‘We’ve got a busy few weeks what with one thing and another’ Helen says, wrapping a towel turban-wise around her head as she comes out of the en-suite bathroom.

‘Mmm’ Kester says on a yawn, turning to pummel his pillows and settling back again. ‘Are we both driving down with Harriet for the Christening or am I dropping her off and coming back here for you or are you driving down separately or what?’

‘What a funny question…what a lot of questions!’

‘Not really, I’ve lost track of which Saturday is your one for working and if Harriet wants to go down to Bath on the Friday so she’s over the journey by Sunday….’

‘The whole weekend will be free and I’ve arranged to leave early on the Friday’ Helen says with a giggle ‘You really know how to make things more complicated than they are’

‘Sorry’

‘No…it’s okay, I understand’ She swivels on the dressing table stool, tipping her head to one side as she combs her hair through. ‘There’s such a lot going on, it’s as well to check who’s doing what, when, in case we forget something. This Sunday, we’re going to see Mrs. Donnelly, yes?’

‘Looking forward to that’ Kester closes his book and lays it on the bedside cabinet. ‘Wonder if she’ll look the same?’ He draws his knees up and circles his arms around them. ‘It’s been what….twenty years…no…nearer twenty five’

‘Then if she looks the same as when she was your father’s housekeeper, I want to know her secret…or the name of her plastic surgeon’

‘I want her to be the same’ Kester says wistfully, resting his chin on his knees.

‘I think she might see a bit of a change in you!’ Helen laughs ‘You must have grown four feet since she saw you last’

‘Four feet? Oh my God, I’m a dog!’ He throws the bedclothes back in a panic and ducks as Helen hurls the wet towel at him.

‘You knew exactly what I meant’ She smoothes her hair to the back of her head and starts to plait it.

‘I suppose I have’ Kester grins and gets out of bed to return the towel to the bathroom. ‘You want me to do that for you?’

‘It’s okay, almost done’

‘I reckon Nathan’s got the best idea’ he says, taking over anyway. ‘Clearing off for a bit of R&R before things start to get hectic’ he reaches his hand over Helen’s shoulder for the grips in her mouth and pins the plait to the crown of her head. ‘Not looking forward to this trial one single bit’

‘Be over before you know it’ Helen smiles up at him and winds her arms around his waist. ‘And then….’

‘Then?’ Kester feigns ignorance.

‘Mrs. Donnelly, the trial, the Christening and then…’ she slaps him ‘Our honeymoon!’

‘Oh yeah…forgotten about that’

She narrows her eyes and bares her teeth. ‘Pillows at dawn, Mister James!’

‘Ooooh goody!’ Kester dives onto the bed.

Tawny House, Manor Road

The Annexe

Chapter Twenty-six

The Village Library

‘Oh…hello!’ Helen smiles although her eyes show confusion ‘I didn’t expect you’

‘Didn’t you?’ Stephanie scowls as she wipes her feet of snow on the oversized doormat by the door and walks past her, unbuttoning her coat.

‘No’ Helen looks more confused ‘I thought you’d be off with Nathan enjoying …if not bikini weather, something a bit warmer than this. I’m glad you’re here though..’ she follows her into the staff room ‘I was going to talk to you about seeing if we could get you transferred here permanently, what with Marie’s post being vacant’

‘I don’t think so….and I’m not with Nathan any more’

‘You’re not?’ Helen stops short ‘But….I’m sorry…I didn’t realise…’

‘Well you do now!’ Stephanie glares at her ‘And don’t try and tell me you didn’t know anything about it’ She takes shoes from a plastic carrier bag and drops them on the floor before bending to unzip her boots. ‘You, of all people had to know!’

‘Me? Well, I didn’t, I can assure you. I’m really sorry to hear that, truly I am. Was…was there a disagreement of some sort?’

‘Oh, give over, Helen!’ Stephanie says scathingly ‘Who do you think you are kidding?’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Don’t get all hoity with me! You know exactly what’s happened, it’s your bloody sister he’s got pregnant!’

‘What! Helen gasps in shock and her mouth falls open ‘Blythe? Blythe is pregnant?’

‘Nice try’ Stephanie scoffs, setting her boots under the coat rack and pushing her way past Helen and into the staff room.

‘I promise you; I know nothing about this at all!’ Stunned, Helen slowly lowers herself onto a chair. ‘Blythe…and Nathan?’ she sounds incredulous. ‘I know they….but…’ she stutters to an uncomfortable halt ‘but…. that was months ago! I would have noticed. Good heavens, she would have been out here by now’

‘The ‘once’ he told you about?’ Stephanie snorts cynically ‘Well, I’ve got news for you; it wasn’t just the ‘once’ after your wedding. Oh yes’ she says bitterly ‘he told me all about that. This was much more recent and oops, guess what?’

‘Oh, Stephanie’ Helen reaches out to lay a hand on her arm. ‘I had no idea, honestly I hadn’t. I really can’t believe…’

Stephanie shrinks from her touch.  ‘You think I can?’ she yells, backing away and hugging her arms across her body. ‘You think I want to believe he’d do that after all he’s said?’ Her arms tighten as she tries to control the persistent trembling that runs through her.

‘But he loves you!’ Helen scrapes back her chair to go to her. ‘He loves you so much. I know he does. I know that for a fact. He wouldn’t have…’

‘He told me!’ Stephanie refuses to be comforted, her eyes flaring wildly as she shrugs off Helen’s hand.

‘I really don’t know what to say’ Helen mumbles in total bewilderment. Suddenly shaky, she feels for the table behind her to steady herself. ‘To say I’m shocked would be an understatement’

‘You’re shocked? How the hell do you think I feel?’

‘Devastated, I should imagine’ Helen sinks onto the chair ‘Blythe said nothing …nothing’ her eyes glaze and she frowns as she tries to make sense of it all. ‘She was full of this new job and said nothing at all about….being pregnant. And she didn’t tell me? She must have told Nathan...obviously….and he didn’t tell me either?’

Stephanie eyes her resentfully. ‘This isn’t about you!’ her mouth contorts with the effort of holding back tears. ‘Don’t you care that she’s ruined my life?’

‘Of course I care!’ Helen bites back ‘ But don’t forget Nathan had a part in this too!’

‘You’re defending what she did? She KNEW we were going out. She KNEW we were serious about each other!’

‘No, no, I’m not…but….’

‘This isn’t going to work’ Stephanie reddens ‘I’m going. I thought I could cope with being here with you…but I can’t…’ She collects her coat and boots from the cloakroom and stands with them in her arms. ‘You think I’m just livid with her? You think I’m not hurt at what he’s done too’ she asks in a tight voice ‘I am! I’m in so much pain; I don’t know what to do with myself’ Her eyes swim as her control wavers. ‘He should never have done what he did but he’s not made of stone. I’ve seen the way she’s all over him. I’ve seen it for myself. She’s nothing but a slag!  I can’t stay here with someone who thinks that’s an okay way to behave’

‘Stephanie’ Helen pleads in a soothing whisper, moving forward to stop her leaving ‘I’m not my sister. Don’t let this spoil our friendship, please’

‘I’m so angry!’

‘But not at me surely? I knew nothing of this, nothing at all’

Stephanie glares, opening her mouth to speak but emitting only a low keening sound as her face crumples. ‘I hurt!’