I fell with a hell of a splash into the freezing floodwaters of the Ouse. I was barely conscious and swimming wasn’t an option – the current saw to that. My only chance was to try to keep afloat, keep my nose and face above the water. And then I heard another massive splash. In forcing me over the side, Patrick must have lost his balance and followed me into the river. I was too concerned with trying to battle the blackness inside my head that threatened to pull me down into unconsciousness, equally as deadly as the waters, to give him any thought.
The water rolled me around like a log, dragging me down, closing over my head. In desperation, I kicked and kicked for the surface with legs that all but refused to work. I felt terrifyingly weak and my struggle was futile against the might of the river. I felt my body rising on the waves, breaking the surface. I snatched a gasp of life-giving air before I was sucked below the surface again. I was all but out of it, my clutching hands meeting nothing, my legs gone altogether now. My lungs were burning for air, finding none.
And then my left hand connected with something that wasn’t water. Hair, it was hair. Somebody’s head – somebody’s hair. Whoever it was, they were actually swimming at the side of me. I dug my fingers in, grasped the thick hair, found flesh and bone beneath. I locked my fingers and simply held on for my very life.
FORTY
I could hear voices. They were vague, far away, then very close. I tried to concentrate to hear what was being said, but it was too much of an effort. There was a heavy metal band playing very loudly in my head, with a manic drummer using my head as the drum. I slid unprotesting into the darkness behind my closed eyes and allowed myself to drift. How long for, I have no idea – could have been minutes, hours, even longer, before the band toned it down and the darkness began to lighten.
I heard a familiar voice, close by – in fact, right next to my left ear.
‘Stop hogging it, Harry. I don’t know. What some people will do to avoid working.’ And I opened my eyes. ‘Hallelujah!’ Mike Grantley said, looking down at me, eyes filled with concern. ‘And about bloody time, too.’
‘Mike,’ a familiar female voice remonstrated. ‘Don’t give him a hard time.’
It hurt too much to turn my head, but I swivelled my eyes across at her. And felt my lips curve automatically. Annabel.
‘Where am I?’ I managed to say.
‘Hospital, I’m afraid, Harry.’ Annabel leaned over and kissed my cheek.
I closed my eyes again and floated happily. Just a great pity I was incapacitated. It would have been bliss to draw her closer, kiss her in return.
‘And your next couple of questions …’ Mike grinned, relief lighting up his face. ‘What day is it and how did I get here?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Tuesday, mate. You’ve totally lost Sunday night and Monday for ever.’
‘You’ve been out cold, Harry.’ Annabel squeezed my hand. ‘Everybody thought you were a goner. The number of calls that have been burning up the telephone wires … Pen, Georgia, Victor, Edward Frame … you’re a popular guy. Just shows how many people are concerned for your safety.’
I squeezed her hand back.
‘They phoned each other because you hadn’t phoned them on Sunday night. After you’d told Victor’s son-in-law it was going to get rough.’
‘And all the time you were in hospital, hogging some sleep,’ Mike said.
‘What happened? I don’t remember much …’
‘The doctor said you’ve probably got partial amnesia, but not to worry about it. Your memory will come back. What you’ve also got, though, is concussion.’
‘And you’re going to have to take it steady for a week or two,’ Annabel said.
‘But what happened? How did I get here?’
‘Ah, that. Well’ – Mike cleared his throat – ‘you damn nearly drowned in the River Ouse.’
Even as he said the words, a flicker of memory returned. ‘I was holding on to someone’s hair. Patrick’s hair?’
Mike shook his head. ‘No, you weren’t, mate. Patrick left you to drown, took his car and scarpered.’
I looked at him. There was a blank look in his eyes.
‘The river had burst its banks, lower down. Flooded the road, covered it with debris, silt and mud, a right mess. He tried to drive straight through, get on to a bit of higher ground.’
‘But?’
‘Didn’t make it. His car skidded off the road completely, ended up in the river. He was the one who was drowned.’
I drew in a shuddering breath, reliving the terror I’d felt as the water closed over my head, drawing me back down. Not something I’d wish on anyone, not even my worst enemy. ‘So,’ I said shakily, ‘how the hell did I survive?’
‘Oh, that’s quite simple,’ Annabel said. ‘Keith sent his Newfoundland dog, Tugboat, in to get you when he heard a scream. ’Course, Newfoundlands are bred for river rescue. They’re enormously strong and they’ve got webbed feet. You got hold of the dog’s thick ruff. He pulled you to the bank and Keith did the rest. Called for an ambulance and back-up and …’
‘And here I am.’
‘Yes. Here you are, thank God.’
‘Absolutely,’ I said with feeling.
EPILOGUE
Three days later, Annabel collected me from hospital. Mike had protested: it was his day job, he said. But she was adamant. I didn’t mind who won as long as I escaped the clutches of the hospital and got back to Harlequin Cottage and normality.
She drove carefully at a sedate speed.
‘You need to keep that head as steady as you can for the next few days. Give it chance to heal. The doctors weren’t sure if you’d sustained a faint hairline fracture. It wasn’t entirely clear from the X-ray. And they’ve given me instructions to make sure you take it very easy for a while.’
I didn’t try to nod. I’d tried that one before – not recommended. And I didn’t tell her, but I felt as grotty as hell. Right now, I was sure Leo was a damn sight stronger than I was. And feeling weak was annoying in the extreme. Weak didn’t get to ride racehorses.
Arriving at the cottage, she parked up on the gravel by the back door and helped me out. A familiar ginger cat streaked across the garden and launched itself. He landed on Annabel’s shoulder this time. I breathed a sigh of relief. Leo’s solid body weight – eight kilos plus – hitting the side of my head might have been more than I could take right now. He was so pleased to see Annabel, however, that he decided to bestow on her the ‘welcome home’ honour usually reserved for me. Annabel nuzzled her face into his ginger fur – the pleasure was obviously mutual.
Later, with a roaring fire in the hearth, stretched out and comfortably packed around with pillows on the settee in the lounge, I was delighted to accommodate a thunderously purring Leo. His pleasure was doubled having both of us home. Mine, too, come to think about it.
‘Can you stay a bit?’ I asked, gratefully accepting a mug of hot tea.
‘I think you could say so.’ Annabel buried her face over her own tea. ‘If you really want me to.’
If I wanted her to! Right now, I couldn’t think of anything in the world I wanted more.
‘Believe it. I really, really want you to stay.’
She lifted her head. ‘Well, there’s nobody to consider, at the flat.’
I frowned. ‘What flat? What are you talking about, Annabel?’
‘The flat above my office in Melton Mowbray. I … I don’t live with Jeffrey any more, Harry.’
‘What?’ I couldn’t take in the meaning of the words she herself was having such difficulty in saying. ‘You’ve left Jeffrey?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why, on God’s earth, why? After all we three have been through, all our sacrifices for each other, how could you do such a thing to him?’
I had to put the drink down on the coffee table my hand was shaking so much.
‘You know the old saying, women fall for their doctor, men fall for their nurses? Unfortunately, I have found ou
t it’s true.’
I simply stared mutely at her, completely floored by what she was saying.
‘It’s simple, Harry. I did tell you I was surplus to Jeffrey’s needs now, but you didn’t believe me. I hoped I was reading it wrong, that it was my imagination in overdrive, but it wasn’t. He told me. Asked me to forgive him, but it wasn’t something he had any control over. Jeffrey has fallen deeply in love with Molly, his live-in nurse.’
I was totally shocked. Could hardly credit what she had said.
‘He’s not the same man any more, Harry. The accident has changed him completely.’
‘Could it just be a fling?’ It sounded stupid to me even as I said it.
‘No,’ she said sadly. ‘He really is very much in love with her. I’m sure it began because he was totally dependent on her nursing skills, but it’s gone a long way beyond that.’
‘And Molly?’
‘She feels the same about Jeffrey.’
‘My God.’ Even in a constantly changing world, it was still the last thing I ever expected to happen.
‘Sorry it’s such a shock, especially with the state you’re in, but you did ask and you are entitled to know. When I asked you to come for a meal with us, actually it was Jeffrey who asked me to invite you. He felt he needed to break it to you himself in a civilized way.’
I sat slumped in my seat. The sadness I felt for the way things had turned out was deep and enervating.
‘Where does this leave us?’
It was a question I couldn’t answer myself. Why I should think Annabel would have the answer, I don’t know. And she didn’t.
‘No idea, Harry. None at all. But for now you need looking after. And it’s always the priority, isn’t it – whichever one of us has the greatest need. Right now, it’s you.’
‘And you could stay here and look after me?’
‘Until you’re a bit stronger, yes.’
We sat and stared at each other. The unbreakable connection was still there between us – we both knew it. It didn’t need expressing in words and we didn’t try.
‘OK.’ I took a deep breath and then added, ‘I’d like you to stay – until I’m a bit stronger.’
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