Classic Bestsellers from Josephine Cox: Bumper Collection. Josephine Cox

mekkin’ meself at home here while I waited for you?’

      ‘No, of course not,’ the skipper said, settling himself down before remarking, ‘Bad business, though, and now they say Kathy’s mother is ranting and raving … blaming Kathy for what happened. She seems a right old witch; from what I’m told, they can hear her all over the place, screaming like a fishwife. I know she’s had shocking things to deal with, but for the life of me I can’t see the reasoning behind her attitude to Kathy.’

      Jasper shook his head. ‘Ours is not to reason why,’ he said. ‘But you’re right about one thing … her mother has had to bear up to the most shocking news. Summat like that could affect a body real bad.’ Once more he shook his head slowly from side to side. ‘It’s terrible what happened. It just don’t bear thinking about.’

      ‘I couldn’t help but hear what you were saying … just now.’ While he talked Jack poured himself a cup of tea from the pot. ‘How is Kathy? Is she coping all right?’

      ‘She’s devastated, poor lass.’ Jasper had only now come back from there. ‘I were there a few minute since, doing me best, like yer do. Trying to help where I can. Only her mother arrived, so I thought I’d best mek mesel’ scarce.’

      Taking out his hankie, he wiped a dewdrop from the end of his nose. ‘I can’t imagine how it must feel … being told that yer daughter’s drowned. In one way me old heart goes out to her. But though I say it as shouldn’t, that woman’s a bad bugger if ever there was one.’

      ‘Why don’t they get on, her and Kathy?’ Jack asked.

      ‘Goes back a long way, from what I understand. According to Kathy, she’s never been like a real mother to her. It were Kathy’s father who seemed closest to the lass.’

      Just then he peered out the porthole. ‘Hang on a minute! Look! Her mam’s just going.’

      Two pairs of eyes followed Irene as she emerged from Kathy’s house. Dressed in a dark suit with fur collar and black ankle boots, she was a picture of elegance, much as her elder daughter had been before her.

      With her, and holding onto her arm as if to support her, was a portly man, somewhat older and greying at the temples. ‘Who’s that?’ Jack was curious.

      ‘It’s Kathy’s stepfather.’ Jasper switched off the radio. ‘I’d best go and see how she is. I’ll see you later.’

      ‘Aye, you go on. I’ll sit here awhile, afore I take myself off for my tea.’ He winked. ‘I reckon the missus will have a tasty hotpot bubbling away on the stove, time I get home.’

      ‘Hmh! It’s all right for you. Some of us ’ave to do for us-selves.’

      Concerned about Kathy, Jasper clambered his way out of the cabin and onto the deck; from there he shimmied up the mooring rope like a two-year-old. ‘You ain’t lost it yet, old-timer!’ Jack called from inside the cabin.

      Jasper nodded appreciatively. ‘Yer should see me on a bad day,’ he chuckled.

      In a minute he was wending his way across the green towards Barden House. Kathy saw him coming and ran to the door. ‘Oh, Jasper, I was hoping you’d come back when you saw them leave.’

      ‘What’s up, lass? Yer look badly.’ Kathy’s brown eyes were red and swollen, and her face was all puffed up; it was obvious to anyone who knew her that she was distraught.

      Trying hard not to show her emotion, she said, ‘Tell me the truth, Jasper … do you think I was cruel to her? Do you think it’s because of me that she’s –’ After the crippling confrontation with her mother, her resolve failed and she broke down.

      ‘Now then, lass. Take a hold on yersel’.’ Grabbing her by the shoulders, he drew her to him. ‘For a start off, I don’t think you could be “cruel” if you tried. And for another thing, it weren’t ’cause o’ you that she went out.’

      ‘But maybe I could have stopped her.’

      ‘No, lass! From what you tell me, that sister o’ yourn was a law unto hersel’. I dare say if you’d pleaded with her to stay in that night, she would still have gone out and done things the way she wanted. God only knows, what happened to her was a shocking and awful thing, but there was nothing you could have done … except maybe to baby her and follow her everywhere she went.’

      He held her at arm’s length, his old heart breaking to see what a state she was in. ‘You gave her nowt but kindness. You let her into your home and allowed her to stay … even when she let it be known that she were out to take it from you.’ He gave her a comforting shake. ‘No, lass, you weren’t “cruel”. You were a good sister. Nobody can tek that away from yer. Just remember that.’

      Kathy found it hard to believe him. ‘Mother says I’ve been selfish and greedy. She says I should have sold this house and given her half … that it wasn’t much to ask, and I turned my back on her when she needed help.’ Taking a deep, choking breath, she went on. ‘Maybe if I’d promised to do what she wanted she would still be here today.’

      ‘Now then! Don’t torment yersel’ with them kinda foolish notions. Y’see, lass … we’re all on us sent into this ’ere world with a number agin us. When that number is called, we’re away to God Almighty, and there ain’t nobody – not you, nor me, nor anybody else – as can mek the slightest difference to that.’

      For a time, Kathy couldn’t answer him. Instead, she held onto him, her face buried in his shoulder, and the tears ran freely as she thought of Samantha and the awful way she had died: slipping and knocking her head as she fell into the harbour. ‘You’re a good friend, Jasper,’ she murmured. ‘I don’t know what I would have done without you.’

      ‘I’ll tell yer what, lass.’

      Sniffing, she wiped away the tears. ‘What?’ Looking up at him, she felt safe; absolved somehow.

      ‘How about you mek us a brew, eh? An’ we’ll sit and decide what’s to be done.’

      A great, heavy sob escaped her, but with it came the tiniest of smiles. ‘I forgot my manners, didn’t I?’

      He wagged a podgy finger. ‘So yer did. Shame on yer!’

      He thought it would be good for her to busy herself and take her mind off things. While he waited, he asked about Rosie. ‘She’s been that worried about yer.’

      Kathy returned with the tea. ‘Rosie’s been wonderful … just like you.’

      Placing the tea in his outstretched hand, she sat in the other chair.

      Hesitating just a little because he knew it was a thing close to her heart, he asked pointedly, ‘D’yer intend asking Tom if he’ll come back?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Yer do know where he’s staying, don’t yer, lass? I mean … he did give you an address of sorts, didn’t he?’

      ‘I have the address of his hotel, yes.’ So many times she had been tempted to write to him or telephone, but she hadn’t, and she wouldn’t. ‘See, Jasper, if I were to phone him he’d be here straight away, and that wouldn’t be fair … to get him back just for my sake. He has a job to do, and the last thing I want to do is interfere with that.’

      ‘He’s bound to telephone you sooner or later.’

      ‘I know.’

      ‘And what will you say to him?’

      ‘That I’m all right, and that I’m missing him. That I love him and can’t wait for him to come home.’

      ‘Nothing about what happened, then?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘What’s the name of his hotel?’

      ‘I’m not saying.’

      ‘I