A Girl Called Tegi (13 page)

CHAPTER EIGHT

Dorothy
left on Wednesday morning. Tegi’s friend Beryl had volunteered to take her to the airport on the way to work, and it was her bright chatter which lightened the situation.

‘Don’t look so downcast,’ she said after they had waved Dorothy off. ‘I’m sure she’ll make a go of it in
the States. You want to think about yourself for a change, Tegi.’

Tegi said sadly, ‘I’m a little tired of myself, I guess. I seem to have lost my sense of direction. I’m restless and I don’t know why.’

Beryl laughed. ‘No
t i
n love with anybody, by any chance, are you?’ she teased. ‘Those are the usual symptoms—and going off your food, of course.’

Tegi laughed, ‘Now just because you’re in love yourself it doesn’t say that I am.’ She sighed. ‘I shall miss Dorothy, even if she was a pest. We would have seen eye to eye eventually. I only hope, you’re right and that she’ll make good either in a career or marriage.’

Mid-morning at the bank Tegi was called to the enquiry counter. It was Colin’s mother. In
a smart silk suit in pale amber with a neatly styled hair-do with few grey hairs among the light brown cap, Colin’s mother was not her usual composed self.

‘Hello, Tegi,’ she said. ‘What’s this I hear about you not going on holiday with Colin? I’m surprised at you taking that attitude. Aren’t you going away this year?’

Tegi said frankly, ‘No, I’m not. And I don’t have to go with your son even if I were.’

Joan Quarne raised delicately pencilled eyebrows in surprise. ‘Have you and Colin quarrelled?’ she demanded.

‘No, we haven’t.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Joan Quarne spoke impatiently. ‘Something must have happened. Did you know he’s taking someone else in your place?’

Tegi nodded. ‘I told him to do that.’

‘You told him?’
The older woman looked at her as though she had taken leave of her senses. ‘And do you know who it is?’ She drew an indignant breath. ‘It’s one of the girls in his office.’

‘Oh yes?’

‘Yes.’ Tightlipped, Joan drew herself up to her full height. ‘I don’t like her at all.’

Tegi said, ‘I’m sorry about that,
Mrs.
Quarne. To tell the truth, I don’t think you would like any girlfriend of your son’s. You don’t particularly like me, do you?’

Joan spoke on breath regained. ‘Really! I don’t know what you young folk are coming to! You have no respect for your elders at all. If you must know, I prefer you to anyone else Colin might fancy. In fact I would welcome you as a daughter-in-law, despite your bad manners.’

‘That’s very kind of you,
Mrs.
Quarne,’ Tegi answered coolly. ‘But Colin and I are only friends. We’re never likely to be anything more.’

‘
So there’s someone else? This rumour that you’re going around with one of the T.T. riders is true.’

Tegi felt the colour rush beneath her clear skin. ‘I’m not going around with anyone at the moment—and I don’t think it’s any business of yours if I am,’ she said coldly.

Joan slid down from her high horse and managed a smile of sorts. Her voice was as smooth as cream. ‘No, it isn’t, but I’m concerned about this girl Colin is proposing to take with him. Her name is Ellen
—
I’ve forgotten her second name
.
’

Tegi said brightly, ‘Ellen Gawne, a nice little thing, a bit giggly but otherwise quite nice. I would imagine
Ellen is what Colin really needs, someone to take him out of himself. He’ll have a good time with her.’

The older woman’s eyes were hard as flint. ‘And you aren’t upset about it?’ She leaned forward, adding, ‘Aren’t you a little jealous?’

Tegi shook her head. ‘No.’

Joan picked up her bag from the counter with an air of unhappy resignation.

‘I’m sorry you feel like that about Colin after going about with him for so long,’ she said bleakly. ‘You do realise that if my son makes an unhappy union with this girl, I shall hold you responsible.’

Hot colour crept beneath Tegi’s clear skin. She said sadly, ‘I’m sorry you feel that way about it, but Colin isn’t a boy. He’s a grown man who’s perfectly capable of making his own decisions, however distasteful they might be to you. I think you should allow him
to choose his own friends, because only by so doing will he learn to stand on his own feet.’

Joan Quarne’s face was a red mask of anger. ‘How dare you tell me how I should treat my own son?’ she cried indignantly. ‘What do you know of a mother’s love and concern for her child?’

‘I don’t
,’
Tegi replied frankly. ‘But Colin is no longer a child, and I do know that if ever I had any sons of my own I would know when they were old enough to make their own way in the world.’

The older woman’s voice trembled on a low key. ‘You young people think you know everything, don’t you? You don’t know a good chance when you’re offered it. You’ll have to go a long way before you find a better boy than my son.’

‘I’m perfectly aware of that,
Mrs.
Quarne. But I’m
not in love with Colin. It’s as simple as that.’

Mrs.
Quarne gave her a thin well-bred smile. ‘And you,’ she said with a touch of acid, ‘can’t bring yourself to marry a man you aren’t mad about?’

‘
No, and Colin knows it too. I told him so.’

‘Really? You do know that he’s missed chances with others who would have been a good match for him because he’s friendly with you?’

Tegi stared. ‘Has he? He gave me the impression that you’d frowned on him taking girls home.’

Mrs. Quarne pursed her lips, ‘Well ... I may have done sometimes, simply because I didn’t want him to choose the wrong girl.’

‘He hasn’t yet, has he? I think he’ll have a better chance if you leave him alone.’

Joan Quarne was beyond words. She glared at Tegi and left without another word. Tegi watched her go, feeling slightly remorseful at being so outspoken. She was not that kind of person as a rule, but it had been no use beating around the bush.

Tegi had not been deceived by the woman’s reasoning. As long as Tegi Moore went with him there was no immediate danger of him marrying, which was the
l
ast thing his mother wanted. As for her being jealous of any girl he took out, it just was not so. She thought rather bleakly that she would miss him at lunchtimes if he did take up with someone else, but by that time she might be away herself.

Now that her father appeared to have recovered from his back injury she felt no qualms about leaving home and trying her luck elsewhere. Her mother had taken Dorothy’s departure better than she had expected and by the time Dorothy’s letters began to
arrive from the States she would have become reconciled to it. All in all Tegi knew that she ought to have been feeling happy, but she was not.

Colin did not turn up to have lunch with her at midday. She shrugged it off as just one of those things and wondered if his mother was lunching with him before she returned home.

Around half past two in the afternoon one of her favourite customers came into the bank and she smiled brightly at the kindly bearded face.

‘Hello, Mr
.
McBain,’ she said. ‘I’ve missed your boat in the harbour. Have you been away?’

‘No. I’ve had her in dock for a overhaul. I’m back again now in the harbour stocking her up with provisions. Any time you care to call for a sail or a chat you’re welcome,’ he said heartily. ‘How are things at home?’

Tegi told him about her father and about Dorothy going to the States.

‘Good for her
!’
he exclaimed. ‘Found that young man yet?’

She shook her head with a fleeting glimpse of mocking dark eyes in a tanned face and said evasively, ‘No. Anyone in mind?’

He laughed. ‘I wish I was twenty years younger. Sad about the T.T. rider, isn’t it?’

Tegi had the feeling of standing in an east wind. She went cold from head to toe.

‘What rider?’ she gasped. ‘Is
he
...
seriously hurt?’

He shook his head, and gave a shrug. ‘No idea. You know how these rumours get around. I believe he came off his bike on the hairpin bend in Ramsey. Hard luck.’

Suddenly the floor beneath her feet seemed hinged. Her voice sounded far away as it came in a kind of croak.

‘Didn’t you hear his name?’

He paused. ‘Tony something or other.’

Tegi suddenly felt sick. The colour drained from her face as she gripped the edge of the bank counter.
‘It
...
it wasn’t
... Tony Mastroni
... was it?’

‘I couldn’t say. They just said “Poor old Tony has had an accident. Came off his bike on the hairpin”.’ He leaned across the counter in concern to peer at her ashen face. ‘Are you all right? You’ve gone quite pale.’

Tegi drew a shuddering breath and managed a half smile.

‘Yes, thanks.’ Already her thoughts were at the hairpin bend, seeing the wrecked bike, a shambles of twisted metal, the scream of the ambulance as it arrived, the face of the victim being covered as they lifted him on the stretcher, the shocked faces of the crowd.

Tegi never remembered the rest of that afternoon; or even bidding Mr
.
McBain goodbye. ‘Please, God, don’t let it be Tony,’ she prayed silently from the heart over and over again.

‘You’re looking peaky. Are you feeling all right?’ Beryl asked with some concern when she picked her up at the end of the day. ‘Had a hard day?’

‘Not more than usual,’ replied Tegi, trying to keep a bright front. ‘Any news about the T.T.—who won and all that?’

Beryl cast her a swift surprised look. ‘Since when have you been interested in the races? You don’t like
them. Or is it since you met Tony Mastroni?’

She looked both ways before edging into the stream of traffic, then looked again at her pale-faced companion. Teasingly she added, ‘Not falling for him, are you?’

Tegi shook her head.
‘I
...
don’t think ... it would be much
use
...
would
it...’
She broke off, unable to go on, and Beryl concentrated carefully on her driving, diplomatically ignoring Tegi’s, working face.

‘There’s something wrong, isn’t there?’ Beryl asked quietly.

Tegi gulped. ‘Haven’t you heard? Tony came off his bike at the hairpin bend. That was why I was asking you about the races.’

‘I haven’t heard a thing,’ Beryl said briskly. ‘And I’m sure you’re wrong about Tony coming off his bike. He’s too good a rider. He won easily on Monday and he knows the track blindfold—besides, he might not be in the races today. Is that why you’re so upset?’

‘Not upset, just shocked. Don’t forget Tony has been coming to see Dad with the other riders several times and ... and he’s ... like an old friend.’

‘I’m sure,’ her friend said dryly. ‘Well, you’ll soon know. Your father is sure to know the facts. I presume he’s been to the races today?’

‘Yes.’ Tegi smiled through her tears. ‘He has a new lease of life now his back is better.’

‘Fine. Why not go away after the races are over? You need a change of scene,’ Beryl said philosophically.

Tegi made a futile gesture with slender hands. ‘I’ve
no money, remember?’

Beryl nodded thoughtfully. ‘I forgot. You could ask for a transfer at the bank. You see, dear, and I hate to say this, but I don’t want you to take Tony Mastroni seriously. I think you’re heading for trouble if you do. After all, he’s here today and gone tomorrow like the rest of the riders, and he’s got more going for him than the others, if you know what I mean?’

‘I don’t think he’s promiscuous,’ Tegi said firmly. ‘He has principles.’

‘Haven’t we all? It’s living up to them that matters. After all, what do you really know about him? Only what he tells you. He might be married for all we know. He’s nearing thirty, it’s quite possible.’

Tegi agreed. ‘I know.’ Her smile was wry. ‘I recall saying the same to Mum when he first came to the house. She was quite taken with him.’

‘There you are, then. If he’s had an accident, he has, although I very much doubt it. There’s nothing you can do about it, is there?’

‘No.’

‘Well then, cheer up. The world hasn’t come to an end. Let’s see you smile. You
kn
ow what?’ Beryl tossed a bright smile. ‘For all you know your father could be home entertaining the boys when we get there.’

The next ten minutes or so were strained and unusual for Tegi, who tried to keep her mind a blank. Beryl ran the car along the road leading to the house and both saw the cars already parked there. The first was Tony’s big expensive one.

‘What did I tell you?’ said Beryl as she put on the brake.

Tegi smiled wanly. ‘Thanks, Beryl. Would you like to come in to meet the boys
?’

Beryl hesitated, saw the pleading in the eloquent dark eyes of her friend, and capitulated.

‘Why not
?’
she answered.