Chapter 2

Joanne Kingston at twenty-two, was still very young in many ways. The only child of her parents, she was utterly spoilt and nothing was too good for her. Anything she wanted, she got, as far as money could buy it. She had a heart shaped face and those long black lashes that Ross has already noticed could veil her eyes to devastating effect. She was graceful and had a very long blonde hair. She was not as experienced as most girls of her age, though she had always had a fair share of boyfriends. Her life had been such a sheltered one. Even now, she still depended  on her mother to make decisions for her.

At first sight, people thought her to be prim but on closer acquaintance they became aware that her reserved manner came from the life she had been used to. She was really shy but most friendly and kind person, once you got through the prim facade. She was very generous, generous, in fact, to a fault. She spent so much money on her friends. The only problem with her was that she was a snob, as Ross had also observed. It has been subconsciously instilled in her by example, if not by precept, to look down in less wealthy people; so her friends were from high society, the children of people at the top of the Civil service and so on. This was a new situation and she had no experience to guide her. She decided that if Ross Chester really wanted to see her again, then she had to make it possible for him. Nothing would be allowed to prevent him, if it had anything to do with her. It was ironic that her family's name and wealth that had always got her everything, should stand in the way of the only thing she wanted right at that moment. She liked this guy so much. Oh yes, she did; she admitted the truth to herself.

"Well, come on," Ross was saying cheerfully. 'Say something even if it's only Goodbye!'

She stole a quick look at him."Yes, I'm the Kingston's daughter. I don't see what that has to do with it, if you really want to see me again. "

"You don't?" Ross asked, removing his sunglasses and staring at her, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

'No, the way I see it, you either want to see me again or you don't,' Joanne said taking a deep breath before her nerve would fail her. "Nothing else would matter."

"All right, can you come out to the cinema with me on Sunday evening, if you are free?" He asked her, daring her to accept.

"I'm free. It's a date," Joanne accepted elated at her success.

What about your boyfriend? "Don't tell me you don't have one." Ross teased.

I'm sorry to disappoint you but right now, I don't have any. You won't believe this, but I'd just finished with all of them. Joanne said and they both laughed.

"Well, you are just starting with me." The strange tension had disappeared and they both felt a glow of relief and happiness. They began to talk as if they had years of silence to make up for.

Joanne had always watched him back at college and wondered when she would be able to talk to him and what they would talk about. Today, she found out that he was overwhelmingly high spirited and easy to talk to. She felt at ease with him. He did not make her feel she should be putting on an act as most of her rich boyfriends did. She only needed herself to be with him and she could see already how much he liked her.

By the time they got to Ross's house, Joanne knew quite a lot more about him. His parents both died in a road accident when he was only three years old, and he had been brought up by his uncle and aunt. They also had a son of Ross's age called Ferdinand. But people call him Ferd.

Ross is twenty five and his life's ambition is to be a Managing Director of a company. He is ambitious, intelligent, able, popular, tall about 5feet 11inches and very handsome with a charming personality too! What more could she hope to find in any man?

Now that had reached the house and the magical journey was over.

Ross did not invite her in. He got his things out and promised to meet her outside the cinema by six on Sunday evening. Joanne was a little disappointed when he just got out and said goodbye. She would have liked him to invite her in, or to have found some excuses for her to keep in driving all afternoon. But she felt elated at the thought of their date  on Sunday. She drove sedately to the wide roads and smooth lawns with her eyes full of stars.

Ross waved goodbye then turned back to the familiar little house. His cousin Ferd was gazing after Joanne's car. "Super car," he commented. "Super girl too. Who's she?"

"A friend from college, Ross said easily. He felt it would be better if his family get to know Joanne as a person before they heard she is the Kingston's daughter."

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The first date was marvellous. Though neither of them enjoyed the movie much, they  enjoyed each other's company tremendously. Ross wanted to know everything about her. They talked about books they had both read and recaptured some funny incidents that had happened during the past year at the college. They discussed practically everything under the sun, from politics to bringing up children.

They met regularly after that, and very soon he took her to meet his aunt and uncle. Afterwards, he wondered whether he had been rather too quick. But then, where could they go? He couldn't afford to take her to Luxury hotels. It wasn't safe to wandle about the streets. Once or twice he took her to meet his friend Max Finch but hadn't been much of a success. Max might be in the middle of a session with his rock group or a thunder and lightening row with the neighbours. The only time he was there by himself he began joking about their reactions to Joanne's car. Ross could see she wasn't enjoying such teasing much so he soon took her away. And where else could they go?

Hi aunt's eyes lit up at the name from home and it wouldn't be long before she will ask him searching questions. But for now, she was busy making shy Joanne feel at home. The love and happiness that Mrs Hayden could spread around her amazed Joanne. Her own mother commanded respect from family and society and gave her very little in return. She had never experienced anything like this generous warmth of affection.

It must be a family trait, Joanne thought, looking at them all. She always felt very proud of Ross because he was so handsome and courteous. He was particularly patient and pleasant with old people and servants. He had such a way with him that endeared him to them. Joanne learnt a lot about how to deal with fellow human beings, in the first month she had known him, more in fact than she had ever learnt in her  whole life. Ross taught her through his polite and courteous ways that all human beings, whatever their status or position in society, deserved and should be given some degree of respect.

After Ross had brought her home for the third time, he could no longer dodge the questions.

"That's a beautiful girl, Ross," his uncle said, taking advantage of Ferd's absence.

Ross agreed.

She seem very  fond of you, his uncle added cautiously. 'Very fond!' Exclaimed his wife. 'Why, she is in love with Ross.' Anyone can see that. And quite right too, she added with a smile.

"Thank you. You are quite right, my dear. I was just getting there more slowly."

'In love...' Ross said rather reluctantly.

'What about you?

"What about me?"

'Are you fond of her or in love?'

"Isn't it too soon to ask that question?"

"I don't think so,"his uncle said seriously, because as I see it, even if you love her, she is more in love with you. Apart from anything else, Joanne seems to be a very nice girl. I don't want you to hurt her and it will be so easy for you to do that.

" Oh!" Mrs Hayden exclaimed. How can you say such a thing? Does Ross go around hunting his girlfriends. He's had plenty but they stay good friends.

"Exactly what I mean. Ross is older, more experienced. Joanne is probably really in love for the first time. Don't mistake my meaning," he added hastily, seeing a frown developing on his nephew's face. I'm not pushing you either way, either to love her, or leave her.

'I am just saying that it would be easier for you to break her heart. I knew you wouldn't pretend to love her when you don't, first because of...... Well, you know what I mean.'

I certainly don't,  his wife declared. "What are all these veiled hints?" Just because of something you won't mention and apart from anything else? She gazed at the two men in perplexity.

"Where does Joanne come from?" She asked suddenly. "What's her full name?"

"She's Joanne Kingston,"  Ross said still reluctantly.

Kings! You mean?

That's right. She's the Kings daughter.

"Oh my goodness!" Exclaimed Mrs Hayden 'oh dear me! Ross, you really must be careful. Do her parents know?'

"Know what?" He said rather impatiently.

Know that their daughter is in love with you? Now don't mistake my meaning either, she added in her turn. As far as I'm concerned, any princess would be Lucky to be your choice. But if you are really not choosing Joanne, your uncle is quite right. "Don't break her heart!" he said quickly. You're jumping  to conclusions. There's nothing serious yet. They quickly broke up the strange atmosphere before Ferd could start asking questions. In his heart he knew for Joanne at least, the situations was getting serious.

By the end of the holiday when we had to go back to college, Joanne was confident that Ross was her Mr Right, and she loved him. He was the man she had been waiting for all her life. He had met and liked his uncle and aunt they were both very nice people and so was his cousin Ferdinand. Thy made her feel as if she had known them all her life. But she had not taken Ross home for the fear that her mother would not approve of him. Her mother's word was unwritten law in their house. Being the snob that she was, Joanne thought wryly, she would never approve of her meeting Ross anymore.

In the past, she never went to her boyfriends' houses. As a rule, they came to their house but this was an exception. This was different. Ross came from a low life family. When her mother investigated him, his background, position and prospects, as she did for every one of her daughter's dates, what was she going to find? Ross had no great family connections, no property, no great wealth and position to offer her. Only his love, she thought passionately, and the certainty of the sort of happiness that filled his family's home.

Ross went back to school, she visited him every Saturday and wrote him short exciting letters in between, about what she did everyday. He never replied to any of these letters- he was a poor letter writer, that was Ross's, and this was his final year. After a couple of months, her father began teasing her a lot about her mysterious boyfriend.

"Boyfriend?"her mother repeated. That's right. I haven't been seeing Ken for quite a time.

Ken! Joanne thought. Her mother's choice, almost certainly. Good looking, pampered, wealthy and boring. She smiled nervously.

"Come on, now," her father urged. 'Not even a little hint of who and where.' But he wasn't seriously concerned and she could not confide in him.

She despised her own weakness. Its was just being cowardly, she told herself, positioning the inevitable because she dreaded her mother's reactions to hearing about Ross. She wouldn't want to know him as a person. He wouldn't exist as a person, only as a prospect.

She avoided talking much about her parents to Ross too. She knew he must have guesed the reason why she had not introduced him, but he made no comments and so she continued stalling. She kept on writing letters, visiting him, dreaming of the future and waiting for the inevitable to happen of its own accord.