‘What the hell are you doing?’ Melissa screamed, and the little boy again began to cry.
‘Don’t fret, Ross. He’s quite safe. I won’t hurt him.’
Hugh watched in wide-eyed astonishment as Brenda opened up what appeared to be a pocket in the back of the stuffed monkey and from it drew out a small brown envelope.
Her heart burst with joy as she pulled from it two sheets of paper, which, when she opened them up, turned out to be her marriage certificate and her son’s birth certificate. Below these in the envelope she found her wedding ring. Hugh met her thrilled gaze with love and admiration in his eyes, before pulling her close in his arms to give her a soft kiss of compassion.
‘So the proof was here all the time? How amazing!’ he said. ‘You definitely are Jack’s widow, and Ross is your son.’
It was then they heard the front door slam and, looking around, realised that Melissa had gone, carrying the child in her arms.
Brenda and Hugh stood frozen in shock for a moment. Then seeing the three little girls come rushing down the stairs to chase after their mother, they both leapt into action, if sadly far too late. By the time they’d run down the front steps, Melissa was already roaring away in her Humber car at great speed, the little boy sitting in the back and her weeping daughters standing in the drive in horrified dismay.
‘Oh no, where is she going?’ Brenda felt utterly distraught. Just when she’d at last found the evidence she needed to prove Ross was her son, he’d vanished yet again.
Thirty-One
Hugh held her close, attempting to console her. ‘Don’t worry, darling, we’ll marshal everyone to help look for them right away.’
Carter, Mrs Harding and old Joe quickly gathered in the hall, anxious to take instructions on what could be done. Nanny Holborn rushed to gather the girls in her arms, sharing a glance with Brenda filled with sympathy and curiosity as she led them back upstairs.
‘I’ll tell you all about what happened later,’ Brenda told her. ‘Do take good care of these little ones, Nanny, and assure them we’ll find their mother.’
And hopefully her son too.
Prue and Dino also arrived, having been alerted by Carter. ‘We’re happy to help with the search too. We can use the farm van,’ Dino said as Prue handed baby Flora into the care of Nanny Holborn.
‘I need to ring Gregory first,’ Hugh said and went off to do that, returning moments later to tell them he’d explained to the man that his wife and son had gone missing. ‘I also said there was a problem regarding his son, which couldn’t be discussed on the phone. Astonishingly, he said he was too busy to come north immediately, but would get here as soon as he could.’
‘What a selfish man he is,’ Prue stated. ‘Doesn’t he give a jot about them?’
‘I’d drop everything and give my life to save my wife and child,’ Dino said, grim-faced.
‘So would I, were I to be fortunate enough to have a family,’ Hugh agreed, glancing across at Brenda. She felt her heart melt as their gaze locked. He then went on to instruct them about which direction each of them should take. ‘Are we ready? Then off we go. I’m sure Melissa can’t have gone far. She’ll be parked up, sulking some place. I suggest you stay here, Brenda, in case they return.’
Watching them all dash off either on wheels or on foot, Brenda really had no wish to stay put. He was her son, and felt she really must help find him. Hadn’t she been searching for years? She could still barely allow herself to recall the anguish she’d suffered. And here in her hands was at last the evidence she’d been seeking for so long: her certificates and wedding ring. Wouldn’t Jack expect her to remain strong and do her best to find little Tommy? Running to her room to lock these precious items in the desk, Brenda dashed back down again, collected her bicycle and set off up the drive.
*
‘Too fast! Too fast!’ cried the little boy as he slid about on the back seat. ‘Where are you taking me, Mama? Are we going home to London?’
His words reverberated in her head as Melissa slowed the car down a little, realising she had no idea where she was going. She’d been so desperate to escape that slut of a girl who was threatening to entirely destroy her life, she perhaps hadn’t thought things through properly. Thank goodness Gregory had chosen to go back to London by train, leaving the car with her. But having left her darling daughters behind, she couldn’t possibly go home without them.
Even worse, the last thing she needed was to be charged with the abduction of that chit’s son. She could well find herself sent to jail as a result, even though she’d done what seemed to be a good idea at the time.
Adèle had revealed that having been arrested and interned in some concentration camp, Jack’s wife may well not survive, as so many other parents had not. Nor did the woman have any notion of where she was being held, or for how long. So why, as Jack’s sister, should she not have taken the child, particularly bearing in mind her marriage problems? The chance to get her hands on a baby boy had felt far too good an opportunity for Melissa to miss.
How could she begin to explain to anyone how controlling her husband was, demanding she produce a son, despite spending months far from her side either in some foreign country, or no doubt in his latest mistress’s bed. Melissa had believed that this boy could save their marriage by bringing them close again. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Not only did Gregory fail to build any meaningful relationship with the child, but had left her bed for good.
‘I no longer need to trouble you,’ he’d coolly informed her, moving into his dressing room. ‘You’ve done your duty at last and provided me with a son and heir. Now we can happily live separate lives.’
This reaction had been the last thing Melissa had expected or hoped for; a total disaster. It appeared she’d achieved nothing by acquiring this boy. It had also made acting as his mother exceedingly difficult. As he wasn’t her child why would she love or care a toss about him? But nothing on earth would persuade Melissa to admit to what she’d done and risk being imprisoned. Far too terrifying a prospect! And certainly not for the benefit of that greedy little harlot, even if she really was Jack’s widow. The prospect of Gregory learning the truth about this child was equally alarming. He would be sure to walk out on her, and how could she possibly survive financially without him?
‘Mama, I want to wee!’ Ross cried.
‘Oh for goodness’ sake, don’t you dare wet your trousers, or ruin the seat of my car. I’ll stop in a minute.’
Finding they were in a narrow lane surrounded by trees, Melissa wondered which part of the woodland they were in. She’d paid little attention to where they were heading as she’d driven away in total panic and fury. Now, looking around it came to her exactly. Wasn’t this the lane that led to the shack where she and Hugh used to play when they were small? If so, she could hide the boy in there while she went back to collect the girls. That seemed like a good idea. She couldn’t take the risk of that madam getting her hands on him and turning her life into even more of a nightmare. No doubt everyone would be out looking for her, so she’d shut him up safe, then quickly nip back to the Hall to fetch her daughters, and Nanny Holborn, of course. She really couldn’t manage without that lady. After that, she would escape back to London and make sure Gregory learned nothing of this accusation. And if it ever did come to court, she’d fight that chit tooth and nail.
‘Mama, I’m peeing in my pants!’ he screamed.
‘Oh, you stupid boy,’ said Melissa, and quickly drew the car to a halt.
*
Autumn was upon them, rust-brown leaves coating the path as Brenda cycled along at a fast pace. The branch of an ash tree arched above her, almost knocking her off the bike. As she approached the woodlands she asked herself where she should begin her search.
How could she have been so stupid as to lose her son again when it had taken all these years to find him? Not that it was her fault, and Melissa’s reaction reminded her of the experiences she and Emma had faced when dealing wit
h rescuers of Jewish children while working for OSE. She remembered each and every one of the children they’d managed to help escape during the war, including dear Kurt and Walter, and the anguish when all efforts had failed. Some foster parents were honest and caring, while others were definitely not to be trusted, as they’d learned to their cost. Even though the war was now over, there were still issues when attempting to repatriate these lost children to their true parents, as Emma had explained. Nor did the reason always concern love. Sometimes it was simply prejudice against religion, or else abuse of the poor child, and some of them were treated like slaves.
Did Melissa love him after all, despite her temper, which was probably directed more at Brenda than the little boy? She very much doubted it. Melissa had other, more pressing reasons for keeping him, so would she hide him away as some foster parents did, for whatever reason? If so, then where might that be? Hopefully not too far away, or anywhere too dangerous.
It was then that Brenda recalled once seeing a shack, although she couldn’t quite remember where. She set off to search, as it would surely be the ideal place to hide a child. Hadn’t Jewish children been hidden in cowsheds, cellars, attics and other odd places.
Abandoning her bicycle, she made her way into the woodlands, following the cairns she and Jack had placed there years ago. She reached a dry stone wall that split this part of the woodland in two, one path leading up over a hill, the other to the right into the lower depths of the woods. Brenda struggled to decide which direction to take, as she’d done when lost that time Kit had led her home. Today, she did not have the collie to help her, but still opted to walk deeper into the woodlands. A young oak stood sentinel before her, tall and sturdy, bringing back a memory of Jack leaning against it with her in his arms. What a happy life they could have had together were it not for the war.
Spotting another cairn, Brenda placed a stone upon it, out of habit and in memory of him, then made her way through a clump of hart’s-tongue ferns, their shiny green fronds brushing against her legs as she hurried along. Eventually she emerged on to a path. It grew ever wider, finally leading to a wide-open expanse of grass with more lanes leading off it in different directions. These were no doubt used by the foresters’ horse and carts when they were doing the coppicing. And in the centre stood a small timber building.
‘Ah, there it is,’ she muttered to herself in relief.
Glancing about at ash trees and sycamores rustling in the breeze, it came to her that she must take note of which path she’d come down, otherwise she could get lost yet again. Hadn’t Jack warned her not to come too far into the woods on her own, which seemed to be what she’d done, if for good reason. And this was surely the most likely place for that arrogant woman to hide the child. Keeping to the edge of the trees, Brenda made her way slowly round towards the shack.
Reaching the door, she found it was locked, and called out. ‘Ross, are you in there?’ She could hardly breathe, the tension in her so strong. Was he safe? Ferns and cow parsley were growing all around the shack and she began to push her way through them, searching for a window or another entrance, when she heard the sound of an engine behind her.
Glancing back over her shoulder, Brenda thought it might be Dino or old Joe driving the new tractor, and they’d be able to help her break in. To her horror, she saw it was Melissa’s car heading towards her at great speed, the roar of the engine increasing by the second, and the contemptuous image of her face sneering through the windscreen was utterly chilling. Spinning on her heels in shock Brenda ran back towards the woods for cover, only to find herself moments later flying through the air.
Thirty-Two
Brenda woke to find herself lying in bed, a throb of pain pulsating through her left hip and leg. Blinking in the dim light from the lamp on her bedside table, she tried to recall what had happened, and why she was there. Had she fallen while helping Prue with the hens or digging the garden? Or did she have a crash on her bicycle? She couldn’t remember, her mind a complete blank.
‘Ah, thank the lord, you’re awake at last,’ said a soft voice at her elbow, and she turned to gaze up into Hugh’s beloved grey eyes. ‘How are you? Where are you hurting most, darling?’
It came to her in that moment. The terrifying image of a car driving towards her flashed into her mind, as all the traumas she’d suffered through the war years would do, often erupting into a nightmare. She’d find herself crying, or screaming at some invisible person in her head to get off her, which would at least wake her up. This time the image of the car approached in slow motion, not at its true speed, which made it all the more terrifying. Brenda could see Melissa smiling in triumph as she peered at her through the windscreen, looking very much as if she’d deliberately set out to kill her. An icy chill swamped Brenda when she recalled how she’d been desperately trying to rescue Ross from the shack. Then she’d had to run for her life, only to find herself hit by the wing of the car. She well remembered the sound of that bang before darkness descended.
‘Have I broken my leg, or worse, my spine?’ she asked Hugh, beginning to shake a little with shock.
He stroked her hair and gently kissed her cheek, the sad expression on his face quite heartrending. ‘Thankfully, I think it was just a glancing blow, but the doctor’s on his way. We won’t know the full extent of your injuries until then. Stay calm and don’t move, my darling. I’m sure you’ll be fine.’
She didn’t feel in the least bit fine. The pain was increasing by the second, as if a fire had been lit within her, flaring through her hips and limbs. Gritting her teeth together, Brenda strived to do as he said and make no attempt to move, much as she longed to check that she still could feel her feet. She felt wracked with pain, just as she had that time when the bridge had been bombed and she’d been close enough to be smothered in rubble. She’d been knocked unconscious then too, but fortunately had lived to tell the tale with no serious injuries, as hopefully she would now. ‘Where was I, and how did you find me?’
‘Fortunately, we all heard the sound of the crash and reached the spot within minutes of each other. You were unconscious and, as the rain began to fall, we managed to carefully lift you into the Daimler.’
‘Where is Ross? Was he in the shack? Is he well?’
The doctor walked in before he had time to answer, and leaping to his feet Hugh went to stand with him by the window while he explained what had happened. They spoke so quietly that Brenda couldn’t hear a word they said. Then as the doctor came over to inspect her, Hugh quietly left. She watched him go with anguish in her heart, as he still hadn’t answered her question. Did that mean they hadn’t found the child? Prue slipped in to sit beside her and hold her hand while the doctor began his examination.
‘Did you find Ross?’ Brenda asked Prue, then winced with pain as the doctor probed her legs and hips, rolling her gently over to examine her spine. When she was again lying straight he put a thermometer in her mouth, perhaps to silence her.
‘Nothing looks deformed or too swollen,’ he assured her. ‘And there’s no sign of any broken or splintered bones. Just strained muscles.’ He lifted and bent her legs to make sure they were working properly.
‘We found him safe and well,’ Prue whispered, gently squeezing her hand. ‘And he’s very worried about you.’
Tears sprang to Brenda’s eyes, more with relief than from the increasing pain the doctor’s examination was inflicting upon her. Finally he stepped back to check the thermometer, and giving it a little shake, he smiled at her. ‘I think you have avoided any serious injury, although suffered massive bruising. You’ve been most fortunate.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You need to stay put and rest for a day or two. I’m going to give you something to ease the pain and help you sleep.’ Brenda took the pill he gave her, washing it down with the glass of water Prue poured. Then handing the packet over to her friend, the doctor proceeded to give careful instructions on how many and how often these pills should be taken.
*
Dawn light was filtering through the bedroom window when Brenda woke again, having enjoyed a sleep without a single flicker of a nightmare. This time she found the small toy monkey lying by her side on the pillow. Smiling, she pulled it into her arms just as the door quietly opened.
‘Is Minki giving you a cuddle?’ Ross whispered.
‘He’s such a kind fellow, as are you, to share him with me.’
Climbing on to the bed to sit beside her, he stroked the cuddly toy. ‘Aunty Prue said you weren’t well, Bren, so I thought you might need a friend to keep you company.’
Brenda felt her heart pumping with happiness. Just seeing him safe and well filled her with joy and relief, as well as hearing the lovely way he spoke to her. ‘Are you all right?’
He nodded, widening his small mouth into a wry smile. ‘Mama was in one of her moods and forgot to pick Minki up. I didn’t want to go home to London without him, so I told her I wanted to wee. She stopped the car and I jumped out and ran off back to the Hall to get him.’ Putting his hand over his mouth, he gave a little giggle.
Normally Brenda would have felt guilty for taking the toy off him, but as it had produced the necessary evidence she’d long felt in need of, she simply returned his smile. ‘And you found Minki safe and well, as are you, thank goodness.’ Turning the monkey over, she examined the empty pocket in its back. Brenda remembered carefully stowing away the certificates and ring in her room, so they were perfectly safe. But as a result of her probing this cuddly toy, it was in need of some attention. ‘I’ll stitch his back up and give him a little bath. Do you think he would like that?’
Always In My Heart Page 25