‘Did your attitude change as an adult?’
‘Not really. I was busy getting on with my life, trying to look forwards rather than back.’
‘What about friends?’ Ronnie asked, adding salt to his fish, then helping himself to some fries, and making Venetia wonder if he shouldn’t be taking more care, given he had an ulcer. ‘Was it easy to make friends in that environment?’
‘I was something of a loner and naturally self-contained,’ she said, ‘I still am really. Back then I never looked at the world through a lens ofme, as I would venture to say so many young folk do today. For most of us at Hope Hall, it was always a case ofwe, and whatwecould do to make life better for those around us. That was Lady Constance’s philosophy, she taught us to look outwards, beyond the self. In many ways, she was ahead of her time, a visionary.’
‘It sounds like she was a huge influence in your life.’
‘She was.’
‘I can’t say that I experienced anyone at my old school who influenced me so inspirationally. But I did have one really good friend. We’re still in touch, all these years on. What about you? Did you make a close friend, even though you were something of a loner?’
‘There was one,’ she replied. ‘He became a very special friend from when I was twelve.’ Venetia then explained about Lucien coming to the Hall and Lady Constance appointing her to take care of him and how close they became. ‘We were practically inseparable,’ she said, ‘kindred spirits you could say.’
‘Was he your first love?’
Venetia found herself blushing, which was ridiculous after all this time. ‘Yes,’ she said.
‘Did it go the distance?’
‘That would depend on how you measure distance, or what it implies.’
‘First kiss, then?’
She nodded.
‘First time—’
‘I’m certainly not going to answer that,’ she interrupted him severely.
He smiled. ‘I’ll take that as a yes, then.’
‘Take it any way you like, you cheeky devil.’
Wiping his mouth with his napkin, he said, ‘So what happened next, did your childhood romance fizzle out all of its own accord?’
‘Not exactly.’
‘Did the lad break your heart? Or,’ he said as if hit with sudden insight and inspiration, ‘perhaps you cruelly broke his? Yes, I can see it now, the beautiful young Venetia spurning the boy’s ardent affection for her!’
She tutted. ‘What a lot of nonsense you do speak, Ronnie.’
‘I can’t help it, I’m a hopeless romantic at heart.’
‘Well, it was nothing as silly as you’ve just suggested. No hearts were broken,’ she lied. ‘We grew up and drifted apart.’
Chapter Thirty-Four
May 1960
Ever since that night in the woods when Terry Sands had threatened to make their lives hell, Venetia and Lucien had tried their hardest to keep out of his way.
But it soon became clear that it was Lucien who was the real target of Terry’s taunts and jibes, often in petty ways, like deliberately knocking into him when he ‘just happened’ to be passing. Other times he lay in wait when Lucien and the other boys were out on a cross country run. Lucien hated cross country, he could see no point in it and was hampered by his asthma, and was usually to be found at the back of the group of runners. Terry would be lying in wait for him and with no one else around, he would pounce and knock Lucien to the ground. He would then stand over him and laugh his sickeningly sadistic laugh while kicking him. After it had happened three times, Lucien complained to their games teacher, but Mr Grafton didn’t believe him. He accused Lucien of making up something to get out of doing cross country.
Venetia wanted to tell Edie Buckle what was going on because she was sure Edie would believe them, but Lucien wouldn’t have it. He didn’t want anyone knowing what was happening. Venetia only knew about the cross-country incidents because she’d forced Lucien to tell her how he had so many bruises on his legs.
‘If we make a big deal of it,’ Lucien said, ‘we might end uphaving to explain how all this started in the first place, and Terry will say we were doing more than just kissing in the woods when he found us. I don’t want to risk that. And if we do tell Edie and she makes a fuss and Terry loses his job, who knows what he might do. He’s a dangerous thug. I don’t care what he does to me, but if he hurts you, well …’ he paused, ‘just never mind what I’d do then.’
