Chapter 5

'Can you hang this out when the cycle finishes?' questioned Caroline of her husband as she closed the washing machine door. 'It would be a shame to miss the sunshine.'

John glanced up from his laptop and scowled. 'Well, how long is that going to take? I was intending to go to the library this morning. My brain is in gear and I'll be able to concentrate better there.'

Caroline pointed to the display. 'See for yourself. One hour fifty. It's the last of the holiday laundry. Goodness knows why it's taken me four days to get it done. By the way, there's no need to go to the library for peace and quiet. I'm off to work and mum wanted to take William out to lunch to celebrate his results. She's dropping Lawrence to Angus' house on the way.'

John stared into the distance, as if the tiled kitchen wall was non-existent. 'Ah, holiday. Yes, ok. No, I'll still go out.' He looked at his watch to calculate the timing of the given task. 'Just to let you know, I've just had an e-mail from Hilliard. God alone knows why but he's booked me on a seminar on the ancient Greeks for the third weekend in September. It's in Cardiff so I'll have go by train on the Friday; and he wants to see me in London on the last day of the month. So, I really need to put pen to paper.'

'Um. Shouldn't that be fingers to the keyboard? No, that's fine. Just put it on the calendar. Right, I'll be off. Oh, don't forget it's my Pilates class tonight.'

'Pilates!' he scoffed. 'I still don't understand why you need to do that. There's no one with better balance than you. The height of your stilettos is proof of that.'

Caroline looked down at the flats that she was wearing with three-quarter length linen trousers and shrugged her shoulders. 'It's 'me-time', John. If I get any health benefits from it, so much the better. But most importantly it's an hour for me away from all responsibilities. I enjoyed the few classes that I did before our holiday and fully intend to continue. See you later. We'll need to eat by a quarter to six at the latest. Bye.'

Caroline drove into her parking spot at Sulgrave, looking at the building with pleasure. It was her home-from-home and despite what she had said to John about responsibilities, this was often where she shed worries rather than gain them. As she climbed out of her car she was pleased to see just a few other cars and one van parked up. She knew from that she wouldn't be unduly disturbed. Her first action was to check the builders' progress on the refitting of the boys' changing rooms. Satisfied that this would be completed in time for the start of term, she made herself a coffee with powdered milk before seeking the quiet of her office. Four hours rushed by, but they were spent constructively and Caroline was pleased with her achievement.

'E mails to check and I'll finish,' the blonde said to herself.

She deleted or forwarded messages as appropriate and highlighted those which needed her action. Amongst the messages that she forwarded to Beverley was one from Kate McKenzie, advising of her change of address and landline number. She smiled with relief that it was not a message to say that she had changed her mind about joining Sulgrave. Within three quarters of an hour she was back at the Jeep and heading home. Noticing that she was low on fuel Caroline pulled into a garage to fill up. She went to pay and, on a whim, chose a card from the dusty, sparse display. Once back at the car she wrote a brief message and added a name on the envelope, smiling at her initiative.

Her memory did not fail, and she easily found her way to the pretty cottage now the home of Kate McKenzie. She heard the gate close as she dropped the card through the letterbox and she turned towards the noise as Kate rounded the curve in the path.

'Dr Elliot! Caroline!'

'Kate!'

'I wasn't expected to see you until after the weekend.' Kate continued.

'Likewise. I just called to drop a card through your door.'

'Oh, that's kind.'

Caroline had not moved and, now side by side on the narrow path, they looked awkwardly at one another; neither one quite sure what to say or do. Caroline was the first to recover herself.

'I hope you've settled in ok. Is it all that you thought it would be.' Briefly she turned away from Kate to look at the house.

'All that and more. It's lovely.' She paused as if to consider something. 'What am I thinking? Please, would you like to come in for a drink of something?'

Caroline giggled. 'I seem to keep inviting myself into your home by default!'

'Don't be silly. Sorry, don't know if I should say that to my boss especially one who's a doctor!'

'Not officially your boss until 1st September so feel free! I won't hold it against you. And yes, I'd love a cuppa. I've been into work and haven't had a decent drink since breakfast. I'd love a coffee. if you've managed to unpack the kettle, that is!'

The conversation between the two women flowed easily and although they kept largely on school-related topics, Caroline learned that Kate was single, having divorced the previous year. She also found out that Kate loved 80s soul music (from the selection of CDs sitting on the kitchen worktop), had a passion for plain chocolate digestive biscuits and mugs with bright, abstract designs. Kate discovered that Caroline had recently returned from a holiday with her family and that the younger of her two sons would be in Kate's form group. They sat on a small bench in the corner of the back garden, enjoying the sunshine and the company of a robin who was brave enough to stare at them from the nearby trellis which supported a sweet-smelling clematis.

Having finished her coffee Caroline felt that she had interrupted Kate's day long enough and stood to go. Picking up her handbag she noticed a pair of glasses at the side of the seat and handed them to Kate.

'Sorry, Kate, my bag's been resting on them. Seems like they're still in one piece.'

Kate took one look at the spectacles and tears began to trickle down each cheek. Caroline was at a loss what to say or do. As someone who covered her own sadness with sarcasm or anger rather than display it, she tended to over-think how to manage it in others, apart from her boys. Within a few seconds Kate regained her composure long enough to tell Caroline that the glasses did not belong to her before the tears flowed again. This time Caroline's instincts kicked in and she placed a comforting arm around the shoulders of a distraught Kate.

'Oh, Kate. What's up? How can I help?' She waited for a response while directing Kate back onto the bench. Her patience was rewarded.

'They're not mine. They're my mum's reading specs. She brings about half a dozen pairs when she visits because she's always losing them! I took her back to the airport earlier.' She took a tissue from her trouser pocket, wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

Now more collected, Kate went on to explain that her mother lived and worked in America. Having been born in Nigeria she had come to the UK to study, stayed after qualifying and for the last ten years had been head of humanities at an International school in New York.

'No wonder you're upset. As much as I moan about my mum, I think I'd miss her if she was on the other side of the Atlantic. Mind you, it would be nice to try out my theory!' Caroline sensed that Kate would appreciate her humour as a lightening of the gloom. Feeling self-conscious that her arm still rested around Kate's shoulders she moved it, feigning a need to tuck her hair back into its clip.

'I'm sorry, Caroline. Whatever must you think of me? I can assure you that I'm not usually so flaky.'

'What I think of you is that you're human. Apart from missing your mum, you've had a pretty hectic and unsettled few weeks.'

'Thank you.'

A silence descended again to discomfit the women. Caroline was totally surprised to hear herself ask Kate if she was doing anything that evening. Her blue eyes looked directly at Kate and radiated warmth and compassion.

'More unpacking!'

'Well, may I suggest, and this may totally not be your thing. Well, not mine either in one way. Sorry, for the waffling. But the thing is, I've recently started to attend a Pilates class. Fancy coming along? I don't know anyone there and I stand at the back of the hall so I'm not watched. Just in case you think that I'll show you up!'

Kate felt overwhelmed with the kindness being shown by the woman sitting beside her but the physical attraction that she had felt since their first meeting meant that she needed to tread carefully. It would an inauspicious start to their working relationship if she misinterpreted Caroline's offer as anything more than empathy. At the same time, she knew enough to be sure that Caroline was not one to say something for the sake of it.

'I seem to be making as much a habit of taking up your time as you do of inviting yourself into my house!' Kate's response echoed Caroline's humour.

'Well, we're even then. Can you be ready for 6.30? I'll pick you up, so you'll know the way if you want to go again. Ok?'

'Ok as long as you're not kidding me about your lack of expertise!'