Honeysuckle House

by Christina Jones

  Rosie’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. ‘We’ve still got to tell the boys.’

  ‘Oh, let them sleep a bit longer.’ Kizzy stretched lazily. ‘Jamie was upset anyway and goodness knows what time William came in. I didn’t hear him.’

  ‘Neither did I, but you’re right. He could certainly do with a lie-in. He’s been working far too hard.’ Rosie sat down, nursing her coffee. ‘I’ll tell them separately. William first, then he can be there to cushion Jamie.

  ‘Oh, I could throttle your father! Has he any idea what he’s done?’

  ‘Probably not.’ Kizzy bit her lip. ‘But he will. Then he’ll come running back and everything will be all right, even if –’ She paused, hearing a key in the lock. ‘It’s him! I don’t want to talk to him, Mum, not yet!’

  She jumped from her seat just as William walked into the room.

  ‘Oh!’ Kizzy stared at her brother. ‘I thought it was – I mean, why aren’t you upstairs?’

  ‘I’ve been out,’ William snapped, his eyes resting on Rosie. ‘Mum, what’s going on here? We’ve just seen Jamie –’

  ‘Jamie?’ Rosie tried to clear her muzzy head. ‘Where? And who’s “we”?’

  ‘Mum, listen to me. I saw Jamie in Dawley this morning. Why was he fighting me? And why is he going to London?’

  Rosie rubbed her hands across her eyes. ‘What are you talking about? Jamie’s upstairs in bed.’

  ‘He certainly isn’t.’ William ran his fingers through his hair. ‘He’s on the express bus to London!’

  Feeling cold fingers of panic grip her throat, Rosie gazed at William, only dimly aware of Kizzy racing upstairs to check her brother’s bedroom.

  ‘I was in Dawley,’ William said quickly. ‘I saw Jamie and he tried to run away. When I caught him he was crying and he told me – well, that doesn’t matter right now. Anyway, he was frantic about something. He said some very weird things. He managed to give me the slip and the next thing I knew he was on the London bus.

  ‘Well, have you tried his phone?’

  ‘No answer.’

  ‘Then try it again!’

  William took out his mobile and called Jamie’s number. There was a pause – and then a buzzing from upstairs, which Rosie realised she’d heard earlier that morning, yet thought nothing of. They all dashed up to Jamie’s bedroom and found his phone vibrating across the desk.’

  Slowly Rosie shook her head. ‘We’ll have to contact the police, get them to stop the bus before it reaches London.’

  Kizzy returned white-faced to the kitchen. ‘He’s gone. What are we going to do now?’

  ‘I’ll phone the police.’ Rosie jumped up. ‘Tell them what’s happened. Get them to have a policeman meet the bus at Victoria …’ She clenched and unclenched her hands. ‘Jamie’s never been to London in his life! He’s got no money! He –’

  William placed firm hands on her shoulders. ‘Calm down, Mum. I’ll phone the local police station, explain that he’s run away, give them a description. Don’t worry, he’ll come back …’ He paused. Jamie had been so distraught. And London was no place for a fourteen-year-old alone. ‘We’ll find him.’

  ‘I’ll ring the police,’ Kizzy said quickly, realising that Rosie was close to collapse. ‘You stay here with Mum, William.’

  Listening to Kizzy’s young, confident voice on the phone, Rosie sank down at the kitchen table. ‘What exactly did Jamie say?’

  ‘That you – ‘William stopped. ‘That you’re going out with Steven Casey. That Dad has got a girlfriend. That he hates everyone …’

  Rosie sighed. ‘Your father left home last night. This isn’t how I’d planned to tell you. And I didn’t tell Jamie – goodness knows how he found out …’ Her voice wavered. ‘But I’m definitely not having an affair with anybody.’

  ‘But Dad is?’ William’s voice was ragged with disbelief. ‘He’s left you? For someone else?’

  ‘Yes. She’s a partner in Brennan and Foulkes. He met her when he wanted financial advice.’

  William had walked to the kitchen window. The sea sparkled, sprinkled with diamonds. The sky was blue.

  He should have known.

  He turned to face his mother. ‘So where did Jamie get this business about you and Steven from?’

  ‘Goodness knows!’ Rosie felt a surge of anger. ‘Maybe he couldn’t believe that Leon was the guilty party – you know how he worships him. Maybe he wanted to make it my fault.’

  Kizzy came back into the kitchen. ‘The police are sending someone round. They’ll try to get an officer in London to intercept him when he gets off the coach. They’ll want a photo and details of what he was wearing. They said not to worry …’

  ‘Huh!’ Rosie pushed back her chair. ‘Of course I’ll worry! It’s all my fault – I should have explained things to him last night.’

  ‘We’ll explain things to him when he comes home,’ William assured her with a confidence he didn’t feel. ‘The important thing is to get him back.

  ‘Kizzy, put the kettle on, will you? I’ll be back in a moment.’

  He hurried out of the house and down the drive. Otis, practically filling the back seat of the Mini, barked a frantic greeting as Lisa wound down the window. ‘Is there anything I can do?’

  ‘I don’t think so.’ William slid into the front seat of the car beside her. ‘I think I’ll have to drive up to London and fetch the little blighter back. Mum doesn’t drive. And Dad has left home …’

  His words hung in mid-air.

  ‘Oh, William.’ Lisa reached for his and I can’t believe it! Your dad always seems so happy when I see him at the Nook.’

  ‘I don’t think it was Mum who was making him happy, though,’ William muttered. ‘Oh – blast him! Why did he have to do this? Mum looks like she’s dead on her feet, Kizzy’s behaving like a maiden aunt, and Jamie’s on his way to London! I hope Dad’s proud of himself!’

  ‘I’d be better out of the way,’ Lisa said quietly. ‘I’ll take Otis back to the animal sanctuary and go back to the bed and breakfast. I’ll ring you tonight.’

  ‘No!’ William turned to her and buried his face in her thick dark hair. ‘You’ll never be in the way. I want you to stay. More than ever now.’

  He gave a half-smile. ‘You can stop at the house with Kizzy while I take Mum to London. You’ll have to get to know the rest of the family sooner or later, although I’d have preferred it not to be in these circumstances.’

  He scrambled from the car again, lifting the carrycot from the back and grabbing Otis’s collar. ‘I love you, Lisa, remember that. So – are you ready to meet the family?’

  ‘Are you sure this is a good idea? Don’t you think your mother has enough problems? Maybe we should leave it until Jamie’s home and things are more settled with your dad …’

  ‘I don’t think there’s ever going to be a good time. Look, you can’t stay at that bed and breakfast place any longer. Please come in – really, you’ll be doing me a favour. I don’t want to leave Kizzy on her own while I tear off to London …’

  Rosie wandered round Steven’s shop, picking things up, looking at them, and putting them down distractedly.

  ‘… so I left them with Kizzy cooing over the baby and the dog eating biscuits on the patio. Oh, why hasn’t William come back! It shouldn’t take him this long to find Leon.’

  ‘Leon may not be at Felicity’s.’ Steven shook his head. ‘William won’t waste any more time than is necessary looking for him. Look, I’ll give Leon a message – you can ring here as soon as you reach London.’

  ‘Oh, this is a nightmare!’ Rosie rubbed her eyes. ‘This morning I thought – I really thought that now Leon had moved out, and once the children knew, life would return to some sort of normality. That I could face up to things and move on. And now this happens …’

  ‘It’s life.’ Steven moved across the shop, between the second-hand furniture and piles of books, and looked down at her. ‘Life has a habit of not running smoothly. So, the police th
ink it’s a good idea for you to go to London, do they?’

  ‘Sergeant Delaney said it was probably the only way. He was very kind. He says the London police will stop Jamie when he gets off the coach and hang onto him until we get there. Kizzy and Lisa are going to stay at home in case Jamie comes back or phones.’ She swallowed painfully. ‘Oh, Steven – he will be all right, won’t he?’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Steven drew her against him, almost afraid to touch her, but knowing that she desperately needed comfort and reassurance. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to London?’

  ‘I’d love you to. But if Jamie thinks that Leon left home because you and I were – you know … No, I don’t think it would be a good idea.’

  ‘No, probably not. I wonder what on earth made him think of it?’

  ‘Goodness knows!’ Her sigh was muffled against the musky warmth of his sweater. ‘I don’t think I know any of my children any more. Kizzy has behaved like an angel, when I was expecting tantrums and condemnation. Jamie has taken off to London. And William …’ She sucked in her breath. ‘William presents me with this pretty girl, a baby, and a huge lollopy dog, all of whom seem to form a major part of his life, and expects me to welcome them with open arms when I had no idea of their existence!’

  ‘But, despite being frantic about Jamie, devastated by Leon, and completely at sea generally, you welcomed them all with your smile and told them to treat Honeysuckle House as their home?’

  ‘Well – yes,’ she admitted. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Because I know you, Rosie Brodie.’ He tightened his arms about her.

  ‘You’ve got the biggest heart in the world.’

  ‘All the more to get broken,’ she retorted, drawing away from him as she realised just how much she was enjoying being in his arms. ‘Oh – listen!’

  The Mini screeched to a halt outside, scattering shingle.

  ‘Any luck?’ Steven called from the doorway.

  ‘No.’ William shook his head. ‘I went to the address you gave me for this Felicity Phelps, but there was no reply. Then I went to Brennan and Foulkes’s office, but it was all closed up. I even drove out to the Old Granary, but there’s no sign of him His phone’s switched off .’

  ‘I’ll keep trying,’ Steven said tersely. ‘I’ve got Felicity’s number. You get your mum up to London and find Jamie. I’ll look after things here.’

  ‘Thanks.’ William grinned. ‘I’d be grateful if you could check on Kizzy and Lisa, too – and tell Carl and Marcia they’ll probably have to run the Nook tonight. We’ve got a silver wedding party booked in.’

  ‘Leave it to me.’ Steven opened the passenger door for Rosie. ‘You just drive safely – I’ll take care of this end.’

  Rosie flashed a grateful smile at him as the Mini roared away across the shingle. William glanced at her curiously. ‘He’s a great bloke.’

  ‘Yes.’ Her voice was soft. ‘I know …’

  The road to London was heavy with traffic so that they seemed to take ages. Rosie’s stomach twisted itself in a knot of foreboding as awful images flashed through her mind. Suppose they were too late? Where would they start looking? And when night fell; what would Jamie do then?

  ‘Um … Lisa seems a nice girl.’ She turned to William, trying to take her mind from Jamie’s plight. ‘I hope I’ll see more of her – in happier circumstances. Goodness knows what she must think of us.’

  ‘Lisa understands.’ William threaded his way carefully through the traffic. ‘She’s had several knocks of her own. She certainly isn’t going to stand in judgment.’

  ‘And the baby? He’s gorgeous. Is – is she married?’

  ‘No.’ He cautiously overtook a swaying caravan. ‘I don’t know anything about her background. I met her at the Nook.’

  Rosie closed her eyes. The Nook. So much part of her life, and yet for months she had known nothing of what went on there.

  ‘Oh? Was she a regular customer?’

  ‘She’s a waitress.’ He grinned. ‘And if you want to know any more you’ll have to ask her.’

  ‘I’m not prying –’ she began hotly, then she caught the glint in his eye. ‘Stop teasing me. It’s natural for me to be curious. I’m your mother.’

  William smiled, greatly relieved that, for a while at least, the trauma over Jamie seemed to have slipped to the back of her mind.

  Rosie looked at her son. How like Leon he was! Charming, funny, teasing. If only it were Leon driving; if only things were different and she and Leon were heading up to London to see a show, or, more usually, to snoop round someone else’s restaurant.

  William turned off the motorway. ‘Nearly there.’

  Victoria Coach Station was buzzing with Saturday arrivals and departures. They hurried to the main office and soon a kindly official with a clipboard was leading them towards a uniformed policeman.

  ‘Mrs Brodie.’ The officer turned to Rosie. ‘We were just about to ring you. Your son – or at least, a boy answering his description – did board the coach at Dawley. Unfortunately he wasn’t on board when the coach reached Victoria. The coach made two stops before this one. We can only assume that he got off at one of those.’

  The Nook was crowded, but not full. The silver wedding party was in full swing, and the waiting staff seemed to be coping admirably.

  I’m not stopping,’ Leon began apologetically as he walked into the kitchen. ‘I just need a quick word with William.’

  ‘He’s not here.’ Carl stared at Leon in surprise. ‘Marcia and I had a call from Steven Casey saying neither you nor William would be in tonight. Some sort of family crisis, he said.’

  ‘What crisis?’ Leon frowned. ‘I’ve no idea. But surely you’ve seen them today?’

  ‘No – er – I’ve been out all day.’ Leon began to feel stirrings of panic. ‘I’ll ring Rosie and find out. Thanks for standing in tonight …’

  ‘No problem.’ Carl shrugged as Leon reached for the phone.

  The phone was answered as soon as it rang.

  ‘Kizzy? What’s wrong? Where’s your mother?’ He paused, listening, the colour draining from his face. ‘I’m on my way.’

  Slamming the phone down, he tore from the kitchen with no explanation, only adding to the speculation already bubbling amongst his staff.

  The lights from the house blazed across the front garden as he pulled into the drive. He’d never forgive himself if anything had happened to Jamie. How could he have thought that leaving Rosie for Felicity would be calmly accepted by his children? Had love made him so naive? But while he’d spent the day with Felicity, walking in the sunshine along Dawley’s cliffs, holding hands, laughing at nothing and everything, Jamie had run away.

  As the front door opened, Leon was suddenly aware of a throaty growl and a volley of barking. A huge black dog hurled itself on him, licking his face and his hands, its tail whirling like a rotor blade.

  Lisa appeared and grabbed Otis. ‘Sorry, Mr Brodie,’ but her words were drowned out by a sudden squall from Lewis, wakened by the commotion.

  Leon glanced towards the sitting room.

  ‘My son.’ Lisa was scarlet with embarrassment.

  ‘Dad!’ Kizzy appeared in the kitchen doorway.

  Leon looked at his white-faced daughter and his heart ached. What had he done to his family? ‘Kizzy, what’s going on?’

  ‘We’ll talk in the dining room,’ Kizzy said, sounding remote and cold.

  Leon followed his daughter, feeling as though he’d walked into some nightmare where normality evaded him. Dazed, he sat down at the table.

  ‘Kizzy, can you just please tell me what’s going on?’

  ‘Like you told me?’ She faced her father across the table. ‘Like you told us all about your girlfriend and how you couldn’t bear to be with us a moment longer? Like you told us how you had to walk out on Mum to be with someone else?’

  ‘Kizzy –’ Leon reached out to his daughter. ‘I know how you feel. And I should have told you. It’s
just … there wasn’t a right time. Just tell me – what’s happened to Jamie? Where’s Mum? And William?’

  ‘London.’ Kizzy swallowed, knowing her voice was trembling, trying to be strong. ‘Jamie caught a bus to London, to get away from all this – Mum and William have gone up there to find him.’

  A knot of fear tightened in Leon’s heart. ‘Where in London?’

  ‘Victoria. That’s where the bus was going. But he could be anywhere. He’s fourteen and alone in London, thanks to you. You make me sick, Dad! Don’t you know you belong here, with Mum?’

  ‘I – Kizzy, your mother understands –’

  ‘Understands that you love someone else more than her?’ She tugged at the tendrils of hair round her face. ‘And how do you think that makes her feel? She’ll take you back, Dad! She’ll forgive you.’

  Leon could feel the tears pricking the back of his eyes. ‘Kizzy, marriages end. People fall out of love. But I’ll never stop loving you, darling …’

  ‘Don’t you dare talk to me about love! Don’t you dare talk to me about anything. Just go up to London and bring Mum and Jamie back …’

  She turned away, her slender shoulders shaking, and Leon moved to hold her as she sobbed. How often in her life had he comforted her like this? Once she had welcomed his comfort. Now he felt her fighting against it.

  ‘I love you, Kizzy,’ he muttered against her hair. ‘You’re my daughter. My only daughter. You’ve always been special to me. Darling, don’t cry. Please don’t cry. It’ll be all right …’

  She tried to push him away. ‘Leave me alone. Go and find Jamie …’

  ‘And when I do, we’ll talk.’ He turned her tear-stained face to look at him. ‘Promise me, Kizzy? When I come back, we’ll talk?’

  She said nothing, and reluctantly Leon let her go.

  ‘Will you be all right on your own?’

  ‘Yes. Lisa’s here.’ She sniffed. ‘She’s staying the night.’

  ‘I didn’t know you knew each other.’

  ‘We didn’t. She’s William’s girlfriend. I thought you’d have known that – but I suppose you’ve had other things on your mind.’