In Denial (54 page)

‘
What are you going to do?’

Gabrielle’s question took Adam by surprise. She had hardly spoken since they’d left London more than an hour ago.

‘
I don’t know. We don’t know what we’re going to find.’

‘
No, I mean afterwards. Where will you go?’

‘
Go? So much will depend on how my mother is. What about you?’

‘
I don’t know.’

He glanced sideways at her. ‘Why did you ask where
I
was going to go? I’ve already told you I’m not letting you out of my sight until ... well, until you’re better.’

For a few seconds Gabrielle gazed vacantly through the window. ‘Don’t let’s go there yet, Adam. I’m not ready.’

He understood exactly what she meant so he didn’t say anything else. She looked so very pretty today, in a light-blue denim top and jeans - almost her normal self. She had put on a little make-up and her hair was in a pony-tail. Nobody would believe that two days ago she was tortured and raped, and been witness to the violent deaths of two people.

He had yet to tell her about the Elliotts. It was too soon to subject her to yet another shock.

Having travelled the rest of the way in relative silence, Adam was relieved when they finally arrived at Forestgreen Lodge. Somebody was there because the gates opened without him having to get out of the car. He paused slightly after passing through the gates.

Gabrielle put her hand on his arm: ‘We’re here together, Adam, and I’ve kept my promise.’

He looked at her. ‘And what was that?’

‘
To bring you home.’

With those four words Gabrielle answered one of his questions, but there were still many that remained unanswered. ‘And I thank you for that,’ he said, ‘but the price you paid was far too high. Obviously a lot more has gone on that I know nothing about.’

‘
I’ll tell you everything that has happened, Adam, I promise. But for now I think we should concentrate on what’s happening now.’

He drove slowly up the driveway, the gravel crunching under the tyres. The Lodge looked deserted but he had a feeling they were being watched. After stopping the car, he peered through the windscreen. It was a warm day and the clear blue sky gave him some hope. It was just after eleven and as he opened the car door he heard the bells ringing in the village church.

Gabrielle reached over and put her hand on Adam’s shoulder. ‘Do you want me to come in with you?’

‘
Please.’

They exchanged apprehensive looks, then got out of the car. Adam rang the bell. After a minute or so he was just about to ring again when he heard the bolts being drawn and the door opened slightly. Lolita looked out, her face unsmiling until she recognised Adam.

‘
Master Adam!’ she screamed. ‘Master Adam!’ She flung open the door and threw herself at Adam, her arms holding him tight round his neck. ‘Oh, Master Adam, you come home.’ Only then did she notice Gabrielle. ‘And Miss Gabrielle.’ She held out her hand and Gabrielle took it. ‘You bring Master Adam home, Miss Gabrielle. Thank you.’

‘
Master Adam brought himself home, Lolita. I just happen to be with him.’ At that moment Adam glanced at Gabrielle and was pleased to see a genuine smile on her lips and in her eyes. She had pushed her own problems to the back of her mind, and like the good minister she was, other people were now more important.

‘
Come in, come in,’ Lolita insisted, waving her arms in her excitement. ‘Mrs Yong, she be so happy.’

Adam stopped. He felt Gabrielle’s hand on his arm. ‘There you are,’ she said, ‘something positive at last.’

He nodded. ‘Thank God!’ he said quietly.

Christina Yong was sitting in the sunroom, her back towards them and a cup of tea on a small table beside her. Lolita motioned for them to keep quiet and then she went round to face Christina Yong.

‘
Mrs Yong.’ she said softly. ‘Mrs Yong …’ She bent down and touched Christina’s shoulder, ‘Mrs Yong, you have visitors.’

‘
What, visitors, at this time?’ She turned round and her face lost at least twenty years in age as her smile spread from her lips to her entire face. ‘Adam!’ she said, ‘you have come home.’

Adam went to his mother and hugged her. ‘Yes, I’m home and I’m so sorry -’

‘
Don’t,’ Christina said, ‘there will be enough time for that. First let me enjoy seeing you again.’ She turned a little further and saw Gabrielle. Shaking her head she held out her arms. ‘My dear, you did it. You brought Adam home.’ The two women embraced.

‘
As I told Lolita, Mrs Yong, he brought himself home, I just happen to be here with him.’

‘
That isn’t strictly true, Mother. If it hadn’t been for Gabrielle, I wouldn’t be standing here now,’ he said.

Christina hung on to Gabrielle’s hands. ‘And if she hadn’t gone to the hospital with me, I would not be here either. She gave me hope. You are a very special young woman and I will never be able to repay you for what you have done for me and Adam.’

Gabrielle smiled. ‘If there was a need to repay me then I wouldn’t have done anything in the first place. But you are home so quickly after-’

‘
The surgeon told me I was the luckiest woman alive,’ Christina said. ‘Until now I would have said I was the unluckiest. But now things are different.’

‘
You look as radiant as ever, Mother,’ Adam said.

Christina smiled at him. ‘Thank you,’ she said, then turned to Lolita. ‘Lolly, I think this warrants a celebratory drink. Do we have anything in the house?’

‘
I will go, Mother,’ Adam told her.

‘
Thank you, thank you,’ Christina said again when Adam had left the room. ‘But how much does he know?’

Gabrielle frowned. ‘Know?’

‘
Yes, my dear. How much did he find out? How much did you both find out?’

‘
I think that must be a question for Adam,’ she said and nodded her head.

Christina looked remarkably well, Gabrielle thought, considering she had almost lost her life. She was still a very glamorous lady; her light brown skin had a healthy sheen to it and her eyes were sparkling. She wondered if Christina was looking at her and drawing any conclusions. ‘How are you really, Mrs. Yong?’ she asked.

‘
I’m as well as can be expected, my dear,’ she answered hurriedly. ‘Yes, I was lucky. The bullet Joseph fired was millimetres away from his target.’ She put her hand over her heart. ‘I only came home yesterday and I’m still very sore but ...’ Christina raised her hands ‘...
He
decided it was not my time. Sorry, my dear, I shouldn’t say such things in front of you.’

Gabrielle smiled. ‘You have every right to say that.’ She closed her eyes momentarily as she wondered why He had allowed her to be raped.

‘
But tell me,’ Christina asked, ‘was finding Adam easy and did you come across his brother Patrick?’

It was an obvious question to ask but Gabrielle was not prepared for it. She closed her eyes as an involuntary shudder ran through her. She suddenly felt very faint and needed to sit down. Her forehead was drenched in perspiration and she prayed that Adam and Lolita would come back into the room to help her. Her head began to spin and she could feel herself losing consciousness.

‘
Adam!’ she heard Christina scream.

It was still daylight and the sun’s rays shimmered inside the room. She was aware of the lightness of the duvet and the smell of roses against her nose. The pillow and bed were soft and the exquisite décor of the room made Gabrielle wonder where she was. She didn’t feel anxious because everything was too safe for her to feel in danger. She felt under the duvet; her jeans and shirt had been removed but she was still in her underwear.

Her skin was warm.

She remembered Mrs Yong asking whether finding Adam had been easy and had she come across his brother, Patrick, but she couldn’t remember anything after that. She must have fainted and been put to bed but she had no idea how long she’d been here. Her reaction to the question had been unpredictable, but maybe because of the way she had internalised everything, understandable. Her reaction had been beyond her control.

There was a tap on the door. ‘Come in,’ Gabrielle said.

The door opened. Lolita entered the room and it was very obvious that she had been crying. ‘Miss, you okay?’ she said.

‘
Yes, Lolita, thank you. But what’s the matter? You look -’

‘
It Master Adam, Miss. He gone.’

‘
Gone? What do you mean, gone?’ Gabrielle pulled the duvet to one side but when she swung her legs from the bed she felt the room sway.

Lolita hurried over to her. ‘You sure you okay, Miss?’

‘
Yes, I’ll be fine in a second or two. But what did you mean when you said Master Adam has gone?’

Lolita was kneeling by her side. She put her hand on Gabrielle’s arm. ‘After you fall, he put you to bed then he and Mrs Yong have long talk. He with her for more than hour and then I hear him go. He get in car and go.’

‘
Where? Where’s he gone?’ Gabrielle stood up and walked slowly over to the chair. She pulled on her jeans and then her shirt. ‘My sandals, oh, there they are. Where’s he gone?’

Lolita shook her head. ‘Not know. Mrs Yong crying and she -’

‘
Where is Mrs Yong?’

‘
She downstairs, in sunroom.’

‘
I must go to her. Can you fix me a drink, Lolita? Tea or coffee maybe, and lots of sugar?’

‘
Yes, Miss. You go see Mrs Yong. I bring there.’

Gabrielle went downstairs as fast as she could and found Mrs Yong in the sunroom. ‘What’s happened?’ she pleaded when she saw Christina Yong take a small handkerchief away from her tearful eyes.

‘
He’s gone.’

‘
Yes, I know. Lolita told me. But where and why?’

Christina shook her head. ‘I don’t know where he’s gone but I know why he went.’

Gabrielle sat down in the chair opposite Christina. ‘Can you tell me? It might give me some indication of where he is.’

‘
He told me that my son Patrick is dead.’

Gabrielle held her breath, waiting for the name to have an effect on her but it did not. ‘Yes, I’m so sorry, there was a fight -’

‘
Yes, Adam told me and he also told me what Patrick did to you. I cannot believe that -’

‘
Mrs Yong, Adam was not lying.’ She couldn’t bring herself to use the word rape again.

‘
I’m not saying he lied but I cannot believe my son Patrick would do such a thing. How can I ask for your forgiveness?’

‘
There’s no need. What happened, happened. What he did to me is for me to cope with.’

‘
You’re very brave, my dear, and I’m still so very sorry.’ She waited a few seconds. ‘I told Adam what has been going on for the last twenty years. He knew so little but he had to know. Do you understand?’

‘
I’m not sure what I understand anymore and what I don’t, but please, Mrs Yong, if -’

‘
Yes, I’m sorry.’ Christina took a deep breath. ‘You know all about the adoption, the way Adam, Patrick and Lucinda grew up together?’ Gabrielle nodded. ‘You know about Adam and Lucinda -?’

‘
I know that you found them together when they were only fourteen, yes.’

‘
We sent Adam away to school -'

‘
Yes, and I know he and Lucinda got married after he finished at university,’ Gabrielle said, impatient to move on. ‘I know they had two children and I know that Lucinda and the children were murdered. I -’

‘
Lucinda had two children but Adam did not,’ Christina said quietly, still dabbing her eyes. ‘Timothy was Adam’s but Charlotte was not.’

‘
Lucinda had an affair?’ Gabrielle asked, beginning to understand. Her mind raced back to when she was sitting in Annabelle Tregarthen’s kitchen.

‘
Lucinda had many affairs.’

‘
And Adam didn’t know?’

‘
If he did he didn’t tell anyone.’

‘
But,’ Gabrielle began to ask, frowning, ‘I think I’m right in saying that Timothy was a year older than Charlotte.’

‘
Yes, that’s right. Four months after Timothy was born my daughter conceived Charlotte with another man.’

‘
Do you know who he was?’ Gabrielle asked, thinking she knew the answer.

‘
Yes, I know.’

‘
May I ask his name?’

‘
His name is Jeremy Jacobs.’