‘Nonsense!’ Mick was adamant. ‘Sally and I always deal with everything together. So, who are you, and what’s the purpose of your visit here?’
Miss Martin first verified that he was the right person. She checked his name, recent addresses, and ran through the information she’d collated. When he asked light-heartedly if she’d come to tell him he’d been left a deal of money by an aged unknown relative, she chuckled. ‘No, nothing like that, I’m afraid.’
She informed him of her name and her work, and both Sally and Mick were taken aback. Why would someone in charge of a children’s home be coming to see Mick? Sally was unsettled by the information.
Mick, too, was irritated. ‘Why in God’s name would you be wanting to speak with me?’ he asked impatiently. ‘Where do I fit into all that?’
Miss Martin drew out a sheaf of details. ‘Firstly, let me tell you that there is no certainty in anything I have to say, or show you. Like I say, it’s a difficult situation.’ She glanced at Sally, who was now on the edge of her seat and thinking the worst.
Miss Martin went on: ‘We’re here simply to determine whether or not this has anything to do with you, or means nothing at all to you. In the latter case I beg your forgiveness, and I’ll be on my way.’
Sally was growing increasingly nervous. ‘What have you to say?’
And so, she told them about Adam, and how her enquiries had brought her here, to their home.
She informed them of what she knew of his mother, while carefully withholding her name.
‘His mother was a lovely lady, but she married a monster, and that monster hurt her so badly that she died. The husband was arrested and is now safely locked away. With his father secure in prison and his mother buried, young Adam became an orphan and was subsequently brought to my children’s home. He is now with foster parents.’
Sally was intrigued. She felt for the boy, Adam, but wanted to know, ‘What has all this to do with us?’
‘Please, I’m getting to that.’ Miss Martin went on: ‘Adam has his mother’s gentle nature, and though he appeared to be content with his new foster parents, the daughter resented him being there and there was a disagreement. Adam ran away, and despite everyone’s efforts to find him, he has not been seen since. And of course we are all deeply concerned for his safety.’
She took out Adam’s birth certificate and held it out to Michael. ‘Does this tell you anything at all?’
He took the certificate and as he ran his eyes over the page, he took in a great gasp of breath.
‘What is it?’ Sally leaned over to see. ‘What’s wrong, Mick?’ She saw the blood drain from his face, and her heart turned over. ‘MICK! TELL ME! Please?’
He handed her the certificate and while she perused the details, he paced the floor, saying not a word, but looking as though his world had fallen apart. ‘I knew her,’ he said quietly. ‘The boy’s mother … I knew her.’
Sally flung the certificate onto the couch. ‘What are you trying to tell me, Mick? What has this boy to do with you?’
Suddenly he had her by the shoulders. ‘Please! Listen to me, sweetheart … it was a long time ago. It was before I met you. It was a fling, that’s all. A young man’s fling, and it meant nothing to me. It was one night, and I never saw her again.’
‘So … what are you saying to me?’ She had an idea, but dared not say it out loud.
When Mick looked at her, he realised that one way or another, their lives were about to change, and he prayed he would not lose this woman, who he loved with all his heart. With tears in his eyes, he explained, ‘The boy’s birth-date … he could be mine. I can’t know for certain, but it all tallies.’ The tears flowed shamelessly. ‘Oh, sweetheart! I’m saying … that boy could be my son!’
When Sally turned away and ran to the bedroom, he sat for a while on the chair, his head in his hands and his mind in pieces.
‘You need to see something else.’ Miss Martin gave him the tiny note Adam’s mother had written, and as he read it, she told him, ‘I don’t think there is any doubt, do you?’
When he sank down into the chair, she knew it was time for her to leave. ‘I’m leaving my contact numbers here,’ she told him. ‘Whether you get in touch is now up to you.’ Lowering her voice, she told him, ‘I can see now … you did not abandon her. You just didn’t know … did you?’
When he looked up, he seemed a man devastated.
‘Go to your wife,’ she murmured. ‘Anyone can see that you and she are devoted to each other. You have a lovely relationship … strong enough to come through this, I’m sure. But right now she needs you, more than ever.’
She told him, ‘Whichever way you decide, I would be grateful if you let me know … for Adam’s sake.’
Through his tears he asked, ‘The boy … you said he was missing. Will he be safe, do you think?’
She nodded. ‘He has many friends, people who love him dearly. And we won’t rest until we find him.’
He gave a little smile. ‘I’d best go and talk with Sally.’
‘Yes, I think you should.’
She left copies of all the information she had collated. Then she let herself out.
Late the same evening, Jim and Liz sat talking together.
‘Jim, are we wrong in not trying to contact this Michael Slater?’
Jim poured out two glasses of wine, and passed one to Liz. ‘No. It has to be Adam’s decision. That aside, I’ve been thinking.’ He took a sip of wine and placed the glass on the side table. ‘The last letter Phil got was from Dorset. Oh, I know it’s a long shot, but what if I went down there and drove about for a while? You never know, I might just catch sight of him.’
‘Look, I’m just as desperate to have him home as you are, but Dorset covers many miles,’ Liz reasoned with him. ‘How could you even hope to get a sight of him? He could be anywhere. In fact, by the time you got into Dorset, he could well have moved out of the area.’
‘Yes, you’re right.’ Jim let out a long sigh. ‘I just worry about him … what he’s doing … who he’s with, and why won’t he come home?’
Liz quietly reminded him, ‘He went away thinking Alice doesn’t want him here. That’s maybe why.’
Jim had no answer to that.
‘Jim?’ Liz knew how concerned he was.
Jim looked up. ‘Yes, sweetheart?’
‘If you could get time off work, and you really want to go and look for Adam, I’d be right behind you. You do know that, don’t you?’
Jim came to sit on the arm of her chair. ‘I do know that.’ He slid an arm round her shoulders. ‘I also know how lucky I am to have a wife like you.’
They talked for a while and when they were weary of talk and weary of worrying, they went off to their bed.
Another day was ended.
Another day when Adam continued to weigh heavy on their minds.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
IT WAS SATURDAY, and the work was almost over. In the relatively short time he had been here, Adam had become accustomed to the noise, colour and excitement of a day working on a fairground. His particular training had been on the waltzer. One of the main attractions, the waltzer consisted of a wide ring of large metal chairs, which spun madly round on their own axles as the machine rotated at great speed. The riders would scream and laugh, as they were thrown every which way, out of control. Adam’s job was to collect the money and keep an eye out for anyone who might want to exit early.
His working day was long and hard, but he enjoyed the independence and freedom of having a reasonable wage at the end of the week, and a place to stay, however humble it might be.
Now, as the last ride finished, he noticed the boss heading towards him. Jack Langdon was a man of some considerable size, a kindly but firm man who was well liked by the workers. He ruled his large, nomadic family with a mixture of sternness and humour; the one exception being his second wife, who had an acid tongue, and a delight in seeing men fight amongst themselves.
Ap
art from Adam, and another, older, man, all the fairground workers were of the Langdon family. Following long and often dubious traditions, the family were close knit and fiercely independent. Occasionally flirting on the wrong side of the law, they answered to no one, and on the first sign of interference into their cherished way of life, they would swiftly move on.
When Adam came looking for work, they did not ask his age or situation. Instead, the boss-man gave him the once-over and, satisfied that this boy looked well capable of doing the job, he was given a month’s trial period.
In return, Adam worked hard and long. He kept himself to himself, and made no ripples. At the end of the month, he was taken on for another month and then longer, until now he was just a stride away from his fifteenth birthday.
In the evening, after everyone and everything was accounted for, Jack supervised the securing of the stalls and rides for the night.
One of Adam’s late duties before settling into his tiny caravan was to feed and groom the two riding horses belonging to the boss-man. Jack Langdon was an accomplished rider, and the horses were his pride and joy. Everywhere Jack went, the horses went with him, being drawn behind the convoy, in a smart, motor-driven horsebox.
Today, while Adam made his way to the stables, Jack embarked on his regular check: making sure nothing had been missed and that every ride and stall was safely locked down for the night.
From the main caravan window, the girl watched as Adam made the trek towards the portable, makeshift stables. Built from large wooden panels and securely bolted to the ground, the stables were sturdy and warm, with two doors that swung to and kept the horses safe. Inside, the earthy ground was dressed with a thick layer of straw for the horses to lie on.
When moving on, the stables would be taken up and packed onto the wagon, ready for the next stop.
While she watched Adam, her grandmother watched Amy. She had always thought the girl was far too pretty. Small of face, with her sleek black hair and sea-green eyes, she was a magnet for any man, even at sixteen years old.
‘Amy! What are you doing looking out the window?’ The shrill voice of Maggie Langdon startled the girl. ‘I hope you’re not fawning over that boy … because if you are you’d better forget it. I’ve told your grandfather he should send the bugger on his way, and the sooner the better. So if you’re planning to throw yourself at that boy, you’d best think again, ’cause we don’t want no little bastards running about here!’
Amy shrank away from the window. ‘That’s a dreadful thing to say!’
Like many members of the family, Amy had no liking for her grandfather’s wife. ‘I wasn’t looking at Adam,’ she lied. ‘I wasn’t looking at anything in particular.’ Amy had learned long ago that however hard she tried to please this bad-tempered woman, nothing she did would ever be enough.
The older woman would not let it go. A small creature with birdlike features, she poked the girl in the chest. ‘Little liar! I’ve seen the way you fawn over him. You’re turning into a slut, just like your mother. You’ve got the look of her, and the same appetite for men. If you ask me, you’re getting to be a handful. No wonder she ran off and left you. I must have been crazy to let your grandfather take you on; especially when we’ve already raised our own children.’
When Amy tried to defend herself, Maggie shouted over her, ‘Don’t lie to me! I saw you gawping at that boy the first day your grandfather gave him work. I warned him not to take him on, but what did he do, eh? He went against me, that’s what – like he always does. And now it’s only a matter of time before that boy proves me right. He’s a lazy article and a waste of space.’
Amy was used to her grandmother’s spiteful tirades, and normally she would just walk away. This time, though, she was not only hurt by her grandmother’s cruel remarks regarding her and her mother, but she felt the need to speak up for Adam. ‘You’re wrong, Grandma! Adam is not useless. He works hard. He doesn’t steal, and he doesn’t fight, not like the others. Grandfather says he’s doing really well.’
‘Huh! He does, does he? Well, more fool him! It wouldn’t surprise me if that little devil hasn’t already dipped his hand into the money-bag. Your grandfather’s too soft. Too trusting. If this was my business, I’d run it the way it should be run. Unfortunately, it was handed down to your grandfather long before I met him, so he thinks he knows best. If he’d listened to me he would never have taken that boy on … same as I never would have taken you on, if that silly old fool hadn’t kicked up the divil of a fuss.’
‘I never asked you to take me on.’ Amy was always hurt by that particular comment. ‘It wasn’t my choice to stay here with you.’
‘Maybe it wasn’t, but I had no choice either. I certainly didn’t want a bawling kid round my backside … not again. But your grandfather has no backbone. He insisted you stay with us, and no matter what I said I could not change his mind. Anyway, you’re coming up seventeen. It’s almost time for you to take off in the big wide world and make your own living. Oh, but why should you, eh? When you’ve got it so cushy here.’
Tutting and ranting, she stomped to the bedroom, where she could be heard slamming and banging about.
Within minutes, she was back. ‘That boy … what did you say about him fighting?’
Amy thought back. ‘I said he would never fight, not like the others.’
For the longest moment, the old woman remained silent; and then she was chuckling. ‘There you are then. So, he’s a coward into the bargain.’
‘I never said that, and he’s not a coward. Anyway, I’m glad he doesn’t fight. He’s a decent boy, not like the ones Granddad had to get rid of.’
‘Oh, decent is he? Well, if I know anything, it’s that the boy will show his true colours soon enough.’ With that she went away and shut herself in the bedroom.
Amy took the opportunity to sneak out.
Once she was free of the caravan, she took to her heels and ran to the stables, where she looked through the door to see Adam gently stroking the long neck of one of the horses. She could hear Adam softly talking to him.
‘You’re a real beauty,’ he was saying. ‘It’s no wonder Mr Langdon wants you everywhere with him.’
He dropped his voice to a whisper. ‘Whenever that wicked old woman has a go at him, at least he’s got the two of you to come and be with.’ Nuzzling up to the horse, he continued to whisper, and as though understanding, the horse rested his head on Adam’s shoulder.
This was always Adam’s favourite time of day, when his ordinary day’s work was done and he came out here. Trusting and friendly, the horses settled his fears and warmed his heart, and he was glad that Langdon had trusted him with such a special task, because settling the horse for the night also settled him.
Their gentle natures reached him deep inside, where no one else could, except for his darling mother, and, like her, these magnificent horses seemed to know when he was sad and lonely and needed reassurance.
Taking the brush, he ran it over the horse’s mane. ‘You and your pal are lucky to have each other. I have a special friend too. His name’s Phil. I haven’t seen him in a while, though, but I send him a note whenever I can to let him know I’m all right, and to say that he’s not to worry.’
Thinking of Phil made him think of Alice and the family, and as always the sadness crept over him. ‘I ran away,’ he whispered, ‘so now I have to pretend I’m older than I really am. I can’t wait until I’m sixteen, when I’ll be free to go and see Phil and the others.’
That particular birthday could not come soon enough for him, because he so wanted to see his dear friend. Phil had been with him through all his trials, and Adam sorely missed him.
Listening from outside, Amy was surprised to hear that he’d run away, and that he was not yet sixteen, and now she was unsure whether or not she should make her presence known. Wanting to be with him, she pushed everything she’d heard to the back of her mind, and stepped back a few paces, calling his name as though she had just a
rrived.
‘Adam … it’s me … Amy.’ She shuffled her feet as though she was coming along the path, and when she got to the door, she stood outside looking in. ‘Grandmother’s off on one of her rampages, so I thought it best to get out of her way.’
‘Hello, Amy.’ Adam was pleased to see her. ‘I’m just finishing off here,’ he said. ‘Come in, if you want.’ He hoped she would, because he really liked her.
Amy went inside. ‘You really love these horses, don’t you, Adam?’ Reaching out, she stroked the neck of the stallion. ‘They seem to trust you, and you’re so natural and easy with them. Did you ever have a horse, Adam?’ she asked.
‘No.’ Visions of his father dampened his spirit. ‘My father would never have approved.’
‘Oh, that’s a shame.’ Noting the bitterness when he spoke of his father, she wisely changed the subject. ‘So, did you never have a pet?’
‘I once had a cat, but my friend Phil has a dog, and we used to take it on long walks through the woods.’ He cautioned himself not to talk about anything connected to his background. ‘But that was a while ago now.’ He made an effort to close that particular subject.
Amy sensed his concern and changed tack. ‘Do you like it here, Adam?’
Adam’s face lit up. ‘Oh, yes, I really do. I’m earning money and I’m kept busy, and, oh, I do love to be with the horses.’
Amy smiled. ‘Did you know that, apart from me, you’re the only person grandfather allows to be in here, with his precious horses?’
‘Really?’ Adam felt a surge of pride. ‘He never said.’
‘Ah, well, I’m telling you now. These horses are his pride and joy. He bred them, raised them, broke and backed them, and they’ve both won him championships.’
Adam was in awe. ‘Wow! No wonder he doesn’t want anyone else near them. But why does he trust me to feed and bed them? I mean … I know nothing about horses.’
Amy smiled. ‘You don’t have to know anything about horses,’ she explained, ‘because the horses will know whether or not you’re safe to be with. I was ten years old when Grandfather first took me to see these horses, and I remember when I stroked this stallion I was really nervous. But he stood tall and let me stroke him, and he even nuzzled me. I was not afraid after that. Granddad told me that a horse has a sense about you. On first meeting, he’ll either back off and refuse to come to you, or he’ll let you touch him. If he responds like that, it means he feels safe with you, and that you would never harm him.’
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