Journey’s End

‘Very wise.’ Flinging him aside, Trent hoisted himself back on his bunk. A moment later the cigarette end was thrown down to the other prisoner. ‘I often wonder about her.’

‘Who?’ Thankful to still have the use of his legs and another couple of draws into the bargain, the young man was still shaking.

‘Lucy Baker. She was the most exciting woman you could ever meet. She wasn’t what you might call a beauty – not dazzling or glamorous or anything like that.’

‘If she wasnae glamorous or beautiful, what attracted you to her?’

‘Lucy was different somehow, hard to forget. She was childlike – pure and innocent, but mischievous, too. She was more alive than any other woman I’ve ever met. Her smile was more radiant than a summer’s day, and when she laughed it turned your heart over. She was small and homely, with eyes that sang. They kinda latched onto you and wouldn’t let go.’

‘What happened to her?’

‘I don’t know.’ He dreamed of her. ‘She’s older now, like me. I often wonder if she still has that magical quality, or whether she’s all shrivelled and ugly. I’ve taken good care of myself over the years, but I can’t tell what she looks like. I’ve still got this image in my mind … might be a shame to spoil it with the real thing.’ He gave a wry little laugh. ‘I daresay I’d be shocked if I were to see her now.’

‘Have you ever been back … to that place?’

‘No. I want to, though. I’ve always wanted to, only I might stir it all up. There was a bloke, Barney Davidson his name was. Likely as not if he saw me, he’d come after me. From what I recall, he wasn’t a big man, but he had this bull-like strength about him. There’s bound to be trouble. I don’t know if I should risk being carted off and strung up for what happened that night.’

‘So, you won’t ever go back there then?’

The big man gave a gruff laugh. ‘I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. I just might decide to go there and find out if she’s still around. First though, I have to keep my nose clean and get out of here.’ He hung over the end of the bunk. ‘But don’t think I won’t seek you out, if ever you open your mouth about what you heard here tonight.’

The young man handed back the tab end of the cigarette. ‘I might be bold and reckless at times – it’s what got me here in the first place. But I’m not wrong in the head. Your secret’s safe with me, so you needn’t worry.’

His cellmate gave a soft, sinister laugh. ‘I don’t intend to,’ he replied confidently. ‘I’d rather let you do the worrying.’

Long into the early hours, the young man lay awake to consider his companion’s veiled warning. There was no doubt in his mind; if he ever talked of what was discussed this night, he would be made to pay a terrible price.

All the same he was intrigued by what he’d heard of the child and the woman; and how, even now after all this time, the big man was still besotted with her. This Lucy: she sounded like the woman every man needed in his life – not glamorous enough to attract other men, but with a special inner beauty that shone out.

What was she doing now? What did she look like? Was she shrivelled and ugly as Carter feared, or was she still the same magical person she had always been? Most of all, what were her feelings towards him? After all, indirectly or not, he had murdered her child.

One thing was certain. It was only the fear of capture for what he had done that had kept Carter away all this time.

Glancing up to make sure his cellmate was asleep, the Scotsman mulled over the story he’d been told. He muttered softly as though talking to Lucy direct, ‘Seems to me, the madman still has a craving for you.’

Closing his eyes, he made the sign of the cross on himself. ‘God help you, lady. I’ve got a feeling you’re not rid of him yet!’

Chapter 5 (#ulink_83346d89-8e08-5405-82dc-76812b73b8f4)

‘DO YOU WANT to help?’ Emerging from the barn at Far Crest Farm, Ben made his way over to Mary, who was leaning on the fence. ‘Look what I’ve found.’ Holding out a pair of wellies he told her, ‘They’re a bit big, but I’m sure you’ll manage.’

With his brown cords tucked into his own wellingtons and wearing a woolly polo-neck jumper under his knee-length coat, she thought he looked every inch the farmer. ‘What? You want me to help round up the sheep?’ she said nervously. ‘I wouldn’t have a clue how to start.’

He smiled patiently. ‘And you never will if you don’t let me show you how.’ With the confidence of a man who was content with his lot, he came up beside her and slid an arm round her waist. In each other’s company they were quiet and easy, lingering a moment to enjoy the feast of Nature spread out before them.

‘This is the time of day I love the most.’ Ben never failed to be amazed at how quickly he had forgotten the city life. His work and his heart were now firmly rooted here in Salford. ‘There are three times in the day when I feel closer to the land,’ he confided now. ‘First thing in the morning when the world still sleeps and the dew is on the grass; the end of the day when the sun is going down and the sky is shot with colour; and now when it’s turning midday, with the morning slipping into afternoon.’

Reaching across, he kissed Mary softly on the face. ‘Before I met you, I was a lonely man,’ he murmured in her ear. ‘I watched the days change and pass, and with the ending of each one, I felt even lonelier. Because there was so much beauty around me, I learned to live with my loneliness and enjoy what I have here. But now I have you to share it all with, and I’ve never been happier, or more content.’

Taking her by the shoulders, he gently turned her round to face him. For a long moment he looked on her face, on those deep, lavender-blue eyes and the shock of thick fair hair that framed her pretty features. ‘I love you,’ he whispered. ‘Now that I’ve got you, I never want to be without you.’

‘If I have my way,’ Mary teased him, ‘I promise you will never be.’ Her thoughts turned to her parents, Barney and Lucy. ‘Sometimes though, I can’t help but feel frightened,’ she added.

Ben held her close. ‘Frightened of what?’

‘Of the way we are, you and me.’

‘Why should you be frightened?’

‘Because of my parents. They loved each other too, yet after a pitifully short time they were parted.’ After years of waiting for the right man, Ben had brought her alive, and at the same time made her more afraid than she had ever been. ‘I couldn’t bear it if I lost you, Ben.’

Ben held her close. He understood her fears, for didn’t he feel the very same? ‘When you love someone,’ the feel of her silky hair against his face was wonderful, ‘you have to take each day as it comes and live it to the full. The truth is, you have two choices, my darling: on the one side, you have to accept that there can never be a happy ending for one or the other of you … unless somehow you were to leave this earth at one and the same time.’

Mary had not thought of it that way, but now she realised how starkly true that was. ‘You said there were two choices?’

He nodded. ‘On the other hand, you can choose never to commit yourself to anyone. But if you do that, you will never know what it’s like to love someone the way your mother loved Barney, or the way we love each other.’ He slowly shook his head. ‘I wouldn’t want to miss out on what we have now.’

Mary had no doubts either. ‘I’d rather suffer pain and loneliness for part of my life, than never know what it was like to love you,’ she told him.

Holding her at arm’s length he was astonished to see the tears bright in her eyes. With the tip of his finger, he wiped them away. ‘You and I have been very lucky because somehow, we found each other. So, for the moment let’s just be grateful and, as I said, take each day as it comes.’

Having returned from his wanderings, Ben’s faithful old Labrador Chuck ran to meet them, excitedly yapping. ‘I think he’s trying to tell us something,’ Mary laughed.

Ben leaned down to pacify the animal. ‘All right, all right! Calm yourself down.’ Looking up to Mary he asked, ‘So, are you willing to give it a go? Do you want to help with the sheep?’

Never having done it before, Mary took a moment to answer, but when she did, it was with enthusiasm. ‘Very well. I’ll give it a go.’

‘I knew it!’ Ben exclaimed. ‘We’ll make a farmer of you yet.’

As it turned out, Mary had never enjoyed herself so much. The dog was a master at rounding up the sheep. ‘Gently now, boy!’ Ben kept him under control so as not to send the sheep into a run, which could damage the pregnant ewes.

In no time at all, the flock were teased into the pen, ready for Ben and Mary to weed out the more heavily pregnant sheep and release the others.

With great care and tenderness, though never losing authority, Ben examined each and every one. The heavily-pregnant ewes were given over to Mary, who then led them into the smaller adjoining pen which ran behind the field-gate, while one by one the others were returned to graze the main field.

When the flock had been sorted, Ben and Mary took a breather. ‘I’m proud of you,’ Ben told Mary. ‘You’re a born farmer’s wife.’

The twelve pregnant ewes were next ushered into the smaller paddock nearer to the homestead, where Ben could keep an eye on them. ‘I think we’ve earned a break,’ he yawned.

Mary agreed and the two of them made their way to the cottage, where they kicked off their boots, hung up their coats and washed the smell of sheep and muck off their hands.

Inside the cosy parlour, Ben soon had a cheery fire going, while in the kitchen Mary made the tea. She loved this pretty little place; with its low-beamed ceilings and big open stone fireplace, it was like a cottage you might find on a picture-postcard.

When the fire was roaring up the chimney and each of them had a warming drink, Ben sat in the armchair, while Mary curled up at his feet, her face aglow from the fire’s heat, and a contented smile on her face.

When she lapsed into a long silence, Ben leaned over her shoulder. ‘What’s wrong, sweetheart?’

Mary shook her head. ‘Nothing.’