Chapter 5

It appeared that Penny slept the night through. Certainly that was Caroline’s impression until she heard Penny go to the bathroom at half past six and then go on downstairs presumably to make herself a mug of tea. She did not follow her. Penny might well want some time on her own.

Penny sat down at the kitchen table with her tea and took a sip. Her mind wandered over the last twenty-four hours. It also wondered at the kindness and gentleness of Peter and Caroline. It was all so in contrast to the last month or so and she had just had a proper night’s sleep as well. She felt an unaccustomed happiness. It could not last though and they would turn her out again to fend for herself once they reckoned she could do so but then Peter had said when she found a job. She had a job, domestic cleaning but nowhere to live. She couldn’t go home. That Ron’d still be there. She shuddered and took another pull at her tea.

She had to tell Peter and Caroline the whole story. Her happy mood dissolved and she sat growing more and more dispondent.

Fortunately it was not for long. Peter drifted in in his dressing gown also after a mug of tea.

“Hallo, Penny!” he said in surprise and then smiled warmly. “You’re obviously an early bird. Sleep well?”

“Yes thanks.”

Peter noticed the flatness of her reply but decided to say nothing for the time being but went on making his tea which he took to the table sitting down across the corner from Penny. He smiled at her but only got the whisper of one back.

“Don’t expect her ladyship to put in an appearance yet,” he grinned. “She likes her Saturday and Sunday lie-ins. I don’t blame her, mind you, she has to be out of the house by seven-thirty every weekday morning to get to university on time which also means she has a pretty skimpy breakfast too.”

“I get up early usually, six, so I could give her a cooked breakfast while I’m still here.”

“Ah,” thought Peter. “That’s why she’s a bit piano: worried we’ll throw her out before long.”

“Thank you, Penny. I’m sure she’d be very grateful. Once I’ve finished this tea I’ll go and have a shower and a shave and then see about breakfast for the three of us.”

“I’ll do that. I’d like to. What do you have?”

“Bless you, Penny. That’s very kind. How about bacon, egg, fried bread and a tomato?”

“Easy!”

For the first time that morning Penny smiled. “I’d better go and get dressed.”

“I shouldn’t bother. You might wake Caroline.”

“Oh yes! You’d like coffee too wouldn’t you?”

“Yes please!”

Peter was back twenty minutes later although still in a dressing gown to delicious smells. Penny smiled at him, popped two eggs into boiling water, turned on the toaster and started to fry an egg for him. The table had been laid.

“Whee!” he exclaimed. “I’m coming to this hotel more often.”

Penny giggled and Peter was thrilled. She was cheering up.

As they finished Caroline drifted in and homed in on the coffee pot. Penny offered her bacon and eggs.

“No thanks, love. I’ll just make myself toast.”

“Right!” said Peter decisively, “I’d better go and make myself decent.”

“Me too,” added Penny.

“There’s no rush,” said Caroline. “We could have a first quick poke through some of Mum’s old clothes and then your stuff can go in the machine. If there’s nothing of Mum’s that fits we can soon dry what’s been in the machine and Dad can take you shopping on Monday.”

“Oh, I can, can I?” said he, cocked a snook at her, winked at a wide-eyed Penny and vanished.

Penny got the giggles and then turned solemn again. “I can’t let him buy me clothes!”

“Yes you can, love, and he’d be hurt if you didn’t.”

Penny looked down in embarrassment. The kindness and gentleness of these two was beyond belief.

“I’ll clear this lot away.”

She started to stack the used china and cutlery beside the sink.

“No!” said Caroline. “Use the dishwasher. Quicker and simpler!”

“But I don’t know how to.”

“Hang on a mo and I’ll show you.”

They dealt with that and went upstairs. Caroline banged on Peter’s door.

“Have you finished in the bathroom?” she called.

“Two minutes!”

“Give me a shout and I can come and use it while Penny uses the other.”

“‘Kay!”

“You’re ever so bossy with your dad,” whispered Penny.

“Nah!” grinned Caroline. “It’s just teasing. I’d never, ever knowingly upset him. I love him too much.”

Penny took that in.

Twenty minutes later the girls went to look at the clothes. Inevitably they were too big but they found a skirt, blouse and jumper that Penny could wear that day while her clothes went through the wash. They went back downstairs and joined Peter in the drawing room.

“Penny,” said Peter, “would you tell us your story?”

She bit her lip, looked down and nodded.

“After my Mum died I went on living in our cottage which was left to me in her will. It’s a bit outside Chimbury on its own but that didn’t worry me. We’d never had burglars or anything. I didn’t leave school with any ‘O’ Levels so did cleaning jobs like I told you and then when Mum died and I didn’t have to look after her I took on three more which saw me through OK. I’ve always been shy so I never had a boyfriend and that didn’t worry me. People in the village were always friendly but I didn’t have any special friends. When I wasn’t working I had my garden and the television and was happy.