, who came from the Highlands, was supposed to have had something of the sort, and very occasionally, she, Clare, had had premonitions. Once it had come to her when she had been shopping in a town. She had felt that one of the children was in danger. First she had ignored it, but the feeling had become so strong that she had taken a taxi home, to find the eldest child had fallen out of the nursery window and was suspended by her clothes on the spike of the balcony one floor below.

Her mother had been in the garden with the other children and the child’s cries might never have been heard in time but for her return. She had never mentioned the reason for it to anyone, but it remained very vividly in her mind. Now the same odd, strong feeling was with her, warning her that unhappiness lay in wait for her at Sally’s home.

“Really, Sally, I think—” she began, when Mark’s voice broke in as he said, “Do come, Clare. Sally won’t be really happy unless all her friends are there. She has spoken about you so often and – well, do come, please.”

Clare looked up and her blue eyes stared for one instant into Mark’s brown ones. At that moment, something happened to her that caused all the blood to rush to her face and recede again, leaving her weak and helpless beneath his gaze. Her will was no longer her own. Her very soul no longer was hers. For some strange, unaccountable reason, this friend of Sally’s, Sally’s fiancé, held her powerless to do with her as he would. She was his, utterly, completely, and his wish was her law.

“All right, Sally,” she said breathlessly. “I’ll come, but I think it would be better if I stayed with Lee. Then we’ll travel down together on the night of the party. I’ll telephone Mother tonight and I expect she’ll get someone in from the village to help with the children.”

She did not hear Sally’s or Lee’s happy replies. She only heard Mark’s voice, saying, “I’m so glad, Clare. Sally’s going to be pretty busy playing hostess and I shall need some company. Sally’s girl friends frighten me to death and I shall be counting on you and Lee.”

“Better not do that, Mark!” Lee said, laughing. “I’m hopeless at a party. I always get the urge to go and draw someone or something. Besides, I can’t dance.”

“Then can I count on you, Clare?” Mark asked with pretended anxiety.

“Yes!” said Clare. “You can count on me.”

Long afterwards, when Sally and Mark had driven away and she and Lee were drinking a last cup of tea before bed, Lee turned to Clare and put a hand on her arm.

“You know, Clare, you don’t have to go to the party.” she said without explanation.

Clare looked up, the blood rushing into her face again.

“What do you mean, Lee?” she asked quietly.

Lee lit a cigarette and walked across to the huge studio window, staring out across the rooftops at the twinkling lights of London.

“Because, my dear old thing,” she said affectionately, “you may not know it yet, but it’s perfectly clear to me, and probably to anyone except Sally and Mark, that you’ve fallen for the guy. No, don’t talk about it. I’m no fool, and nor are you, Clare. Sally’s going to marry him an. . .