A Stranger Light
Page 25
Mark didn’t slow down until he had stormed up the front path to Kenny Locke. He kicked him in the side. ‘I’ll tear you apart if you’ve hurt my daughter!’ He kicked him again. ‘Bastard!’
Fergus, who’d had the longer run, reached them, disappointed not to have tackled Locke himself. ‘Maureen’s in there! Maureen, are you all right?’
‘So this is where she is. Keep your eyes on this piece of scum, Blair.’ With Addi still forcing Kenny down, he called through a broken window. ‘Valerie, it’s Mark! There’s no need to be afraid. Locke’s been brought under control. I’m coming inside.’
The bedroom window above was unlatched and pushed up and he stepped back to look up. ‘’Tis all right, we’re all safe and sound up here,’ Valerie called down.
‘Thank God!’
‘Faye was on her way here and saw what was happening. She’s phoning the police,’ Fergus said, glaring down at the cowering Kenny. ‘It’s a long stretch in prison for him.’
‘If I ever see him again he’ll end up six feet under,’ Mark promised, balling his fists.
Minutes later, Maureen was running down the track into the arms of Susan and Tristan, who had been rallied by Faye. Susan did not bother to face her half-brother. He was nothing to her. It was enough to know Maureen had bravely stood up to him and he would get the punishment he deserved. The little family went home.
Faye had left Simon with Eliza Shore at the farm. She hurried up to the cottage with trepidation. No one had been hurt except for Kenny Locke, and although she knew it was silly, she was so afraid for Fergus that she wouldn’t rest until she saw for herself that he was unscathed. All she wanted was to be with him.
She dashed inside the cottage, ignoring the danger of the damage and splintered glass, her eyes searching for him. Strong and resolute, he was guarding Kenny Locke, who was tied to a chair, with Addi flanking the other side. ‘Fergus! Thank goodness you’re all right.’
She went straight to him and his arms reached out to her. ‘Of course, I am, darling. It was Addi who brought him down, but Mark would have flayed him with just a single look.’ Seeing her concern, knowing her first thought was for him, he crushed her to him and showered her with kisses.
She gloried in his reaction to her. Whenever she went near him he responded to her instantly. It spoke loudly of how much he cared for her, that he really did want her. Why else had he come down to her, risking a cold rejection? Why else had he come back and stayed for so long and been so patient with her? She wrapped him up and kissed him kiss for kiss.
He whispered in her ear, ‘I have to say this, darling. I love you.’
She smiled up into his eyes with all her new love. ‘Me too. I love you, Fergus. I wish I’d realized it before. I wouldn’t have kept you waiting for your answer.’
Mark was standing in a clear spot in the middle of his broken home holding his daughter. Faye had not even noticed him. He was sad there would never be a chance for him with Faye, but she and Blair looked absolutely right together. He had Jana, and she was enough for him for now.
Valerie came through from the kitchen with a tray of cups and the teapot. ‘Thanks Valerie,’ he said. ‘I’ll never be able to thank you enough for taking care of Jana and Maureen.’ He owed his thanks to Jude as well. There was always the sense of Jude’s presence here, but he couldn’t detect it anymore. Then somehow he knew what had happened. Jude had felt guilty for not protecting his own family, but now he had saved Jana and the others, he had allowed himself to go on to the next world. Mark smiled, he also knew that Jude had been met by his wife and child. And that for him at last the mystery of what had happened to them was revealed and he was at peace.
‘Well, it’ll give something for Mrs Moses and the others to talk about,’ Valerie replied, pouring out milk. ‘Miss Faye, have you seen my young ’uns? I’m glad they weren’t around earlier.’
‘They’re playing at the farm with the Smiths. I told them to stay there until I got back.’ Faye left Fergus and moved to Mark and gazed at Jana. She was sleeping contentedly, undisturbed by the drama. ‘You can’t stay here until the windows are repaired and this mess is cleared up. You’re very welcome to stay at Tremore. We can all comfortably squeeze in together. It’s officially my uncle’s house now, but I’d love for you to be there until I leave so we can see a lot of each other. Can I hold Jana?’
‘Of course.’
After the police had taken Kenny Locke away, she carried Jana all the way to Tremore, with Mark and Fergus on either side of her.
‘Tell me, darling,’ Fergus said much later, when they were alone. ‘Did you have a bit of a thing about Mark? There were times when I was sure your thoughts were centred on him.’
‘Yes, I did,’ she replied, snuggling into his arms. ‘Back in the days, not so long ago, when I was confused. I was only chasing a dream. I’m glad to have met him. My life is richer for it. And now I know what real love is like, that I love you very much, I shall never have to chase dreams again.’
First published in the United Kingdom in 2006 by Severn House
This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2018 by
Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
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Copyright © Gloria Cook, 2006
The moral right of Gloria Cook to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781788630689
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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