‘Totally different drink,’ Julia agreed wryly.
Brenda looked at the cloudy lemon liquid. ‘I’m going to try doing this when we get back. I bet it’ll help Kate get better, perk her up no end. And that Kylie will like it too.’
‘You may well be right, Mrs Bee,’ said Tim, ‘but remember, things that taste marvellous when you’re abroad often fail to live up to expectations once you get them home.’
Brenda raised her eyebrows. ‘Don’t talk soft. This is grand stuff, and I can’t see how it wouldn’t be just as good back in Liverpool.’
Tim shrugged. ‘It might well be. I’m just saying, that’s what often happens when you bring food and drink back from holiday.’
Brenda sensed a challenge and had no intention of backing down. ‘That’s as may be. I wouldn’t know, being as I’ve never been anywhere foreign before. But I bet you right now I can make something like this and you’ll love it just as much.’
Tim grinned. ‘If you make it, Mrs Bee, I’m sure it will be delicious.’ He turned as the noise of footsteps interrupted them.
On the patio, holding her grandmother’s hand, stood a little girl in a pale yellow dress, her hair hidden under a soft cotton sun hat. If Mrs Power looked like Kate, this little girl’s resemblance was even stronger. She had the indomitable air that was the essence of Kate – and it was even more impressive when displayed by one so young.
‘Hello. Bonjour,’ she said, and her bright eyes danced with mischief. ‘Have you come to take me back to Mummy?’
For a moment Brenda’s heart stood still. This poor child could have little idea of what was going on, the dangers which might be circling her here in the midst of what looked like Paradise. She had already suffered so much. She seemed none the worse for it, on the strength of this brief encounter so far, but Brenda had no doubt that the sun hat not only afforded protection from the hot rays but also hid the injuries inflicted by the late Gentleman Jim Latimer and the subsequent marks from the surgeon’s scalpel. That the child was so cheerful and confident after such an ordeal was a testament to her mother, her grandparents and her own strong character.
Once again it was Tim who spoke first. ‘If you’d like to come with us, then yes. We’re all good friends of your mummy’s.’ He paused to look round at the others. ‘We’d love you to come along. We might not go straight back, though – we’re on holiday. Maybe you could show us around a bit? Your mummy told us you were learning French.’
‘Mais oui.’ The little girl giggled. ‘I’m not very good yet. But I can ask for ice cream and chocolate and things like that, when Granny lets me.’
The older woman beamed down at her charge. ‘And you’re very good at doing that, but you know you mustn’t have them every day or what will happen?’
‘It’ll ruin my teeth,’ said the little girl, pulling a face. ‘Then I won’t be able to chew anything so it won’t be worth it.’ She paused as if to emphasize the unfairness of such an outcome. ‘I can show you around here though. We go to the next town and I know the way, and where to have dinner. And where Granny buys me new dresses.’ Her eyes lit up at the thought, and Tim smiled at the way the tendency to love shopping seemed to be inherited.
‘Now, you know you’ve got plenty of new dresses,’ her grandmother said gently. ‘You probably don’t need any more for the next week or two at least. Ah, listen, that sounds like Granddad. I expect he’s woken up, but he’ll want to meet you all right away. He’s not been well,’ as a fit of coughing echoed across the patio, ‘but he’s slightly better now. He’s so grateful you could come – he feels terrible about tying Amelia and me here.’
‘We understand,’ said Tim at once.
Julia stood up. ‘You’ll want to talk about arrangements, won’t you?’ She held out her hand to the little girl. ‘Amelia, why don’t you give me a tour of the garden? It’s so lovely – much bigger than the one where I live. You can tell me everything about it.’
‘All right,’ said Amelia, with a look of undisguised pity that anyone could live somewhere without a big garden. ‘Come with me. This way.’ She led Julia off around the side of the house with great authority, just as the coughing grew louder and the door through to the house opened.
Kate’s father slowly and shakily took a seat next to his wife. Everyone instinctively allowed him a moment to regain his breath. Finally he looked up, and if they had expected a tired and defeated old man they were sorely mistaken. His breath might be ragged and his complexion too pallid for one who had spent several months in the Loire valley, but his eyes were as sharp as his daughter’s.
‘I must thank you for coming all this way, and two of you on your honeymoon, as I understand it,’ he said.
‘It’s nothing . . .’ Tim started, but the old man held up his hand.
‘It is not nothing. It is a very big something, and my wife and I are immensely grateful.’ He squeezed her hand and Mrs Power squeezed back. ‘If circumstances were different, we would at this very moment be speeding back to England with Amelia. As things stand, though, as you can see, I am in no state to travel.’
Tim looked him straight in the eye. ‘I agree, and as a medic I have to recommend you stay where you are until your lung function has improved.’ He gave Mr Power what he hoped was a reassuring look, even though he had no real idea of how long that might take or even how likely it was to happen, in reality.
Mr Power nodded. ‘So, I understand we are on the horns of a dilemma. Amelia cannot stay here if she’s threatened with the possibility of being kidnapped. Yet she cannot return home either, since it would be too frightening for her to see my poor daughter in her current condition.’
‘Exactly.’ Tim took a sip of his lemonade, relishing the sharpness. ‘It’s our idea to ensure she reaches home safely, but indirectly. We are in regular contact with Alex and we will know as soon as Kate is ready to welcome Amelia home, which she is obviously longing to do. But meanwhile, it makes sense for us to take her on a tour. Brian and Brenda here’ – he turned to indicate the Bees – ‘haven’t been to France before, and it would be a shame to come all this way and then not to explore the region. As long as Amelia feels comfortable with us, we’d like nothing better than to set out together.’
‘And it will give you young people a chance to enjoy that honeymoon of yours.’ Mrs Power’s eyes crinkled with kindness. ‘Even though it was many years ago, we haven’t forgotten ours. Such precious memories. And actually we were in France ourselves – a little further south, near Avignon. What marvellous rosé wine.’ She sighed. ‘That was when we were young and able to get about a little more than we can now. I do hope you can make some time for yourselves, store some precious memories of your own.’
Brenda sat up straight. ‘Don’t you go worrying about that. Brian and me’ll see to it. We’re good with young children – we’ve just been looking after a little boy of two. Your Amelia will want for nothing. Then Tim and Julia can have all the time together that they want.’
Tim looked across at the often fiery little woman and realized she meant it. They sometimes fell out, usually over who was looking out for Alex’s interest in the most useful way, and she was so fiercely protective of the man that she often didn’t allow anyone else to get close. But now he could see that her phenomenal loyalty extended to Alex’s close circle too – which now embraced Julia and himself. And, it would appear, Amelia too.
Mrs Power seemed relieved. ‘Then our best course of action is to ensure Amelia gets to know you all as soon as possible. She’s a friendly little soul, despite all she’s been through. She’s very bright, and has settled in to the ways of the region as if she was born to it. Never makes a fuss about unfamiliar tastes or things like that. I wouldn’t go so far as to give her snails or frog legs, but I’d bet she’d try just about anything else.’
Brenda blanched at the mention of such items, but reminded herself that they’d passed several famous names in the world of global catering as they drove from the airport to their
hotel, so the French must love pizzas and burgers just as much as the British did. You didn’t hear as much about it, but the evidence was there none the less.
‘In fact,’ Mrs Power went on, ‘why don’t we celebrate your arrival this evening with a meal at a local restaurant? There are a couple in the village, even though it’s so small. You’ll find even the tiniest settlement over here has some sort of eatery, even if it’s not much more than a handful of tables outside a bar. Fortunately we can run to something a little better here. You go and rest again properly, my love’ – she turned to her husband and gave his arm a pat – ‘and I shall telephone them to warn them of our arrival.’ She turned back to her guests. ‘It’s not a smart place, you won’t need to dress up, but the food is wonderful. Then Amelia can get used to you in a relaxed situation.’ Her face became grave. ‘Also, I feel it is much more unlikely that those criminals out there would make a move in a public place. So it will serve two purposes. Three, come to that, as it will give my husband and me a chance to get to know you too. Our rescue party.’ She bestowed a dazzling smile on them, and each one of them realized afresh just how Kate had become the force of nature that she indisputably was.
*
Monica was nervous. She had never liked hospitals, whether it was visiting patients or being looked after herself, giving birth. She associated them with coming out more depressed than when she’d gone in. She hated the smell of disinfectant, the strip lighting, the shiny floors, everything. If she’d been in charge she’d have at least sorted out the decor. She hurried through the car park and in through the main doors, gritting her teeth, trying not to let her irritation show. She wasn’t daft – she knew plenty of the people rushing around her would have serious matters of life and death on their minds. And she didn’t want to get all het up when she was meant to be on a mission of mercy, but it was very hard. Look at that ugly colour they’d picked for the back wall. Did they seriously think that would help anyone feel better? ‘Bleedin’ ozzies,’ she muttered.
She wasn’t here to approve the interior decoration, though. Alex had called her, saying there was a meeting at his central office that he simply could not avoid, but it coincided with when he should be visiting Kate. He didn’t want her to miss one of her regular meals; nor was he happy with the idea that she would be staring at the four walls, growing ever more frustrated. So would Monica step in and go in his stead?
Once Monica had ascertained that she wouldn’t be expected to cook, merely to visit Marks & Spencer and pick something up from a carefully chosen list, she had agreed with alacrity, because what sort of miserable bugger would refuse? She might not be over the moon about it but she absolutely had to go. So she’d visited the closest M & S and wandered up and down the aisles of the food hall, noting with approval how much ready-prepared stuff was available. No need for all that messy peeling and chopping. Then she’d applied herself to making a selection from Alex’s list of specific foods that Kate would find acceptable. She found a balanced ready meal containing ingredients she’d never heard of, all foreign vegetables and strange grains, but it looked healthy enough, and colourful too – Monica nurtured a long-held suspicion of food that was too beige, thinking that particular colour belonged on soft leather furnishings but not on a plate. Unless it was that instant porridge . . . which obviously wasn’t what was required here.
Now she clutched her carrier bag as she tried to follow Alex’s directions to the ward. She didn’t want to show herself up, trying to make out the complex signs with all the long words for the different departments. All very well if you’d been to university like Alex and Kate and Tim had, meaning they had no trouble with Haematology and Nephrology and Gastroenterology, but they floored her. She screwed her eyes shut for a second, trying to recall what he’d said, and when she was confident she’d got it right she set off. God, this place was enormous. She’d have worn lower heels if she’d thought, although she liked the added inches a good stiletto could provide. God knows she could do with them.
At last she reached the right door, and pushed her way through. Just as Alex had said, Kate was in the bed next to the ward manager’s office. For a moment Monica thought the patient was asleep. Then she opened her eyes – both of them, though Alex had warned her that one eye had been very badly injured and was still part-shut. Monica gasped.
‘He said you couldn’t do that. He said you’d only look at me with one eye.’
Kate broke into a delighted smile. ‘Not so. That man of mine doesn’t know everything, as you can see.’ She sat up properly. ‘Come on in, Monica, make yourself at home. As you can tell, I’ve had to. I realize you won’t approve of the curtains, and to tell you the truth I’d prefer something a little more neutral myself, but beggars can’t be choosers.’
Monica pulled up the chair provided for visitors and perched on it, glancing uneasily around. There was that unmistakable smell of disinfectant, the special one that only hospitals seemed to have. God knows normally she was a big fan of any cleaning substance, but not this particular one. Still, she must put all that from her mind.
‘Here, I got you this. Alex said you’d like it.’ She took out the ready meal and little plastic fork.
Kate nodded in approval. ‘Edamame. Just what the doctor ordered. Or he would if he had full control over the hospital kitchen.’
‘Ed who?’ Monica wasn’t convinced, but then it wasn’t her who had to eat it.
‘I’ll have it when you’ve gone. So rude to be the only one eating when others are present, I always think.’ Kate tucked the meal and fork away into the utilitarian nightstand. ‘So, tell me, Monica, how are you?’
‘Me? I’m here to find out how you are,’ Monica gasped. ‘I’m the same as ever. You don’t want to hear about me.’
‘Oh, but I do.’ Kate straightened herself on her pillows. ‘I’m sick to death of being asked about me. It’s so very boring. You must look upon it as your duty to entertain me, and what I wish to be entertained with is an account of how everything is in your life, as we haven’t exactly been in contact since you took delivery of that letter.’
‘No. Well.’ Monica glanced down at her high-heeled shoes. ‘All right. Things are going well at the house. I told them they had to get a move on to get the stairs in or I’ll break my bleedin’ neck one of these days going up those ladders. They tried to tell me I didn’t have to go up to the upper floors but I told them straight I wasn’t having none of that, or they’d get up to God knows what up there if I didn’t check on them regular. So they’ve brought forward the delivery dates for the stairs, and they’re sorting the last bits of tiling meanwhile. They’re doing a good job with the grouting, I’ll give them that.’ She paused to draw breath. ‘And I’m going to look for some proper bits and pieces to use as decorations when they’ve done. If I can’t find anything I really like in Liverpool I might try a bit further away, somewhere like Manchester or Chester.’
‘And you, Monica? How are you in yourself? Any news yet?’
Monica shook her head. ‘I had them tests done but they’re going to send the results to Tim’s office. They won’t be ready for a bit anyway. So I’m trying not to think about it. No point in worrying over something you can’t change.’
‘Very wise words,’ Kate said with wholehearted approval. ‘Although I could probably have a word, see if they could redirect the results here and have a doctor talk them through with you, if you’d rather.’
Monica shook her head. ‘No, cos then I’d just have to go through it all again with Tim explaining everything. Another doctor might not be so understanding – you know, what with Pete being the sort of singer what he is, and our Kylie being pregnant and all.’ She sighed. ‘I’ll wait for them to come home.’ Her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Have I said something I shouldn’t? You did know he’s gone away, didn’t you?’
Kate nodded. ‘Don’t worry, you haven’t committed a faux pas.’
‘A what?’
‘An indiscretion. You haven’t put y
our foot in it. Yes, I know that Tim and Julia have gone to France, along with the ever-faithful Bees. And very grateful I am to them, for rescuing my darling Amelia. They should be there by now, meeting my parents, and my precious little girl.’
Monica’s shoulders sank a little with relief that she hadn’t gone and said something out of turn. Funny thing was, she was beginning to see why Kate missed her daughter so much. Just a short while ago she herself would have given an arm and a leg to be shot of hers, but now she was living apart from them she felt like she was missing those very limbs. Well, some of the time, anyway.
‘So they can start bringing her back soon,’ Monica offered brightly.
Kate sighed. ‘Not while I look like this. My face is the size of a football. I can’t frighten her like that, not after we’ve been apart for so long. It’s a vile contradiction, actually. I’m bursting to see her, but I know I can’t do so yet, for her own good.’
‘But you are feeling better, aren’t you?’ Monica pressed. ‘Your eye’s open and that.’
‘Yes, that’s a huge relief. They tried to discuss it out of my hearing, but I know that they were worried I might lose my sight in the damaged eye. Fortunately, the vision’s close to perfect already.’ Kate pulled a face. ‘However, it’s only made me more aware what a total fright I look. My multi-coloured face would frighten the horses, let alone a little girl.’
Monica didn’t know what to say. It was true, Kate did look as if she’d gone several rounds in the ring. ‘But what about your other injuries? Surely they must be worse. A bit of bruising always heals in the end.’
Kate shrugged, and then winced a little. ‘True, the ribs aren’t great, but they’ll mend in time. So will my spleen. My leg hurts, but at least it can’t be seen. It’s my face I’m concerned about. Would you do something for me?’
‘Of course,’ Monica said instantly, then wondered if she should have checked what it was first. You never knew how outrageous one of Kate’s ideas might be.
For the Love of Liverpool Page 26