A Place of Hope (16 page)

‘Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. Jean didn’t find anything wrong with you, did she? You look worried.’

‘About George. Or Sister Pauline. Or both of them. They might come after me
and
Chad.’

‘I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve been joking about moving into The Drover’s Hope, but maybe I should do that for a while, just in case? That way, I’d be on hand to deal with any problems as your lawyer.’

‘Would you mind doing that?’

He gave her one of his boyish grins. ‘I’d be delighted. I don’t want to miss a thing. Have you told anyone where you are?’

‘No. None of my other friends and definitely not my sister.’ Not even Leon, who would want to be kept informed. Or maybe he already knew about her accident and had accepted that she’d been brain damaged?

She shared the reason for her worries. ‘The trouble is, George intercepted the letters from your son and you gave the hospital security men your business card, so he knows exactly where I am.’

‘Oh hell, yes! I’d forgotten that.’

‘But do come and stay, if you can stand the primitive conditions. It’d be good to feel more secure. If it’s not too much interruption to your life, that is?’

His expression grew sad. ‘I don’t have much of a life at the moment. It took a while to get used to being without my wife and I still miss Trish greatly. I shouldn’t have retired when she fell ill, just taken leave of absence. But you can’t go back, only press onwards.’ He gave a slight shrug. ‘I’ll move in today. I can help you sort out the place as well, if you like.’

After a moment, he added, ‘Rachel isn’t – um, in a relationship, is she?’

‘No. It’s about time she was, though.’

He didn’t comment but his beaming smile said it all.

They were all summoned back into the doctor’s room when Dr Allerton had finished examining Chad.

‘I’d like to sum things up for you,’ she began. ‘I’m using the word “seems” because this is the first time I’ve seen you, but I’m fairly certain of my initial diagnosis.’

When everyone nodded, she continued, ‘Emily seems to be recovering well from the coma. If she had physical injuries, they couldn’t have been major, because there’s no sign of them now. Chad seems to be suffering from retrograde amnesia due to a head trauma. The fact that he’s starting to remember things is a good sign.’

‘What can we do to help him?’ Oliver asked.

‘The mind can be difficult to treat. Often time is the only healer. I think Chad needs peace and quiet above all, but I gather there may be further problems brewing for him and Emily.’ She looked questioningly at Oliver.

‘We’re not sure, but there could be, hence this visit to you.’

‘Well, I’ll be happy to support you in any way I can. I don’t feel it’s necessary to prescribe drugs, unless either of you has difficulty sleeping – and even then, only the mildest of sleeping tablets.’

Emily shook her head. ‘I never take the things. They leave you dopey in the morning and I hate that.’

‘Me too,’ Chad said.

Dr Allerton stood up. ‘Well, then. If you’ll just go to reception, I’ll find you a form to fill in for signing up at this practice, then give it to the records officer tomorrow.’

When they’d done this, she showed them briskly out. ‘I’ll let you get on with your day. I have ten people coming for Sunday lunch.’

Oliver lingered to say, ‘Thanks, Jean.’

‘Keep me in the loop. It’s an intriguing situation. You don’t think there’s any chance that they’re exaggerating? About the nephew and the sister in that unit, I mean?’

‘No.’

‘I get furious every time someone misbehaves in our poor overloaded health system. And the elderly seem to cop a lot more abuse than any other group.’

He grinned suddenly. ‘Don’t let Emily hear you calling her elderly. She hates it.’

‘The word does have bad connotations, doesn’t it? As if everyone over a certain age needs looking after, when most don’t.’

She walked across to the door with him. ‘Look, Oliver. If Emily and Chad don’t lay a complaint soon, I shall have to do it myself and ask for the matter to be looked into. If they’re right about what happened, it must be stopped, and the sooner the better.’

‘Give them a few days to find their feet, at least.’

‘Till Thursday. I mean it, Oliver. I care about looking after my patients . . . and I won’t condone others maltreating theirs.’

‘You always were a firebrand, even at school. Give my best to Charles. Is his new job going all right?’

‘He loves it.’

Marcia looked at George in puzzlement. ‘But you said you didn’t want to stay at your mother’s again.’

‘Well, I’ve changed my mind. Mum’s the trump card in all this, because Emily won’t do anything to upset her. You’ll see.’

‘But—’

‘Leave it to me.’ He opened the car door for her. ‘Let’s get away from this seedy hotel.’ He cast a glance of loathing at the place where they’d stayed overnight. ‘At least when I worked in the Middle East, we could live in proper comfort and be served by people who really know how to look after you.’

‘I’m going to miss that.’ She sighed.

When they got to his mother’s house, they found Liz about to go out to the shops with a friend who had a car.

‘I’ll take you to the shops later, Mum,’ he said. ‘Thanks for looking after her, Mrs Rawton. I’m afraid something’s come up and I need to speak to Mum straight away.’ He put his arm round his mother’s shoulders and guided her firmly back into the house.

‘Did you see Emily?’ she asked as they sat down together.

‘No. She’d already gone up to Lancashire.’

‘Why would she do that when she’s only just come out of hospital?’

‘She’s inherited a house and land near Littleborough from Cousin Penelope.’

‘Emily’s inherited it?’ Liz frowned. ‘But
I
was the one who got on best with Penelope. Why, I had her to stay here several times because you said I should cultivate her. I’d not have done that if I hadn’t truly liked her.’

‘Yes, well, it never hurts to seize the moment, which Emily must have done. But you’d have thought Penelope would have remembered you in her will as well.’

‘It would have been such a help,’ she said wistfully. ‘I do wish my share dividends would improve. It’s not much fun having to be careful of every penny.’

Marcia scowled at him.

‘They are starting to improve, Mum. I could increase your monthly allowance a little. But we have to go carefully.’

‘That’d be such a help, George. Prices will keep rising.’

‘That’s not what I’ve come about, though. I think we should go and visit Emily. She’s rushed off to the north and she’s not really well. You must be worried about her. And she’ll need help dealing with her inheritance, I’m sure.’

Liz smiled at him. ‘You’re such a caring person, dear. Emily is very capable, but she’s a bit too independent, if you ask me. You’ve offered to help her before.’

‘I certainly doubt she’s used to handling large sums of money.’

‘It’d be nice to have the chance. Um . . . You said once that Penelope’s land might be worth something one day.’

‘That day has come. Which is why I need to see my aunt and make sure she doesn’t let anyone cheat her.’

‘Oh, I don’t think she’s in danger of that.’

‘Unfortunately she’s got in with some rather questionable types. I thought if we went up to Lancashire together, you could help me persuade her to accept my help. How do you fancy a trip to Littleborough?’

His mother’s face lit up. ‘I’d love that. I haven’t been away for ages.’

Rachel was enjoying her lie-in when she heard a sound downstairs. Footsteps. There had been no sound of a car, so it couldn’t be Emily and the others returning. Her heart began to pound. Was there an intruder?

She got out of bed and slipped her jeans on over her pyjamas, then a fleecy top, before looking round for something to defend herself with. To her annoyance, she could only find a large and very ugly jug standing on the hearth. Shrugging, she picked it up. It’d slow someone down, at least.

At the door, she hesitated. Should she really go out and confront the intruder or ought she to stay here, behind a locked door? She jigged about impatiently from one foot to the other, then picked up her mobile and put it on speed dial for 999. If she had to call the police, she’d be ready to do it quickly, but somehow, she just couldn’t stay in the bedroom while the intruder was doing heaven knew what downstairs.

Taking a deep breath she opened the door and listened intently.

The sounds were only faint, but they were definitely coming from Emily’s flat.

I’m either a fool or a heroine, she thought, and started creeping down the stairs, ready to dash back to her bedroom if necessary. A couple of the treads creaked under her and each time she froze, but whoever it was didn’t seem to have noticed.

When she came to the entrance to the flat, she could tell that the intruder was in the kitchen, which was a strange place to look for valuables . . . unless . . . unless the person was hungry.

She tiptoed across the living room and peeped into the kitchen. An unkempt youth was stuffing his face with bread and jam, gulping it down as if he hadn’t eaten for a long time.

She spoke without considering what she was doing. ‘What are you doing here?’

It would have been hard to say who was the more scared, herself at what she’d risked by speaking or him at the sight of her. For a moment they both froze, then he whimpered and cowered back, as if he expected her to thump him.

It was then she realized he was intellectually challenged, or whatever you were supposed to call it these days. And he was showing no sign whatsoever of attacking her. On the contrary, he looked as if he was expecting her to thump him.

Her fear lessened considerably. ‘Why don’t you sit down properly at the table and go on eating? It’d be a shame to waste the food. Would you like something to drink with it?’

He looked at her as if she’d spoken gibberish, then studied her face, as if he could read what she was like from it. His expression slowly cleared and his body relaxed a little, as if she’d passed some sort of test. He took the chair furthest away from her, sitting down on the edge, as if ready to flee.

She walked across to the kettle, hoping she was doing the right thing. ‘Do you want tea or coffee?’

‘Tea, please.’

The ‘please’ reassured her further. She put the kettle on then turned back towards him. He half stood up as if about to run, so she said quickly, ‘I have some apples in the fruit bowl. Would you like one?’

Another of those searching, wary glances, then he nodded. ‘Yes, please, miss.’

Well, at least he had good manners. She took an apple from the bowl and set it on the table a short distance away from him. ‘I’m going to make myself some cheese on toast first. Would you like some too?’

His face brightened. ‘Yes, please, miss.’

As she worked, she chatted, choosing her words carefully. ‘My name is Rachel. What’s yours?’

‘Toby.’

‘Where do you live?’

He was on his feet in an instant.

‘Please don’t go. I’m not going to hurt you.’

Slowly he sat down, but only on the edge of the chair. She was quite sure that if she frightened him, he’d flee. She opted to continue chatting. ‘This house belongs to my friend Emily. She’ll be back soon.’

‘I’m not going back. I’m not!’

‘No, of course not. Don’t run away. You’ll like Emily.’

‘This is Miss Penelope’s house.’

Penelope? He must have come here to visit the previous owner. ‘Miss Penelope gave her house to Emily.’

‘Don’t tell the supervisor!’ he said suddenly. ‘She locks me in cupboard. Miss Penelope hides me. Don’t tell!’

‘We’ll hide you too,’ she promised rashly, upset at how afraid he looked. ‘We won’t let anyone hurt you.’

Who had the previous owner been hiding this youngster from? Was someone ill-treating him? He didn’t seem dangerous or badly behaved.

‘There.’ She put a plate of cheese on toast near him and set the other one down at her own place. As he grabbed it, she said hastily, ‘Eat it nicely, Toby.’ She didn’t think she could face any more of that face cramming and gulping.

He watched her and began to eat slowly, taking a bite when she did. The poor lad must have been ravenously hungry.

When they’d finished eating, she wondered what to do with him. He looked exhausted.

‘Do you want to lie down and have a sleep? There are some beds upstairs. Or you could lie on the couch here.’

‘I lie here. Nice, nice.’ He lay down, letting out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes. He was asleep almost immediately.

He looked much younger now, gaunt-cheeked with dark circles under his eyes and an unshaven jaw. She guessed he’d not been eating properly for some time. She wrinkled her nose in distaste because he smelled sour and everything about him was grubby.

Oh, well. No use worrying about that now. She had to keep him here till Emily came back. Unless she was much mistaken, this was another runaway in need of help, only it was Emily’s house, so Rachel didn’t feel she could offer him a place to stay.

How strange! Wasn’t that what Penelope had said in her will: that Emily would give hope to others?

Rachel chose a novel from the bookcase and began to read. She’d intended to start cleaning the house, but it seemed better to stay with Toby. She had to keep him calm when the others returned.

Who was he hiding from? Would Oliver know?

Oliver took them for a hearty snack at a café he patronized regularly, then on to do some shopping.

After buying several bags of food at a big supermarket, and some basic jeans, tops and underclothes for Chad, they set off back to The Drover’s Hope
.

Emily noticed a large car sales yard ahead. ‘Could we stop here, please, Oliver? I need to buy a car.’

‘Today?’ He looked surprised, but slowed down.

‘The sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. I don’t like being dependent on others, even friends. Unless this isn’t a reputable place for second-hand cars?’

‘Well, I’ve bought my last three cars here, though they were new ones, so obviously I find this company good to deal with. Don’t you want a new car? You can easily afford it.’