Saving Willowbrook

by Anna Jacobs

  ‘I thought I’d made it plain that I don’t consider this a chance encounter.’

  ‘How can it be anything else? We barely know one another.’

  ‘There’s a simple remedy for that. I have all sorts of things to sort out, either online or by phone. If I stay here, we could spend the evenings together, maybe an occasional half day if you have the time. I’m not trying to rush you, but it seems so simple to me – and so right.’

  She stared at him, one hand across her mouth, afraid to speak in case she said yes.

  ‘You’ve been hurt, I know.’

  She nodded.

  ‘I won’t hurt you, Ella.’

  No one could promise that, she thought bleakly, even with the best will in the world.

  He gave her a hug and said into her hair. ‘I’m enjoying your company but you look exhausted. Go to bed now. I’ll see you in the morning.’

  After she’d locked the door on him, she watched through a window as he strolled away towards the chalets. He looked so relaxed, so attractive, and he hadn’t pressured her for more than she was willing to give. She liked that about him as well.

  But did she dare trust him? Or rather, did she dare trust her own judgement where men were concerned?

  When she went upstairs, she looked in on Amy and stood for a moment staring fondly down. She tucked the covers in more securely, picked up the book which had slid to the floor and went out, still thoughtful.

  It wasn’t just her who stood to be hurt, it was Amy. So she had to be doubly careful.

  But perhaps this man wouldn’t upset the child? He certainly spoke to her in a sensible, normal way, and Amy liked him.

  How did you tell for sure whether you could trust someone?

  Well, you couldn’t be sure of anything or anyone. Life was chancy at best. So she’d take it one day at a time, give him a chance.

  She went back out on to the landing and could have sworn she saw a shimmer at one corner. Was it Jane Turner, keeping watch on her descendants? At times Ella felt she could see a woman’s outline, even her face. At others, just a shimmer of light.

  Or was that too an illusion?

  Nine

  On Saturday morning Amy was grumpy from the minute she woke up.

  ‘What’s the matter with you today?’ Ella asked in exasperation, though she’d already guessed the reason.

  ‘I don’t want to see Daddy.’

  Ella was busy getting things ready for the guests and had no time to stop work and go over it all again. ‘We’ve talked about that, darling. You don’t have a choice. And it’s only for an hour or two.’

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move and turned to find Cameron at the door, just as her daughter spoke again.

  ‘Well, I’m not going to speak to him. I don’t care if he is my daddy, I don’t like him. He makes you cry.’

  Ella could feel herself blushing.

  ‘Good morning,’ Cameron said as if nothing was wrong, though he must have overheard.

  Amy looked at him unsmilingly, head slightly cocked, as if considering. ‘I wish you were my daddy, not him.’

  ‘He’s a lucky man to have a daughter like you.’

  Ella shot an embarrassed glance at Cameron, and he shrugged and gave her a quick half-smile, as if to say he understood.

  ‘I have to get on. I’ve set a table for one in the far corner.’

  ‘Perhaps this young lady would like to show me where?’

  Amy nodded and led the way, talking earnestly as he took his place. Ella wondered what they were saying, but then the toaster shot bread out and a timer pinged, so she turned back to dealing with breakfast.

  When Amy returned, she slumped down at the table, picking at her breakfast in silence, where normally she’d have been wolfing down food and chattering non-stop.

  Ella sighed and said nothing.

  Miles woke late. He’d allowed himself a night out and hadn’t got home till four o’clock, after meeting an old friend who’d invited him back to her place. He enjoyed her company and they shared a bed from time to time, satisfying their needs without the hassles of getting involved, which she wanted as little as he did.

  When he’d eaten, the phone rang. He glanced at the sender ID. ‘Hi, Mum.’ He chatted for three minutes, deemed that long enough for tact and asked her advice about what he should do with Amy that afternoon.

  ‘You’re going to see her?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Silence then, ‘I could come with you.’

  ‘Not this time, Mum, but it might be a good idea later, if I can persuade Ella to allow it.’

  ‘I don’t know why she’s so obstinate about letting me see Amy. It wasn’t me she divorced and you know how I’d love to see my granddaughter again now that I’m living in the UK permanently.’

  ‘Funny. I hadn’t got you picked for the grandmotherly type!’ He smiled at the mere thought of a successful, elegant businesswoman like Stephanie Parnell cuddling a child.

  ‘You’ve been too busy to have me picked for anything, Miles. I’m more or less retired now, you know, just doing the odd bit of work here and there.’

  ‘Well, you didn’t pay much attention to me when I was a lad, so I don’t know why you want to bother with Amy. She’s not your responsibility, after all.’ He heard her sigh but she didn’t answer that one. He might have known she’d make an issue of seeing his daughter. She’d always had a knack of doing exactly what you didn’t want.

  ‘Just give me some hints about what to do with her, Mum.’

  ‘That’d be easier if I knew her. Take a present with you. All children like getting presents. I’m out of touch with what seven-year-old girls want, but any decent toyshop would help you pick something out. As for talking, get her to talk about herself and what she does. Children enjoy doing that just as much as adults do.’

  He listened, jotted down a few notes and ended the call as quickly as he could without upsetting her.

  Feeling irritated, he went online and found where the nearest toyshop was, then went there. He wasn’t looking forward to this afternoon, not at all. What did he know about little girls? But this was the only way he could keep a close eye on Willowbrook and what Ella was doing.

  Surely if he went out of his way to charm her, one small girl wouldn’t be too hard to look after?

  He wondered how far Amy could walk now and if she still had that ugly rolling gait. He didn’t care what Ella or the specialists said, there was nothing like that in his side of the family.

  ‘Why is Amy so upset about her father coming?’ Cameron asked idly as he wiped some pans. He’d had a bit of difficulty persuading Ella to let him help clear up the kitchen after breakfast, but had refused to go away.

  He saw her worried expression as she looked out of the window at her daughter, who was sitting on a bench talking away to her teddy. ‘Her father hasn’t been to see her since he left three years ago.’

  He whistled. ‘Not a doting parent, then.’

  ‘No. He wasn’t good with Amy before we split up, either. I daren’t try to stop him seeing her, because fathers have rights, but she says she’s not going to speak to him and that child can be very determined once she’s set her mind on something.’

  He grinned and picked up another pan. ‘I believe you. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when they’re together. What time is he coming?’

  ‘This afternoon around two. I’ve told him they’re to stay here at the farm until she’s more used to him.’

  ‘Will he do that?’

  ‘He’d better.’

  ‘So there’s no hope of me tempting you and your daughter out for a drive later, then.’

  ‘I’d not be able to go out on a Saturday, anyway. It’s the day guests are most likely to turn up. We’re on a main tourist route here, which is very useful. In the summer we get plenty of drop-ins.’ She hesitated before adding, ‘Another time, maybe. Amy would love a ride in your car.’

  ‘What about Amy’s mother?’ />
  ‘She’d like it too.’

  Their glances tangled and caught. He loved the way she’d blushed. She seemed so open, not a sneaky bone in her body. It pleased him that it took her a few moments to answer calmly. He liked to see her reacting to him, because he certainly kept reacting to her. And not just physically. For a moment neither spoke, then he said lightly, ‘It’s quite a tying job, isn’t it, letting out chalets?’

  ‘Especially in the summer. But it fits in well with raising a young child, so I don’t mind.’

  He saw her expression soften as she glanced again towards Amy, who was now busy with a sketch pad and some coloured pencils, the teddy still sitting beside her on the bench, still the recipient of her confidences.

  He followed her glance. It was clear how much she loved her daughter. ‘If I can’t tempt you out, I think I’ll go and have a look at a property I’ve heard about near Marlborough.’

  Her attention was suddenly back on him, her mouth open in shock. ‘You’re thinking of buying a place in Wiltshire?’

  ‘Yes. I like it here. And I’m only considering buying a place here at this stage. I’m not sure where I want to settle yet, but I have to start looking somewhere, and my first impressions of Wiltshire are very positive. The property I’ve heard about isn’t on the market officially yet, but a friend recommended this local guy who’s handling it.’

  ‘Who is it?’

  ‘His name’s Julian Walkley.’

  ‘I’ve heard of him. He’s well thought of.’

  ‘Good. Sounds like I’ve got the right guy, then.’

  Cameron spent the rest of the morning helping her, refusing to take no for an answer, amazed at how much work she got through in a day and rather worried by how tired she was looking. She did too much. Far too much.

  He accepted her offer of lunch in return for his help, but her mind was clearly on other things, probably her ex’s visit, and although she sat opposite him, she hardly said a word.

  After that he got ready to go out. There was a property to see, he hadn’t been lying about that, but he hadn’t intended to bother viewing it yet. He definitely wasn’t at the stage of buying a permanent home. But house hunting would give him a good excuse for staying in the neighbourhood. And also for getting away today.

  He didn’t want Parnell to see him and say something to Ella about him being associated with DevRaCom, which he wasn’t now. He’d explain the situation to her when he could make her sit still for more than five minutes.

  He stared out of the window towards the farm, saw her come out to sit next to Amy and felt a warmth at the mere sight of them. More than a warmth. You couldn’t fall for a woman so quickly. It didn’t make sense.

  But he had done. Coming back after his visit to London, he’d seen her and felt his spirits lift at once.

  He even liked her daughter. Well, who wouldn’t? What a great kid Amy was!

  He wasn’t going away till he’d given this a chance.

  Oliver went into the surgery on the Saturday morning to find a painting hanging on the wall of his consulting room. It was a view of north Wiltshire seen from a slight elevation, with a solitary bird wheeling overhead. It made him feel as if he could go walking across that wonderful space. It made the whole office feel . . . better . . . less closed in.

  He stared at it in amazement. No doubt about who had painted it. How did Rose know him so well?

  He was about to nip upstairs to thank her, when the buzzer went.

  ‘Doctor Paige, there’s a woman out here who’s cut herself rather badly.’

  Now that he could deal with.

  Miles didn’t arrive at Willowbrook till three o’clock, by which time Ella was angry that he hadn’t bothered to let her know he’d been delayed. She’d seen Amy come in several times to look at the kitchen clock, then trail out again, shoulders drooping.

  When she went to look for her daughter, she found that Amy had vanished, wasn’t outside, in the bedroom or anywhere in the house. Uh-oh!

  Miles got out of the car, brandishing a big bouquet of flowers.

  Ella didn’t go out to greet him, but waited for him to come and knock on the back door – twice.

  Reluctantly she went to open it then and he thrust the bouquet into her hands. She thrust it straight back. ‘I don’t want it. You can put these in your chalet. I’ll bring you a vase. Then you can take them back to London with you.’

  For a moment his expression turned ugly, then he forced a smile.

  Anyone who didn’t know him might have thought it was genuine. She wasn’t fooled.

  ‘Can’t we let bygones be bygones, Ella?’

  ‘Anything between us is long gone, if that’s what you mean. You’re in the nearest chalet. It’s open. You can come back for Amy after you’ve settled in – unless you’ve changed your mind about staying?’

  ‘I’ve not changed my mind. You and I need to talk.’

  He waited for her to answer so she gave him a glassy, uncomprehending stare, one she’d perfected for dealing with awkward clients.

  ‘Amy’s playing somewhere. I’ll go and find her.’

  Cameron was surprised at how late Parnell was. He wanted to see the fellow arrive, so he waited, ringing to tell Walkley he was running late. He stayed out of sight inside his own chalet, from where he could hear cars coming.

  When he heard the sound of a motor, he couldn’t resist going out to have a look. From behind the corner of another chalet he saw a showy BMW come down the side of the house. He watched Parnell get out, spend a moment or two staring round, then walk into the kitchen with a big bouquet.

  There was no sign of Amy or the teddy now, but the drawing materials were still lying on the bench.

  A short time later Parnell returned, still carrying the bouquet, which he hurled into the back of the car. He drove round the side of the barn, which took him out of Cameron’s sight for a few moments. Hell, he wasn’t going to be next door, was he? That’d be very awkward. Cameron slipped back into his own chalet. To his relief, Parnell stopped at the building nearest the house.

  He watched the fellow take out a small suitcase and laptop, turning after he’d locked the car to scowl at the groups of chalets. The flowers must still be inside the vehicle.

  Cameron grinned suddenly. Had that expensive bouquet been intended to soften up Ella? Even after a short acquaintance, he knew she wasn’t the sort to be taken in by empty gestures like that from a man who’d hurt her and neglected their daughter for years.

  From here he could see the upper floors of the farm. A face appeared at an upstairs window. It must be Ella. She seemed to be looking for something outside. Something or someone? Amy!

  He’d better get going, Cameron decided. He was already late for his appointment to view the house. He’d moved his convertible so that he could get into it without being seen if he bent down behind the bushes as he crossed to it from the chalet. He felt a fool doing this and hoped Ella hadn’t seen him.

  As he eased the car round the side track, he saw Ella dragging a reluctant Amy back to the house. He couldn’t help grinning. He’d bet a lot of money that child was going to be very uncooperative today. He’d place an equally large bet on Parnell having little if any experience of dealing with young children.

  Ella found Amy in the barn, but had to speak very sternly to get her back to the house. She washed Amy’s hands and face and bent down to give her a hug. ‘Be a good girl, darling. It’s only for a couple of hours.’

  They waited for Miles to come to the house and when he didn’t, Ella debated briefly whether to leave him where he was till he realized he needed to get his daughter. But the waiting was so fraught in the end she took a scowling Amy to him and knocked on the chalet door. ‘Here she is.’

  Miles gave the child one of his best smiles. ‘How nice to see you. Come in.’

  Amy stayed where she was, lower lip jutting. ‘Don’t want to.’

  ‘I have a present for you.’

  She gave him a long star
e, a curiously adult look that assessed him and found him wanting. ‘Don’t want it.’

  He looked helplessly at Ella.

  ‘I did my best. You can lead a horse to water . . .’

  ‘Come in, both of you.’

  ‘I have the evening meal to prepare. If you bring Amy back to the house at five, she can have her tea before the guests.’

  ‘Where will we be eating?’

  ‘You will be eating in the conservatory. I shall be working. I have guests coming who spend the weekend here regularly and I always make them a meal. And there may be some drop-ins. It’s that time of year.’

  ‘We could eat our meals later?’ he offered.

  She was tempted to echo her daughter and say, ‘Don’t want to,’ but contented herself by repeating that she would be too busy then clearing up.

  ‘What’s the point of my staying if we can’t talk?’ His voice had that edge she recognized all too well. He was angry but trying not to let it out.

  ‘I’ve nothing to say to you. And you were never any good at listening. All you’re good at is talking about yourself and your needs.’ She noticed Amy watching her closely and wished she’d bitten her tongue on those words.

  Giving her daughter a quick hug, she murmured, ‘Be good!’ then turned and walked away.

  Miles stared down at the sullen child. What had Ella been saying to her? He tried to speak gently. ‘Come in and look at your present. If you don’t like it, I can change it for something you do like.’

  She stared at him, her expression not changing. He waited but she didn’t move.

  Exasperated, he took her hand and pulled her inside, but she shook him off and didn’t sit down till he propelled her forward and pressed her into a chair.

  When he put the present into her lap, she folded her arms and let it slide off.

  ‘Don’t be st—silly! It’s a present.’

  ‘I don’t want a present from you.’

  ‘What has your mother been saying to you?’

  ‘She says I have to talk to you, but I don’t want to.’ She paused to glare at him. ‘And you don’t want to talk to me, neither. You don’t look at me nice.’

  After that, she refused to answer his questions and when he unwrapped the present the shop had assured him she’d love, she barely glanced at it.