by Anna Jacobs
‘I met a lad trying to sell them, so I bought one.’
By that time Cook had brought across a bowl of tepid water and some clean rags. ‘Do you want me to do this, Mrs Harbury? I’ve bathed the heads of my nephews many a time. If they’ve no one else to fight with, that lot fight one another.’
‘That’s all right, thank you. I’ve some experience in this area as well.’
Alex watched her study his wound, then she murmured, ‘I’ll try to be gentle, but I’m afraid this will hurt.’
It was almost worth being bashed to have her caring for him, standing so close, even though they were not exactly alone, with three other women and a lad watching her every move. How gentle her hands were. He was sure it’d have hurt much more if anyone else had done it.
When she’d finished cleaning the wound, Olivia frowned. ‘I don’t know whether I should bandage it or leave it to dry.’
‘Leave it to dry, Mrs Harbury,’ Cook said. ‘But I don’t think he should be left on his own. When my oldest nephew knocked himself out and took a while to come to himself again, like Mr Seaton did, the doctor said we had to keep an eye on him all night.’
‘There’s no need for Mrs Harbury to lose her sleep,’ Alex protested at once.
‘I think I’d rather be careful, Alex. I’d not sleep for worrying about you, anyway. Why don’t you lie down on the sofa in the sitting area and I’ll sit on an armchair nearby?’
‘I’ve got an alarm clock you can borrow, Mrs Harbury. You can set it for every hour in case you drop off,’ Ethel said. ‘Or I could keep watch on Mr Seaton for you.’
To Alex’s relief, Olivia said, ‘No, thank you. I prefer to do it myself.’
He’d prefer to have her with him, too. He decided to distract the maid. ‘Ethel, perhaps you could go round the house before you retire to your bedroom and double-check that every door and window is locked, and they haven’t tried to force their way in anywhere?’
‘Good idea, sir. Joe, you can come round with me,’ Ethel said. ‘Then you’ll know your way round the inside in future.’
‘Yes, Mrs Kiddall.’
At last they all left and Alex was alone with Olivia. Unfortunately, not in romantic circumstances, but he valued every second spent with her.
He let her make him comfortable, then suggested she pull the smaller armchair closer.
She did that and settled down in it.
Without thinking he reached out for her hand.
Without protesting, she let him take it.
A few minutes later, she said. ‘What a strange day!’
‘Yes. It seems a long time since I left London … you have a beautiful ghost here, by the way. I do hope her prophecy comes true.’
It was such a long time before Olivia replied that he began to feel anxious. Perhaps she didn’t share that hope. But she hadn’t taken her hand away, so perhaps there was hope.
Then she said it. ‘So do I.’
His heart felt as if it would burst for joy.
As their eyes met, he raised her hand to his lips. He couldn’t think of anything to say, but from the way she was smiling back at him, words weren’t necessary. Happiness filled him, making him forget his aching head, making him forget everything but her.
In the morning Alex woke first and had the pleasure of seeing Olivia sleeping as soundly and sweetly as a child in the light of a nearby lamp burning low. He didn’t wake her, because she looked comfortable in the chair, but she stirred of her own accord soon after, then sat up and stretched.
‘Is it morning already?’
‘Yes. After the best day of my life.’
‘Best day! But you got hurt, Alex.’
‘That doesn’t matter. I was also given a glorious hope for the future. You won’t change your mind, will you, Olivia? I’m not a big strong fellow like your husband, but I love you more than anyone else ever could.’
‘You’re strong in other ways, Alex, morally and mentally.’
‘So are you – and the other three women here are as well, come to think of it. No hysterics from any of them last night, and Ethel probably saved my life.’
‘Ethel and Joe combined.’
‘I must thank them properly today.’ He swung his feet to the ground. ‘I’d better use the bathroom and tidy myself up a bit.’
As he was coming back someone hammered on the connecting door. ‘Mrs Latimer! Mrs Latimer! Are you all right in there?’
Joe peeped in from the kitchen. ‘That’s Captain Turner. Shall I let him in, Mrs Harbury?’
Ethel pushed past him. ‘That’s my job, young fellow.’ She went to open the door and the commandant came straight in.
He didn’t pause for polite greetings. ‘As soon as it got light, one of my soldiers found a mess of new footprints in the mud at the edge of the stable yard. We were worried that someone had broken in and—’ He saw Alex’s face and gasped. ‘What happened?’
So they explained about the attack.
‘Why didn’t you call for our help?’
‘We managed to drive them away ourselves – Ethel had a gun – and afterwards we were busy looking after Mr Seaton. Besides, Joe stayed here all night keeping watch. He was under orders to call on you for help if he saw the intruders again.’
‘Oh. Right. No idea what they wanted?’
‘To do some damage, probably. Or else they were reconnoitring for future reference. It’s all part of a well-organised campaign against our Germans, isn’t it? It’s not just people from our village, but other people who are involved.’
‘Unfortunately, yes. There’s apparently quite a nest of troublemakers in Swindon. I’m sorry our being here has brought danger to you and your beautiful house.’
‘So am I. And I think what’s happened so far is only the start.’
‘Yes.’
A man yelled from inside the new house, ‘There’s a car coming along the drive, Captain Turner.’
He swung round and started to return, but the voice yelled, ‘It’s going round the back.’
‘Mind if I stay and see who it is, Mrs Latimer?’
‘Be my guest.’ She ran through to the kitchen and looked out. ‘It’s Corin!’ she shouted and ran outside to fling herself into her husband’s arms.
Corin kissed her, then held her at arm’s length to study her face. ‘Something’s wrong. I could sense it. I’m not mistaken, am I?’
‘No. There has been an incident.’
‘We set off at two o’clock so that we could get here as early as possible. Unfortunately I only have two days’ leave approved, so if we can’t sort this trouble out quickly, you’re coming back to London with me, and I’m not taking no for an answer.’
‘Am I, indeed?’
‘Yes. There isn’t just you involved.’ He laid one hand briefly on her stomach.
‘I’m all right, darling. Everyone here is looking after me. Come inside and we’ll tell you what happened last night.’
They took seats in the library area of the long hall and Phoebe whispered to Ethel to join them, then explained what had happened the previous evening.
‘Well done, young Joe,’ Corin said warmly, then frowned. ‘Hatterson must be involved!’
‘Neither of them was limping, sir,’ Joe said. ‘I always keep my eyes open for that. My ma says he’s a real bad ’un.’
‘Your mother’s right,’ Ethel said grimly. ‘He’s downright rude to me and Cook if we run into him when we’re out shopping.’
‘He just looks at me, mostly,’ Phoebe said. ‘But he seems so filled with hatred, even that makes me shiver. Most other people in the village are so friendly and helpful. Well, one or two avoid me, but they don’t say anything or glare at me. They just turn away.’
‘I think we need to do something about him and those he’s bringing into the village,’ Corin said slowly. ‘I’m not quite sure what yet. Let me get something to eat and take time to consider the situation, then I’ll see what I can come up with. Joe, go and get some sleep, bu
t come back here this afternoon.’
‘Yes sir!’ He saluted and ran out.
‘That boy!’ Ethel said fondly. ‘He’s a lively one. Reminds me of my son.’
‘He’s the sort of lad who makes Britain great,’ Corin said.
‘Joe’s itching to join the forces,’ Ethel said. ‘His ma is desperately worried. He wants to go into the air force and become a mechanic.’
‘That’d be safer than the trenches,’ Corin said, shuddering at his own dark memories. ‘Maybe I’ll see if I can help. He could even be officer material. Anyway, that’s for another time. Where’s that breakfast? I’m famished. Alex, are you sure you’re all right now?’
‘I’m fine. I hope you don’t mind me staying here.’
‘I’m delighted. I hope you’ll stay on for a while. I hate leaving my wife unprotected. I have a few ideas about that, which I’ll tell you about later. Maybe we can flush those would-be murderers out.’
Chapter Seventeen
Hatterson pushed his breakfast away and stood up abruptly, wincing as his stump throbbed in protest. He’d seen better artificial limbs than this one, but only the officers and rich folk got those. Cannon fodder, that’s all he’d been, thrown away once he was no use. Well, he’d show them what a one-legged man could do. Then see what fools they’d look.
‘I’ll be busy this morning,’ he told his wife. ‘I don’t want disturbing, so don’t come into the front room. If I need a cuppa I’ll come out and get it myself.’
‘All right, Sidney. I have to go out to the shop anyway. What do you want for tea?’
‘Some ham – decent stuff, not that gristly cat meat you brought back last time.’
‘I’ll do my best, but I can only buy what they’ve got in the shop and there are shortages of some items, so they can only do their best, too.’
‘It’s up to you to make sure we get our share of the good stuff. And remember when you get back, no disturbing me.’
She nodded.
He went into the front room and sat down. His friends had called in last night after the fiasco at Greyladies. A chap had come out of the old house to fiddle with a car, offering himself on a plate for a good bashing, and they’d still missed making an example of him, damn them.
Well, they’d make up for that failure tonight. They’d checked everything out and made their plans about where to attack from. It’d be the big one tonight, the offensive to destroy the Huns and give the rich traitors their comeuppance.
He liked to use the word ‘offensive’. It showed he and his friends were professional about what they were doing, not just hooligans. Some of them were ex-soldiers, invalided out like him; others had been denied the chance to fight for their country for silly medical reasons; a few had even been told they were too old to serve. Well, the doctors were wrong. All of the people who’d be involved were capable of acting, and so people would see before too long.
He waited till he heard Pearl go out, then settled his stick with the knitted hat on top in the chair to make it appear he was sitting there reading. Crouching to avoid being seen from the street, he left the room. While Pearl was out, he had to get the attic ready for tonight. A few chaps would be trickling in during the rest of the day and could hide up there. Some might spend the rest of the night there after the offensive.
He was going to send Pearl to visit her cousin at the farm this afternoon and tell her to stay there overnight, since they always asked her to. That’d keep her out of the way nicely. Those two women never stopped nattering once they were together. He hadn’t stopped her visiting the farm every now and then, even though it was a waste of time, because it was a useful way of getting rid of her.
He went up to the attic and got out some old bedding and a slop bucket.
As he went down again, he heard the back door open and close.
He hurried to the kitchen and saw Ted standing there.
‘Had to come early, Hatty, lad. Someone I don’t want to see came looking for me.’
Hatterson glanced through the rear window. No sign of Pearl, thank goodness. ‘Come upstairs quickly, and keep quiet once you’re there. The wife will be back soon from the shops. I’m sending her away while we’re doing this.’
‘Good idea. Got a newspaper I can read?’
‘Only yesterday’s. She uses them to light the fire.’
‘Yesterday’s will do.’
Hatterson went back downstairs, decided he was thirsty and made himself a cup of tea. Then he took it into the front room, bending low again to get across to his chair. To make sure the old witch or one of the other nosy parkers in this street saw him, he put the hat on, stood up to look out of the bay window, pretending to stretch and yawn. That should do it.
As he sat down he glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece, wondering where his wife was. She was taking long enough at the shop. Gossiping probably. Well, he wouldn’t chastise her about that today.
Pearl queued up at the shop, feeling exhausted and in despair. Sidney was getting worse not better, treating her like a slave, working her to death, and who knew what he was planning. Something bad, that was sure.
Just before she got to the counter everything began to spin and she cried out as she felt herself falling. When she came to, she found herself lying on a sofa, with a neighbour fanning her face.
‘Ah, you’re awake again, Mrs Hatterson. You went and fainted on us. Did you miss your breakfast today?’
Pearl couldn’t seem to think straight at first, then remembered they’d run out of bread because Sidney had treated himself to a few slices of toast last night. To save him complaining and perhaps thumping her, she’d given him what was left this morning. ‘I wasn’t hungry.’
The woman crouched in front of her. ‘You’re thinner than you used to be. Are you getting enough to eat? He’s working you too hard.’
Pearl tried not to show that this had hit the mark, but tears welled in her eyes. ‘I do my best – he has been injured you know – but I can’t keep up with everything the way he likes.’
Mrs Pocock came out from the kitchen and shoved a cup of tea at her. ‘Here you are. It’s nice and sweet. You get it down.’
‘Thank you. That’s very kind.’
She saw the two women look at one another. ‘Look. We all know what’s going on,’ Mrs Pocock said. ‘If you ever need to get away from him, you come here to me and I’ll hide you, then tell Mrs Latimer. She knows a place for women who aren’t happy at home and she helps them make new lives.’
Pearl was so horrified at the bits and pieces she’d overheard at home that she said without thinking, ‘It’s Mrs Latimer he’s going after!’
‘What? Why would anyone go after her? She’s a really kind lady.’
‘Because of the Huns.’
‘Them being at the house is nothing to do with her. It was requisitioned by the War Office. Has your husband gone mad?’
There was silence and Pearl didn’t know what to say. Sidney did seem a bit … strange at times. ‘He’s changed a lot since the war.’
‘Look, dear, I think it’s time you let us in on what’s going on. He’s planning something nasty, isn’t he?’
‘If Sidney hears I’ve told you anything, he’ll beat me black and blue.’ Then she clapped one hand to her mouth. She hadn’t meant to tell anyone that, either. She had her pride, after all. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, but no one else was close enough to overhear.
Mrs Pocock kept her voice down too. ‘Everyone in the village knows he beats you, love. You can’t hide all the bruises.’
She burst into tears and couldn’t stop crying from shame till she remembered he’d see her red eyes when she went home and want to know what she’d been crying about.
‘Stay here, Pearl. Don’t go back. I’ll tell him you’re leaving him, if you want,’ Mrs Pocock said. ‘He won’t beat me, I promise you.’
‘No, no! I must go home. He mustn’t know. I daren’t cross him. He’ll kill me.’
And in
spite of their attempts to persuade her to stay, she pulled herself together, splashed cold water on her face and bought what she needed, before making her way slowly home. She nearly turned round halfway, but then she stiffened her spine and continued. For better, for worse, that’s what she’d promised.
When she got home, she heard Sidney talking to someone in the attic. What was that about? Who had he got hidden up there? She’d better not let him know she’d heard them.
He started down the stairs and she glanced round in panic, then darted into the wash house. He came into the kitchen, so she stayed where she was till he’d made himself a cup of tea.
She saw him carry it towards the front room. Strange. He usually took a good slurp before he moved, because carrying full cups of tea around with his limp made him spill it sometimes. But today the cup wasn’t rattling in the saucer as much as usual. And he wasn’t limping as much, either.
When she heard him set the cup down, she left the pantry and stood for a moment staring at herself in the mirror. She was chalk white, but the latest bruises didn’t show, thank goodness. She opened the back door quietly and pretended to come in again but the wind blew it out of her hand and it banged loudly shut.
That brought him straight out into the kitchen, mouth open to scold her for another imaginary fault. But he stopped and stared at her instead. ‘You’ve been crying.’
‘Sort of.’
‘What the hell does that mean?’
‘I fainted in the shop and I was upset afterwards. Mrs Pocock gave me a cup of tea, but I still feel a bit dizzy.’ She fumbled for a kitchen chair and dropped down into it at the table.
‘Did you get the shopping?’
‘Most of it. At least, I think I did. It’s in the shopping bag. I don’t feel well. Perhaps I should go and have a lie-down.’
‘Nonsense. You’ve been working too hard. Lying down won’t help. What you need is to get out in the open air. That’ll freshen you up. Why don’t you go and spend the afternoon nattering to that cousin of yours who lives just outside Challerton? In fact, why don’t you stay overnight at the farm? Jen’s always asking you.’