The old man thanked him for the compliment, and added, ‘She were a lovely-looking lady, still young …’ He chuckled. ‘I can never tell a woman’s age.’
Tom was curious. ‘Did she ever marry again? Is that why she moved away from here?’
‘No. It weren’t like that. Y’see, one day in early spring some nine years ago, a man came to stay in West Bay.’ His memories took him back, and made him smile. ‘Oh, but he did love this place. He once told me how he left all his troubles behind when he stayed here.’
He explained how Liz and Robert became good friends, and then how friendship blossomed into love. ‘I introduced them,’ he said proudly. ‘Liz and I were collecting shells for her garden, when we bumped into him. I asked if he’d like to join us for a drink at the café, and before yer knew it, he and Liz were like old buddies.’
Leaning back in his chair, he went on, ‘They saw each other most every day; when he went away, she watched at the window for him to come back. By! I’ve never seen two people so much in love … it were a pleasure to watch. It weren’t long afore Barden House was on the market, and he bought it. He were a businessman … worked hard and travelled far in his work. He bought the house, and spent time here, whenever his work allowed. They lived there together, and then they had a son.’
He took a moment before going on, in a quiet, reverent voice. ‘Folks round here turned a blind eye to them not being married … we all reckoned Liz deserved same happiness. Then, one day last year, he went away and never came back. Poor Liz were broken-hearted. She spent weeks watching and waiting, but he never did return. Soon after that, she closed up Barden House, put this cottage up for rent, and left. She said she were headed for Scotland or Ireland or somewhere. Me and the agent were given joint responsibility for the cottage, and I’ve done my best by her. Yet, it’s a strange thing, working for someone you can’t contact.’
Tom wondered aloud, ‘Why would he do that … just leave and never come back? Especially if he was so happy with her.’
The old man explained how Robert had discovered he was very ill. ‘He didn’t want her to know; he were trying to protect her,’ he said. ‘But I wonder if that was the right thing to do? It caused her so much pain … mebbe even more pain than if he’d let her know the reason for his going.’
‘It does seem harsh.’ Tom thought it was the saddest, most noble thing he had ever heard. ‘I suppose he thought he was doing the right thing for her. But he was making a tremendous sacrifice, when he must have wanted her close, more than anything in the world.’
‘She certainly suffered, I can tell yer,’ Jasper told him. ‘And, like you say, I’m sure it was a hard thing for him to do, poor devil!’ Jasper had thought long and hard about it since Kathy told him. ‘While Liz was thinking he’d left because he didn’t want her or the child any more, the poor man was fighting for his life; probably aching to let her know, but not wanting to hurt her.’
He now revealed what Tom had begun to suspect. ‘He were wed, d’yer see? Got children from his marriage an’ all. It couldn’t have been easy either way.’
Finally, he told Tom of Liz’s letter and of how she wanted him to go and see her. ‘So there yer ’ave it, son. I’ve a sorry duty to perform, but she has to know. It would be wicked not to tell her the truth.’
Tom was intrigued. ‘If he went away and just never came back, how did you find out what happened? Did he write and ask you not to tell her?’
‘No. It were a lass who told me.’ He gave a little secret smile. ‘A lass that you know very well.’ While Tom searched his mind, Jasper revealed, ‘It were Kathy as told me.’
Now Tom was confused. ‘But … how would she know?’
‘Because the man Liz fell in love with were Kathy’s own father.’
‘My God! Did she know … about Liz, I mean?’
The old man shook his head. ‘The poor lass knew nothing of his life here in West Bay until after he were gone. He bought Barden House in her name, before his son were born. When she found out about her father and his secret life, she were terrible upset. Oh, not because of that, but because he hadn’t trusted her enough to confide in her. Y’see, from what I can gather, she and her father were very close. She were distraught at losing him. I reckon that’s why she’s settled so well in the house, because that’s where he found the happiness he never found with her mother.’
He went on. ‘We talked, y’see … me an’ Kathy. That’s when she told me who she was, and how she came to be here.’ He pursed his lips when deep in thought, as he was now. ‘She’s had a hard time all told,’ he said. ‘I’m glad you’ve taken her to heart.’
Tom was astonished. So it seemed he wasn’t the only one with secrets. ‘I never knew. And does she know … about Liz and her father?’
The old man nodded. ‘She does now, because I told her. She wanted to learn everything about her father and his life here. I told her all I knew … about how much in love they were, and how she’s got a baby brother she’s never seen. It were a terrible shock, I can tell yer.’
Tom thought about Kathy, and his feelings for her, and it seemed to him that her father had loved this woman, Liz, with the same passion and commitment with which he loved Kathy. He thought it a strange and wonderful thing; but then, Fate had a habit of weaving her web in a way that surprised them all.
‘Will Kathy be going with you … to see Liz and the boy?’
The old man shook his head. ‘No. Like I say, I’ve only just found out myself where Liz is staying. I haven’t told Kathy, and I don’t intend to. Y’see, Tom, it ain’t my business to do that … It’s for Liz herself to do.’
His mind was made up. ‘Soonever she gets over the shock of what happened to Robert, I mean to ask her to come and meet his daughter.’
‘Do you think she will?’
‘I don’t know. But it has to be her choice.’
‘So, you don’t want me to mention any of this to Kathy?’
‘I’d be grateful for that.’
‘Then I’ll forget we even talked about it.’
‘Can I ask you summat else?’
‘Ask away.’
‘I think it might be best if I don’t see Kathy before I go, in case she asks where I’m going. I’ve never been one for telling a lie, and I don’t want to start now. Especially when it’s Kathy.’
Tom anticipated his question. ‘So, you want me to tell her you’re away, is that it?’
‘That’s it, son.’ Jasper was relieved. ‘If yer could just say I’ve gone to see an old friend, you’ll not be lying, and hopefully that should satisfy her curiosity.’
‘Consider it done.’ It was little enough, Tom thought.
‘I appreciate that.’ The old man explained, ‘If I can persuade Liz to come and see her, or even write to her, it’ll all be worth it, I reckon.’
‘I hope she agrees.’ Tom also thought it would be a good thing. ‘From what you’ve told me, I think it would benefit them both.’
Before leaving, the old man shook Tom by the hand, telling him in a half-whisper: ‘It would do my old heart good to see you and Kathy as happy and content as they were.’
Tom understood. For didn’t he want the very same, with all his heart?
The following morning at early light, the old man left his house and made his way down George Street. Not a soul was awake, and only the cats were about. ‘Hello, you.’ Pausing to stroke the tabby cat, he tickled its ear and gave a word of warning. ‘You’d best take yersel’ in outta the cold, afore