Lonely Girl (21 page)

Reluctantly, Harry had to agree. ‘All right, but they seem to have been in there for ages. If someone doesn’t come soon, I’m sorry, Dad, but I think one of us ought to check on them.’

Patick nodded. ‘All right, son, let’s give it another ten minutes or so. Then we’ll see. Meantime, I’ll make another pot of tea. What do you say?’

Harry nodded. ‘If you like … thanks, Dad.’ He was not a tea-drinker, but pottering about would keep his dad’s mind off what was happening on the other side of the house.

As his father went to put the kettle on, Harry thought he heard a scratching sound. ‘What was that?’ He looked across to his father. ‘Did you hear that?’

‘No … I didn’t hear anything.’ He took a second or two to listen, before shaking his head. ‘I expect you’re on edge, son … but that’s understandable.’

Having made the tea, Patrick stirred sugar in and handed one of the mugs to Harry. ‘There you go, son. Get that down you. It’ll calm your nerves. Your grandma swears by— What was that?’ He looked towards the back door. ‘Hey, you’re right, son. I could swear I just heard something. A kind of scratching.’

The noise started again, more pronounced now, and they recognised Barney’s unmistakable excited bark. Then he was whimpering … scratching madly at the back door.

‘Jeeze! What the hell’s going on?’ said Patrick.

He made for the door, but Harry was there first. He threw open the door and Barney bounded in, running between their legs, then back outside and then in again, and Harry was amazed to see the state of him.

‘He’s soaking wet! And look, there are bits of mud and stuff between his toes.’

Patrick was puzzled. ‘But he was in the sun-room with the girls,’ he said. ‘He was, wasn’t he?’ Now he was not so sure.

Harry was also puzzled. ‘He was, yes, and I don’t think he would have left Rosie’s side … never in a million years.’

‘Well, maybe he needed to spend a penny. It happens to the best of us. Look, Harry, you hang back here a minute. Keep Barney with you, and I’ll sneak along the garden to check on the girls. I can peek through the side window and they won’t even know I’m there. I can’t imagine why I didn’t think of it before.’ Grabbing Barney by the collar, he gave him over to Harry. ‘Keep a tight hold on him, son.’

Barney, however, had other ideas, because as Patrick went out, the dog broke away from Harry and went bounding out the door again. Then he stood facing them, barking madly, legs astride, and poised to run again.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ Harry asked. ‘I’ve never seen him like this before.’

Just then, Barney ran off to the edge of the garden, where he turned round and ran back again, barking and continuing to run in circles. Patrick and Harry were totally confused as to what was wrong with him, although Harry suggested to his father, ‘Maybe he saw Rosie upset and he misbehaved, like now, so Mum put him outside.’

Before Patrick could comment, Barney turned tail and ran a little way across the garden. Then he ran back again, stabbing at Harry’s foot with his paw, and then he was off again, running back across the garden until he stopped and stood still, facing the two of them, while making a whining sound from the back of his throat.

‘Why is he behaving like that?’ Harry shook his head in disbelief.

Before Patrick could reply, Harry took off to the sun-room. ‘Something’s wrong, Dad, I know it,’ he said over his shoulder.

A moment or so later, he was yelling for his father. ‘Quick, Dad! You’d best come and see. They’ve gone … Rosie and Mum … they’re not here.’

While Patrick made his way to see, Harry was trying to calm Barney, who was growing more excited by the minute.

‘Look, Dad!’ Harry gestured to the empty sun-room, and the partly open door, which was flapping in the light breeze. ‘The door is left open and they’ve both gone.’ He was panic-stricken.

Barney was continuing to bark loudly, while clawing at Harry’s leg with his big, fleshy paw.

‘Where are they, boy?’ Harry held him still. ‘Come on, Barney … show us! Take us to where they are!’ Barney shot off at the run, with both Patrick and Harry right behind. Across the garden they went, over the pathway and out where the ground became rougher at the edge of the spinney.

Patrick saw his wife first, lying crumpled on the ground. ‘Aw, dear God, it’s Katheen. Kathleen!’ Both Harry and Patrick ran as though their lives depended on it, Barney bounding along in front, still barking, but in a much saner manner, knowing that help was at hand.

By the time Patrick and Harry got to her, Barney was licking Kathleen’s face as though trying to wake her. Pain and sheer exhaustion had got the better of her, and she felt nothing; she heard nothing.

‘Kathleen, love, talk to me!’ Folding to his knees, Patrick took her into his arms. ‘It’s me – Patrick. Talk to me, Kathleen. Talk to me.’ He gently patted her face. ‘Kathleen, look at me!’

When she slowly opened her eyes, Patrick took a huge breath in relief. ‘Thank God! Where are you hurt, my darling? What happened?’ His questions rang out one after the other, but most importantly, he had her in his arms. He could see she was exhausted and in a poorly state, muddied and with streaks of blood over her legs where her skin had been torn.

But she was safe, thank God. ‘I’ve got you now, love. We’ll get you home, don’t worry.’ Patrick murmured a prayer of thanks.

Taking off his jacket, he wrapped it about her, and when she reached up to him, he gently and slowly helped her to her feet, while sliding his arm about her waist and taking as much weight off her as possible. ‘Are you all right? Have you broken anything?’ He needed urgent answers. ‘And what about Rosie? Where is she?’

‘I’m all right, really. But she’s gone, Patrick,’ Kathleen told him tearfully. ‘She ran off and I couldn’t keep up. Find her, Patrick, please. Find Rosie!’

While Harry and Barney ran off towards the spinney, looking for Rosie and calling her name, Kathleen assured Patrick over and over, ‘I’m fine. I’m just exhausted, and I cut my legs when I fell, but I’m fairly sure there’s nothing broken. I’ll be all right, I promise.’

Then she was crying; broken from her ordeal, and fretting for Rosie to be brought back safely. Now Patrick was with her, she knew she was safe but she feared for Rosie.

‘She was brokenhearted, Patrick. I’m so afraid for her. She just ran and ran, and she wouldn’t come back. She’s gone, Patrick.’ Her voice broke and, putting her hands over her face, she told him, ‘It was my fault. I should have been more gentle. I told her as lovingly as I could, but she was shocked, Patrick … that lovely girl was shocked to her roots and she ran out … ran away. She’s gone, Patrick. I couldn’t find her … I couldn’t keep up … she was too fast. She didn’t want to be found.’

Patrick was afraid for his wife. ‘Ssh, you’ll make yourself ill. And just look at the state of you. We’ll find Rosie, don’t you worry about that. For now, though, I have to get you home.’

‘But I can’t go home.’ Kathleen was adamant. ‘Not without Rosie. She’s traumatised, Patrick. Who knows what she might do? We have to find her. You go after her, my darling. I got this far, and I’m sure I can make my own way home. Please, leave me. Just go now!’

‘Harry’s already gone ahead to search for Rosie,’ Patrick assured her. ‘Look, sweetheart, I’ll get you home and safe, then I’ll come back and help Harry in the search. Surely she can’t be too far away. She might be watching us even now.’

‘No! If she knew I was hurt, she would have come back to help me. Where is she, Patrick? Dear Lord, where is she?’

‘I’m sure she’s all right,’ Patrick soothed her. ‘Rosie is a strong young girl.’

But Kathleen was still desperately concerned. ‘You didn’t see how she was after I told her,’ she said softly. ‘Oh, Patrick, do you really think she’s safe?’

‘I do, yes.’ In truth, he was every bit as concerned as Kathleen, but he was not about to fuel her fears. ‘Shall I tell you what I really think?’ he asked her.

‘Yes.’

‘I think she’s hiding from us. I believe she needs to be alone for a while. And I also know that I need to get you home … right now.’

Just then, Harry returned. ‘Dad’s right, Mum. I’ve been through the spinney and halfway to the top and there is still no sign of Rosie. Let Dad take you home while I go back and carry on looking for Rosie. Dad can come and help me to find her once he’s settled you.’ He gave her a swift kiss on the cheek. ‘You’re hurt. Please, Mum! Just do as Dad says, eh?’

Kathleen was afraid that she was slowing the search down, and she instructed the men, ‘Go after her, the both of you … go now! Apart from a few bruises and scratches, I’m all right. I’ve had a little rest, and now I’m quite capable of getting myself home.’

Neither Harry nor Patrick was having any of it. Patrick would get Kathleen home safely, and Harry would carry on with the search. ‘And no arguments!’ Patrick laid the law down, and being in some considerable discomfort, and also being increasingly anxious for Rosie, Kathleen gave little argument this time round.

As the two men helped her up, she leaned on Patrick’s strong arm, still blaming herself for Rosie having fled. ‘I don’t know how else I could have told her,’ she said tearfully. ‘I broke the news about her daddy as gently as I could, and I cuddled her, but she went to pieces. She just scrambled out of the chair and ran! I went after her, but I couldn’t catch her.’ The tears ran down her face. ‘I’m sorry … I am so sorry. She was distraught, and now she’s gone and I’m desperately worried. We must find her! We have to find her!’

‘And we will,’ Patrick promised.

‘I went as far as I could just now,’ Harry assured his concerned parents, ‘but I’m not giving up. I know she’s hiding up there somewhere, and we will find her, Mum, I promise. Trust us, eh?’

Patrick nodded. ‘Like you, I’m sure she’s hiding away from us, trying to deal with the terrible news.’

He helped Kathleen onto flatter ground. ‘Come on then, sweetheart. Whenever you need to rest just tell me.’

‘First, I’ll help you get down to the path, Mum, then I’ll be away after Rosie,’ said Harry.

‘No.’ Kathleen was adamant. ‘No, son. Leave me. Your dad will get me home all right, and then he’ll be back to help find Rosie. You just mind how you go. All right, son?’

Harry turned to Patrick. ‘Dad, are you sure you can manage on your own with Mum?’

‘We’ll be fine, thanks all the same. You just get off and look for that darling girl … go on!’ Patrick was proud of his only son. It showed in his voice and his face. ‘When I’ve seen to your mother and I know that she’s all right, I’ll be back to help you find Rosie.’

‘I can run faster on my own, and I can squeeze into places you can’t. Thanks for the offer, Dad, but I’ll manage,’ Harry told him firmly.

Harry quickly checked on his stepmother. ‘Are you hurt badly? Have you broken anything, d’you think?’

Hoisting herself into a sitting position, Kathleen assured them both. ‘No, I don’t think so. I’ll be fine. All I need now is a hot bath, a change of clothing, and young Rosie back with us.’

Harry agreed. ‘Come on, Dad … I’ll help you get Mum home and then I’ll go and find Rosie.’

‘No, son!’ Patrick was adamant. ‘I’ll get your mother home all right. ‘You get after Rosie. She could be hurt. Be careful!’ he warned. ‘Don’t take any silly risks. If she hears you calling, I’m sure she’ll come out of hiding. She trusts you, son, she always has.’

‘I won’t come back without her,’ Harry assured them both. ‘If she’s out there, I’ll find her.’

‘Thank you, son.’ Kathleen choked back a sob. ‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop her. She just ran off. Oh, Harry … she must be feeling so alone, and frightened.’

Looking up, Kathleen saw that Barney was panting and ready for the off again. ‘Barney will help you. Hurry, son. Go! And be careful.’

Planting a swift kiss on Kathleen’s cheek, Harry went off at the run, with Barney racing in front, his ears pricked up and his tail wagging with excitement.

‘Take me to Rosie!’ Harry urged him. ‘Come on, Barney! She needs us. Find her, boy. Find Rosie!’

Patrick watched anxiously as the two of them disappeared into the trees.

Harry briefly paused to look back. When he saw that his father was still watching, he conveyed his assurance by a quick wave of the hand. It was enough. Then he strode quickly on, with Barney running ahead, then running back and barking excitedly. ‘Good boy! Picked up her scent, have you? Come on then, let’s find her.’ And Barney did not need telling twice.

Trusting in Harry, Patrick quickly returned his attention to Kathleen. ‘If I help you, do you think you could walk, my darling?’

Kathleen nodded. Her body was hurting, but her determination was strong. ‘I’m not crippled, Patrick, I’m just done in. I always thought I was a fit person, but I have to admit I was really struggling. It was hard going, trying to keep up with Rosie. I can’t even begin to tell you how badly my legs were hurting. I feel so weary, but I’ll be all right. Just get me home, Patrick, and let’s pray that Harry finds that darling girl.’

Her voice broke with emotion. ‘Oh, Patrick, she took it really badly, as we knew she would. I swear, I did my best to tell her gently …’

When it seemed her emotions would get the better of her, Patrick made her stop. ‘Here, let’s take a minute, eh?’ He helped her to a grassy bank and eased her down onto a well-padded grass clump. ‘That should be a firm enough landing until you get your breath back.’

Kathleen was more comfortable sitting there than she had been for a while. Taking a deep, invigorating breath, she thanked him. ‘You’re a good man, Patrick Riley, and I don’t know what I would do without you.’

‘Ha! Just let’s hope you won’t ever be without me then, eh?’

Kathleen hoped for the very same. Feeling somewhat weary of heart and body, she brushed her hands over her face, as though to shut out Rosie’s stricken expression when she had learned the truth. ‘It was awful, Patrick, and strangely, even before I started to explain, it was as though she already knew.’

‘How do you mean?’

Thinking about it now, Kathleen wondered if Patrick had let the bad news slip out while they were in the car. ‘You didn’t mention anything to her, did you, Patrick? I mean, did you accidentally let it slip when you went to fetch her? It was a lot to keep back, I know.’