A Place of Her Own by Barnes Miranda

Author:Barnes, Miranda [Barnes, Miranda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Press
Published: 2015-01-12T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

She couldn’t wait to see them. Lucy and Kat, her two best friends from Dartford. Until the phone call from Lucy, she hadn’t realised how much she missed them.

‘If you could find it in your heart to welcome two old friends who are positively aching to see you again in your Northern wilderness … If you have the slightest, tiniest little bit of spare room in your country home...’

‘Oh, Luce! Stop it. Stop it at once!’ Jenny was laughing herself silly. ‘You know I would love it if you could manage to visit.’

‘Really?’

‘When do you think you might be able to come?’

‘Tomorrow! I’ll tell Kat right now.’

It wasn’t tomorrow. The visit was arranged for a couple of weeks ahead, early December, when the girls’ respective husbands were to be off somewhere in Spain playing golf. Lucy had two children, but they were to be taken off her hands, too. Kindly grandparents had arranged a visit to some outdoor leisure centre that the children had been to before and loved.

‘I should tell you, though,’ Jenny warned, ‘that I’ve got the shop open now.’

‘Already? How wonderful! What’s it like? No, don’t tell me. Let it be a surprise.’

‘I’ll just say it’s very nice. I’m pleased with it.’

Lucy had second thoughts. ‘Oh, but you won’t want us there now, will you? You must be far too busy. We’d just get in the way. We...’

‘Come, Luce! Come whenever you can.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh, good! We can help. We can sell things. Well, maybe I’ll struggle a bit, but I’m sure Kat won’t. Kat would be brilliant in a shop. I’ve always thought so. She’s...’

Jenny stopped listening. Lucy was famous for her non-stop prattle, as well as for her generosity and good nature. Even if she couldn’t sell anything, she would be a wonderful asset in the shop. People would come from miles around just to experience her.

For a while, Jenny forgot how busy she was. She simply put it all to one side. She couldn’t wait to see them. Kat and Lucy. How wonderful that they wanted to come and visit, especially now, especially in December. It was a wonder they weren’t terrified by the thought of Northumberland in winter. She was sure most people she knew in Kent would be.

***

Now the day had come. Jenny had driven into Berwick to meet the girls from the London train. She was shivering with anticipation. Scarcely able to conceal her excitement. It had been three months since she had seen anyone from her old life. Longer. Four. Now she was about to see the two people she missed most of all.

If they hadn’t forgotten, or changed their minds. And if the train hadn’t broken down, or the stupid tracks weren’t being repaired, maintained, upgraded, or whatever else they could do to two steel rails if people in high places set their minds to it.

The train! Here it was. It was here now. She watched the gleaming, silvery tube glide effortlessly alongside the platform until it eased

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