‘Dad, there’s no need for you to stay. You should get some rest. It’s getting late. Besides, you could get me into awful trouble.’
‘Rebecca, I’m staying here. If they want me out, they’ll have to carry me out forcibly.’
‘They might well do that,’ Rebecca muttered. She glanced from her father to the white-faced woman in the bed and back again.
‘Why don’t you go and book in at the hotel where her parents are staying? It’s closer to the hospital than our flat. Even they’re not insisting on visiting until the proper time tomorrow.’
‘What they do is their business, what I do is mine,’ he replied stiffly. ‘And as for you getting into hot water, I’ll make sure everyone knows that this is entirely my fault.’
‘But . . .’
‘No “buts”, Rebecca, I’m staying.’
She sighed. ‘What with you here and all the Brooklands mob sitting in the waiting room . . .’ She glanced at him. ‘Dad, don’t you trust me?’
‘Good Heavens, Rebecca. Of course I do.’
‘I’m not her biggest fan, but you must know that she is my patient and I will do my very best for her.’
‘My darling girl, I know that. It’s just that . . .’ For a moment, his face crumpled and Rebecca saw, possibly for the first time in her life, her father close to tears.
Fifty-One
Quite unaware of the conversation between father and daughter in the small ward where Pips lay, Milly, sitting in the waiting room with the others, said in a low voice, ‘Well, I don’t trust her any further than I could throw her. And considering that I couldn’t even pick her up, that’s not far. She’s been positively vitriolic towards darling Pips. It’s Rebecca’s fault they weren’t married years ago.’
‘Really?’ Muriel said. ‘I rather thought it was because of all her activities. Men don’t relish their wives being – well – so busy.’
‘I would say it was because of the danger she put herself in,’ Mitch said, pausing for a moment in his restless pacing up and down the room.
‘For goodness’ sake, sit down, Mitch,’ Muriel snapped. ‘You make the place look untidy and besides, you’re giving me the jitters.’
‘Sorry.’ He sat down beside her, but jiggled his leg up and down. Muriel had never seen the ebullient Mitch Hammond in quite such a state. She bit her lip as realization struck her. He was in love with Pips himself, she guessed, but she held her tongue.
‘Look,’ she said, glancing around at the other five people in the room, ‘why don’t just a couple of us stay here and the rest of us go home? We could even do it in shifts, if you want, just till we hear how she is.’
‘That’s a good idea, Muriel,’ Paul said, jumping up and holding out his hand towards Milly. ‘I’ll take you home. You ought to wash and bandage your feet. They must be sore.’
Milly glanced down at her torn stockings and grubby feet. ‘Perhaps you’re right.’
‘I’m staying,’ Mitch said abruptly.
‘I’ll stay with Mitch,’ Muriel said, ‘but I’ll keep you all informed. I’ll telephone you, Milly, and you can let the others know.’
‘When do you want us to come back?’
Muriel glanced at her watch. ‘I suggest we do four-hour shifts in pairs. How does that sound?’
‘Good idea,’ Paul said. ‘Milly and I will get something to eat and come back at midnight.’
‘That’s only two hours.’
‘True, but we’ve all been here several hours already. You’ll be ready for a break.’
‘Right, Pattie and I will come in at four a.m. and take over,’ Jeff said.
With a plan in place, the others left and Mitch and Muriel were on their own. For some time they didn’t speak much; then, when Mitch resumed his agitated pacing, Muriel said, ‘Tell me, Mitch Hammond, are you in love with that girl in there?’
With his back to her and looking out of the window into the darkness, he stood very still for a moment. Then slowly he turned and looked down at her with a solemn expression. It wasn’t often, Muriel couldn’t help thinking, that she’d seen such a serious look on Mitch’s face.
‘’Fraid so, old girl, but don’t you dare tell anyone. Wouldn’t do my playboy image any good at all.’
‘Have you told her?’
Mitch sighed. ‘Foolishly, yes, and I had the audacity to say she was marrying the wrong man. I expect she hates me now,’ he added dolefully.
‘Nonsense,’ Muriel said briskly. ‘Pips isn’t the sort to bear malice.’ After a pause, she asked, ‘Does George know?’
‘I expect he’s guessed. Now, if not before. I just couldn’t help myself when I saw her in that mangled car. I expect everybody’s guessed now. You have, haven’t you?’
‘Well, yes, but I’m a nosey old bird. I’m sorry, Mitch, because I think she really is going to marry George.’
‘I know,’ he said gloomily, ‘but I still say he’s not the right one for her. Even if I’m not either, she needs someone to bring a bit of excitement into her life. He’s so much older than her, he’ll soon be ready for pipe and slippers.’
Muriel laughed. ‘The thing is, Mitch, I think he loves her so much that he’ll never try to stop her doing whatever she wants. He’ll just be happy to sit in the sidelines and watch.’
‘You think so after this? I’m not so sure. I don’t even know if I’d want her to race again now if – if she was my wife.’
‘Perhaps you have a point,’ Muriel agreed quietly.
On the Sunday morning, Daisy walked down the lane towards the Dawsons’ cottage. Luke, expecting her to come to his grandparents for dinner, was sitting outside on what had been Ma’s favourite seat.
As she drew near, he stood up and came towards her. ‘Dais, what’s the matter?’ He put his arm around her.
Daisy scrubbed her tears away, but fresh ones welled immediately. ‘It’s Aunty Pips. She’s had an accident racing at Brooklands.’ She hiccupped. ‘She’s in hospital in London. Unconscious. Didn’t you know?’
Luke turned white and, for a moment, he couldn’t speak. He shook his head and then tightened his arm around her shoulders. ‘Mam and Dad obviously don’t know yet. They’d’ve said. And I’ve only just got here. I haven’t been in to see Grandma and Granddad yet. I was waiting for you. How – how bad is she? Do they know?’
‘If they do, they’re not telling me. Though I’ve begged Daddy to tell me everything and he said he would.’
‘Then he will.’
‘Granny and Gramps have gone to London. Jake took them to the station and Gramps telephoned late last night, but they can’t see her until today.’
‘D’you want to go?’
‘I asked if I could, but Daddy said “no”. I think he thought it would upset me too much to see her if – if . . .’
Luke squeezed her shoulders again. ‘But you’d like to go, wouldn’t you?’
‘Yes, I would.’
‘Then we’ll go. I’ll take you.’
‘Oh Luke, would you? But – but how? I’ve no money.’
‘I have. We’ll go on the train.’
‘They won’t let me go.’
‘Then we won’t tell them. Just pack a small bag and we’ll hitch a lift into Lincoln very early tomorrow morning. There’re always lots of folks going into the city at that time.’
‘I’ll be in awful trouble.’
‘Which is more important? Being in trouble for a bit or seeing Aunty Pips?’
She smiled through her tears, but before she could speak he said, ‘You don’t need to tell me; I know the answer. So, when you go home after dinner, get yourself ready and meet me at the end of your drive at six o’clock tomorrow morning. And don’t tell anyone.’
‘But they’ll be so worried.’
‘You could leave a note, I suppose, but they might not find it.’ Luke was thoughtful for a moment. ‘I’ll tell Harry so he can tell them when we’re well on our way. Now, we’d better go in for dinner, else Grandma might start aski
ng awkward questions.’
Daisy tried to eat the lovely meal Norah had made, but her appetite had deserted her. Luckily, Norah, who knew about Pips, understood.
Edwin and Henrietta arrived at the hospital on the Sunday morning and were granted special permission to see Pips outside the normal visiting hours. They found George still sitting by her bedside. He had dark shadows under his eyes, but he was still sitting ramrod straight in his chair, his gaze never leaving Pips’s face.
Edwin put his hand on George’s shoulder. ‘How is she?’
George stood up stiffly and offered his chair to Henrietta. ‘No change, I’m sorry to say, though she’s no worse.’
‘Is your daughter still here?’
George shook his head. ‘No. She was ordered to get some rest, but there’s a sister who keeps popping in and I’ve been given instructions to call someone if – if . . .’
‘You ought to get some rest, too. We can stay whilst you do and, yes, before you say anything, we’ll come and find you if necessary,’ Edwin promised. ‘Where will you be?’
‘Just in the waiting room. There are some comfortable chairs. I should be able to catnap.’
‘Off you go, then. I’ll find another chair and we’ll sit here with her.’
In the waiting room, George found Muriel and Mitch there. For a moment, the two men stared at each other before Muriel leapt up and asked, ‘Any news?’
George, recovering from his surprise at seeing them there, shook his head and sank into the most comfortable chair in the room. ‘Her parents have arrived and insisted I took a break.’
‘I’ll see if I can find you some coffee,’ Mitch murmured. ‘How do you like it?’
‘Black and strong, thanks.’
When Mitch had left the room, George asked, ‘Have you been here all night?’
Muriel shook her head and explained the arrangement the friends had made. ‘We’re back here for our second shift. We’re all very fond of her.’
‘Especially Mitch, I think.’
Muriel avoided meeting his gaze and shrugged. ‘She saved his life, by all accounts, and you know what they say when someone saves your life. You’re beholden to them for the rest of yours.’
George smiled wanly. Muriel wasn’t very good at lying, but he wasn’t going to challenge her about it. Instead, he murmured, ‘She saved mine too. As she did for countless other young men. It just won’t be fair if she loses hers.’ He rubbed his hand wearily across his eyes as Mitch came back into the room carrying a tray with three cups of coffee on it.
‘There’s still no change,’ Edwin told Robert when he telephoned that evening. ‘She’s still unconscious, but the doctors say she’s no worse.’
‘Is George still with her?’
‘He only leaves her side when someone else is there and he’s forced to take a nap. How he keeps awake for the long hours he does, I don’t know.’
‘His army training, I expect.’
‘And the rest of her Brooklands friends are taking it in turns to stay in the waiting room around the clock. We’ll go back in the morning and I’ll ring again tomorrow night. Sooner, if there’s any news, of course.’
‘Everyone’s anxious to know. When Jake drives me on my rounds, we have to stop every few yards with someone flagging him down to ask about her.’
‘I can imagine.’ There was a pause before Edwin asked, a little tentatively, ‘Is Daisy all right?’
‘Upset and anxious, as we all are.’
‘Anyway,’ Edwin said, a little huskily, ‘I’d better ring off. This call will be costing me a fortune. Goodnight, Robert. Try not to worry.’
As he replaced the receiver, Robert muttered to himself. ‘You might as well tell me not to breathe.’
Fifty-Two
‘Now, listen, Harry. I’ve something important to ask you to do. Can I trust you?’ Luke whispered in their shared bedroom that night.
‘Of course,’ the eight-year-old said, feeling important.
‘Me and Daisy are going off tomorrow morning to London to see Aunty Pips.’
Harry’s face brightened. ‘Can I come?’
‘No, but I want you to go up to the hall late morning and tell them where we’ve gone.’
‘You’ll be in trouble. Dad might take his belt to you.’
Sam had never so much as raised his hand to either boy – a look of disappointment on his face was always enough to bring them into line – so the thought of his stepfather thrashing him caused Luke to smile, though, to be fair, he’d never tested Sam’s patience as he was about to do now.
‘Will you do it?’
‘’Course, but I wish you’d let me go with you.’
Daisy had never been up this early before as she stood shivering at the end of the drive. It was cold and frosty and only just getting light. By the time Luke came running towards her, her teeth were chattering.
‘I’ve found someone to give us a lift. He’ll be here in a minute on his cart.’
When the farmer pulled up beside them five minutes later, they clambered aboard. Daisy sat next to the driver, Luke in the back.
‘Now, what are you two scallywags up to?’
‘Just going into Lincoln,’ Luke said swiftly. ‘Daisy needs to be at school early this morning.’
The farmer flicked the reins and they were on their way.
‘Sarah,’ Alice said as breakfast was being cleared away, ‘have you seen Daisy?’
‘Not this morning.’
Alice frowned. ‘Neither have I, but her bed’s made.’
‘Perhaps she’s gone out riding before school.’
‘She shouldn’t have. It’s very frosty. The ground will be too hard to be safe. She knows that. I’ll speak to her father.’
Alice found Robert and Conrad discussing the day’s list of surgery appointments and home visits and dividing the work between them. Not required to run the household – that was still in Henrietta’s hands – Alice now acted as receptionist for the two doctors, but at the moment she had other things on her mind. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I can’t find Daisy. No one seems to have seen her. D’you think she might have gone riding?’
Robert glanced at the window. ‘I doubt it, but she might be down at the stables. Have you tried there?’
‘No. I’ll go and find Jake.’
Not unduly worried, Robert returned to discussing their patients. ‘If you’re ready, Conrad, we’d better open the surgery.’
‘Harry, whatever are you doing here?’ Sarah, the housemaid at the hall, said when she opened the back door to find the boy standing there.
‘I’ve come to see if there’s been any news of Aunty Pips?’
‘Not yet that we know, but come in, duck, and I’ll see if Cook can find you summat to eat and drink. Yer aunty Betty’s here. D’you want to see her?’
‘Not if she’s busy working,’ the boy said. He didn’t want to see her; she might wheedle the message out of him. Harry had now decided that he was not going to deliver the message at all. He was going to do something entirely different. But first, he wanted to find out just what they knew at the hall.
‘Maybe she’ll spare a minute for you,’ Sarah said, pulling the door open wider for him to step inside. ‘And how’s yer mam and dad and Luke?’
Harry grinned. ‘He’s fine. Bossing me about, as usual.’
Sarah laughed. ‘Mebbe he needs to. I heard about you going missing the other day and being found here in the orchard. That’s trespassing, you know. Dr Maitland could have called the copper.’
‘I was only building a den. Jake said I could.’
‘Aye, well, I don’t expect the doctor’d mind. After all, you both come every week to ride the ponies with Miss Daisy, don’t you?’
The Saturday-afternoon rides had continued through the years and whenever she was home, Pips always rode out with them on the stallion. On her most recent visit home, Pips had talked about Luke – and even Harry – riding a horse more often too. A lump rose in the boy
’s throat as he thought about her.
‘The whole village want to know how Miss Pips is, Sarah,’ he told her as she led him through to the kitchen. ‘Everybody – likes her.’
‘Loves her, I would say.’ Sarah smiled. ‘Now, here we are. Cook, we have a visitor. A hungry young man from the village.’
‘Hello, duck. Come in. I’ll make you a sandwich.’
‘I just came to ask if there was any news about Aunty Pips,’ he said, sitting down at the square, scrubbed kitchen table and tucking into the ham sandwich which Cook made for him.
‘Nowt yet and I know they’d let us know if there was,’ Cook said. ‘If we hear owt, lad, we’ll be sure to send word to you all. By the way, have you seen Miss Daisy this morning? We can’t find her. D’you know where she is?’
Harry took another bite of the sandwich. ‘Sorry,’ he mumbled. ‘I don’t know nothing.’
By the time Robert and Conrad had finished their Monday-morning surgeries and come through to the parlour for a light lunch, Alice was almost frantic with worry. ‘I’ve checked with the school and she’s not there. Oh, Robert, where can she be? Jake hasn’t seen her. Whatever can have happened to her?’
He put his arm about her and Alice wept against his shoulder.
‘Look, I’ll cope with all the home visits,’ Conrad said. ‘There aren’t many and I’ve my own car, so you get Jake to take you out looking for her.’
‘That’s good of you, Conrad, thank you. But, to be honest, I don’t know where to start looking.’
Alice raised her head. ‘Luke! Why didn’t I think of him before? If anyone knows where she is, it’ll be him.’
‘Let’s have some lunch first . . .’
‘I couldn’t eat a thing.’
‘You must, Alice, even if it’s only a little. Come, sit down and we’ll discuss calmly what we should do.’
‘Call the police?’ Conrad suggested.
Robert nodded. ‘If we can’t find her ourselves, then yes, we will.’
Half an hour later, Jake drove them to Len’s workshop. Sam came out to greet them.
‘Is Luke here?’ Alice asked at once, hardly waiting for the car to stop before she jumped out. ‘Daisy’s missing and we thought—’
The Brooklands Girls Page 34