A Pearl for Love by Mary Cummins Read Free Book Online Page B

forget an important date like that ?’ asked John, appearing at the kitchen door.
    He, too, was clad in corduroy jeans and a warm pullover, and he carried a brown anorak over his arm, draping it carelessly over a chair.
    ‘ Hello, Kate. You look well. I hope you ’ ve stoked up with breakfast. It ’ s a lovely day, but just wait till the chilly winds off the hills and moors get hold of you. You ’ ll be glad you ate your porridge then. ’
    ‘ Well, you eat yours, Mr. John, ’ said Mrs. Bannon, behind him, as she set down a large bowl of steaming porridge.
    ‘ Ugh! ’ said Elizabeth.
    ‘ Stop wrinkling your nose, ’ John advised. ‘ You ’ ll get crows ’ feet. ’
    ‘ That ’ s on eyes, silly! ’
    Catherine sat smiling, amused. She often enjoyed the exchange between brother and sister. It was rare for them to have a serious argument, and she often thought how lucky Elizabeth was to have a brother. What a difference it might have made in her own life if only she ’ d had someone like John. She smiled at him, her eyes soft, and he turned away from her rather abruptly. Then he settled down to eat his breakfast, insisting that Catherine should drink one more cup of coffee. Elizabeth refused anything more, saying she hadn ’ t time.
    ‘ Where are you off to? ’ asked John.
    ‘ Michael and I have a date, ’ she said flatly.
    ‘ And we must keep our noses out of it. ’
    ‘ Yes. ’ For a moment Elizabeth hesitated. ‘ Oh, all right. We ’ re just going to look at some new houses being put up in rather a nice district. I was just thinking it was time we fixed a date for the wedding. ’
    She looked almost defiantly at Catherine, who again felt slightly chilled as she sensed hostility.
    ‘ I hope you find something suitable, ’ she said in a low voice.
    ‘ I ’ ve no doubt we shall. ’
    ‘ Find what? ’ asked her mother, padding into the kitchen in pretty bedroom slippers while Uncle James brought up the rear.
    ‘ A house, darling ,’ said Elizabeth. ‘ Somewhere to live. For Michael and me. ’
    ‘ Michael and I,’ said John.
    ‘ Michael and me, ’ corrected Elizabeth. ‘ Your grammar ’ s worse than mine. ’
    ‘ Are we arranging the wedding soon, then, dear? ’ asked Lucille. ‘ It ’ s about time. You ’ re beginning to look like an old married couple already. ’
    The words had been teasingly spoken and not intended to hurt, but Catherine caught sight of a flash of pain on Elizabeth ’ s face. Maybe Aunt Lucille had touched a tender spot. She felt a sudden rush of feeling for the other girl, and touched her arm as they made for the door.
    ‘ Have a lovely day, ’ she said, and was surprised by the sudden glint of tears in Elizabeth ’ s eyes, though she did not reply.
    Catherine watched her running upstairs, then John ’ s hand was on her elbow, a picnic hamper in his other hand.
    ‘ Come on, Kate hinny, ’ he said. ‘ Time we were off. ’
    ‘ Kate what? ’
    He grinned.
    ‘ Kate, my love, ’ he said, his eyes dancing, and she couldn ’ t stop the colour from again flooding her cheeks.
    ‘ Stop leg-pulling, ’ she said, a trifle crossly. ‘ Will I need anything else ?’
    ‘ You ’ re perfect as you are. And who said I was leg-pulling ?’
    Catherine began to feel full of well-being as they took the Hexham road out of Newcastle. John had decided that they must have a look at the lovely old town on the way to Housesteads.
    ‘ We ’ ll come back along the Military Road, ’ he told her. ‘ Absolutely straight. If the Romans wanted to go from A to B, they went from A to B, and not via C. ’
    ‘ Perhaps they had all the lie of the land to choose from, ’ suggested Catherine. ‘ Later people found they had to skirt fields when making roads, or the owner wouldn ’ t like it. ’
    ‘ And now we ’ re back to Roman days when the owners aren ’ t asked. Or at least, aren ’ t considered to such an extent. ’
    ‘ I hope you haven ’ t brought your soapbox,