by Anna Jacobs
‘Oh, we noticed you’d gone all right. We’ve both needed your help, only you’ve not been around to give it.’
Simone gaped at the phone. Had she raised a pair of selfish monsters or what?
‘Is it right what Clo says: you’ve taken up with a guy?’
‘Yes.’
‘How could you do that to Dad?’
‘Your father’s been dead for four years. I’ve not done anything to him. I’m not quite in my dotage yet, so why shouldn’t I go out with a nice guy?’
‘Because Dad should have been enough for you.’ Simone breathed deeply and before she could speak, Deb went on, ‘Anyway, Clo hasn’t told you but she’s not been at all well this time. The doctor’s told her to stop work only she won’t because there’s the mortgage to pay. She looks awful.’
‘Is Bob helping her?’
‘He’s useless in the house, you know he is.’
‘I know she’s never let him do much. She’s ridiculously fussy about doing things just so.’
‘She’s a brilliant housewife. You should—’
‘I’m not going to argue nor am I going to let you two run my life for your own convenience. Phone me when you’re calmer and can think about my side of things for a change.’ She ended the call.
She tried not to cry but she couldn’t help it.
Neither of her daughters phoned back to apologise.
When she realised they weren’t going to and they’d be in bed asleep by now, she cried some more.
Later, just as she was getting ready for bed herself, the phone rang. She rushed across the room to pick it up, only it wasn’t her daughters, of course it wasn’t at this time.
‘Hi, Simone. Russ here.’
She sniffed back tears. She wasn’t going to weep all over him. This was for her to sort out. ‘Hi, Russ.’ Damn! She’d let her voice wobble.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘N-nothing.’
His voice softened. ‘Tell me, love.’
‘I’ve just quarrelled with both my daughters. They think I should go home and take over their babysitting again, as well as doing some of Clo’s housekeeping.’
‘What?’
‘Clo’s pregnant and she’s not as well as she was with the other two. I think, no, I know I’ve spoilt them, letting them pile babysitting and other jobs on me. And – and they don’t approve of me getting myself a fellow.’
His voice was suddenly full of amusement. ‘Is that what I am? Your fellow?’
‘Yes.’ She was feeling better already, just having him to talk to. ‘Or we could say I’ve “picked up a clue” as my grandma used to call it.’
‘Oh, that’s a much cuter way of describing it. I’d really like to be your “clue”. Or your fellow. Or anything else you need me for. I’m very happy to hear you say that. You’ve been holding back on committing yourself to a relationship.’
‘Because I have to go back to Australia eventually. And your life is here.’
‘We’ll discuss that another time, face-to-face. Let’s stick with the good news now. Though you trumped mine by saying I was your clue.’
‘Stop going on about that, you idiot. What’s your good news.’
‘My other good news is that the TV people do want me to make a shorter series about the grounds of Pennerton House, a three-part one, with some shots inside the house to set the scene. They’re going to sort out the details of the contract with my agent.’
‘That’s marvellous. You’re doing so well, Russ. I’m proud of you.’
‘So you and I are going to be very busy once I get back.’
They chatted for a while and when the call ended she went to bed smiling.
But during the night she woke up a couple of times and inevitably started worrying about her daughters again. What had made them so selfish? Or was Clo really ill? She never had been before, was usually what people called ‘disgustingly healthy’.
Worst of all, did they really expect her to spend the rest of her life serving them and retreating to her quiet cave when not needed?
No, even worse was why should they think their father would have hated her finding another man to love? She and Harvey had both told one another that if anything happened to them, they’d want the other to find someone else. If there was one thing they’d agreed about, it was that love was not exclusive, could always expand to include more people.
During her second wakeful period, it was a long time before she felt sleep winning over worrying, because she couldn’t work out whether to be angry with or worried about her daughters. Or both.
Angry probably came top. She had still not forgiven them for that holiday weekend when they’d left her alone each evening in the hotel bedroom babysitting their children while they ‘partied on’ as they called it. She told herself it wasn’t worth hanging on to, but it had seemed so utterly selfish.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Three days later in the evening Elizabeth began opening the doors of the old stables, where they parked their vehicles now, about to park her car under cover. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind and dragged into the old building.
She didn’t see her assailants because they slipped a hood over her head and she couldn’t scream for help because there were at least two people. One had put his hand over her mouth and gripped her face so tightly it hurt, while the other held her arms behind her.
She heard one voice say clearly, ‘Listen, you! Tell the old lady this is a warning. She’s to pay off the money Lance Mundy owes if she wants this house to stay intact. He may be dead but the family still has to clear his debts.’
When the rather hoarse voice named a figure and let go of her mouth, she opened her mouth to scream for help, but the man quickly stuffed a gag in her mouth as well as tying her hands behind her. She heard a faint noise and lay still, not knowing what to expect, but as the slow seconds ticked past and nothing happened, she guessed they’d left. When she tried to crawl out into the open, she found they’d also fastened her bound arms to a post behind her.
They must have been well prepared for this, and experienced, too, damn them.
It wasn’t until Gavin saw her car in the stable yard some time later with its headlights still on and the driver’s door open that anyone came to investigate.
‘What happened?’ he asked sharply as he sliced the ropes with his pocketknife.
She managed not to cry in sheer relief, but oh, she wanted to.
When she explained and told him what they had demanded, he let out a growling, angry sound. ‘First thing to do is to get you to a doctor.’
‘No need for that. They didn’t hurt me, apart from maybe a bruise or two. It was uncomfortable lying waiting for someone to find me, that’s all, and – and it’s a bit upsetting. Let’s go and check that Henrietta is all right. She must be worrying about me.’
‘It has to have been the same men,’ Gavin said after Elizabeth had told her tale for a second time.
‘They aren’t that stupid,’ the old lady said. ‘Those two will have solid alibis for the time you were attacked.’ She sat drumming her fingers on her chair arm, then said, ‘Better phone the police, though I doubt they’ll be able to do anything. While we’re waiting for them to turn up, you can get my mother’s little handgun out of the gun safe, Gavin, and load it. Hang the firearm regulations.’
He frowned at that.
‘And find suitable guns for yourself and Elizabeth as well.’
As he opened his mouth to protest, she held up one hand. ‘I know it’s not legal these days for us to arm ourselves, but I’d rather have my own means of defence when they come back. And they will come back. Well, if they expect to find a feeble old lady sitting waiting for them, they’re going to be very surprised.’
He looked at Elizabeth. ‘I know Miss Henrietta is well acquainted with guns from her job. How about you?’
‘I’m country born and bred. I may be out of practice but I know how to handle them – and more importantly, how not
to handle them.’
The police were shocked at the attack and the threats, and suggested the ladies go and stay in a hotel or visit friends until they’d caught the attackers.
Henrietta laughed gently. ‘Not a chance.’
‘Can you hire a couple of bodyguards, then?’ He looked round. ‘The trouble is, this is a big house, with no other residences close by and it’s going to be hard to defend.’
Her usually gentle voice came out more sharply than normal. ‘I’ll bring in a couple of my young relatives but we have one or two tricks up our sleeves as well. I’m going to get our CCTV system extended and modified. I should have put it in the stables in the first place.’
‘Good idea.’
‘And please warn any officers coming here not to go down the side of the house with the wall running near it.’
‘Oh? Why not?’
‘That area was booby-trapped during the Second World War because my mother feared an invasion. It’s been kept more or less operational and Gavin can quite easily get it working again. It’s one of the things the National Trust particularly want to preserve.’
‘You’ve kept it operational all that time?’ one of the younger officers exclaimed. ‘Wow, I’d like to see that.’
‘Oh, yes. It can still protect us. Quite a few people had hidden systems during the war in case of an invasion. People were grimly determined to resist if we got invaded. Just as I am when it comes to villains invading my home.’
‘Are you sure it’s safe? You’ll be the ones in trouble if you hurt them.’
‘I can give you the name of the person at the National Trust who keeps an eye on such places. Our traps won’t kill anyone, I promise you, just hold them till the police come.’
‘As long as you ladies keep your distance, Miss Pennerton.’
‘We’ll not let ourselves get hurt,’ she said ambiguously.
As she watched the officers drive away, she smiled grimly at Elizabeth. ‘We’re going to be ready for them, believe me, and I’ll only keep my distance if they stay out of my home. I wonder if that nice young photographer would like to set up some cameras down the side of the house. It would be quite a scoop for him to film us repelling an invasion of criminals, don’t you think?’
‘You’re too old and stiff to repel anyone,’ Gavin said bluntly.
‘I’m still capable of hitting a target, but I’m not able to run, which is why we’ll call in one or two of my younger relatives to help.’
She fixed a steely gaze on him. ‘I shall only give in to such villains when they nail down my coffin, Gavin. Until then I’ll fight back every time, even if I die doing it.’
He grimaced at Elizabeth, who shrugged at him. They both knew the fierce willpower of the indomitable old lady and admired her greatly.
The next week started very pleasantly, with Russ eager to be involved in Henrietta’s plans. He spent time buying and fitting new parts to the CCTV system, with a couple of internal electronic ‘surprises’ that made his hostess chuckle.
After that he set up a mini studio in the old laundry at Pennerton House. When it was finished, he rang Simone to invite her to have dinner with him at the hotel, then realised he should have checked first with Henrietta so went to find her again.
‘Do you want me to stay here tonight?’
‘No, thank you. Fern’s son and a friend are coming to stay with us for a while. They’re sturdy and young enough to think it exciting to keep watch for probable intruders.’
‘And you? How do you feel about it? You’re actually looking very spry.’
She grinned at him then burst out laughing. ‘I’m equally excited, if truth be told. Life gets sadly tame at my age.’
‘I don’t think life can ever have been tame for those living with or near you, Henrietta Pennerton.’
She put on a fake demure expression. ‘I had a good example to follow with my mother and I do my best to keep going.’
‘I only hope I do half as well as you at that age.’
Which left her beaming with pleasure.
When he got home, Russ changed quickly out of his messy clothes then went next door to share the details of his conversation with Henrietta.
‘She’s an extraordinary woman!’ Simone said.
‘So are you.’ He pulled her into his arms, not asking permission to kiss her this time, not needing to because she came willingly.
After a few minutes, he moved slightly, to cradle her against him. ‘Isn’t it about time you and I took these delightful interactions to their natural conclusion?’
‘Yes, I think it is.’
He held her slightly away from him and studied her face. ‘Am I mistaken, or are you nervous? After kissing me like that you shouldn’t be.’
‘I am a bit.’
‘May I ask why?’
‘I have such limited experience.’
‘Ah, Simone, you don’t need experience to follow your body’s instincts. But you need love to do the thing properly and I’ve definitely fallen in love with you.’ He waited.
So she said it, ‘I’ve fallen in love with you too, even though it’s not wise.’
‘Now when are you going to stop saying that? We can work round it.’
‘I can’t see how. Our lives are set on such different roads. You’re based here in the UK, where you’re an expert on small wild creatures and you’re just starting to get known. And mine’ – her voice choked to a halt for a moment, then she finished saying it aloud – ‘mine lies in Australia. I couldn’t bear to leave my daughters and grandchildren permanently, to go and live on the other side of the world. I just – couldn’t bear to do it. However they treat me at times.’
He reached out to wipe away a tear from her cheek with his fingertip. ‘We will definitely find a way round it, my darling.’
She could only shake her head. She felt so shattered by the difficulties that once again they didn’t make love.
But for some strange reason the fact that he was sensitive to her feelings and didn’t push for it, made her love him all the more. He wasn’t at all like rat man. She couldn’t imagine Russ trampling on anyone’s feelings or taking advantage of a weakness. He was like her first husband in that, considerate.
She fell asleep in his arms. After a while he woke her with a gentle kiss and told her to go to bed. She nodded. It was probably for the best tonight.
As she locked the door behind him she almost called him back. But no. When they made love for the first time she didn’t want it to be half sad, half happy, which was how she felt at the moment.
Why did life get so tangled?
She slept badly again and was woken later than usual by her doorbell ringing. When she went down, Russ was there.
‘Wake up, sleepyhead. We have to get to work. You’re still going to be part of the new series, you know. Breakfast will be served next door in about ten minutes.’
He gave her a mock salute then turned and went back to his house.
She sighed as she went to get showered. He was such a dear love. How could she bear to leave him?
When she went next door, he had what people here called a ‘full English breakfast’ waiting for her. They hadn’t eaten a proper meal last night and she’d thought she wasn’t really hungry this morning but she rediscovered her appetite with fresh fruit salad and yoghurt followed by fried eggs, bacon and tomatoes, all eaten in a leisurely manner. Russ even had an extra piece of toast spread thickly with cherry jam to end his meal.
She smiled across the table at him as they finished. ‘Thank you. I needed a proper meal.’
‘That’s all right. But we’d better get to work now.’
‘Where are you filming today?’
‘Where are we filming? At Pennerton House, of course. The TV people want the new mini-series as soon as possible. How about you wear that blue top with your jeans? That shade of blue comes out better on the screen than the patterned one you’re wearing.’
‘I’d better do something with my
hair, too.’
‘No, don’t. It looks great all tousled like that.’ He waggled his eyebrows at her. ‘Come-to-bed hair, that is.’ Then he gave a shout of laughter. ‘You’re blushing.’
She escaped quickly and stared at herself in the big bathroom mirror. Come-to-bed hair, indeed.
She hadn’t gone to bed with him last night, had she? And was regretting it greatly this morning.
For the following three days they worked on the series and nature seemed to play into their hands, delivering animals, birds and all manner of creatures in a very helpful parade under sunny skies.
It was idyllic. She would never forget it.
When they went home on the third night the casserole she’d put together hastily that morning was simmering gently in the slow cooker and she was able to invite Russ round to share a meal.
She’d planned it carefully, getting up early to set the scene in the bedroom and put the food together.
When he came in she produced the one bottle of sparkling wine she’d bought for a special occasion. As they toasted one another, she smiled across the raised glasses at him.
‘It’s about time, don’t you think?’
She didn’t need to explain what she meant. ‘You’re sure?’
‘Yes. The more I get to know you, the more sure I become.’
So they took the half-full glasses upstairs with them and this time nothing interrupted. This time they shared the age-old expression of two people’s love with joyful abandon.
And as they lay together afterwards, she knew it was going to be even harder to leave him after this. But she didn’t let herself give in to that sad thought now. She wanted to savour every minute they could spend together.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
That same evening Gavin watched Russ and Simone drive away then came back in to say baldly, ‘I reckon they’ll be coming tonight, Miss Henrietta. There have been signs in the woods.’
She didn’t bother to ask him who he meant or what the signs were. He’d been prowling the grounds for days, setting little giveaway traps made of natural materials. No one but he would notice if they’d been disturbed by someone passing through. If he said it would be tonight, then it would happen that way.
