Sweet Hearts

by Jo Cotterill

  ‘Hope you’ll be OK on that balcony, Fliss,’ said Mari.

  Victoria shook her head. ‘She’ll be fine. Candy said she and Samantha personally dried every part of the set an hour ago.’

  Fliss stood up. ‘Nearly us, Mari. I want to make sure we don’t miss our cue.’

  Fliss had only seen Tom from a distance since the storm, so when it was time for the party scene, she found her heart gave an enormous thump. There he was – looking tall and serious and good-looking as ever. Those eyes . . .

  But something was different. Tom was saying his lines in the same way as usual, but although it looked like he was gazing into her eyes, he wasn’t. Fliss frowned under her party mask. Why was he looking at the top of her head? Or at her ear? It was almost as though . . . almost as though he couldn’t bear to look at her . . .

  The kiss, when it came, was cold. Fliss felt nothing; it was as though Tom had no feelings at all. She wanted to cry. It seemed that their encounter in the storm had made things worse than ever. Now he hated her so much he couldn’t even look at her!

  By the time Fliss prepared to climb the balcony ladder, she was almost ready to give up. Maybe her mum was right after all. Maybe she should stop doing the play. But in her heart, Fliss knew she couldn’t do that. It would be letting everyone down. And after all, it was only for another couple of days. The dress rehearsal tomorrow, and then the Saturday performance.

  She took a deep breath and reached out for the ladder. As Candy had promised, it was perfectly dry. It was nearly time. She gripped the sides of the ladder as she had been shown, put her foot on the first rung, and started to climb. She was so busy concentrating on holding up her skirt that when her foot slipped on the top rung, it took a split second to realize something was wrong. In panic, she reached out to the back of the balcony to steady herself, but her second foot, now also on the top rung, slipped too and Fliss completely lost her grip.

  Frantic to catch hold of something – anything, Fliss toppled backwards . . .

  Chapter 13

  a dreadful shock

  AS FLISS LAY on the grass and stared at the sky, she wondered why it was she hadn’t fainted. People always fainted in books after falling off things. It was far more romantic. And it also meant you didn’t have to be aware of people milling round you, treading on your hair by accident and saying things like, ‘Oh my gosh, are you OK?’ when it was plainly obvious she wasn’t OK at all.

  Mari was first by her side. ‘Fliss, oh God! Don’t move. Can you hear me? Blink if you can hear me.’

  ‘I can hear you,’ said Fliss, though the effort of speaking sent a shot of pain through her head. ‘Ow.’ She lifted an arm to her head, but that hurt too. ‘Ow again.’

  ‘You might have broken something,’ said Mari, sounding panicked. ‘We should lift your legs above your head.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘To get more blood to your brain. I’m sure that’s right.’

  Thankfully at this moment Candy arrived, flanked by Samantha and Tom. ‘Fliss! You fell off the ladder? My goodness, I never imagined . . . ! Samantha dried that ladder only this lunch time!’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Samantha, though Fliss noticed through her muggy state that Samantha was staring at her with a very strange intensity.

  ‘She’s hurt her head,’ said Mari, ‘and her arm, I think.’

  ‘My wrist . . .’ said Fliss faintly. Her head was starting to throb badly, and the trees above were getting fuzzy.

  ‘We have to get her to Accident and Emergency,’ said Candy practically. ‘I’ll call an ambulance.’

  ‘An ambulance?’ Tom was standing by Fliss now, looking down. He was pale. ‘Is she – are you hurt badly?’

  Fliss blinked, but the pain in her head was getting worse. ‘I’m OK,’ she said, and tried to sit up. But a wave of dizziness overcame her and she fell backwards. Tom caught her, his hands gentle under her head.

  ‘Don’t try to move. Really. Stay still.’

  Candy was on the phone. Her voice was calm and efficient. ‘Yes, she fell off a ladder. We’re in the town park. There’s a tarmac path through, past the lake. Yes. All right. No, we haven’t moved her. OK.’ She hung up. ‘They’ll be here in a few minutes.’ She suddenly became aware of how many people were crowding round. ‘Can everyone just keep back, please? In fact, can you all just go back to the tents and wait. Samantha . . .’

  Samantha immediately took control. ‘Right, you’ve seen enough. She’s going to be fine. Come on, back this way.’

  ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ said Mari firmly.

  ‘Me neither,’ said Victoria, who looked like she was about to cry. ‘She’s my best friend.’

  ‘Then you two can get her some blankets,’ said Candy. ‘We need to keep her warm, and this grass is wet. We don’t want her catching a chill on top of everything else.’

  Mari looked uncertain. ‘I’ll stay with her,’ said Tom. Mari nodded, and she and Victoria went off.

  ‘You don’t have to stay, Tom,’ said Candy. ‘I’ve got her.’

  ‘I want to.’

  Fliss looked up, but it was becoming harder and harder to keep her eyes open. It was like someone had her head in a vice and was slowly squeezing it. ‘Tom?’ she whispered.

  His voice came immediately, reassuring and calm. ‘It’s OK, Fliss. I’m here.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Fliss whispered.

  He looked puzzled. ‘What for?’

  ‘For when I said . . .’ Fliss’s eyebrows creased in pain.

  ‘Stop talking, Fliss,’ said Candy firmly. ‘Keep your eyes closed. Just rest. The ambulance will be here any minute. And I’ll call your mum now, let her know what’s happened.’

  From a long way away, Fliss heard Samantha call something. The warm pressure on her hands suddenly lifted, and she knew Tom had gone. Something soft was placed over her, and she heard Mari say, ‘Has she passed out?’ and Candy reply, ‘No, she’s resting.’ And then it was too hard to think, so she let her brain drift to a place where her head and her wrist didn’t hurt so much.

  ‘I put two spoonfuls of sugar in it,’ said Jeanette, placing a cup of tea by Fliss’s bed. ‘Sugar is good for shock.’ She sat down gently and stroked Fliss’s unbandaged right hand. The left one was heavily strapped. ‘My poor little girl,’ she said quietly, and Fliss felt her eyes fill with tears.

  They had spent several hours in hospital as Fliss was thoroughly checked over. In the end, there was no lasting damage, although her wrist was badly sprained. The doctor said she had just bumped her head and after a day or two she would feel much better. ‘Lots of rest,’ he’d said.

  ‘Of course, Doctor,’ Jeanette had said fervently. ‘I won’t let her out of bed.’

  He laughed. ‘No need to be that drastic. But plenty of rest to get over the shock.’

  Fliss didn’t think her mother had even listened to the doctor’s reply. Certainly as soon as they’d got home, Jeanette had ushered her upstairs and into bed. It was late now – just past midnight – and Jeanette looked pale with worry. Still she wouldn’t leave Fliss’s side. ‘Would you like another pillow? I could read to you. I used to read to you when you were little. Would you like that or would it hurt your head?’

  Fliss didn’t know what to say. Everything ached and she felt very tired. ‘I just want to sleep,’ she whispered.

  Jeanette’s face softened. ‘Of course, sweetheart. At least they said you didn’t have concussion. You sleep all you like. You’ve had a dreadful shock. We both have. Falling off a ladder! That Candy woman should never have allowed it to happen.’ She looked down at her daughter again, and sighed. ‘Thank goodness it wasn’t any worse. You stay here now and rest. You need it.’ She kissed Fliss very lightly on the forehead and went out, pulling the door to behind her.

  Fliss lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. Her head throbbed, but it was the realization that she would not be able to act in the play that hurt the most. All that rehearsal! All that time with Tom! Al
l wasted!

  Her mind went back to the accident again and again. How could she have slipped? The rungs were dry, she knew they were. She must have just lost her footing. Not concentrating properly. Fliss frowned. It wasn’t right. She had been up and down that ladder lots of times before. And why was it only on the top rung that she had slipped?

  There was something . . . something wrong . . . something that was there that shouldn’t have been there. But what was it?

  Fliss’s eyes opened wide as she replayed the moment in her mind. The top rung was slippery. Not the other rungs . . . just the top one . . . but then that meant . . .

  She breathed out as the realization came sharp and clear. Surely not! But if that was the case, then . . . Her eyes automatically went to the carpet by the door, where her shoes were lying neatly. She had to know!

  Fliss got painfully out of bed and reached for the shoes. She turned them over with her good hand. Her breath caught in her throat. She was right! But then . . . who . . .?

  Fliss lay awake in bed for some time, puzzling it out, before sleep overcame her and she sank back into darkness.

  ‘That Candy is downstairs,’ said Jeanette the next morning. ‘I’ve told her you’re not well enough to see anyone.’

  Fliss pulled herself up on her pillows. ‘Mum! I’m fine! My head hurts much less now.’ Which was true, though it did still ache a bit, and she felt very tired. ‘Please let her come up.’

  Jeanette looked undecided. ‘Well, she’s not to stay long. I’ve told her you can’t do the play. Today or tomorrow. She knows that already.’

  Candy came in with a bunch of roses. ‘I brought these for you.’ She smiled. ‘You look a lot better than you did yesterday.’

  ‘Thanks. They’re lovely.’

  Candy sat down on a chair. ‘Listen, Fliss, I just came to tell you not to worry about anything. These things happen. It’s unfortunate but life goes on. It’s much more important that you stay here and rest.’ She smiled again. ‘I am so relieved you’re not badly hurt. I had someone check out the ladder after you’d gone off in the ambulance.’

  ‘And?’ Fliss’s voice sharpened.

  Candy shook her head. ‘I can’t see how you fell off. It wasn’t rickety or anything, and it was quite dry. You must just have missed your footing or something.’

  Fliss hesitated a moment. ‘I expect you’re right,’ she said eventually.

  ‘Anyway,’ said Candy, ‘Samantha has stepped into the breach. I didn’t realize she knew all your lines. Such luck, her having been in all the rehearsals so she knows the blocking and everything.’

  Fliss managed a half-smile. ‘Such luck,’ she echoed.

  ‘Of course,’ said Candy, with a small sigh, ‘she’s not you.’ She bit her lip. ‘I am very sorry you won’t be able to perform, Fliss. Even if you’d missed the dress rehearsal and come in for the final show, I feel confident you’d be able to give a wonderful performance. And I’ve got a friend coming – I’ve been telling him all about you. He’s in the business, you see – well, never mind now. Your mum says you’ve got to have complete rest for a week. Such bad luck.’ She sighed again and got up. ‘You just look after yourself and, like I said, don’t worry about anything. The show must go on!’ She smiled gently. ‘And get yourself better in time for the next production, OK?’

  Fliss did her best to smile back. ‘OK,’ she said.

  As soon as Candy had gone, Fliss texted Mari and Victoria. She knew Jeanette wouldn’t approve, but she had to see her friends as soon as possible. There was something vitally important she had to tell them!

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Jeanette said at the door. ‘She’s supposed to have complete rest.’

  ‘But she asked us to come,’ said Mari. She held up her phone. ‘She sent us a text.’

  Jeanette frowned. ‘She shouldn’t have. I’ll go and have a word.’

  Fliss was sitting up in bed, straining to hear the conversation downstairs. Jeanette pushed open the door, looking annoyed. ‘Mari and Victoria are here. Did you text them?’

  ‘Mum,’ said Fliss, ‘there’s something I have to tell them. Something really important.’

  ‘I don’t care what it is,’ said Jeanette. ‘You’re not well. You shouldn’t be seeing anyone.’

  ‘Please, Mum,’ said Fliss. ‘I wouldn’t ask normally. You know I wouldn’t.’

  Jeanette sighed. ‘What is it? This really important thing?’

  ‘I can’t tell you,’ admitted Fliss. ‘But I will. If it turns out to be true. Honestly.’

  ‘Is it something to do with the play?’ asked Jeanette suspiciously.

  ‘Sort of,’ said Fliss. ‘But please don’t worry. I’m not trying to get back into it.’

  Jeanette hesitated.

  ‘Please,’ said Fliss. ‘This is really important to me. Please.’

  Jeanette shook her head. ‘They mustn’t stay long. Only a few minutes.’

  ‘All right,’ said Fliss.

  Mari and Victoria came creeping into the room as though they were expecting Fliss to shatter into a thousand pieces at their step. ‘Oh,’ said Victoria in surprise. ‘You haven’t even got a bandage on your head.’

  ‘Didn’t need one,’ said Fliss. ‘I didn’t cut my head.’

  ‘How’s your wrist though?’ asked Mari, looking at the heavy strapping.

  ‘Sore,’ said Fliss, ‘but that’s not why I called you guys.’ She glanced towards the door. ‘We might not have much time, but I had to see you.’

  Mari settled herself on the end of the bed, a look of intense curiosity on her face. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘It’s to do with my accident,’ said Fliss.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Well, the thing is . . .’ Fliss paused, then the words came out with a rush. ‘The thing is it may not have been an accident at all.’

  Mari and Victoria both jolted backwards in shock. ‘What!’ exclaimed Victoria. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘That top rung,’ said Fliss earnestly. ‘You know, the one where I slipped.’

  Mari nodded. ‘Candy said you must have mistimed it.’

  Fliss shook her head. ‘I didn’t. I know I didn’t. There was something on that top rung.’

  Victoria looked confused. ‘What sort of something?’

  ‘Oil,’ said Fliss. ‘There was oil on the top rung.’

  There was a sudden silence.

  ‘Oil?’ said Victoria slowly. ‘But why would there be oil . . .’

  Mari let out her breath with a whoosh. ‘Oh my. You’re not saying . . . you are saying . . .’

  ‘It was slippery,’ said Fliss. ‘Not dry, like the other rungs. Just that one. There was no grip at all.’

  ‘But this is serious,’ said Mari.

  ‘I know.’

  Victoria was looking bewildered. ‘I don’t understand. Why would there be oil on the ladder?’

  ‘There wouldn’t,’ said Mari, ‘unless someone put it there.’

  ‘But why would someone put oil on it?’ asked Victoria.

  Mari made a noise of frustration. ‘You are so slow, Vic! Think about it! Fliss is the only one to go up that ladder, right? And who wanted Fliss’s part right from the start? Who wanted to play Juliet more than anything? Who would do anything to put Fliss out of the way?’

  Victoria’s face paled under her natural coffee-colour. ‘You can’t mean Samantha?’

  ‘Who else?’

  ‘But she wouldn’t!’ said Victoria. ‘I mean – no one would do that! Fliss might have been killed!’

  ‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ said Fliss uncomfortably. ‘It was only about eight feet up, wasn’t it?’

  ‘That’s high enough to break your neck,’ said Mari. ‘People do that when they fall off horses. They’re about the same height.’

  Victoria shook her head and held up her hands. ‘Whoa, whoa, guys. This is a serious accusation. Besides, how do we know for a fact that she did it?’

  Mari looked at Fliss.

  ‘W
e don’t,’ said Fliss slowly. ‘I can’t prove it was her. But I know what happened. Candy told me this morning that she’d checked the ladder after I’d gone off to hospital.’

  ‘And?’

  Fliss shrugged. ‘She found nothing.’

  ‘But by then, Samantha would have been able to clean off the oil,’ said Mari. ‘There was so much confusion after you fell.’

  ‘She took everyone back to the tents,’ objected Victoria. ‘She wouldn’t have had time.’

  ‘Did you see her while Fliss was being lifted into the ambulance though?’ asked Mari. ‘I mean, could you actually swear she wasn’t by the ladder for any of that time?’

  ‘No-o,’ said Victoria reluctantly.

  ‘It would only have taken a few seconds,’ said Mari. ‘With a cloth. She could have been up and down the ladder before anyone noticed she’d gone.’

  ‘Then when Candy checked the ladder herself,’ said Fliss, ‘it would have been perfectly dry again.’

  Mari stared at Fliss. ‘What are you going to do?’

  ‘What can I do?’ asked Fliss. ‘I can’t prove it was her.’

  ‘But now she’s playing your part!’ said Mari. She smacked a fist into her other hand. ‘Oh, it makes me so mad! We have to do something!’

  Victoria held up her hands. ‘Look, hang on a minute, guys. I believe you, Fliss, I really do. But we can’t even prove there was oil on the ladder. Let alone prove it was Samantha who put it there.’

  ‘I can prove that, actually,’ said Fliss. She reached behind her bed and brought out the ballet pumps she had been wearing the afternoon before. ‘My shoes.’

  Victoria looked blank. ‘What about them?’

  ‘Of course!’ Mari grabbed one of them and turned it over. ‘Look! Oil marks on the bottom!’

  There was a stunned silence.

  ‘My God,’ said Victoria in a hushed voice. ‘Someone really did do it deliberately.’

  ‘But this proves it!’ said Mari. ‘All we have to do is take the shoes to Candy and tell her what happened!’