‘Crikey Moses! What did the other bloke look like?’ Jessie leans on the counter and gapes at Helen’s face.

‘He was completely unharmed’ Helen answers absently as she signs off the programme on the computer before dealing with Jessie’s books.

‘Cupboard door, was it?’ Jessie probes, ready to offer a discourse on domestic violence.

‘No..it was Kester’ Helen covers her mouth with her hand as she follows Jessie’s train of thought and grins.

‘You’re admitting it was him?’ Jessie’s eyes widen behind her glasses.

‘And he is still grovelling’

‘My Tom would have been six feet under if he’d done that sort of thing to me’ Jessie harrumphs  ‘….Hmm…he IS six feet under…’ she muses, her head tilted to one side ‘Oh well, never mind, you know what I mean’ she says, dropping her books one by one into her shopping bag as Helen stamps them.

‘He never meant to do it’

‘That’s what they always say’ Jessie huffs again as she slots her library card back into her purse.

‘No, truly…it was a complete accident. He wasn’t even aware he’d done it’ Helen assures seriously.

Jessie leans over the counter as far as her short stature will allow ‘You mean he had one of those blind rages or whatever you call them?’ she hisses in dramatic disbelief. ‘Red mist came down over his eyes and he lost all reason?’ she says in the best tradition of a trashy novel.

Helen laughs out loud and looks round apologetically. ‘Noo…he was asleep’ she whispers.

‘He did that while he was asleep?’

‘A nightmare’ Helen confirms with a nod.

‘Oh…poor lad….Poor you’ Jessie looks more disappointed than relieved ‘So, he’s in the dog house now?’

‘No…he’s got rather a lot to put up with at the moment. Me being angry about something that was entirely unintentional would only add to his problems’ Helen looks thoughtful as Jessie makes her goodbyes, lifting her hand to respond to her cheery wave. ‘Jessie…Are you free for lunch?’ she just manages to stop her, as she is about to go through the door.

‘Me?’ Jessie lets the door swing closed behind her.

‘Yes…I think I’d like you to know what is going on..’ Helen confides, leaning forward over the reception counter.

‘Between you and Kester?’

‘No…like I say….this was a complete accident…but the nightmare he had brought something to the surface that very soon will become public knowledge’ Helen keeps her voice low ‘The village is likely to be swarming with press and I can’t think of anyone better to forewarn people and give them the facts without sensationalising them…..no more than they will be when everything does come out’

‘Crikey…sounds serious’ Jessie threads her arm through the handles of her shopping bag and clasps her hands in front of her.

‘It is, Jessie…very serious. We can go back to Pennywell. I can pop to the bakers and get us a sandwich or something’

‘You leave that to me’ Jessie raises an index finger as she turns back to the door. ‘I’ll sort something. Back here in what…an hour?’ she asks

‘I wouldn’t expect you to do all the running around’ Helen objects.

‘I don’t run…not these days…You’ve got milk?’ Jessie takes control and leaves Helen floundering and nodding mutely. ‘See you in a little while, then’

The Village Library

Chapter Seventeen

The Village Library

‘Marie…I’m off for lunch shortly’ Helen says, pushing a file box into its space on the shelf behind the counter and heading for the cloakroom.

‘Right…no worries’ Marie looks up from her kneeling position on the floor. Listening tapes from the bottom two shelves in front of her, stacked to one side.

‘Is everything okay with you?’ Helen pauses to ask. ‘I feel awful that I haven’t asked before but…’

‘You have had a bit on’ Marie replies blithely, wiping a yellow duster along the first of the shelves.

‘I know…but…you look so pale and tired. I thought perhaps those couple of days you took off might have you back on form again. There were times when I wanted to ring Marcus and tell him to get over here and cheer you up!’

Marie swings round sharply. ‘No! Don’t do that’ Her startled look is replaced by a reassuring smile. ‘I’m fine’

‘He does still ring you?’

‘Yes…and Luke sends me little drawings he’s done’

‘Mrs. Wright was saying he talks about you constantly. ‘His friend, Marie’’

‘I know…that’s what Marcus says. I suppose it will wear off eventually…’ Marie sighs ‘He’ll forget who I am once he’s got something else to think about’

‘Marcus or Luke?’ Helen jokes.

‘I meant Luke…but I suppose Marcus will be the same’ Marie takes her seriously. ‘It’s getting harder to find things to talk about when he rings. There’s only so much weather you can discuss…Never mind…’ She looks towards the door, her smile forced and her eyes bright with tears. ‘Anyway…here’s Mrs. Shepherd now’

‘Marie?’

‘Go on…don’t keep her waiting. I’m okay’

Hill House, Boundary Road

‘It’s no good telling her how stupid she was. I think she knows that’ Andy says quietly.

‘But to buy pills off the internet’ Marilyn expresses her disbelief with a deep sigh and a shake of her head.

‘She didn’t want to go and see old Cameron, that’s why’ Andy reasons, casually picking at his right thumbnail with the left as he sits sideways to the kitchen table.

‘But why not? He’s been her doctor since we came here. More of a friend than our GP’ Marilyn gets up and disappears into the utility room to answer the call of the washing machine, beeping to tell her the wash cycle has finished.

‘Exactly! She wouldn’t want him just ‘happening’ to mention to you and Dad that he’d seen her’ Andy raises both his head and his voice so that she can hear him.

‘He wouldn’t ever do that! When have you ever heard him mention any of his patients? God…’ she says sharply, returning to the kitchen ‘He wouldn’t even mention anything about me in front of Dad without my say so’

‘Whoa! I know that…but Leonie might not have believed it…He’s sorting her out now, that’s all that matters’

‘I felt such a fool insisting that she’d seen him already when she hadn’t at all’ Marilyn groans, reaching for the kettle to fill it.

‘Never mind. It was good of him to come out’

‘He was with her ages after I left them alone together. He wanted to have a good chat…you know’

‘Mmmm, I know, you said. A proper doctor, you’re lucky if you get to see the same one twice with the practice we’re at now’

‘You should’ve stayed with him’

‘Yeah…maybe…but I think we’re a bit out of his area now. Okay if we come to see him…but for something like these home visits Len’s been getting’ Andy stands up and stretches lazily, ready to make a move.

‘He’s been ever so good to her. Says it’ll take a while for the medication he’s put her on to kick in…but he’s very pleased with how she’s getting on’

‘Where is she, upstairs?’ he asks.

‘In the summerhouse’ Marilyn turns to gaze through the window above the sink.  ‘She sits down there drawing’ she says quietly then turns back to him. ‘Make sure you whistle or something if you’re going to see her. She gets so absorbed’

‘And she’s alright down there?’ He frowns with concern.

‘Andy…she’s fine. We’ve got to let her find her own way. She’s talking…Picking at her food a bit…but that’s okay.  Nathan’s been round…that cheered her up. He didn’t stay long. She fell asleep! She gets so tired, bless her, so tired’

‘Has Kester been? He said he would’

‘He was…it was all arranged…but there’s been such a to do going on there, he couldn’t come after all. Helen did ring, though…Helen did’ she says again to stress her surprise. ‘I thought that was so nice of her after…you know. She only spoke to me…but…it could be the start of things getting back to normal, couldn’t it Andy?’ she asks, touching a hopeful hand to his arm.

‘I honestly don’t know, Mum’ Andy replies gently, giving her a brief hug. He steps back. ‘What’s going on with Kester, then?’

‘Oh…haven’t you heard? I don’t suppose he’s had time to get in touch….I was talking to Mrs. Shepherd and she was telling me all about it’