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- Herausgeber: Allison & Busby
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Serie: Larch Tree Lane
- Sprache: Englisch
Chance brings together Nina Thomas and elderly Laura Chadwick just at the time when Laura is in need of a friend to help with an interfering family member. Their growing bond is one thing that Nina will be sorry to leave behind as she relocates from Australia to England, but they promise to stay in touch. It will prove to be a significant friendship. In England, Nina's path soon crosses with handsome Sean Reynolds and she finds herself taking on a project larger than she had ever expected: Lavender Lane. Apparently, the appealing group of properties was a convalescent home for officers from the armed forces, although it has been closed for a few years. Reopening the site will be quite a challenge. As Nina begins to put down roots, Lavender Lane has a number of surprises awaiting her, but will this corner of the Wiltshire countryside become the home she craves?
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Seitenzahl: 369
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
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Lavender Lane
ANNA JACOBS
Contents
Chapter One
Australia
Nina Thomas was walking back to her flat, when she saw a slender, silver-haired woman standing in a garden further along the street crumple suddenly and lie motionless on the tiny square of immaculate lawn in front of a pretty cottage. A quick glance round showed her that she was the only person out in the street, so of course she ran along to see if she could help.
By the time she’d reached her, the woman was stirring, so hopefully it wasn’t anything serious. Nina helped her to sit up.
‘What – happened?’
Wow! People really did say that after they’d fainted, Nina thought. ‘I was walking along the street and saw you fall suddenly. I think you must have fainted.’
‘Oh, drat.’ She rubbed the side of her forehead, looked round and asked, ‘Can you help me to get up and sit on the end of that little wall, please?’
‘Of course.’ She did that then asked, ‘Can I fetch someone?’
‘No!’ It came out sharply and she looked ruefully at 6Nina. ‘My late nephew’s wife is in the house, but please don’t tell her I fainted when she brings out my mug of tea. She’s looking for an excuse to move in with me and take over what’s left of my life and I’m not having it.’
The woman looked to be quite elderly, possibly in her late seventies, but seemed to be in full possession of her senses now and had a healthy colour. She had a lovely smile when she relaxed a little but it was no business of Nina’s what she did about her problem relative.
‘I won’t tell her if you don’t want me to. I’m Nina Thomas, by the way. I live in a flat further along the street, Number 7A, and have just moved in after I sold my own house. I inherited the flat from my parents, but now am trying to sell that too so that I can move to England. So I’m only here temporarily. Are you one of the permanent residents?’
‘Yes. Laura Chadwick. I grew up in this house.’ She waved one hand towards the pretty detached residence then looked pleadingly at Nina. ‘Look, I know this is rather cheeky but would you mind pretending to my niece that you’re a friend as well as a neighbour? I’d be so grateful.’
‘You sound as if you are having a problem with her.’
‘Yes. She keeps going on and on about me having no one to turn to if I need help and saying she could be here for me. Only I don’t need her or even like her. Why my nephew married her I never could work out, because she didn’t make him happy, I could tell. Perhaps if she’d looked after him better, he might not have died so young. Would you do it? It won’t take much of your time.’
‘I’d be glad to pretend to be your friend, Laura, or even 7to become a genuine friend. I don’t know anyone round here yet, so why don’t you come and have tea with me tomorrow and we can see how we get on with each other for real?’
Her companion’s face lit up at the invitation. ‘How kind of you! I’d love to do that. If you come inside with me now, I’ll suggest she leaves us alone to catch up on our news.’
‘Good idea.’
As they walked into the house together, Nina realised that Laura’s obvious happiness at that invitation had made her feel better too. It was a technique that usually worked, she’d found before. If you didn’t feel happy about life and did something to cheer someone else up, their pleasure could make you feel better, even if it didn’t solve your own problem of the moment.
A middle-aged woman came into the entrance hall from what looked like the kitchen at the rear carrying a steaming mug. She stopped and scowled at Nina. ‘Who are you?’
‘What a rude way to greet one of my friends,’ Laura said. ‘This is Nina. Nina, meet my nephew’s widow, Susan Jones, who comes round occasionally to check that I’m all right. Which I always am.’
The woman ignored that. ‘I’ve not seen this person here before, Laura, so how can she be a friend?’
Even her voice was harsh and ugly, Nina thought. No wonder Laura didn’t want her to move in.
‘I’ve been living in another part of Australia for a while, but now I’m back and really happy to catch up with Laura again.’ 8
‘Which part of Australia?’
‘That’s none of your business, Susan.’ Laura had completely lost her smile now.
The niece set the mug of tea down on the end of the kitchen bench and scowled at Nina. ‘I’m afraid my aunt is getting tired now, so perhaps you can come back another day. If you give me your phone number, I’ll let you know when she’s feeling better.’
‘I’m feeling fine, Susan, and even if I weren’t, when my friend should come round would be none of your business.’ It was Laura who was speaking sharply now and scowling at her niece. ‘And as I’ve told you before, I’m doing fine living on my own and I definitely don’t need a carer.’
‘The doctor is worried about you.’
‘No, he isn’t.’ She glared at her niece. ‘And if I find he’s been discussing my health with you then I’ll change doctors.’
‘He knows I’m trying to look after you. That’s what relatives do when someone needs help.’
‘You’re trying to rearrange my life and I don’t want to do that, thank you very much. And you’re only a relative by marriage so I’m not really your business now that my nephew is dead. Please leave me alone from now on and get on with your own life. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t come to my home again.’
The woman’s mouth dropped open in shock at these blunt words then she snapped, ‘I can’t leave you to muddle through on your own at your age. You’re already getting forgetful.’
‘No, I’m not. Nina dear, will you please see Susan out? She won’t need to take anything but her handbag with her.’ 9
The woman hesitated, then stayed where she was until Laura yelled, ‘Go away! Now! And don’t come back!’
When Nina went back into the kitchen, Laura was sitting at a small table mopping her eyes. ‘Sorry for that outburst. She won’t leave me alone and it’s getting me down. She’s trying to gain control over me. Um, she didn’t take anything with her, did she?’
‘No. Just her handbag. Why do you ask?’
‘She’s pinched a few small items from me recently, some quite valuable. It can only be her who’s taken them because no one else had come into the house on the days they vanished.’
‘That’s shocking. Perhaps you should consult your lawyer about her and get a restraining order to keep her away.’
There was dead silence then Laura slowly began to smile. ‘I never thought of that. You don’t think it’d be a bit drastic? Her husband, who was my nephew, died a few months ago and I felt sorry for her, so invited her round to tea a couple of times. Only, she kept saying I was failing and needed someone to live with me. I don’t need or want anyone, least of all her.’
‘She certainly sounds to be trying to take over your life. It’s the first time I’ve met her and it’s obvious that she wants to keep other people away from you. Some folk do that to elderly relatives and then go on to take over their finances too, so be careful of her.’
She waited a moment then added gently, ‘Do you have a car?’
‘No. I’m no longer able to drive because of a health condition.’ 10
‘Well, if you want to see a lawyer and arrange to keep that woman away permanently, I’ll be happy to drive you to his or her rooms.’ She grinned and added, ‘And for the record I do not wish to move in with you afterwards.’
Laura chuckled. ‘Thank goodness for that. I actually like living alone and have a good cleaner so I don’t need anyone to help me in the house, though I would like to catch up with some distant relatives before I die. I lost touch years ago, sadly, when they moved to the UK.’
She continued to look upset, eyes brimming with tears again. ‘You’re so kind. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t helped me today.’ She grimaced and pointed to the mug. ‘Even the coffee Susan makes tastes awful.’
‘I’ll pour it away then, shall I?’
‘Please do.’ She sat down on a kitchen stool. ‘I still feel a bit wobbly so if you’ll kindly fetch me the phone and the index next to it from the hall table first, I’ll sit in the dining area and ring up the social worker. Luckily for me, the council employs social workers to help oldies with emergencies. I went to a talk about personal security for older people living alone and the woman who gave it said she was employed specifically to help people like me. She gave everyone her card and I kept it even though I didn’t think I’d ever need her help – only I do need it now, don’t I?’
‘Might be a good idea. I won’t always be walking past when you need rescuing, though if I am, don’t hesitate to call me in.’ She brought the phone and index and gave them to Laura, then said, ‘I’ll pour the coffee down the sink, shall I?’
Before she did that, she took a sniff out of sheer 11curiosity and grimaced, then sniffed again and frowned. What did it smell of? Not coffee, that was for sure. There was an underlying sickliness to whatever it was.
On impulse she put the full mug in a wall cupboard. When the social worker came, she’d ask her whether it smelt strange to her and if the woman laughed at her for being too suspicious, she wouldn’t mind. It was just – well, you couldn’t be too careful in some situations. She’d found that at various times in her life.
She couldn’t help hearing the other woman make the phone call, and Laura’s voice grew shaky as she explained the situation. When she ended the call, she looked across at Nina. ‘Ms Gray will be here in about an hour and she’ll take me to see my doctor then a lawyer. I can’t thank you enough for your help, Nina, and for nudging me into doing something.’
‘My pleasure. Look, tell me to butt out if I’m being too pushy, but do you want me to stay around until this woman from the council gets here?’
‘Would you?’
‘Happy to. I’ve nothing pressing to do now that my house is sold. I’ll just nip back to the flat and change into something more respectable than these scruffy old clothes I use for my exercise walks. They’re all rather sweaty now. I’ll only be a few minutes.’
At her flat she quickly washed and changed, getting back to Laura’s house in just under seven minutes.
To her amazement, that Jones woman was there again, hammering on the front door with a clenched fist and calling, ‘Let me in, Laura. You really do need help.’
Nina marched up the garden path and called, ‘Hoy!’ 12
She watched the other woman jerk in shock and turn to glare at her, so asked sharply, ‘Do we have to call the police to get you to leave her alone?’
‘It’s the other way round. It’s you who won’t leave my poor aunt Laura alone. And you’re not a friend or I’d have recognised you. You’re a complete stranger. What are you after?’
Nina could see the curtains at the side of the front room move and guessed that Laura was watching out for her and mustn’t even have dared open the door when her niece turned up again.
She went and stood in front of the big living room window where she could be seen clearly from inside and called, ‘I’m back, Laura.’
‘Oh, Nina! Thank goodness!’ She stepped from behind the curtain, beckoned her across and pointed to the top part of the window, which was open, saying in a low voice, ‘We can chat here, if you don’t mind waiting outside. I’ve called for urgent help.’
‘Of course I don’t mind.’
A car drew up before the house shortly afterwards and a policewoman got out. As she reached the front door Susan stepped back a little, then stood with arms folded, scowling yet again.
Only now did Laura come to open the front door.
‘Mrs Chadwick?’ the officer asked.
‘Yes. Please call me Ms, though. I never married.’
‘You called for urgent help, I believe?’ The officer was studying both Susan and Nina as she spoke.
‘Yes, and I do still need help. This is my late nephew’s wife, Susan Jones, and she won’t leave me alone. She 13keeps trying to move in and she’s pushed her way into the house several times. The mere sight of her makes me feel nervous and threatened. And what’s more, she’s taken some of my favourite ornaments and I want them back.’
‘That’s not true.’
Susan took a step back, turning away as if to leave and the officer said sharply, ‘Stay there, please, madam.’ She then looked at Nina. ‘Who is this other lady, Ms Chadwick?’
‘Nina Thomas. She’s a friend of mine, a good friend, who’s come round to visit me.’
‘She can’t be a friend. I’ve never seen her before!’ the Jones woman exclaimed.
‘Do you live here, then?’ the police officer asked Susan, looking puzzled.
‘Not yet. But my aunt has asked me to move in and look after her. It shows how absent-minded she’s become.’
Laura stared at her in patent astonishment, then turned back to the police officer. ‘I did not ask her to move in! I’d never do that.’
‘She’s getting very forgetful,’ Susan said, with a poor attempt at a sad expression.
‘I’m not! I don’t even like her only she keeps coming round and pushing her way in. It makes me so nervous I’ve started keeping the doors and windows locked.’
The officer studied Laura’s face and the way she was still barring the entrance, and what she saw must have passed some sort of test, because she turned and said, ‘The lady has asked you to leave, Ms Jones.’ 14
Susan glared at them all, hesitated then turned to go.
‘Wait!’ Laura said. ‘Could you please tell her to bring back my ornaments?’
‘See how forgetful she is!’ Susan exclaimed. ‘She said they were presents when she gave them to me!’
‘I did not give them to you! You took them sneakily. And they’re quite valuable as well as having sentimental value.’
‘Perhaps you’d bring them back, madam, since you’ve admitted to having them? I’ll call here again tomorrow afternoon and check that you’ve done that. Could you make a complete list for me, Ms Chadwick, then we’ll tick them off together?’
‘Yes, I will. I know exactly which ones are missing.’
Susan glared at them all again and strode off along the street, getting into a small car. She didn’t drive away, however, but sat watching them.
‘She’s been sitting there a lot of the time recently watching the house,’ Laura said. ‘I daren’t even go out into my garden these days.’
‘I’m afraid I can’t do anything about her staying in the street as long as she doesn’t break any parking rules, Ms Chadwick.’
The officer was about to walk back to her car but stopped when another vehicle drew up and parked in the drive of the house. A woman of about Nina’s age got out and hurried across to the group at the front door. ‘Are you Ms Chadwick?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m Pauline Gray. You phoned for help. Are you all right?’ 15
‘I am now, thanks to my friend Nina and this kind officer.’
The newcomer looked round, nodded at them and said, ‘I’m a social worker employed by the local council to help older ratepayers experiencing difficulties of any sort.’ She turned to stare at Nina before asking Laura, ‘Is this the lady who’s been pestering you?’
‘Oh, no. That was Susan Jones. She’s gone away from the house now, thanks to this officer, but she’s still sitting in her car – that blue one over there – watching us.’ She pointed to the car then explained the situation and the difficulties she was having.
Pauline scribbled down the names and the vehicle’s make and registration number in a small notebook then turned back to Nina. ‘How did you get involved, then? Older people can be very vulnerable and trusting so I find it best to check any new acquaintances openly.’
Laura spoke before Nina could. ‘She’s an old friend of mine who’s just come back to live in the area. She’s called Nina Thomas and she kindly helped me stop Susan forcing her way into my house earlier.’
‘We thought she’d taken the hint,’ Nina said grimly, ‘but when I nipped across to my flat to change out of my running clothes she came back.’
Laura nodded. ‘Yes. As soon as Nina had gone I saw Susan getting out of her car so I locked the door. Otherwise she’d just have walked in. She doesn’t hesitate to do that. This time she kept thumping on the door and she looked so fierce I felt frightened. I was worried she was going to break the glass panel to get to the lock, so I called the helpline that we were told about at the talk.’ 16
‘That was the best thing to do.’
‘There’s another thing you should check, Ms Gray,’ Nina said. ‘Susan had made some coffee for Laura and it smelt rather strange to me, so I put it in a cupboard in the kitchen to show you. Perhaps you and the officer would both sniff it? I may be mistaken because I’m not a big coffee drinker, but better safe than sorry, eh?’
Laura sighed. ‘Oh dear! I’ve lost most of my sense of smell as I’ve grown older, and Susan knew it. I wouldn’t even have noticed that.’
The police officer said quietly, ‘Can you get out the coffee, Ms Thomas? I’d definitely like to be involved in checking it.’
Nina led the way into the kitchen and got the mug out of the cupboard.
The officer took it and asked Laura, ‘Is this your mug?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did you make the coffee in it?’
‘No. Susan insisted on making some for me. She always does if she can manage to sneak her way in, but I pour most of her stuff down the sink because it tastes awful.’
All three of her visitors sniffed it a second time and frowned at one another.
‘You’re right, Ms Thomas. It does smell strange. I think I’ll take it away and get it tested,’ the police officer said thoughtfully. ‘Do you have some clingfilm to put across the top, Ms Chadwick, and perhaps an old plastic container to stand the mug in? I don’t want it spilling in the car on our way back to the station.’
Laura nodded and made the coffee safe to travel without spilling. 17
‘If you’re all right for now, I’ll get on with my day.’ The officer gave her a card then picked up the box containing the mug. ‘Don’t hesitate to call if you need further help, though, and let me know if Ms Jones doesn’t bring your things back tomorrow morning. Oh, and I may need to get back to you if there’s anything wrong with the coffee.’
When she’d gone, Laura turned to the social worker and said firmly, ‘I need to see my lawyer ASAP and change my will. I should have done that when my nephew died a couple of months ago but I kept putting it off because last time I redid my will, it made me feel as if I were going to drop dead any minute. This one still leaves a large percentage of my possessions to him. How absolutely stupid of me not to have changed it before! But I was so worried by Susan’s antics, it slipped my mind.’
‘You should get a check-up from a doctor first to say you’re compos mentis,’ Pauline said bluntly.
Laura stared at her open-mouthed, then said, ‘Nina was going to take me to see both my doctor and lawyer, weren’t you, dear? But I’d not have thought of proving I was compos mentis before asking the lawyer to redo my will. I just assume that I still have my wits intact because I may be old but I’m not forgetful or anything like that.’
‘Did you need to see the doctor for any other personal reason?’ Pauline asked.
‘Not particularly. I was going there mainly to ask whether the people at the medical centre have been talking to Susan about my health as she’d said they had. I know about my own problems but there’s no reason for her to.’
‘Ah. I see. Well, I’ll take Ms Chadwick there if you don’t mind, Ms Thomas,’ the social worker said with a 18smile. ‘Though I doubt we’ll have any difficulty getting confirmation that she still has all her wits about her. I meet a lot of older people and I’m a pretty good judge of that.’
‘Fine by me. I’ll leave you to it. Let me know if you’re not available for tea tomorrow, Laura, and we’ll reschedule. I’m very flexible.’ Nina looked at the social worker and added, ‘I’ve just moved into a flat at the far end of the street.’
‘Can you let me have your address and phone number, Ms Thomas?’
Nina pulled out one of the temporary handwritten business cards she was using till she left Australia and apologised for that. ‘I’m only going to be here for two or three months. I’m in the middle of arranging to go and live in England for a while and have been sorting out the possessions I want to take with me. I got a sudden cash offer to buy my house if I moved out quickly, so I have put some of it into storage. I’m living temporarily in a flat my parents left to me and I’m trying to sell that too.’ She handed a card to Laura as well. ‘You’ll need my new phone number. I’ll look forward to catching up on everything when we have tea together.’
‘So will I.’
The following afternoon, Nina enjoyed her neighbour’s company for an hour or so.
She was glad to hear that the social worker had taken over the details of helping Laura sort out her new will, and had also found her a voluntary helper who’d take her shopping twice a week. Her companion was a lot more 19relaxed now she’d seen the doctor and then changed her will.
The two of them got on really well, so agreed to catch up once or twice a week and she walked the older woman home, just to be sure Susan wasn’t still lurking.
The helper had also been briefed on the need to keep Susan Jones out of the house, though for some strange reason she was still coming and parking in the street.
Then two days later two police cars turned up suddenly, their flashing lights bringing Nina across to stare out of the window of her flat. One of them parked outside Laura’s house and the other blocked Susan’s car from leaving. Nina stayed to watch, wondering what on earth was going on.
One police officer spoke to the woman in the car. By his gestures, he was asking Susan to get out. When she shook her head, he pulled out some sort of tool and held it as if he was going to break the car window so she unlocked her vehicle, scowling and moving with exaggerated slowness.
It was just like a TV show. They even made Susan stand with her hands on the roof of her car while they checked her pockets, then they handcuffed her and took her to sit in the back seat of one police car.
When Nina looked at her friend’s house, the door was open and a police officer was standing in the opening with Laura watching what was going on.
Good heavens, what had happened? She went back inside her kitchen to finish making her coffee, intending to go back to watching with it.
However, someone rang her doorbell. She saw through 20the glass in the upper half of the door that a police officer was standing outside, so hurried to open it. There were in fact two of them standing there.
‘Nina Thomas?’
‘Yes.’
‘All right if we come in and speak to you about your friend Laura?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘She says you’re the woman who suspected something was wrong with the coffee.’
‘Yes, I am.’
‘We wondered if you’d make a formal statement about that?’
‘What did it contain?’
‘We can’t go into details but let’s say there wasn’t only coffee and it contained a substance that would be harmful long-term.’
‘Well, I’m happy to do anything to help my friend. Do you want to take the statement now or do I need to come to the station?’
‘We could do it now, if you don’t mind. It won’t need to be complicated and there are two of us to witness it.’
‘Of course I don’t mind.’
Only when both police cars had driven away did she give in to temptation and go along the street to see Laura to discuss the surprise arrest of her nephew’s wife.
‘They think she was trying to poison me,’ Laura said with an involuntary shudder.
So Nina gave her a big hug and sat next to her holding her hand for a while till she’d calmed down.
She thought her neighbour was looking exhausted 21and unhappy, so didn’t stay long once she was looking calmer.
‘If you need anything, any time, don’t hesitate to ask me.’
‘You’re so kind. I’m sorry you’re going to England so soon.’
‘Well, it won’t be until I’ve sold my flat, so not for a few weeks at least. I have too much to sort out. And we can keep in touch by phone and email afterwards.’
‘That’d be lovely.’
Chapter Two
Weeks passed and Nina was fed up to the teeth about how long it was taking to sell her flat, and to get all the paperwork and official permissions completed for her to go and live permanently in England. She’d been told by her older son it was better to arrange that sort of thing from your present country. It was a good thing she had Laura to keep her company.
Nina might have been born in England, but her parents had emigrated to Australia when she was a baby and they hadn’t kept any of the necessary documents to prove that. Indeed, they’d always been very secretive about where they had been born and lived and had even changed their names, so she’d had to investigate her own situation and get validated copies of every scrap of information needed. And even with her sons helping, it had all taken longer than expected.
But the delays had been made worse because her sons 23had patches where they were incommunicado, either for a lock-up, shut-up workshop with their employers, from which they couldn’t contact any outsiders, or an urgent project overseas for a week or two.
Shakers and movers, those two, or as she sometimes thought of it, they were ‘shaken and moved’ by their employers.
She’d been to England before, of course, but had simply used her Aussie passport for that because it was easier and she was only going for a couple of weeks. But that had been years ago, before her sons were born and the family had had to take cheaper holidays closer to home.
After Charles died, she’d not been able to afford overseas trips for a good while, or anything else much, either. He hadn’t been brilliant with money, on the contrary. She’d taken a job as a personal assistant, and had proved so efficient at organising her employer’s business life that she’d earned and saved more than her husband ever had. But she’d missed Charles greatly. He’d been such fun, a good friend as well as a beloved husband.
Perhaps that was why she’d moved so quickly into another relationship. And had to move out of it equally quickly.
Over six months had passed now since she’d first started organising the necessary changes to her life to join her sons Brandon and Kit in the UK. She couldn’t believe it when at last she found herself in possession of the necessary documentation to settle permanently there.
She hoped that another benefit of moving to the UK was that her ex, who didn’t have UK citizenship, wouldn’t 24easily be able to follow her and continue his harassment.
The company she’d worked for had moved its office across the continent to Sydney, but she hadn’t gone with them because she’d expected to arrange the move more quickly. During those intervening months she’d done some temping in office work to pass the time, but actually it was to be with people as much as to earn money, because the house had sold for far more than she’d expected. Though it never hurt to add to your savings.
So she’d spent quite a lot of time with Laura and, in the end, her biggest regret about the move was that she’d be leaving her friend behind. She’d also come to understand how much her visits meant to the older woman, who seemed to have gone noticeably downhill health-wise in that time.
Laura wasn’t very good with technology and couldn’t be bothered with what she called ‘fiddling on the phone’ but she was better at emailing and going online, so they agreed to ‘chat’ that way after Nina’s move to the UK.
One evening her estate agent rang to say that he had a good cash offer on the flat, and that the whole sale could be finalised and possession given to the new owner in only a couple of weeks, since there was no mortgage to pay off. Within the hour, Nina had booked a one-way flight to Heathrow and emailed both sons with the news.
Laura was visibly saddened by her coming departure but said that she understood why Nina had to go to England. ‘I know that you were meant to live there,’ she said, although Nina couldn’t understand why Laura was so certain that was case. Did she consider herself psychic or something? Surely not. 25
They had a final meal together and Nina promised – cross her heart! – to email every day. And she would. Only it wouldn’t be the same as being there. They both knew that they might not see one another again in person because of Laura’s deteriorating health – make that definitely wouldn’t see one another, Nina amended mentally, feeling very sad.
After the meal, Laura hesitated, then said, ‘I wonder if you’ll look after some important family papers for me?’
‘I’ll be in the UK, remember.’
‘It doesn’t matter. I’ll specify in my will what needs doing with them, and they’ll be going to someone there.’
‘Let’s hope that’ll not happen for a good while.’
Laura smiled sadly. ‘We both know I’m getting worse.’
She stopped pretending. ‘Can’t the doctors help at all?’
‘No. I’m getting a bit old now, eighty-three, just imagine it, so I haven’t done too badly. Nature is still our boss. But I didn’t want to leave these papers lying around here and I don’t want to give them to my lawyer, either, because he’s going to be retiring soon and they’ll be taking on a new partner who’ll handle my affairs. So will you look after them for me, dear?’
‘Yes, of course. I’ll take them with me in my hand luggage and keep them very safe once I’m there, I promise.’
Laura pointed across the room. ‘The documents are in that big file on top of the bookcase. They’re my original family documents from the past couple of centuries. Such beautiful manuscripts, even if they are faded. Are you sure you don’t mind? They won’t use up too much space in your luggage? I can pay for any extra costs.’
Nina picked up the folder and smiled. ‘These weigh 26nothing compared to all the sentimental stuff I’ll be taking with me. I’ll be paying for excess luggage as well as sending a couple of tea chests full of bits and pieces so your folder won’t make any difference at all. And anyway, I’m happy to help you in any way I can.’
‘Good. When the inevitable happens my lawyer will let you know what to do with the papers.’
At least the horrible niece was still in prison awaiting trial, because there was little doubt that she’d caused her husband’s death. That meant Laura would have no safety worries, just the usual ongoing concern about how to fill your days when you were confined to the house, mainly on your own due to the deaths of friends and lacking the energy to be very active even inside your own home.
Their final hug was a long, lingering one and they both had tears in their eyes as they drew apart.
Sadly, other changes had seriously marred Nina’s plans. Her son Brandon’s partner had left him a few months previously and she’d quickly found someone more ready to settle down and start a family than he had been.
As a consequence, he’d become restless, especially as the two of them still ran into one another regularly because they were part of the same crowd. It turned out that he’d started looking to move on to a new job without telling anyone, and had found himself one in California with excellent future prospects.
He apologised to his mother but moved over there almost immediately and before she was anywhere near to being able to leave for the UK. ‘At least you’ll still be getting away from Ratface,’ he’d said. 27
‘I’m not doing this to get away from Sandor.’
‘But it’ll be another advantage of the move to the UK, won’t it?’
So much for them persuading me that the family should be living nearer to one another! she thought angrily. They aren’t mentioning that at all now.
Brandon’s apologies hadn’t rung true. He’d been happy and excited about his new life and a mere few lines of apology to her showed where his priorities really lay. And yet he had been the one who’d first contacted her about moving so that they’d all be living in the same country.
Perhaps he’d been tempted to settle down with his partner and then changed his mind. He didn’t seem to be tempted by anything but work and making money now, so that family idea hadn’t lasted.
Well, at least Kit would still be around.
Then, two weeks before her big move, her younger son had phoned her. ‘Ma, there’s a problem. I’ve been offered a job in New York at double my current salary.’
‘Oh, no! Sorry! I should have congratulated you, but what a time for it to happen.’
‘Yeah. And the company wants me to start work within a couple of weeks. I’m not going to do that. I’ll delay my departure by a few days beyond that so that I can at least help you settle in the UK.’
She spoke her thoughts aloud. ‘I’m not sure I want to come now.’
‘But you’ve sold your Australian house and the flat and you’ll still need to get away from Ratface. And I won’t be gone for ever, I promise you. Probably two years at most for this job.’ 28
‘You can never be sure of that sort of thing, as you and Brandon have just proved. And there will be other job offers over there, I’m certain.’
‘Well, I’m certain that I prefer the UK to America, Ma, and that’s where I intend to settle long term. In the meantime, I thought you might like to move into my flat. I don’t want to sell it and if you pay enough rent to cover the mortgage, it’ll be much cheaper for you than other commercial rents would be, and I know it’ll be looked after. I don’t want or need to make a profit out of you.’
‘Hmm.’ She didn’t know what to say or think.
‘And the flat is fully furnished so you’ll not have to worry about buying furniture and stuff until you’re ready to settle permanently somewhere of your own.’
She sighed. ‘I suppose taking your flat will help me transition more easily, though London isn’t my preferred place of residence, not permanently.’
‘It does have some advantages. There’s a lot to see and do in the capital.’
‘Yes. I suppose so.’
So she went on the flight she’d arranged.
Kit met her at the airport, giving her a big hug and then holding her at arm’s length. ‘I’m truly sorry about this, Ma.’
She didn’t try to pretend. ‘So am I. With neither you nor Brandon here, I doubt it’s been worth all the upheaval and I’ll probably go back to Australia again. At least I have a few friends left there.’
‘It’s unfortunate, I know, but this is a dream job and it’ll not only be interesting, it’ll set me up for a highly 29lucrative future and I’ll probably transition to starting a business consultancy of my own. Don’t you fancy having a billionaire son one day, Ma?’
‘No. Just two sons within reach.’ And maybe even grandchildren too, she thought, but she never let herself say that. There had certainly been no real signs of either son settling into matrimony.
‘Well, for the record, Ma, I didn’t apply for this job and I won’t be applying for any others. They headhunted me. And I really do intend to settle permanently in the UK in a few years’ time. It feels like home and always has done, even though I was born in Australia.’
That’s what you say now, she thought but kept it to herself. You couldn’t tell other people how to live their lives.
‘At least you’ve got away from Ratface,’ he said, as Brandon had done.
That was not why she’d moved. Sandor had been a bit annoying but not desperately bad, only she didn’t say so.
After a few moments he waved one hand at the world outside the car window. ‘I’ve always been happy in England. Remember how much I liked it when I came here for that school trip all those years ago. Strange, that, because Dad wasn’t so keen on coming and always managed to avoid it.’
She could only shrug. She’d done the move now, so the least she could do was give it a try. Anyway, you didn’t hang yourself round your sons’ necks like a millstone, or anyone else’s for that matter.
Kit helped to carry her luggage into the lift and then into his flat, which was a two-bedroom place on the 30fourth floor, with one large living and cooking area, and an ensuite for each bedroom. It was clearly not designed for families. There were apparently two other similar flats on this floor and it was the same on each floor, with two larger flats on the sixth floor.
His place was comfortably furnished in a minimalist style, not at all to her taste but the chairs were reasonably comfortable so she’d put up with their appearance for a while.
But even going into the six-storey building with its series of homes had made Nina feel a sense of pressure at having so many people ‘living all of a heap’, to use her grandma’s way of describing multi-storey buildings.
She had never been a big city girl, much preferring the open spaces and greenery of the countryside. Living down under had suited her nicely when Charles was alive, even if the grass hadn’t always been literally green but bleached beige in the hot, dry summers of Western Australia. At least it never snowed in Perth.
‘I’ll stay here for a while,’ she told Kit, ‘but I doubt I’ll want to settle in London for more than a month or two. If I do decide to stay permanently here, it’ll be somewhere in the country, a village preferably.’
‘Oh.’ He stood frowning then said, ‘Well, I’d better find an estate agent tomorrow, someone who can manage the renting out of this place once you move away.’ He gave her a guilty look and added, ‘I have to leave the day after tomorrow, I’m afraid. That was all the postponement I could negotiate. Will you be all right?’
Pride kept what she hoped was a convincing smile on her face as she lied to him. ‘Yes, of course I will. I’m a 31grown-up and I’ve been completely on my own for a few years now. I may one day need an end-of-life carer, but that won’t be for a good few years yet, if ever, I hope.’
‘I don’t like to even think about you growing that old and needing assistance,’ he said softly. ‘You’ve always been a strong woman, physically as well as mentally.’
‘Merci du compliment.’ She dropped him a mock curtsey and managed to keep the smile on her face – well, she hoped she’d managed some sort of grimace that looked convincingly cheerful.
She didn’t know where she wanted to live permanently now, not even in which of the two countries. But definitely not in London or any other big city, wherever she wound up. That was a start, wasn’t it? She’d manage to find somewhere acceptable, surely?
She probably had relatives here and there in the UK but her parents hadn’t kept in touch with them, so she’d not know who they were, let alone where to start looking for them. And anyway, they’d not be close relatives.
She might hire someone with relevant expertise to find them for her later on, though, out of sheer curiosity. Or she might not bother because they might be as inward-looking and quiet as her parents – talk about joined at the hip and not much into socialising with other people. She’d never met anyone as focused on themselves as her parents, but at least they’d been happy living together like that. You couldn’t ask for more than happiness in what you were doing, could you?
For a day or two after Kit left for New York, it was touch and go whether Nina cancelled everything and went back 32to live in Australia straight away; she felt so very alone in what was, to her, a foreign country. She occasionally met another resident in the lift, but those interactions didn’t go beyond a nod or a brief exchange of comments about the weather.
Then, as the jetlag ebbed away, she grew angry at herself for moping around and thought, To hell with everything. She’d be stupid not to give the UK a decent try-out, and anyway, if she stuffed things up there would only be herself to know about it, wouldn’t there? She was in her early fifties, which wasn’t exactly antique for a human being, and she had some money saved, after selling her house and flat and previously inheriting a pleasant sum from her parents, who had only made it to seventy-five. If she managed her finances carefully, she wouldn’t need to look for a job for years, perhaps never.
