*
It was starting to get dark by the time Sadie left Cat sleeping peacefully under the watchful gaze of the nursing staff and made her way out of the hospital.
In the car park, she pulled out her phone and fired off a message to Daniel: Everything OK?
Moments later, her phone lit up and his name appeared on the screen.
‘Hello,’ Sadie said. ‘I wasn’t sure if you’d be reading Lissy her story.’
‘Not yet,’ Daniel replied. ‘She wanted to wait up for you.’
Sadie almost groaned. ‘But I don’t know how long I’m going to be – I’ve only just left the hospital. It’s not practical for Lissy to stay up—’
‘Calm down,’ Daniel cut in, his voice soothing. ‘I’ve explained that you won’t be back until late – we’re just having a special hot chocolate and then Lissy has promised to go straight to sleep. Haven’t you?’
‘Yes, Mummy.’
Lissy’s voice was high and excited – Sadie didn’t envy Daniel the job of making sure she stuck to her promise, especially since his special hot chocolate recipe usually involved marshmallows and Smarties. ‘Good girl,’ Sadie said, doing her best to sound warm and encouraging. ‘I’ll see you in the morning for a long cuddle.’
‘How are things going?’ Daniel said carefully.
‘As well as can be expected,’ Sadie replied, aware that Lissy might still be listening. ‘But I have no idea what the situation is at the shop. I’m heading over there now.’
‘At least it’s stopped raining,’ Daniel said.
Sadie stared up at the heavy skies overhead. The wind had died down but she didn’t like the look of the thick clouds that still skulked above her. More rain could easily be on the way.
‘That’s something, I suppose,’ she said. ‘Listen, I’m not sure how late I’m going to be so don’t wait up.’
A brief silence stretched. ‘No problem,’ Daniel said. ‘But make sure you don’t stay longer than you need to – it’ll all still be there in the morning. In fact, it will probably look better tomorrow.’
Sadie pictured the rainwater pouring through the floorboards and splashing into the flooded basement. She closed her eyes for a second. ‘I seriously doubt it.’
‘Even so,’ Daniel insisted, ‘make sure you look after yourself. And get something to eat. Shall I cook you something, ready for when you get home?’
He was just trying to take care of her, she knew, but food was the last thing on Sadie’s mind. She was too busy imagining the devastation that awaited her at Smart Cookies. ‘No, don’t worry,’ she said, running a hand over her face. ‘I’ll get something later – maybe a burger or something at the diner, if I get a chance. And I’m sorry you had to cancel your plans to look after Lissy tonight. Will you be able to re-schedule?’
‘Yeah, no problem,’ Daniel said easily. ‘It was only a few drinks with an old friend. Nothing special.’
Gratitude pulled Sadie’s mouth into a reluctant smile; knowing Lissy was in safe hands had given her one less thing to think about while she worried over Cat. ‘I’ll make it up to you,’ she promised Daniel.
‘No need,’ he said, his voice warm. ‘Just come home safely.’
‘I will. Give Lissy a kiss goodnight from me.’
She rang off and hurriedly dialled Clare’s number. The relief in the other woman’s voice was clear when Sadie told her Cat wasn’t in any immediate danger. ‘That’s such good news – Seb will be so pleased. Jaren too – all of us, really.’
‘She was sleeping when I left and the doctors seem to think she’s going to be fine,’ Sadie said. ‘I’m on my way to the shop now – how are things going?’
‘Not bad,’ Clare said, sounding cautious. ‘Seb found the insurance paperwork and I rang the helpline number. They sent someone out to temporarily board up the door, so that it’s secure overnight. An assessor will be in touch as soon as possible to see how much damage there is.’
Sadie swallowed hard. ‘And how did it look to you?’
Clare hesitated. ‘It’s really hard to say. The power is still off and the emergency services refused to let us go inside. I’m sorry, Sadie, I don’t think we’ll really know the full extent until tomorrow.’
‘Right,’ Sadie said slowly, letting the words sink in. She’d been so wrapped up in making sure Cat was okay that she hadn’t allowed herself to think too much about the devastation at the shop; the flood felt like a half-remembered dream and she needed to see the aftermath for herself to make it feel real. ‘I’m still coming over. Can you hang on until I get there?’
‘Of course,’ Clare said. ‘Jaren has given me one of the tables in the window of Let’s Go Dutch so I can keep an eye on things and Earl is keeping me company. Get here when you can – no rush.’
Sadie knew exactly which table she meant; the one with a direct view of the Smart Cookies window. She pictured the warm restaurant, filled with the scent of delicious food and buzzing with customers – it was no small thing for Jaren to have sacrificed a prime spot on a Saturday night, or for Earl to be away from the diner to make sure Clare wasn’t on her own. Sadie would have to thank them both, as well as finding a way to show her gratitude to Jaren for saving her best friend’s life.
‘Say hi to Earl for me,’ she told Clare. ‘I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
It wasn’t until she’d hung up and begun walking across the hospital car park that Sadie remembered her car wasn’t there; she’d arrived in the ambulance with Cat. She stood for a moment, staring into space, wondering how she was going to get back to Castle Court. Then her beleaguered brain kicked in and she pulled out her phone. If she couldn’t get a taxi, there was always the bus. And failing that, she’d have to walk.
Chapter Three
Sadie supposed she should have expected the anxious welcoming committee that greeted her when she walked through the door of the pancake house. Clare and Jaren were waiting by the bar, with Seb instead of Earl for company. Jaren hurried over as soon as Sadie was over the doorstep. ‘This way,’ he said, ushering her to a waiting seat. ‘What can I get you – a coffee? A hot chocolate?’
Seb let out a growl of disgust. ‘Never mind that – what she needs is a proper drink.’
‘A hot chocolate sounds like heaven, actually,’ Sadie said, throwing Jaren a grateful look. ‘Thank you.’
The Dutchman signalled to a waiter. ‘The biggest hot chocolate you can manage. And some speculaas, in case she’s hungry.’
‘How are you feeling?’ Clare asked sympathetically.
Sadie resisted the urge to glance across at the darkened window of Smart Cookies. ‘I’m fine. Nothing that a good night’s sleep won’t fix, anyway. But the shop—’
‘Will keep until the morning,’ Seb said, a kind expression on his face. ‘Don’t even think about it until then.’
And now Sadie did look across Castle Court; Smart Cookies was a black hole among the golden light of the other shops. If their neighbours had suffered from the rushing waters, none of them had been forced to switch off the power. But they hadn’t escaped entirely; the awning of Patisserie Cherie had an ugly rip in the middle and the health food shop window was cracked across one corner. ‘No, I suppose not,’ she said and her voice started to break.
‘Here,’ Jaren said, putting an enormous mug on the bar next to her, along with a plate of thin, horse-shaped biscuits. ‘These will help. And don’t forget we managed to rescue a lot of your stock. The shop might need a bit of TLC to get her up and running again but not everything is lost and we’ll all do everything we can to help.’
His warm smile banished Sadie’s tears. ‘Thank you,’ she said, reaching across to break off a corner of biscuit. ‘I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there today.’
He shook his head. ‘It was nothing. Any of us would have done the same.’
Sadie crunched the thin biscuit, savouring the delicious warmth of the cinnamon and ginger. ‘I’m sure we would have but that isn�
�t the point,’ she said. ‘Your quick thinking and bravery saved Cat’s life. You’re a hero, Jaren.’
‘Hear hear,’ Clare said, gazing at Jaren with undisguised admiration. ‘The way you charged down those stairs after the floor collapsed – it was like something out of a movie.’
Jaren waved the praise away. ‘It all happened so fast,’ he said, with an uncomfortable glance at Seb. ‘And really, all that matters is that Cat is safe and on the road to recovery.’
‘Thanks to you,’ Clare persisted, grinning. ‘You’re Castle Court’s answer to Superman, Jaren. Elin’s a lucky girl!’
Seb cleared his throat. ‘Did they say when Cat would be able to come home?’
‘Not yet,’ Sadie said as she nibbled on another piece of biscuit. ‘They want to keep an eye on her, make sure there’s nothing hiding away behind that head wound.’
‘It’s probably best that she stays with me for a few days,’ Seb suggested. ‘She’ll need a bit of looking after and I’m the best person for that job.’
Sadie’s eyes widened a little. Was it her imagination or did she detect a hint of jealousy behind Seb’s words. Surely he didn’t feel threatened by Jaren’s rescue?
‘I’m sure Cat will have her own thoughts about where she’ll stay once she’s allowed out of hospital,’ she said diplomatically. ‘But it’s a lovely idea, Seb.’
He nodded and Sadie was relieved to see his shoulders settle. She didn’t dare look at Jaren; had he picked up on the undercurrents too?
‘Cat will need some clothes, though,’ Sadie said, finishing the speculaas and taking a long sip of hot chocolate. ‘And some toiletries. Have you got the keys to her flat, Seb? I can pop over in the morning and take whatever she needs to the hospital.’
‘You’re going to be busy with the shop,’ Seb pointed out. ‘Why don’t you give me a list and I can drop everything in to her? I want to see for myself that she’s okay, anyway.’
Sadie was too tired to argue. ‘We can sort all this out in the morning – I should have a better idea how long she’s going to be in hospital by then.’ She stifled a yawn. ‘I’m sorry, Jaren, but as delicious as it is, I don’t think I can finish this hot chocolate. I need to get home before my eyelids drop any further.’
He smiled. ‘No problem. I’ll make you another one tomorrow.’
Clare gave her a sideways look. ‘Why don’t I walk you to your car? You’ve had a long day too.’
‘And so have you,’ Sadie objected, half-laughing. ‘I’ll be fine – it’s only a ten-minute walk and the drive will be easy at this time of night.’
‘She’s right,’ Seb said. ‘Why don’t I walk you back?’
‘Because you have a bar to run,’ Sadie countered. ‘It’s Saturday night and the last thing you need is to be stuck babysitting me. The same goes for you, Jaren,’ she said, before the Dutchman could argue. ‘You’re needed here.’
She slid off her seat and fixed them with a determined look. ‘Thank you for your concern but I’ll be fine. And thanks for all your help today, Clare. I’ll let you know what the plan is as soon as I know it myself.’ She looked at Jaren and Seb. ‘Thanks to both of you, too. And if you happen to see Andrew or Earl, let them know I appreciate everything they did. You were all amazing.’
With a wave, Sadie made her way to the door. Outside, the wind was cold; she could hear the branches of the oak tree creaking and sighing as they moved. For a moment, she was tempted to cross the Court and press her nose against the window of Smart Cookies. But the darkness discouraged her; there was nothing to see – nothing good, at any rate. She hesitated for a heartbeat, then turned away and hurried to the alleyway that led out of Castle Court. As Seb had so rightly pointed out, whatever lay in wait for her at the shop would most definitely still be there in the morning.
*
Sunday dawned bright and clear, without a trace of the wind and rain that had caused such turmoil the day before. Sadie lay still for a few moments, feeling the weight of Daniel’s arm across her middle, enjoying the warmth of his body. She’d stood in the shower for almost thirty minutes when she’d got home the night before, waiting for the hot water to banish the cold from her limbs, but the chill was still there, in her bones. She could only imagine how Cat had felt when she’d awoken in the flooded basement, injured and trapped. Thank God Jaren had been there, Sadie thought with a shiver.
‘Hello,’ Daniel murmured beside her. ‘What time is it?’
Sadie glanced at the clock on her bedside table. ‘Just after seven.’
Daniel’s arm tightened around her. ‘Go back to sleep, then. Lissy won’t be up for a while – it took her ages to go to sleep last night.’
That would be due to the sugar overload, Sadie thought but didn’t say. ‘I need to get over to the shop. It was too dark to see much last night and I want to get an idea of how much damage there is.’
He opened his eyes. ‘You’ll stay and have breakfast with us, though, right? I didn’t want to say anything on the phone last night but Lissy missed you yesterday.’
‘Of course I’ll stay,’ Sadie said, her heart already aching at the thought of leaving her daughter. ‘But I’m going to be out for pretty much the rest of the day. It can’t be helped.’
Daniel frowned. ‘Obviously this is an emergency situation and the shop has to come first but Lissy needs you too.’
Sadie felt the familiar stab of guilt. ‘I know. And I’ll be home as soon as I can but, in the meantime, why don’t you take her out for the day? I’m sure she’d love a trip to the zoo.’
‘Fine,’ Daniel said, sitting up abruptly. His shoulders stayed high and rigid for a few seconds, then he sighed and glanced back at Sadie. ‘Look, you’ve got enough on your plate without me giving you a hard time. It’s just—’
‘It’s just difficult,’ Sadie said, swinging her legs out of bed. ‘Believe me, I know that too.’
‘I’ll put some toast in for Lissy,’ Daniel said as he reached for his dressing gown. ‘Why don’t you go in and wake her up?’
‘Mummy!’ Lissy murmured when she opened her eyes and peered upwards through her tangle of auburn curls. ‘You’re home.’
‘I am,’ Sadie said, gathering her sleepy daughter into her arms. ‘How are you this morning?’
Lissy took a moment to think before she answered. ‘Hungry.’
Sadie laughed. ‘You’re always hungry. Daddy’s put some toast on for you – shall we go downstairs and see if it’s ready?’
Kicking the covers off with sudden enthusiasm, Lissy nodded. ‘Yes. Can I have jam on my toast?’
‘I don’t think we have any,’ Sadie said. ‘But we’ve definitely got Marmite.’
‘Daddy lets me have jam,’ Lissy grumbled as Sadie helped her to pull her dressing gown over her dinosaur pyjamas.
‘And I don’t, unless it’s a special occasion,’ Sadie replied cheerfully. ‘Never mind, only another thirteen years until you’re a grown up and can eat whatever you want.’
The idea of being given free rein over her breakfast decisions caused Lissy to fall temporarily silent. It wasn’t until she and Sadie were almost at the bottom of the cottage stairs that she spoke again. ‘Daddy said Auntie Cat was hurt yesterday. Is she still in hospital?’
‘Yes, but she’s not badly hurt,’ Sadie reassured her. ‘In fact, I’m going to see her today. And if the doctors say it’s okay, she might even be coming home later.’
Lissy’s frown grew deeper. ‘And Daddy said the shop is underwater. Is that true?’
‘That’s true too,’ Sadie said, wondering how much detail her daughter would demand. ‘There was too much rain and some of it washed down the stairs and into the basement.’
They’d reached the kitchen and Sadie felt the briefest flash of annoyance when she saw Lissy’s toast was already spread with a thick layer of glistening red jam.
‘And was it the rain that hurt Auntie Cat?’ Lissy pressed on as she slid into her seat at the kitchen table. ‘Did she drown?’
>
Sadie stared at her daughter. ‘No, she bumped her head. But as I said, she’s on the mend.’ She turned to Daniel, eyebrows raised. ‘There is such a thing as too much information.’
He raised his hands. ‘Don’t blame me. I only mentioned the flood.’
Lissy took a bite of toast. ‘We watched a film about a mermaid at school,’ she said indistinctly. ‘The prince fell in the water and drownded and the mermaid had to rescue him.’
‘Right,’ Sadie said, relieved. ‘Don’t worry – there were no mermaids or princes involved. I’ll be going to the shop today to work out how we’re going to get all the rain out of the basement.’
‘And I’m taking you to the zoo,’ Daniel put in. ‘Maybe we can meet Mummy for something to eat afterwards.’
Lissy chewed in silence for a moment, then fixed Sadie with a fierce look. ‘Watch out for sea hags, Mummy. If you want, you can borrow my triceratops for protection.’
Amusement bubbled up inside Sadie but she kept it well hidden. ‘I’d like that, Lissy, thank you.’
‘But what about us?’ Daniel asked in a worried-sounding tone. ‘Who’s going to protect us from the lions and tigers and bears at the zoo?’
Lissy let out a heavy sigh. ‘We’ll take the T-rex. Honestly, Daddy, you’re so silly sometimes.’
Sadie grinned. ‘What would we do without you, Lissy?’
Her daughter waved an airy hand. ‘Get eaten by tigers or sharks, I expect.’
And this time, Sadie couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
*
Sadie’s phone rang just as she was leaving the house; the insurance company wanted to know when they could send someone to examine the damaged shop. Impressed and relieved to discover Cat had paid an additional premium for an emergency response service, Sadie had told them she anticipated being on the premises all day but she was still amazed to see a man in a dark, pin-striped suit waiting outside Smart Cookies as she hurried into Castle Court.
‘Mrs Smart?’ he said as she approached. ‘I’m George Whittaker, from Sun Hill insurance company.’
Stormy Weather at Castle Court Page 3
