by Louise James
“A strong handsome fellow like you? You do surprise me. Do you mind?” he pulled a pipe out of his pocket.
“Not at all” Greg replied.
‘Not lungs is it?’ The old man was lighting up with much puffing. ‘Smoke won’t affect you?”
“No it’s fine. What do you do?” Greg changed the subject.
“Oh! I’m retired now; used to have the trekking around here until ten years ago. My son does it now over the other valley but I takes an interest and often have a couple of ponies here for the grazing over the winter. I help out where I can. The missus likes to put up a few people for bed and breakfast, keeps her young she sez.” He laughed a wheezy laugh. Greg smiled. “Now yer be wondering what I be chattering on to yer for, ain’t yer?. Well I thought you might be putting a few sheep on the mountain seeing you’ve got a dog.” He sat back puffing. ‘but if you’re not fit to go rounding sheep, we ’as to look at it another way.’ Greg was puzzled, what was the old boy getting at?
“Now I’ve got yer flummoxed, ain’t I. My old girl always says I go’s by way of Hay to get to Aber.” He leaned forward taking his pipe from his mouth and waving it at Greg. “If yer was going fer sheep on the hill, yer’d need a pony to look around and I have the very thing.”
“I don’t think that I need one but thanks all the same.”
“Ha! But yer ain’t thought about it. What’s better than a cob to ride on a frosty morning up on the hill, take all the stress out of yer.”
“It’s very kind of you. I can’t see me needing one.”
“Well, young Sir. Are you using the fields at the moment?”
“No” Greg said thoughtfully.
“Tell yer what”—the pipe was going well now. “If I rent’s a bit of grazing off yer for two nice cobs (only fer a couple of weeks mind as the grass is goin’ over now I’d ave to bring a bit of hay over for ’em,) yer might fancy a ride. I’ll bring a saddle, yer can try one out and I’ll bet in a week yer’ll want one and I’d do yer a good deal. Watcher say?” Greg thought for a moment, he’d liked the old boy on sight and the fields were lying idle. The rent would come in useful too.
“Okay, as long as I’m not responsible for them. I’ll make sure the fences and hedges are good but it’s up to you to feed and water and I can’t promise that I will take you up on your offer.” Fred’s hand shot out. “Bet yer bottom dollar, in a couple of weeks one will be staying. I’ll come up and have a look tomorrer.”
It was with a lighter heart Greg drove home. It would be good to see some life in the fields and amuse Ray when he came. He and Greg had trekked in the summer holidays when they were younger and enjoyed it. He hadn’t thought about a horse, it might be fun. At least Fred had taken his mind off his troubles for an hour or so.
The phone was ringing as he entered the house, rushing to pick it up he tripped over Rocky. It stopped as he picked it up, he re-dialled, it could have been Olwen but it rang a long time until a woman answered. She was sorry but there was no answer when she knocked on Olwen’s door, she hadn’t seen her all day and didn’t know who might have rung him. ‘Was there a message?’ “No thanks” Greg replied. “I’ll try again.” He put the phone down slowly then after a few minutes rang her mobile, no answer. Depression washed over him. She wasn’t there and hadn’t rung he wouldn’t either, not again. This time next year he might not be here. Let it go. It was over. Frustration and anguish welled inside him. The brief summer love affair was over like a butterfly’s life, short lived, beautiful only to die days after being born. So would he, young life cut short all its promises unfulfilled. Someone else would live in his house, someone else have his girl. There would be nothing to show that that he had ever lived. Instead of violence flaring in him this time, cold despair froze him to numbness. Lying on the settee by the dying fire he let his life’s memories pour through him. Nothing moved him. Thoughts of his childhood passed, his mother’s love, his father’s pride, the mates he had left on the rig, Steph his life with her, he viewed it all like photographs. Ray; for a moment his thoughts hurt. Ray would live, grieve for his friend then one day laugh again, marry Megan, raise a family his life running its normal course. Olwen would cry when she heard, later love again and in future years in the middle of her full life something would occasionally remind her, for a brief moment touch her. The scent of heather, the sight of whinberries on a mountain walk, someone would see a tear in her eye then it would all be gone again for ever.
Suddenly he couldn’t bear any more, crying aloud like a lost child he raced from the house, Rocky hard on his heels. He fled through the gate not knowing or caring where he went blundering like someone drunk he fled upwards towards the hill. He ran until tears choked him and pain seized him, unable to go on he fell down in the wet grass and knew no more.
He was a long time floating, first wet then cold he shivered then burned with heat. Lights came and went for periods of time; pain slamming into blackness deep as night. The darkness lifted, voices ebbed and flowed, a clear sentence came through ‘Hold that dog’. He heard a bark then heard no more.
A long, long time later he came to as one returning from a journey unsure of his welcome. A lighted lamp was near him and he could feel blankets rough and warm. He had no pain, now so relaxed his limbs seemed not to belong to him. He could se the lamp and a glass beside it; near it stood some sort of cylinder with pipes. He felt good, safe, warm but so very tired. He closed his eyes and slept.
“How is he today, Mrs Rhys? Just thought I’d call and see.”
“He’ll do. Good job you were about last night Glen, you and Martin. He probably wouldn’t have been found until this morning and that would have been too late.” Greg heard voices through the open window as he awoke.
“We had a drop on and thought someone had been murdered, feet sticking out of a ditch and a dog howling his head off. We were sure he was dead.”
“Well you did the right thing that’s for sure. Call by later he will be awake by then and I know he will want to thank you.”
“Oh! That’s alright. He’ll be fine with you. I’ll see to the chickens for him and everything’s locked up. Here are his keys.”
“You’re a good lad, thanks a lot Glen I will tell him.” A door closed and a vehicle moved off. Greg sat up but his head swam alarmingly, so he thought better of it and lay back down. The voice belonged to Bronwyn Rhys but the room was certainly not his. He wasn’t at Graig-y-Dorth either. Where the devil was he? He stared around, it was certainly a woman’s room, a deep green dressing gown hung behind the door, pot’s and jars on the dressing table, duvet covers and curtains peach and green, all frilled and matching; definitely a woman’s room. An Oxygen cylinder stood beside the bed. He heard the door open again and Bronwyn’s voice calling. “Here Mac, Puss, Puss, Come on Liza, hurry up or he will eat it all including yours.’ He gave a gasp. He now knew where he was. he was at the witch’s cottage. She was downstairs calling the cat’s. This must be Olwen’s room. He doubted it would be Bronwyn’s, too girlie and all that makeup. What the devil was he doing here, his head ached with the effort of trying to remember. The last thing he could recall was coming from the pub, the rest was a nightmare of shadows and sensations. He remembered Rocky barking and someone saying. ’Hold that dog….Rocky and where was Rocky and the chickens should be fed and shut in? What time was it? He made it onto his feet by hanging on to the bedside cabinet while he swung his legs over the side of the bed. This was difficult as he seemed to be wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. He realised he was mother naked. He flushed, had Bronwyn got him in here? How? why? He wished he could think straight and remember. His chest ached but he pulled himself to his feet. He heard dogs bark recognising Rocky he gave a sigh of relief. Thank God the dog was here too but where on earth were his clothes, he couldn’t see them anywhere? He managed to reach the door and pulled on the thick fluffy dressing gown. It was huge more than enough to go around him but as he rec
ognised Olwen’s perfume painful memories began to stir. He tried to shut them out. A bathroom door stood open opposite as he left the room so he quickly used the facilities avoiding the mirror, cold water on his face helped clear his head which spun on sudden movement, his chest ached with a dull heavy sensation and several bruises were beginning to appear on various parts of his body. As he reached the top of the stairs he met Bronwyn coming up with a tray.
“Who told you to get up? Back you go this instant.”
“What happened? Where are my clothes? I must get home; why am I here?”
“Alright you can come down for a few minutes, no longer. Now sit in that chair and don’t move until you have eaten this. While you are eating I will tell you all I know. you alone know what happened before.” She gave him a sharp glance as she settled the tray on his knees. The room seemed more of a haven than ever. Firelight flickered on the polished wood and china. An air of tranquillity even at this time of day pervaded it like incense. He felt himself relax a little. He looked at the tray on his lap.
“I can’t, I’m sorry. I really can’t.—he began.
“You can and you will or back to bed you go now. You gave us all enough trouble last night and the best way you can repay is to do as you’re told. Doctor will be back in a while to have a look at you. You are very lucky that you aren’t in hospital this morning.’
“I don’t need him. I go to the hospital Friday anyway. What day is it now?’
“Stop your rattle or your soup will spoil, eat and I will tell you.’ Greg resigned himself to obey in any case he was too tired to argue. He was glad he did, the soup was hot and delicious, the bread homemade and he managed a decent slice of it before putting the tray aside. After Bronwyn made a pot of tea, she sat down opposite in the rocking chair. There were no sign of cats or dogs. She saw him looking around.
“The cats are eating. Your Rocky is fed, safe and sound in the porch. Samuel Peeps has been banished to the shed. Rocky was agitated over you. The boys had terrible trouble getting anywhere near you and when they brought him here he and Samuel had a fight so I let Rocky stay on guard and banished Samuel for a while. They will be alright.” Seeing Greg’s impatience she continued. “I don’t know how you got there but you were in a ditch on the hill road with Rocky standing guard. Glen and Martin Edwards were coming home from The Green Man, for sheer devilment they drove past their own house and up the hill road, why heaven knows probably spotted Jeff Arnott’s car somewhere and thought they’d get out of the way for a bit. Anyway they saw two feet sticking out of the ditch and a howling dog, otherwise you would have still been there. They would have taken you to Roberts house and phoned an ambulance from there(neither of them had phones on them, would you believe?) but the Roberts are away this weekend and it was quicker to come down here, I sent for the doctor. You had an attack brought on by over exertion and stress, much more of that and your time is up. What you have been up to I don’t know, only the end result. Something to do with the girl I imagine.’
Greg felt annoyed. Who did she think she was? Why hadn’t she or the doctor sent for an ambulance if he was that bad? What medicines had he been given? He was uncertain how to voice this without giving offence after all they had probably saved his life between them. Bronwyn’s strange penetrating eyes read his face.
“I know what you are thinking. Why no ambulance and flashing lights? Is it because you are a lost cause? I can assure you that’s not so.” Greg stirred uneasily before he could speak she went on.
“Let me put you right on a few things while you are at my mercy. The boys brought you here at one o’clock in the morning, they had been drinking after hours, although hey were going to do their best for you, they were also thinking about their own skins. There was no way they were going to take you into town. I sent for the doctor because you were coming round and you were not going to need urgent medical attention. The doctor had your case notes and it would be up to him to send you in if he thought necessary. The hospital could do no more for you than I could once the doctor had confirmed my own thoughts. The oxygen beside your bed is there because you were breathing badly and to stop your heart labouring unnecessary. The doctor agreed with me that the oxygen, warmth and a couple of injections were all that was required and I would most certainly have sent for an ambulance if there was any sign of further problems. The doctor is coming to see you anytime now, in fact I hear his car. If he feels you should be in hospital that is where you will go.”
There was a knock on the door and Rocky had to be forcibly removed from the porch. Doctor Davies was a quiet little man who always seemed to be talking to himself. His wife Nicole was the district nurse. They had four children the oldest of which was away at university also studying to be a doctor. Dr Davies was very much on Greg’s case and had exchanged letters and phone calls with Mr McLoughlin. He now examined Greg from top to toe muttering to himself all the while. Presently he closed his case and sat down.
“I have been in touch with Mr McLouglin and his team this morning. No news yet I’m afraid but don’t give up hope, it’s early days yet, lots of time. You are in fine shape considering. A fit man, shame about the heart; never mind it will come. You must not run around mountains in the middle of the night or the day for that matter. What happened?” Greg stumbled over his explanation that he had been out for a walk and suddenly been taken ill. The doctor gave him a keen glance from under his ginger eyebrows. Greg was in no state to remember that the doctor already knew that he had been running at an unlikely hour of the morning. He wrote vigorously in his notebook.
“There you are then. Come and see me sometime next week. You have a hospital check-up on Friday, see what they say, you may need to go in for a rest. In the meantime take it easy. You should have someone with you up there on the farm, not good to be there on your own in your condition. Think about it there must be someone, bit lonely for you especially at night.” Doctor Davies gave him a searching look. “I’m going to give you another injection now so back into bed with you. Mrs Rhys will look after you for a few days, she will give you another injection tomorrow.”
“Hey! Doctor how come she is able to give injections and what is it with this medical knowledge she seems to have?’
Doctor Davies laughed. “Oh! You are alright with her, she is more qualified to treat you than I am. Ask her about it sometime. Don’t know if she will tell you all but believe me you couldn’t be in better hands.” He left leaving Greg more puzzled than ever. Bronwyn came in bringing the cats with her. “Sorry I can’t let Rocky in because of these two but he’s alright and has been fed. By the way don’t worry about the farm or the chickens. Glen locked up for you last night, made sure everything was alright, he will see to the fowls until you get back. He’s a good lad. You may not remember leaving the doors open and the lights burning.” She gave Greg the same look as had the doctor but asked no questions.
“I’m sorry to have caused so much trouble. I feel much better now. Thank you for everything but I think I can manage if I get home. My parents will come as soon as my mother is better.’
“Rubbish. You are staying put for a few days. You are still very tired and haven’t eaten yet and you must have a couple more injections to calm everything down. You wouldn’t make it to the gate, so into bed with you. In any case your clothes are in the washing machine, they were wet and muddy.’ She indicated a small table. ‘There are your wallet, car and house keys. Glen saw them on your table when he checked the fire, lights and locked up. Your watch you are wearing, so no worries, bed and relax.’
“Doctor Davies told me about your ability to give injections.” Greg began hesitatingly. Bronwyn frowned. “What else did he say?’
“He said you probably wouldn’t tell me why and that you were more qualified than him.’
“Humph. Don’t know about that, it’s been a long time but once you are trained you never forget. There was silence as Bronwyn weighed someth
ing in her mind. She studied Greg intently. He managed to hold her gaze without shrinking from her all seeing eyes. After a moment she went to her desk, opening a draw she took out a folder and a small card.
“Because I like you and Olwen cares enough about you to want to marry you and I know you can keep secrets even when it’s not in your interests to do so, I am entrusting you with knowledge that’s not known around here. I don’t want it known about here. Doctor Davies and two others at the hospital know and the Captain; yes you may look surprised but he and I are old friends, we have known each other for many years. I expect some of those around here think he’s a fake. He is most certainly no fake. His wife left him running off with another man leaving him to bring up his daughter even though he was at sea most of the time.’
“He is a real Captain?” Greg was astonished.
“Yes in his younger days. Unfortunately after his wife left he took to drink and eventually lost everything, his ship, his reputation along with his so called friends. He had to sell his big house, lost a lot of his money in drink and unwise investments. He moved here bringing his sixteen year old daughter with him. She was very delicate and became extremely ill a few years later, I was able to help him with her but she died with complications of her condition. It was so sad. Strangely enough although the Captain was heartbroken, it seemed to be the incentive he needed. All the time Elizabeth was ill I never saw a drop pass his lips. He enjoys a drink now but it’s always rum and never more than two tots. I was worried that the old habits would return but he went away for a time, when he came back he was as you see him now. He has a small private pension and his cottage at the top of the village. People that don’t know his history make fun of him and his ways, I wouldn’t like you or your friends to make that mistake because under that jovial exterior is a lonely old man. he comes here some evenings I cook him a meal and let him talk. I am the only one he can talk to about Elizabeth we listen to music and play cards. That is when you see the real man.’