Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
I absolutely loved living in White Oaks with Richard now that we were married.
I had a choice of rooms to sit in, a garden to walk around and a village a few minutes away that I could wander round and not feel like a cheapskate.
It was nothing like the life I had left behind in Derby, and more to do with the sort of lifestyle I had dreamed about.
Somewhere safe, warm, clean, with lots of food and no malice.
I set about looking for a job, but Richard wasn’t too enamoured with the idea.
At first he gave me money for shopping, and I cleaned the house as much as I could to feel like I was contributing.
But one morning when I was in the village, I saw a notice in the coffee shop for a part-time assistant and went inside to find out more.
‘Hi, I’ve come about the job advertised in the window.’
‘Ah, right.’ The woman behind the counter smiled. ‘As you can see, I’m a bit busy now. Can you call, say, at half past four?’
‘Sure.’ I turned to go as she served another customer but, on impulse, I decided to clear a few tables. The woman was rushed off her feet and it wouldn’t take me more than a few minutes.
As I got back to the counter for the first time, my hands full of dishes, I placed them at the end and she beamed at me. The job was done in no time and I popped the final load down. The small queue had been sorted and everyone was sitting down enjoying their beverages.
‘Thanks ever so much for that,’ the woman said, holding out a hand to me. ‘I’m Barbara. I’ve seen you in here a few times, haven’t I?’
‘Yes, I only live a few minutes’ walk away.’
‘Well, now we have time, would you like a coffee and a piece of cake? I’ll have to keep my eye on things but there’s a lull because you’ve helped me out.’
We chatted and got to know each other and before I’d eaten the most delicious piece of coffee and walnut cake, she’d offered me a month’s trial. I was delighted. I might have been on to a good thing with Richard but I’m not a total scrounger.
‘I have a job!’ I told Richard once I was back home. ‘At the coffee shop. Fifteen hours a week. I’m—’
‘I said you don’t need one. I told you I would provide for you.’
‘I can’t hang around here all day,’ I protested. ‘You’re usually in your studio and it’s boring.’
‘Then get a hobby.’
‘I don’t need a hobby. I need a job.’
‘Being a skivvy for other people is not exactly a career.’
I wasn’t going to be perturbed. ‘Well, I don’t care what you think, I’m going to do it.’
‘Don’t expect me to be happy about it.’
‘I thought you’d be pleased I was bringing in some money.’ I folded my arms like a petulant child.
‘Fifteen hours with a piddly rate of pay per hour is hardly contributing to anything.’ Richard swept his hand around the room. ‘Besides, there’s plenty to do in the house.’
‘I don’t mind cleaning up but I’m not a housekeeper.’
‘It’s a huge property and needs looking after.’
‘Well, I’ll fit that in too.’ I gave him one of my little-girl-lost looks. ‘Please don’t be mad.’ I hugged him. ‘I don’t want to argue over something so trivial.’
He was like a brick as I tried to get some warmth from him.
‘Please yourself.’ He pushed me away. ‘But I don’t want you gossiping about anything, do you hear?’
I paused. ‘What are you really scared of? That people will talk about us?’
‘Not at all. I doubt anyone would be interested.’
‘Exactly.’ I smiled at him then. He would get used to the idea in time.
Over the next month, I went to work in the coffee shop for three hours per day, over the busiest lunch period.
I soon got to know lots of people and would regale Richard with tales of who was doing what and with whom.
Pretty soon, I knew nearly everything that was going on in the village and felt I had a group of friends besides Richard.
I never told him that I was questioned about our relationship so many times. I never told anyone more than we were married. There was really nothing to tell back then.
But that part-time job was the start of things if I think about it now. Richard hadn’t liked me taking control. Pretty soon, he was arguing with me about anything I did, big or small. I tried so hard to do things right for him, and before he moaned at me, but he was always one step ahead.
I hadn’t expected things to change so much once we were married, but Richard began to show his true colours quite soon after. It took me by surprise how much he’d lured me in, like a fly into a spider’s web, and made me his property.
And then when I started to feel ill, I hadn’t realised how involved he was with that either.