Read Online A Pearl for Love by Mary Cummins - Free Book Online Page A

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    ‘ Not one of us. It was ... in another shop, ’ said Michael, then he frowned sternly again. ‘ I hope you ’ ll learn from this, Catherine. As I ’ ve said before, people are odd about their jewellery. They sometimes swear that the stones have been changed in a ring. Why should we change stones in a ring, for goodness ’ sake? They think jewels have been removed from their watches, which is also ridiculous. You must be on your guard, and check that you and the customer both know the exact description of the jewellery you accept for repair. ’
    ‘ Yes, Michael, ’ said Catherine in a small voice, and suddenly he laughed.
    ‘ Cheer up! You ’ re doing fine. ’
    She looked up and smiled shakily as he grinned down at her, then Elizabeth ’ s voice broke in on them.
    ‘ Prycey says you want me, Michael. ’
    ‘ Yes, I do, ’ he told her crisply, and Catherine ’ s heart sank again.
    ‘ It was my fault, ’ she insisted uncertainly. ‘ I should have used my common sense. ’
    ‘ What was your fault ?’ asked Elizabeth.
    ‘ I didn ’ t count some pearls that came in for repair. ’
    ‘ That was stupid. ’
    ‘ So was not telling her, ’ said Michael.
    ‘ Oh, but I must have done. Didn ’ t I tell you? ’
    This time it was Elizabeth who looked discomfited, and Catherine hesitated unhappily, feeling sorry that it had all happened.
    ‘ You ’ d better go back, Catherine, ’ said Michael. ‘ Miss Pryce may need you. ’
    ‘ Of course, ’ she said, and closed the office door.
    She felt unhappy and dissatisfied, and she was aware that Michael Rodgers had rather a hard streak in him, and wondered what he would say to Elizabeth.
    At the weekend Uncle James asked her if she felt able to go through all her personal papers, and if she needed advice over anything, he would be happy to help her.
    ‘ It may take some time, my dear, but it ’ s got to be done. ’
    ‘ I know, Uncle James, ’ said Catherine, ‘ but I think I can tackle the job now. I think the drawers were all emptied before the furniture went into store. ’
    ‘ Yes, there was nothing left. I checked everything thoroughly. ’
    Catherine sighed as she opened up the boxes and saw the great heaps of papers and personal objects. Her mother had just kept her father ’ s desk as it was, even to his old pipe and tobacco jar. For a moment Catherine wondered whether she ought just to keep it all as it was, too, then she sighed again. Uncle James was quite right. She ought to know just exactly what was there. It was unlikely to yield any stocks and bonds, as all financial matters had been more carefully looked after, but neither David nor Alison Lyall had been particularly neat about personal papers, and now old letters were mixed up with receipted bills.
    Catherine picked up a receipted telephone account from three years ago, and reached for a waste paper basket. There was only one way to deal with some of the papers, and that was to throw them out!
    She was still busy when John looked in an hour later.
    ‘ Come and have coffee, ’ he advised. ‘ My lord, that ’ s a pile you ’ ve got in there !’
    ‘ Old letters and things, ’ she said, looking up with a faint smile. ‘ Daddy just used to shove everything into a deep drawer in his desk, then have a gigantic tidy-up once in a blue moon. ’
    ‘ Is it making you feel a bit down doing it all? ’ asked John.
    ‘ Not now. I ’ m pretty well over it. ’
    ‘ I ’ m glad, ’ said John, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. ‘ Game on, my lass. You ’ ll feel better for the break. ’
    There was only Aunt Lucille in the drawing room where a tray with a steaming jug of coffee, and some cups were set out on a small table. She was reading a letter from one of her friends.
    ‘ Are you still off sugar, darling? ’ John asked her, as he went to pour.
    ‘ Just a teeny spoonful, ’ she said absently.
    Come over to the fire, Kate dear. Joan Spellman is a grandmother. You