The Runaway Read Free

spread and as four and not three people were involved it was referred to as the eternal square. Faith hid her regrets well and joined in the gossip as though she were not one of the four.
     
    In London Tessa and Nick found a small flat and Tessa quickly realized that the excitement and romance of being runaway lovers, defying convention, turning their backs on everything to be together, quickly faded amid the realities of finding work, paying rent and, for the most part, being broke. The hastily arranged wedding she had dreamed of was not part of Nick’s plan. Despite her pleading, cajoling and displays of anger, it didn’t happen. She sulked, blamed him for ruining her life. He told her to go back home.
    ‘Too late,’ she told him. ‘I’ve written to my parents and yours telling them we’re getting married next week.’
    ‘You did what?’
    ‘You can hardly expect me to walk away from Ian and my family for anything less than marriage.’
    After hours of arguing, Nick eventually agreed and a register office ceremony was discussed. With diminished funds Tessa managed to find a dress and some shoes and a hat and, after separating for one night, made her way to the register office at the appointed time. After waiting for over an hour she went back to their flat where Nick was waiting for her.
    ‘Sorry, but I don’t think the time is right for us to marry,’ he said as she began to shout and cry and hit him. He held her close. ‘We’re together and that’s all that matters. When we have a decent place and decent jobs, then we’ll have a proper wedding, not a cheap affair like today would have been. I want us to have everything perfect for the most important moment of our lives.’
     
    To Faith’s surprise, a few weeks later Nick reappeared. He moved back into his parents’ house and a very subdued Tessa was with him. Faith had to face the gossips again. She dealt with it by using humour and distorting the truth. It was a joke, she knew all about it but had promised not to tell anyone. ‘Very romantic,’ she said brightly. ‘Nick and Tessa have been seeing each other for weeks but no one knew except me. I was acting as their cover, their alibi when they needed one. It’s been very exciting.’ As she spoke she knew itwas foolish to invent such a story, it was bound to fall about her ears. And it did.
    The rumours began. All was not well with the couple. To Faith’s dismay, Nick admitted he was unhappy and told everyone how he regretted leaving Faith so cruelly, that Tessa was too demanding and selfish.
    One evening Faith opened the door to a very persuasive Nick who begged her to go back to him. ‘I’ve already admitted I made a mistake leaving you for Tessa,’ he said. ‘I’m so ashamed at the way I treated you.’
    Faith saw her lies coming back, mouthed maliciously by unkind acquaintances. Why hadn’t she told the truth? She’d have been laughed at by some but others would have sympathized. Now she would be a joke. It wasn’t something she could laugh off, not this time.
    ‘No. Nick,’ she said as he waited, looking suitably chastened. ‘You’ve humiliated me for the last time.’
    ‘But I’ve told my parents it’s you I want. All right, I made a mistake, but we can’t let it ruin our lives. Please Faith. Marry me, announce our engagement. That will get Tessa off my back if nothing else will.’
    ‘Isn’t she your wife? How do you plan to get out of that one, Nick?’
    Allowing Tessa the face-saving lie he said, ‘It was a mistake, we can get it annulled, or a divorce. We could tell everyone I was in the wrong and want to put it right. Tell everyone we’re engaged. Please, Faith.’
    ‘I see. You want me to announce our engagement, just until Tessa goes back to wherever she came from? Then what?’
    ‘We could marry once I’m free,’ he said, as though the thought had just occurred. ‘Best to leave it a while and see how well we get on, though. Perhaps in a year or so? Next year