As she walked along, her mind wandered to her evening of relaxation. Perhaps she might be able to paint her mother’s nails or style her hair. It was a few months since her mother had paid to have her hair permed, so there was an opportunity to coax her voluminous hair into something other than a frizzy mass. It would be a poor substitute for a pampering session at a salon, which her mother surely deserved, but such luxuries were expensive, and Patsy couldn’t feasibly save up enough from her allowance to pay for one. Footsteps punctuated her musings, so she automatically stepped to one side to allow them to pass. As she turned to observe her fellow pedestrians, she saw three faces she recognised, and her heart missed a beat.
‘Well, if it isn’t our old friend Cornish!’ cried Eugenia. ‘My, you do look smart in a common sort of way!’
‘Fuck off!’ said Patsy, continuing to walk on undeterred.
‘Oh, we are the hard streetwise girl now, aren’t we? Fancy your chances do you?’ She grabbed Patsy’s hair and thrust her own face into her old enemy’s.
Patsy spat at her, then kicked her on the shins, but it was an unequal contest.
Harriet held Patsy’s arms behind her back as she writhed and kicked.
‘Down here!’ shouted Eugenia.
They dragged Patsy who was screaming and kicking into an alleyway and fastened a tie in her mouth as a gag.
‘Don’t think that just because you are at a new school, I won’t be able to find you from time to time!’ shouted Eugenia.
Patsy managed to wrest one arm from Harriet and pulled at the tie so that it sat on her chin rather than in her mouth.
‘Help!’ she cried.
‘Shut up!’ shouted Eugenia and slapped Patsy hard across the face making her head recoil against the concrete floor.
‘Make the gag tighter!’ she shouted at Sophie. ‘Hold her still, Harriet!’ Eugenia had taken control and barked the orders at her two disciples who looked around guardedly.
‘I didn’t get to go on my adventure holiday this summer because of you!’ shouted Eugenia. ‘My parents have sold my pony as well!’
Patsy continued to writhe on the floor, her shouts muffled by the tightened gag.
‘It’s all your fault! Mrs Stott spoke to my Dad, and he is blaming me. I’m going to teach you a lesson!’ Eugenia kicked at Patsy’s ribs.
Patsy’s face constricted in agony as the blow made contact. Eugenia could see its effect and landed another for good measure.
‘Stop it!’ cried Harriet. ‘That’s enough. Let’s go now!’
Harriet was looking towards the end of the alleyway, seriously afraid they would be spotted.
‘I’ve not finished yet.’
‘I’m going,’ said Harriet, ‘come on Sophie, it’s too much now. This is nothing to do with us.’
‘OK,’ replied Sophie and they ran off down the alleyway, visibly shocked at what was unfolding.
‘Go on then!’ shouted Eugenia, ‘wimps!’
Patsy tried to scramble to her feet but Eugenia pushed her back down, and she fell ungracefully backwards, her legs rising up in the air. Her right hand reached out automatically to steady herself against the ground, and Eugenia jumped on her fingers, crushing them and producing a high pitched scream from Patsy.
‘Hey! What are you doing?’ shouted a middle-aged man with a dog who had entered the alleyway and was about fifty yards away. Eugenia realised the game was up and sprinted off in the direction her friends had taken.
‘Shit,’ he cursed. ‘I’ve got you, love. Let me undo this.’ He struggled with the knot on the tie and managed to free it.
‘Shit, what have they done to you?’
Patsy vomited on to the ground due to the pain which was spreading up her whole arm, she was sure her fingers were broken. She clasped her injured hand and rocked forward, cradling it in her lap.
‘Can you stand up?’ asked the passer-by.
‘Yes, I think so,’ replied Patsy, in a whisper.
‘Be quiet, Tig!’ he shouted at his Jack Russell terrier which was becoming impatient. ‘Sit!’ he bellowed, and the little dog obeyed.
‘You need to get that seen to at the hospital. Where do you live?’
‘Princes Avenue,’ gasped Patsy. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, and she felt a complete mess, dirty, dishevelled and broken.
‘Look, I only live around the corner, my wife is at home. Why don’t you come along with me and we can phone your parents?’
‘OK,’ replied Patsy, reluctantly. She would only go into the man’s house if she was sure his wife was there.
‘Come on, this way. I’ll carry your bag,’ he said. He slung the bag across his body and tugged his little dog along, walking slowly beside Patsy, ready to offer a supporting arm if she needed it.
‘Was that girl from your school?’ he asked.
Patsy shook her head.
‘Well, it’s coming to something when girls behave like that,’ he tutted. ‘I don’t know what to say. I hope you report her.’
Patsy remained silent. How foolish she had been to think that a change of school would signal brighter days ahead. Would she ever be free from Eugenia? Just at that moment, it appeared that the spectre of Eugenia would be ever present.
Part 3
September 2018
Chapter 40
‘God, is that the time?’ said Will Overton. ‘I’m going to get caught up in all the traffic on the Ashford road.’ He quickly drank his coffee and swallowed down the remaining corner of his piece of toast, which caused him to cough slightly.
‘That A28 is a dreadful road,’ said Gina. ‘In fact, I’d forgotten just how poor the roads are in this area. I hope you aren’t annoyed with me!’
‘Well, the roads are hardly your responsibility,’ he called from the hallway. ‘I won’t be back for dinner, you remember? Got my private clinic this evening.’
‘No, I hadn’t forgotten. In any case, I’ve got work to do, preparing for that talk.’
‘Oh, yes, when is it?’
‘Next week. It’s sort of crept up on me. I’ve been so busy with the Percival case, and now Mr Evans’ case has been scheduled so I’ve been concentrating on that. There’s a lot going on at the moment.’
‘Right, keys, bag, coat, head, brain,’ he joked, ‘got all those. I better not make any slip-ups today otherwise I’ll find myself up in court opposite you!’
‘Ha! That’s not very likely on two counts, firstly we are husband and wife, and secondly, you are an excellent heart consultant.’
‘Carry on, I like flattery. Right, better get a move on.’
They kissed, and Gina closed the door behind him. Will activated the remote on his Audi Q5 and pulled out of the driveway, causing a small spray of gravel to fly up in his wake. Gina returned to the kitchen and stowed the breakfast things in the dishwasher. As she looked through the kitchen window, she noticed that the garden would need a bit of attention at the weekend. The lawn seemed to be growing with renewed vigour now that the weather had turned wetter and a few shrubs were starting to grow over the lawn. Even though they were only renting the house, their lease stipulated that they had to keep the garden tidy. Fortunately, it was relatively low maintenance, and as the year advanced towards winter, the horticultural demands should diminish. However, as Gina looked upon the damp scene and the trees being buffeted by the strong autumnal winds all enthusiasm for gardening began to wane, and she wondered whether they should engage a gardener. They had done just that for her mother’s bungalow on a fortnightly basis to keep things under control. It would also be necessary to get the property valued and put on the market, as there was no chance her mother would ever go back to live there.
Gina and Will’s current abode was a four-bedroom detached house in Bridleway Gardens, built about fifteen years ago and was nestled at the far end of a quiet cul-de-sac just to the south of the city, about a half hour walk to the centre. It was in good order, apart from a slight leak from the conservatory roof which was due to be fixed
in the next week or so and the neutral walls meant that their furniture and possessions fitted in well. The kitchen was modern and well-equipped, and the bathrooms looked as though they had been recently renewed. Thus, the couple now had a comfortable haven to return to after work. Having such a pleasant place to live was helping to dispel any negative thoughts about the move back to Canterbury, and Will had thrown himself into his new job with enthusiasm. It had been an eventful three months or so, but finally, their life appeared to have settled into a routine. Gina checked the time and saw that it was still only just 7.30 a.m., so after her short drive to work, she would be able to make an early start on her files before the inevitable interruptions began.
**
‘Gina, come in,’ said the Head of Chambers, Russell Crowley, QC. ‘Take a seat, how can I help?’
‘I’ve had a letter which I thought you should see,’ she replied, handing over the sheet of high-quality notepaper.
‘Oh, very impressive,’ he said, peering at the letter through half-moon reading glasses and reading it carefully before handing it back to Gina. ‘So, congratulations!’ he said, taking off his glasses and leaning back in his chair. Russell was in his fifties, small in stature and with thinning grey hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a sober, pinstriped suit with a white shirt and dark blue silk tie. His confident tone bore traces of his public school education, emblematic of someone in his position.
‘Thank you. So, you don’t have any problems with me accepting the offer then?’
‘No, of course not. Providing you don’t mind me including it in the news section on our website. It’s good publicity for our chambers. Also, what about a section for the local paper?’
‘Well, certainly on our website but the local paper, I’m not sure. Would the general public be interested?’
‘I think it would be good to follow up on the recent inquiry as there was so much interest in it locally. There is also a lot of negative publicity about inquiries, because of the cost but if we indicate that it has been a sort of catalyst for further discussion on a parliamentary committee then it provides further validation, don’t you think?’
‘Yes, of course, but I was only selected due to prior commitments of Dame Margaret.’
‘Gina, your modesty is admirable but don’t play down your achievement. I’m really pleased for you, everyone here will be. You have such a wealth of experience in the field, and I’m glad it’s been recognised.’
Gina smiled and felt herself blush slightly. Why was it people felt so uncomfortable when being praised? She was momentarily lost for words.
‘Have you ever been to the Houses of Parliament?’ said Russell, sensing her coyness.
‘No, never. I keep meaning to, and I know you can do a tour in the summer, but we’ve never got around to it. Well, Manchester was a bit far for a day trip.’
‘It’s an amazing building, worth the visit if only for that!’ said Russell. ‘Please get Carly to sort something out with the local paper and get her to add a few sentences to the website.’
‘Will do. Did you hear that the Evans’ case has been scheduled?’
‘Yes, I did. I’m sure you will be successful. Poor man, I hope he gets a handsome compensation at the end of all this.’
‘I’ll do my best. Right, I’ll leave you in peace now.’
‘Just before you go, is everything settling into place with your move back to Canterbury?’
‘Yes, thanks. Will, my husband has started his work down here. It’s all going well, fingers crossed.’
‘Excellent, excellent. Good to hear.’
Gina left to carry on her work. She had a client due this afternoon and now these other things to attend to. Perhaps it was good that Will was working late as she couldn’t anticipate getting home much before seven herself.’
**
Trish was in town having coffee at her favourite cafe before making a start on her shopping. She had been rather vague with Tom when he’d asked her about her plans for the day, and she was slightly apprehensive about his response to one item on her shopping list. However, she kept reminding herself that she didn’t have to ask permission for everything she did or bought. Tom was kind-hearted and caring, but he had a tendency to try to control her too much, and this had been even more apparent since her episode of amnesia. Thankfully, there had been no recurrence of that awful event, and over time she hoped that the painful memory would fade into the background.
At times, she wondered whether marrying Tom had been a wise choice. There was no doubt that he was good at his job but he failed to recognise boundaries, and from time to time she felt she was becoming one of his employees, subject to his ideas for her future and development. When she had been busy with her own career this wasn’t so much of a problem but having reduced her working hours, she felt that her status in life was similarly diminished. These negative thoughts were beginning to raise her anxiety levels, and she quickly pressed her new gizmo between thumb and forefinger and checked the readout on her phone.
As she practised her breathing, she looked through the cafe window and spotted someone she recognised, so she quickly finished the last few drops of coffee and collecting her things headed out of the shop to catch up with her acquaintance.
Chapter 41
Gina was making good progress with her paperwork, so was hoping to be back home earlier than yesterday as it had been 8.30 p.m. when she had finally returned home. Today, she had promised Will she would be back by 6 p.m. at the latest. Her phone rang.
‘Gina, I think I am about to make your day,’ said the caller.
Gina listened to the details with interest and doodled on her legal pad.
‘Well, that’s great news, Nathan. Have you spoken to Mr Evans yet?’
‘No, I wanted to let you know first, but I’m sure he will agree to an out of court settlement.’
‘OK, well, get back to me and let me know when the roundtable meeting is to negotiate the compensation. I assume you will want me to sit in?’
‘Oh, yes. We need to ensure we get as much as possible for him but I think it’s almost in the bag and it’s the best option for everyone. It seems that another case has just been lodged and the trust is seeking to minimise publicity.’
‘Great. Keep in touch,’ replied Gina.
She hung up and felt like punching the air. The evidence had been compelling, and it was surprising that the health trust hadn’t agreed in the first instance to settle out of court. However, it didn’t matter how the end result was achieved, it was another personal victory, and her chambers would get its usual handsome percentage fee.
She looked at her diary for the next week and saw with relief that it was now considerably less busy. Confirmation had come through for her trip to the House of Lords Select Committee, but that was more than a month away, leaving ample time to compile notes from the recent Benton Inquiry.
Her mobile rang.
‘Marcus! Hi, how are you?’ she said to her son.
‘I’m fine thanks. Well, more than fine actually. I’ve just secured another big trial.’
‘Wow! That’s amazing, congratulations. Have you told Dad?’
‘Not yet, he’s not answering. I’ll try him again later.’
‘Well, done darling, we must come and visit you in Cambridge. I love the city, and it’s less than a three-hour drive from here, or we might come by train.’
‘Anytime, just let me know. I better go now, I’m in court this afternoon, we are just on a recess at the moment.’
‘How’s Lydia?’
‘Fine, fine and no we’ve not set a date yet before you ask,’ he laughed.
‘No pressure,’ replied Gina.
‘Not much, I know your sort of no pressure,’ he joked, ‘Anyway, better go, speak to you again soon.’
Gina was overjoyed. Marcus had decided to follow in her footsteps and was making his name as a criminal defence barrister. He had also studied at Cambridge before securing a pupillage in London and wa
s subsequently called to the Bar in 2015. He had then decided to return to Cambridge to join a prestigious set of chambers there. His first big break had come last year when he was only twenty-six, and he had successfully defended a client who had been framed for murder by a business competitor. That case had been instrumental in building his reputation and his phone call today confirmed that he was able to secure further high profile cases. Gina relaxed in her chair, comfortable in the feeling that everyone in the family was doing well at the moment and life seemed very good indeed.
**
Tom returned home from a relatively straightforward day at the GP surgery and saw a cloud of smoke coming from the garden. He put down his keys and his briefcase and felt momentarily puzzled. Surely Trish wasn’t having a bonfire of garden waste in broad daylight? That would infuriate the neighbours, and he didn’t want to be reported to the council, besides they paid for a weekly collection of garden waste. He hurried outside to identify the source of the smoke.
‘Trish, what are you doing?’
‘Er, isn’t it obvious?’
‘Well, yes, I can see what you are doing, but I just wondered why?’
‘You’d rather I was making inroads into a packet of Silk Cut?’
‘No, of course not, it’s just that you hadn’t mentioned it before.’
‘No, I didn’t want to discuss it with you beforehand, I just wanted to go with my idea. I realise it’s a surprise, but hopefully, it’s not too shocking.’
‘Well, no, I’ll just have to get used to it, I guess. What about a drink?’
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