The River Flows On by Maggie Craig

Author:Maggie Craig
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9780755305445
Publisher: Headline Book Publishing
Published: 1998-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

She found him, as she’d expected, down by the river. He was standing just beyond the rowan tree, leaning on the rail, staring down into the murky waters of the Clyde. The afternoon sunshine struck a gleam of brown from his bowed head. Funny, she always thought of his hair as being black.

His shoulders were hunched, his head bent, his back curved and vulnerable. For the first time in her life, Kate understood exactly what people meant when they said ‘my heart went out to him’. Hers did then, reaching him several minutes before her feet did.

A couple, chatting away to each other and walking a few yards in front of Kate passed behind Robbie. He took no notice. Kate, her heart overflowing with sympathy, paused. Was she intruding on his own private grief for Barbara? Had she any right to be here? Would he want any comfort she could offer him - especially after the bitter words they had flung at each other a few days ago?

He evidently recognised her light step, or perhaps it was her quietness and stillness as she stood, hesitating and uncertain, a few feet behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw her and turned, giving her a smile so brave and sad it made Kate’s heart turn over in her breast.

‘I thought I’d find you here,’ she said softly. ‘Your Ma was worried about you being away so long. I’ll go and tell her that you’re fine, shall I?’

‘Don’t run away. Stay for a wee while.’ He extended a hand towards her. Kate managed to avoid taking it, but she came forward and stood beside him, glancing up at him.

‘You’re sure you wouldn’t rather be on your own?’

Robbie shook his unruly head. ‘No. I’m glad you came looking for me.’

His chin was dark with stubble, his eyes bloodshot. He must be exhausted, she thought. He had probably walked all night and then ended up here, as she had known he would.

‘How’s Jessie taking it?’

Kate shrugged. ‘Well, she’s terribly upset. You know ...’ How like him to think of Jessie in the midst of his own grief. She felt a lump grow in her throat. It wasn’t fair. Robbie of all people didn’t deserve this. She looked at his hand lying on the rail which separated them from the river. Impulsively, she covered it with her own.

‘I’m sorry, Robbie. I’m really so sorry.’

‘Aye,’ he said, exhaling his breath on a long sigh. His hand moved under hers. He turned it palm upwards and interlaced his fingers through Kate’s. She wondered if he was remembering when they had last held hands. Could it just be a few days ago? Since then, the world had turned topsy-turvy. Barbara Baxter was dead and Kate Cameron was a fallen woman. That didn’t seem to matter very much now.

Robbie’s eyes were downcast, his eyelashes resting on his cheekbones as he studied their entwined hands.

‘I keep seeing her, Kate. Wherever I look. I look at the river and I look up at the sky and all I can see is her.

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