The Beachcomber (21 page)

“It’s a sailing boat … a little beauty of a thing. She’s easy to handle, and he’s had ’er adapted so you’ve got the best of both worlds. When there’s no wind, you’ve got a little engine that’ll carry yer along till the wind gets up agin. By, you’re gonna love it!” His eyes twinkled with excitement. “It’s been kept undercover most of its life and looks good as new. It goes like a good ’un, too. I’ve been on it, so I should know.”

With all that now settled, he glanced at the letter in her hand. “So is your friend Maggie coming to see yer?”

Kathy explained, “She always promised she’d come and see me when she’d got the time. Well, now it seems she’s been sacked …
again!
” She shook her head in disbelief. “Anyway, she’s got to find another job to pay the rent before she can come down for a holiday. But she promises it’ll be soon.” The idea that Maggie would soon be here in her house, sitting across the table talking about old times, was wonderful. “Oh, Jasper! It’ll be so good to see her. I can’t wait!”

For a time, they talked about Maggie and her escapades and laughed together.

“She sounds like a real handful, an’ no mistake.” Having finished his toast, the old man licked his lips and wiped his face and washed down the dregs of his tea. “Man-mad an’ all, by the sound of it.”

He referred to the part in the letter where Maggie had given a hilarious account of a night out with her latest man. “I’m not sure I approve of what she’s up to, though … going out with a man years older just ’cause she fancies he might give her a life o’ luxury.”

Kathy dismissed his fears. “If she makes a play for you, Jasper,” she teased, “I’ll have something to say, don’t you worry.”

He laughed out loud. “Aye, an’ you can tell ”er, it’s no use thinking I’m loaded, ’cause I’ve no money to speak of … except a little pension an’ what I earn around the fishing boats and such.” Grinning broadly, he began to preen himself. “Mind you, if she’s looking for a ’andsome fella with a sense of adventure, she’ll not go wrong wi’ me.”

“You old devil!” Kathy laughed with him. “I’m sure she’ll love you for the rogue you are … just like I do.” In fact, she thought Maggie and the old man would get on like a house on fire.

“Right, lass.” He stretched and groaned. “I’d best be off.” Making his way to the door, he reminded her again. “Two o’clock, mind. We’ll pick yer up from ’ere.”

In the time she had left before being collected for the outing, Kathy brought the dress in, ironed it, and hung it carefully in the wardrobe. She then washed and changed, cleaned her teeth, and brushed her hair into a springy bob.

When Tom and the old man came for her, she was sitting on the wall, watching the boats and thinking about the one Tom might buy. She was so intent on looking at the boats, she didn’t see them approach. “By! She’s a bonny lass if ever there were one.” Jasper secretly hoped Kathy and Tom might get together; though he knew there was a long way to go yet, he had a good feeling about these two.

Following the old man’s gesture, Tom’s dark gaze fell on Kathy. He agreed with Jasper; she really was a “bonny lass,” he thought. In fact, in spite of himself, he had been drawn to her from the first minute he set eyes on her, when she was running for the taxi in London, then again later at the churchyard. The closest he had come to her was at the chip shop, when he had seen the sparkle in her pretty toffee-colored eyes.

There was something very appealing about Kathy, he thought.

He didn’t know why she stayed in his mind. Maybe it was her wonderful, free smile and that easy way she had of chatting as though she’d known you all her life. Maybe it was her joy at everything and the way she seemed to meet life head on. To his mind, being naturally a quiet, private person, such energy and warmth was a gift.

“Right then, lass.” Jasper’s voice shook Kathy out of her thoughts. “Ready for off, are yer?”

Leaping off the wall, Kathy hurried toward them, blushing pink when Tom smiled down on her. “Hello, there.”

Returning a bright, shy smile, Kathy thanked him for asking her along, but added, “I think I should tell you … I don’t know the first thing about boats.”

“That’s all right.” He smiled. “I just thought it would be nice to have you along.” He apologized, “I don’t know if Jasper told you, but we’ll be going on the bus. My car’s had to go in for repairs … a clattering of sorts in the engine … wants new pistons, or so they tell me.” He grimaced. “I wouldn’t mind, but I haven’t had the thing all that long.”

He seemed relieved when Kathy assured him she was more than happy to go on the bus.

As they walked to the bus stop, Jasper had an idea. “Why don’t we go to the pub in Weymouth afterward?” he suggested. “It’s a lovely day, an’ they’ve got the prettiest garden.” He licked his lips. “A pint o’ the best would go down a treat.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tom said. And Kathy felt the same.

“Good!” The old man was content. He was with two people he was very fond of, and on top of that there was the promise of a leisurely pint in the offing. “By! This’ll be the best day out ever!” He began whistling, and didn’t stop until they reached the bus stop, where he happily chatted away non-stop.

When the bus came, he gave the order to Tom, “You and the lass sit together, an’ I’ll keep an eye on youse from behind.” Behind Kathy’s back he winked at Tom.

Seeing the twinkle in the old man’s eye, Tom wagged a playful finger at the old chap. “Behave yourself,” he chided, “or I’ll have you thrown off the bus.”

With that in mind, the old man sat quietly behind the two of them, minding his P’s and Q’s, and occasionally grinning as he thought how well Tom and Kathy seemed to be getting on.

The very same thought was racing through Tom’s mind. Somehow he felt very at ease with her.

Kathy, too, felt very comfortable chatting to him, though she was keenly aware of the physical closeness between them. He was undeniably attractive. But the last thing she wanted to do was get involved with a man. She’d just got her life in order again.

By the time they got into Weymouth, the sun was at its hottest. “By! I’ve never known it so warm.” As they walked the short distance over the bridge and down to the harbor road, Jasper loosened the neck of his shirt. “That pint seems very tempting right now,” he chuckled, and Tom agreed, though, “We’ve got business to attend to first,” he said firmly.

Walking a step or two behind him, Tom kept close to Kathy. Whenever a vehicle got too close, he would put his arm about her waist to guide her from the curb edge. Kathy loved the feel of his arm around her. She loved being with him. She was proud to walk alongside him, where everyone must have thought they were a couple. There was a surprising mixture of emotions churning inside her, and the one that surprised her most was the feeling that she might be falling in love. It was a wonderful, terrifying thought.

“Right! Let’s have a look.” Stopping by the quayside, the old man raked his eyes over the many boats in the water, crying out when he caught sight of his old friend waving him down. “There he is! D’y’ see? Fred Lovett, me old mate.”

The three of them scrambled down and climbed aboard. “Glad to see you, old-timer.” Holding out his hand in greeting, the boat-owner was about Jasper’s age, though more wrinkled and gray, and with a certain stoop to his back that appeared to slow his movements.

Jasper shook his hand, grinning as he retorted, “Don’t you call me ‘old-timer,’ yer old bugger! There’s still a dance or two in me yet.”

They hugged and laughed, and after Tom and Kathy had been introduced, they took the boat out to sea. “I’ll run her through her tricks, and then you can make up your own minds,” Fred told them.

It was the most exhilarating experience, and one Kathy would never forget. Having never set foot on a boat before in her life, it was all new and exciting; a little scary at first, but then she got into the mood and enjoyed every minute.

Gathered at the stern of the boat, Fred at the helm, the three men discussed the technical attributes of the craft, while Kathy lay on the foredeck, the warmth of the sun on her face, the cool breeze in her hair, and her ears assailed by the comforting sound of rushing water as the boat sliced a way through.

It wasn’t long before she began to understand why people loved the sea so much. There was something magical about it.

When the trial run was over, they made their way back to harbor. Kathy rejoined the three men at the stern. “Well, what d’you think?” Fred addressed himself to Tom. “Is she a beauty or what?”

Tom couldn’t deny it. “What’s your best price?”

“You know my price. I expect Jasper here has already told you.”

Behind Fred’s back, Jasper gave Tom a wink, warning him to be cautious.

Tom nodded. “Yes, he told me, but I’m sure you could think again if you had to?”

“Mmm.” He scratched his chin and looked at Jasper. Then he looked at Kathy; when she smiled, his eyes visibly brightened. “All right then!” He held out a hand for Tom to agree to a deal. “I’ll knock off a hundred pounds, but that’s my best offer.”

Grabbing him by the hand, Tom closed the deal. “Done!” In a minute, out came the bottle of whiskey and glasses, which Fred had ready under the seat. “Let’s drink to it!”

“Yer old bugger!” Jasper laughed out loud. “Yer meant to do a deal today, even if yer had to come down a bob or two.”

Fred chuckled. “I got the price I wanted,” he confided. “You always up your price so it can be knocked down – I thought you knew that?”

Tom couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ve learned something new about you boat-owners,” he said. “I can see I shall have to be on my guard in future.”

Arrangements were made to bring the cruiser into West Bay, where Tom and Jasper would be waiting. “It’ll take me close on a fortnight to root out the right documents, and prepare everything for the solicitor. Then he needs to go through it all, and draw up the agreement. Don’t worry, though: by the time I hand her over she’ll be ship-shape and serviced.”

Tom nodded his approval.

With the deal concluded, the trio headed for the pub; an old place with character, it sat right alongside the railway lines. “By! I’ve had many a jolly time in ’ere,” Jasper imparted roguishly. “I met a lovely lass by the name of Janice in this place.” He scowled. “Trouble was, it turned out she were wed, with four kids and a bad-tempered old man.”

For a while he enthralled them with tales of his escapades, and the laughter rang through the room. Because he wasn’t too busy at that time of day, the landlord agreed to serve them ham and chips, even though the cook had already left for the day. “But don’t expect nothing fancy.” Though when he arrived with the meals half an hour later, they were a credit to him.

Jasper ordered the drinks. “Three pints o’ yer best,” he told the landlord, and that included one for Kathy.

“You’re never going to drink that, are you?” Tom laughed when Kathy picked up the huge mug in her tiny fists.

“I certainly am!” she replied. “I’ve already done one thing today that I’ve never done before … going on that boat. Well, now I’m doing another,” and she took such a gulp of the beer that it sent her into a choking fit.

“Take it easy!” Laughing, Tom patted her on the back. “We don’t want you drowning yourself, at least not before you’ve had a chance to do all those other things you’ve never done before.”

Appreciating his concern, Kathy finished the pint and got a round of applause. “Happen I should order yer another?” Jasper teased.

With the room already going around in her head, Kathy wisely settled for a dandelion and burdock.

Before they knew it, the time had rolled around to six o’clock. “By! That’s the best day out I’ve had in years,” the old man said. “I can’t recall when I laughed so much.”

Tom thought the same. “What say we take a walk along the front?” The truth was, he didn’t want the day to end.

Kathy jumped at the idea. “I could use a bit of fresh air.” Like Tom, she didn’t want the day to end either. “My head feels like it’s been run over by a herd of elephants.”

“Serves yer right for trying to be one o’ the men,” Jasper laughed. “Women ’ave no right drinking beer. It don’t suit ’em.”

Kathy laughed. “You’re right there!”

Thrilled that he would be keeping Kathy’s company for some time yet, Tom went to pay the bill. Meanwhile, the old man went off in the direction of the gents’, while Kathy went in search of the ladies’. “I’m just going to powder my nose,” she told Tom.

A few minutes later they were heading for the beach. The sands were still crowded with holidaymakers, but the promenade was not too busy. “By ’eck, this is grand!” Jasper strolled along, hands in trouser pockets and a look of contentment about him.

“There’s three things in this world worth fighting for,” he said. “Taking a boat out on the open seas; a stroll along the promenade in the heat of the day –” he gave one of his naughty winks – “and a woman in your arms. That’ll do for me.”

After a while, they stopped at the ice-cream parlor. Taking their tubs of ice-cream to a bench, they sat and watched the children at play. “Oh, but there’s nowt like it!” With melted ice-cream all over his whiskers, Jasper winked at the ladies and felt like a king.

Alongside him, Kathy and Tom chatted quietly about West Bay and their new way of life. Kathy told him about Maggie and how she was coming to visit soon. “I’ll have to keep her on a short rein though.” She smiled at the thought. “The truth is, you never can tell what she’ll do next.”