Stormy Weather at Castle Court

by Holly Hepburn

  ‘I don’t know what else to suggest,’ Clare replied helplessly. ‘Sorry.’

  Cat waved the apology away. ‘It’s not your fault. We’ll just have to hope that it eases off soon.’

  As one, they all gazed at the heavy skies.

  ‘Come on,’ Cat said, water splashing over her feet. ‘Let’s get this door shut. We don’t stand a chance without it.’

  Sadie sighed, her expression doubtful. ‘To be honest, I don’t think we stand a chance anyway.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ Cat said, unwilling to let go of her optimism that this was just a temporary setback. ‘Now, everyone get behind it and push!’

  With their combined strength, the four women managed to wedge the door into its frame, although Cat suspected it would burst free again at any moment.

  ‘Er – you don’t think we should perhaps be on the other side?’ Sadie said as water began to hiss through the gaps again.

  ‘I don’t think we’re in much danger,’ Cat said. ‘But I am worried about the stock – the dampness in the air will affect the biscuits. Let’s take Jaren’s advice and use paper to stop the water.’

  ‘There’s plenty of kitchen roll downstairs,’ Delilah said. ‘I’ll get it.’

  ‘No, let me,’ Cat said, before the older woman could move. ‘The stairs are wet, they’re probably slippery.’

  She navigated the treacherous staircase, gripping the bannister in case her feet flew out from beneath her. Squinting through the gloom, she was relieved to see that the floor of the basement was wet but not flooded, and there didn’t seem to be any water dripping through the ceiling. Yet. She opened one of the cupboards, pulling out as many industrial-sized kitchen rolls as she could find, and was just about to start back up the stairs when she heard an almighty crash and the tinkling of broken glass. It was followed by a startled scream and the unmistakeable sound of surging water.

  ‘Watch out, Cat!’ Sadie bellowed.

  Cat looked up to see a frothing, dirty river pouring down the stairs. She leapt backwards, flattening herself against the wall and thrusting the kitchen roll over her head as the flood washed over her knees. The water pressure was incredible, she thought, pressing hard against the cool plaster and fighting to keep her balance. And then she felt cold raining down on her head too; when she glanced upwards, she saw water cascading through the bannister and seeping through the light fittings across the basement ceiling. Fat drips bounced off the tables and kitchen work surfaces, splashing onto the floor to join the rest of the flood, and Cat felt her heart plummet. It would definitely take more than a few days to sort this mess out.

  Shoulders sagging in defeat, she waited until the deluge from the stairs died down and then trudged upwards. ‘Everyone out,’ she commanded. ‘There’s nothing we can do here until the rain stops.’

  Jaren Smit, the owner of the Dutch pancake house, appeared in the doorway, his dark hair plastered against his head. ‘Is everyone okay?’ he asked, eyeing the shattered window panel in the door. ‘I saw what happened.’

  ‘We’re fine,’ Cat said, her tone terse. ‘Smart Cookies isn’t.’

  Jaren’s eyes widened as he took in the water streaming down the stairs. ‘No, I can see that.’

  ‘We should go,’ Sadie said, glancing at the boxes piled high on the counter. ‘Why don’t we take what stock we can carry? Some of it might be fine and I’m sure we can find somewhere dry to store it.’

  ‘Bring it over to Let’s Go Dutch,’ Jaren said instantly. ‘Hang on, I’ll round up some helpers – we’ll form a human chain.’

  Cat ushered the others out into the deserted Court. Moments later, Jaren was back, followed by the staff from the pancake house and what looked like several customers. Some held umbrellas, others had their hoods up, making Cat wish she’d thought to grab their own coats; it couldn’t be good for Delilah to get a soaking at her age. Their handbags were downstairs too, containing car keys, phones and purses. There was no doubt about it – she needed to go back in.

  ‘Sadie, you handle the stock rescue,’ Cat said, just as Andrew and Earl, the American team who ran the Bus Stop diner, hurried over. ‘I’m going to grab our things before the water gets any higher.’

  She didn’t wait for Sadie to answer. At the bottom of the stairs, she let out a horrified gasp as she peered through the murky shadows. The water level was a quarter of the way up the walls; the chairs around the trestle tables were floating, along with various biscuit cutters and piping bags. Rain was now pouring through the ceiling and the white plaster had turned an ugly grey colour. Taking a deep breath, Cat plunged into the water, gasping again as the cold bit into her thighs. She waded slowly towards the cupboard where they kept their personal belongings, thankful it was currently above the level of the flood. All four handbags were still dry; Cat slung two over each shoulder before turning towards the tall cupboard where they stored their coats. Opening it was going to be a problem, she realised immediately; the door went down to ground level. She’d have to battle against the weight of the water to get to the coats hanging within.

  Bracing herself, she grabbed the handle and pulled. The door didn’t move. She pulled again, determined to get it open. It gave the tiniest bit. Cat put all her strength into it and managed to wedge an arm through to touch the fabric inside. But no sooner had she wound her fingers into the material than there was a gritty tearing sound from over her head. She looked up to see the plaster above her sag into an enormous round bubble. And then it burst.

  Cat threw her free arm up over her head as the ceiling came down and everything went dark.

  Chapter Two

  ‘Cat!’

  The voice seemed far away and close by at the same time. Cat shook her head groggily, and then winced at the sharp pain that shot across her skull. She was freezing cold too, lying half propped up against the cupboards and up to her chest in water. One arm was suspended above her head, still wedged in the cupboard door; that ached too. And the water around her was filled with chunks of plaster; when she looked up, she could see rays of light amongst the flood that continued to pour through the floorboards above. There was no ceiling left at all.

  A figure loomed into view at the bottom of the stairs. Cat tried to get up and fell back down with a loud splash that filled her mouth with water. ‘Over here,’ she coughed, spitting the grit-filled liquid out with a shudder. ‘I’m here!’

  The figure turned and waded towards her. ‘Where are you? Are you hurt?’

  Cat squinted in the semi-darkness. ‘I think I’ve hit my head. It hurts, anyway.’

  Jaren’s concerned face swam into focus and immediately recoiled. ‘Shit!’ he exclaimed, staring at her. ‘You look awful.’

  Cat almost laughed. She reached up a shaky hand to touch her head. Her fingers came away covered in blood. ‘I don’t feel great,’ she admitted. ‘I think I ate some plaster.’

  Jaren didn’t smile. ‘How many fingers am I holding up?’

  Cat peered at his hand. ‘Three. No, four.’

  He shook his head. ‘We need to get you to hospital.’ He gave the water cascading through the sodden floorboards a worried look. ‘Can you walk? I don’t trust that ceiling.’

  Experimentally, Cat twitched her legs. They were cold but seemed to move. ‘I think so. But my arm is trapped in the cupboard.’

  ‘I might be able to free that,’ Jaren said, studying the tall wooden door. ‘But you’re sitting at a really funny angle and your arm is twisted. Have you injured that too?’

  She tried to wiggle her fingers. ‘Maybe.’ Her head swam and Jaren’s face grew fuzzy. She clenched her free fist and fought to cling onto consciousness. ‘I can’t feel very much.’

  ‘We can’t risk staying here. Hold onto me,’ Jaren instructed. ‘I’m opening the door now.’

  Cat felt the wood give and her arm slithered down to land in the water with a splash. She gripped onto Jaren as black dots exploded behind her eyes and greyness filled the spaces in between. ‘I think I’m going
to . . .’ she mumbled as he stood, sweeping her into his arms.

  ‘I’ve got you,’ he said, as she slipped into unconsciousness once more.

  *

  When Cat came to again, she was in an ambulance and wearing an oxygen mask. A kind face smiled down at her.

  ‘There you are,’ the female paramedic said. ‘Don’t try to move – you’re safe now.’

  Blinking, Cat’s gaze swivelled to the side and found Sadie watching her with a pinched, worried expression. ‘Oh, thank God you’re awake.’

  The paramedic lifted the mask so Cat could speak. ‘I am,’ she said slowly. ‘What happened?’

  Sadie looked even more concerned. ‘There was a flash flood at the shop, remember? The ceiling fell in while you were in the basement.’

  Cat closed her eyes, trying to piece things together. It had been dark and wet, she recalled. And there’d been blood. ‘I hit my head,’ she murmured.

  ‘That’s right,’ the paramedic said. ‘You’ve got a nasty cut and we think you fell, so we’ve put you in a neck brace as a precaution. The good news is that I haven’t found any obvious broken bones but we’re taking you to hospital to make sure.’

  That explained the strange pressure around her throat and under her chin, Cat thought groggily.

  ‘I’m Nina, by the way, and my colleague, Doug, is driving us. Now,’ the paramedic went on, ‘do you think you feel up to answering a couple of questions? Nothing too difficult, we’re not talking Mastermind.’

  ‘Okay,’ Cat said, her gaze flickering briefly to Sadie’s troubled face.

  ‘Good. I’m just going to shine a light in your eyes, so I can check how you’re doing, and then we’ll get started.’

  Cat tried not to squint as Nina shone a thin beam first in one eye, then the other. She snapped off the light, apparently satisfied. ‘Right, can you tell me what day it is?’

  ‘Saturday,’ Cat said after a moment’s hesitation. It was Saturday, wasn’t it? The last one before Easter . . .

  ‘Good,’ Nina said. ‘And the year?’

  ‘2018,’ Cat replied, feeling on steadier ground.

  Once again, Nina looked pleased. ‘And lastly, I realise these are uncertain times but who is our current Prime Minister?’

  Cat managed a half smile as she gave her answer. ‘But ask me again next week and you might get a different reply.’

  The paramedic smiled as she checked Cat’s blood pressure. ‘It certainly makes our job harder – sometimes, I can’t tell whether a patient is confused or just not up-to-date with the latest politics.’

  ‘I can imagine,’ Sadie said with a wry twist of her mouth.

  A sudden memory surfaced in Cat’s brain. She threw an anxious glance at Sadie. ‘The bags—’

  ‘They’re safe,’ Sadie said quickly. ‘A bit wet but otherwise fine. Although I still can’t believe you went back for them – what the bloody hell possessed you?’ Tears filled her eyes. ‘It scared the life out of me when the ceiling collapsed with you still down there.’

  ‘Sorry,’ Cat mumbled, feeling her own eyes prickle with tears. ‘I just thought we might need our stuff, that’s all.’

  ‘Don’t upset yourself,’ Nina said in a soothing voice. ‘You’re doing fine now. And with a bit of luck we’ll discover there’s no real harm done.’

  Sadie tried to smile. ‘Fingers crossed.’

  Cat lay quietly for a moment, as her memory started to return. She listened for the tell-tale thud of rain on the ambulance roof. ‘What about the shop? Is it still raining?’

  Her best friend hesitated. ‘No, it’s stopped.’ She exchanged a look with the paramedic. ‘We can talk about the shop later. When you’re feeling better.’

  ‘That sounds bad,’ Cat said, her lips twisting into a grimace.

  ‘It’s not great,’ Sadie admitted. ‘But don’t think about it now. There’s nothing wrong that can’t be fixed.’

  ‘And the stock?’

  ‘Safely under various roofs around the Court,’ Sadie reassured her. A look of admiration crossed her face. ‘You should have seen the way Andrew and Earl rallied the troops – those guys make a tight team. At one point, they had a three-way human chain sending boxes and tins to different locations across the Court.’

  Cat smiled too. ‘Amazing.’

  ‘It was,’ Sadie said. ‘I’ve left Clare and Delilah in charge – they’re going to see what they can salvage and take care of the shop.’

  ‘They’ll need the insurance documents—’ Cat said, trying to sit up.

  Nina laid a gentle hand on her chest, pushing her back down. ‘None of that, thank you. Just relax.’

  ‘Seb has gone to pick up the paperwork from your flat,’ Sadie said. ‘Although he really wanted to come with you to the hospital. His face when Jaren appeared at the top of the stairs with you slumped in his arms . . .’

  With a shiver that was half due to embarrassment and half to the chill in her bones, Cat groaned. ‘Jaren – of course. I didn’t even thank him.’

  ‘You were just a little bit unconscious,’ Sadie replied with a wry smile. ‘I don’t think he’ll hold it against you.’

  ‘I’m afraid that’s enough talking for now,’ Nina said, holding the oxygen mask over Cat’s mouth and observing her closely. ‘We’ll be at the hospital soon – try to rest until then.’

  It wasn’t a difficult order to follow, Cat thought; she felt as though she’d gone ten rounds with Nicola Adams. Her arm was no longer numb, but it was aching, and her legs were still cold despite the blankets piled on top of them. Belatedly, she realised there was nothing between her skin and the cotton sheet. Glancing around, she tried to spot her jeans and jumper.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Sadie asked.

  Cat reached up a leaden arm and lifted the mask from her face. ‘My clothes.’

  ‘Unfortunately, I had to cut them off,’ Nina said. ‘They were soaked through and your temperature was already low.’

  ‘Am I naked?’ Cat squeaked.

  ‘You’ve still got your underwear, damp though it is, and I popped a gown on you to save your blushes,’ Nina said, entirely matter-of-fact as she replaced the oxygen mask. ‘Not the height of fashion but at least it’s dry.’

  ‘I’ll bring more clothes,’ Sadie added hastily. ‘Or Seb can pick some up, along with anything else you need. It’s not a problem.’

  The ambulance slowed down. ‘We’re here,’ a male voice rumbled from the driver’s seat.

  ‘Thanks,’ Nina called back. She looked at Sadie. ‘Once we’ve got you inside, we’ll leave you in the safe hands of the A & E team. They’ll want to do some tests and probably a CT scan.’

  Cat tried to shake her head; she might be battered and bruised but she didn’t need a CT scan, for goodness sake. A stern look from Sadie quelled her protest. ‘Don’t argue,’ she said, in a tone that told Cat she knew exactly what she’d been thinking.

  A minute later, the ambulance stopped. The doors at the back opened and the male paramedic poked his head inside. ‘Hello, I’m Doug. Let’s get you out of here, shall we?’

  Sadie climbed out and stood to one side as Nina and Doug lifted the trolley bed out of the ambulance. Cat lost sight of her as they wheeled the trolley through the double doors and into the hospital.

  ‘I’m here,’ Sadie said, from somewhere behind Cat’s head. ‘Still with you.’

  She came to stand next to the bed as the paramedics spoke to the admissions nurse. ‘How are you feeling?’

  Cat resisted the urge to touch her aching head. ‘I’ve been better.’ She paused as the moment the ceiling had crashed down loomed large in her memory. ‘I suppose you could say the same about Smart Cookies.’

  Sadie gave her an exasperated look. ‘Will you stop worrying about the shop? You are what’s important now.’

  Nina turned back from her conversation with the nurse. ‘We’ll leave you with Rishi now – she’ll make sure you’re looked after.’

  Doug nodded at Cat. ‘All the bes
t, then.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Cat said, managing a smile. ‘And thanks to you too, Nina. I’ll send you both some biscuits once I’m back on my feet.’

  ‘No need for that,’ Nina said, patting her waist. ‘A lifetime on the hips, sadly.’

  Doug grinned. ‘Send them anyway – I’ll eat Nina’s.’

  Both paramedics gave a final wave as they headed for the door.

  ‘Right,’ the nurse said, her practised gaze roving over Cat. ‘As Nina said, my name is Rishi. Just a few more details and we’ll see what the damage is, okay?’

  It seemed to Cat that the next few hours whirled by. There were more lights shone into her eyes and a lot more questions about the day, month and year, although the people asking the questions changed. Finally, after x-rays and scans and several frowning doctors had examined her, the medical team seemed satisfied that she had no life-threatening injuries. The wound on her head had caused a concussion and her arm was badly bruised but there was no damage to her spine or anywhere else. Once the head wound was dressed, she was wheeled into a ward for the night.

  ‘For observation,’ the doctor said with a tired smile as she scribbled on the clipboard at the bottom of Cat’s bed. ‘If everything goes well, you should be able to go home in the next day or so.’

  Cat tried to sit up. ‘Do I have to stay here?’

  ‘Yes!’ Sadie said firmly. ‘You absolutely do. At least if you’re in here I don’t need to worry about you trying to do anything else stupid.’

  Cat opened her mouth to explain that rescuing their coats and bags had seemed important at the time but she was overcome by a sudden wave of exhaustion, as though the stress and pain of the afternoon’s events had suddenly caught up with her.

  ‘Okay,’ she said, hearing the weariness in her own voice. ‘But keep in touch, Sadie. And don’t sugar-coat it – I want to know everything.’

  ‘I promise,’ Sadie replied. ‘As long as you promise to get some rest.’

  Cat rested against the cool cotton pillow and allowed her heavy eyelids to drift shut. ‘I think I can probably manage that.’