Death is a Word (11 page)

‘Going back to Donald,’ I said, after a moment. ‘I’m a bit concerned about him. I suppose it’s not surprising
that he’s withdrawn. After all, he’s got no one to talk to about Eva. I think, just for a start, I might invite him to supper. That is, if you and Jack will come too.’

‘You don’t think that might be a bit embarrassing for him? I mean, I wasn’t very friendly to him while he was seeing Eva.’

‘No, I think he’d like it if you were there. And if Jack comes too there can be general conversation, not just talking about her. It’s just a way of breaking the ice, as it were.’

‘Well, if you think it’ll be all right, let me know when you want us.’

‘The sooner the better, really. I don’t like to think of him shut away and grieving.’

Actually, it all went off very well. I think Donald was glad to be with other people again and he was obviously trying to be his old sociable self. We did talk about Eva, but in a general way and not for too long. Fortunately Jack and Donald got on very well, in fact by the end of the evening they’d arranged a date to play golf together.

‘Many thanks to you both,’ I said to Rosemary. ‘It went off very well and I do think it helped Donald.’

‘Jack certainly took to him – he’s very choosy who he plays golf with!’

‘Oh, that was really splendid; I was so grateful.’

‘Well, he’s quite an interesting person when you get to know him,’ Rosemary said. ‘I can see now how he and Eva would have got along. I just wish it could have happened.’

I was glad to think that I’d managed to help Donald, even if it was only marginally. Time may be a great healer, but, as I knew myself, it was a slow process.

After that evening I was suddenly very busy. Michael had to go up to London for some legal business and suggested that Thea should go with him for a little break. So Alice came to stay with me. Which was lovely, but I’d forgotten how much there is to do for the young. Back and forth to school, back and forth to the many out-of-school activities, back and forth to birthday parties, homework to supervise, and meals to be ready at specific times, not just when I felt like getting them.

‘
And
,’ I said to Maureen when I explained that I couldn’t possibly go to a committee meeting at Brunswick Lodge, ‘I have a review I promised for next week and I haven’t even had time to read the book yet. So apologies for absence, please.’

I was trying to persuade Alice to have a second piece of toast (she’s just at the age when girls don’t think breakfast is cool) when the phone rang. It was Rosemary. At first I could hardly make out what she was saying, she was so incoherent. Eventually she calmed down a little.

‘It’s so
terrible
, I can’t think straight. Oh, Sheila, it’s dreadful.’

‘Rosemary, what’s the matter?’

‘It’s Daniel – he’s dead!’

‘What? What do you mean, dead?’

‘Knocked down by a car.’ She was overcome and sobbing now.

‘Is Jack there?’

‘He’s gone to help Patrick – he wouldn’t let me go …’

‘Look, hold on. I’ll be right over – at least – I have to take Alice to school but I’ll come straight on from there. Oh, Rosemary, I’m
so
sorry. Hold on!’

I hustled Alice into the car, ignoring her protests that she’d be frightfully early, dropped her off at school and drove to Rosemary. She was still tearful but more herself.

‘I still can’t take it in.’ She was trembling and I put my arms around her and we sat quietly for a while.

‘A cup of tea?’ I asked. ‘Or something stronger?’

‘Tea, please.’

When I got back with the tray she was calmer.

‘When did it happen?’

She shook her head as if to clear it.

‘This morning, very early. He went out running – he’d been doing that every day. When he didn’t come back Patrick went to look for him and when he found him …’

‘How horrible.’

‘Patrick called an ambulance, but they said he was – he was dead.’

‘The driver didn’t stop?’

‘No, they had to call the police. Oh, Sheila, it’s so awful – how could anyone!’

‘That’s unspeakable!’

Rosemary sat in silent misery and there seemed nothing I could say so I poured the tea and persuaded her to drink a little of it.

Quite soon Jack came back. ‘Rosie, are you all right – thank you for coming, Sheila – I hated to leave you.’ Rosemary nodded and Jack went on. ‘The police came and they’re looking for tyre marks and doing what they have to do.’ He put his arm around her. ‘They’ll get the bastard – there’s a lot they can do now. They’ll get him all right.’

‘What time did Daniel go out,’ I asked. ‘I mean, was it properly light?’

‘It was light and not foggy – there’s no excuse,’ Jack said fiercely. ‘Someone coming back from a night out – drunk, probably.’

‘How’s Patrick?’ I asked.

‘Shaken, of course, but calm and practical – like he always is. I couldn’t have coped like he did.’ He turned to Rosemary. ‘Do you want me to tell your mother?’

She sighed. ‘No, I’ll do it – but not just yet.’

‘Is there anything I can do?’ I asked helplessly. ‘Get you both some breakfast, anything?’

‘No, really,’ Rosemary said. ‘We’re all right. I’ll phone you later on when we know a bit more.’

I left them sitting together in silence.

When I got home I couldn’t settle to anything. I did some housework, cooked food for the animals, prepared supper for Alice and me. I was glad Michael and Thea would be back the next day – I wanted to be free to do anything I could for Rosemary. Finally, at lunchtime, I sat down with a sandwich and took in the full reality of what had happened. First Alan, then Eva, and now Daniel – a succession of terrible things happening within such a short space of time. Alan’s death was, of course, natural, but both Eva and Daniel had died because of cruel accidents – well, Daniel’s death wasn’t an accident, but there seemed no chance of ever finding the person responsible. It was so unfair. Life was unfair. But still … I sat for a long time, in the kind of numb state where you don’t really think of anything, don’t even feel anything. You just sit, simply existing. I was roused by the sound of the phone. I leapt to my feet expecting Rosemary, but it was a cold-caller asking me if I’d recently had an accident and like to claim compensation. I threw away the uneaten sandwich and went to collect Alice
from school. I didn’t hear anything from Rosemary and I was glad to have Alice to look after. I told her about Daniel, as simply as I could and, fortunately, she took it very well. Before supper we took Tris for a walk high up on West Hill, and as I looked down at the late, thin sunlight glistening on the sea below I found a sort of peace.

I didn’t see much of Rosemary for the next few days. She spent a lot of time with Patrick, arranging the funeral, and it seemed to help her.

‘It’s good to have something I can
do
,’ she said when she phoned me briefly. ‘Patrick’s been amazing. Not just over the funeral, but with Mother.’

‘How is she?’ I asked. ‘It must have been a dreadful blow – she’d become so fond of him.’

‘She was dreadfully upset. Really quite ill. If it hadn’t been for Patrick … He’s spent every minute he could spare from making all the arrangements with her. I was so grateful, especially when he must be feeling so devastated himself.’

‘How is he?’

‘Calm, as you’d expect, not showing any sort of emotion, but just getting on with things, as efficient as ever.’

‘What will he do? After, I mean. Has he said anything?’

‘No, and, of course, I haven’t asked.’

‘Have you heard anything from the police?’

‘Nothing, really. They just said that they were continuing to make enquiries. Apparently, because there hadn’t been any rain for quite a while, there weren’t useable tyre marks and, at that time in the morning there weren’t people about, especially along that lane, which is very quiet anyway.’

‘They’ll find something,’ I said without much hope.

‘Even if they do,’ Rosemary said sadly, ‘it won’t bring him back.’

There weren’t many people at the funeral, just the family and some of Rosemary’s friends. Donald was there and I was pleased to see a few from Brunswick Lodge. As we stood by the newly dug grave, it seemed almost unbearably poignant to think how very recently we had stood at Eva’s nearby. It was painful to see Mrs Dudley supported by Patrick, as she had been supported by Daniel not so long ago. There was no formal gathering afterwards and people slipped quietly away, leaving the family to say their last goodbyes alone. After the funeral, Jack took Rosemary away for a few days and when they returned we all tried to get on with things as best we could.

I was in the library looking aimlessly at the display of DVDs that seemed, with the computers, to be taking
over from the books, when a familiar voice behind me said, ‘Is there anything any good?’

It was Inspector Morris, Bob Morris, who I’d known as a little boy and who used to come with his father to work in my garden.

‘Bob! I haven’t seen you for ages, how are you, and how is your father?’

‘I’m fine and so’s Dad. He’s been a different person since he had that hip operation. That was thanks to you persuading him.’

‘I’m so glad he decided to do it.’

There was a pause and then he said, ‘I was so sorry about that young friend of yours. Hit-and-run driving is particularly bad – especially for the relatives.’

‘Is there any hope of finding who did it?’ I asked.

He shook his head. ‘Not so far. The road conditions weren’t any help in identifying the car, and on a country lane at that time of day – well, there’s very little chance of any witness. We’ve put out appeals, of course, but nothing so far, and, to be honest, there’s very little chance of anything now. I’m so sorry.’

‘Was there any chance of identifying the car from Daniel’s injuries?’

‘Not really. It was almost instantaneous. It must have been a large vehicle, possibly a four-by-four, and there were no fragments of paint on the body so he
was probably struck by some metal part on the front of the vehicle, one of those bull bars they have on large Land Rovers, perhaps. It may not have left any very noticeable marks on the vehicle.’ He paused. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he repeated.

‘It’s been particularly painful,’ I said ‘because his mother, Eva, Eva Jackson, died so recently – that was dreadful because she shouldn’t have died.’

‘Eva Jackson, that name rings a bell.’

‘She died in a diabetic coma, but no one knew for days. There was an inquest.’

‘Yes, of course, I remember it now. That was a tragic thing to happen. So she was this boy’s mother?’

‘She was an old friend of mine and had just come back to Taviscombe after her husband died. So you see, it’s been one terrible thing after another.’

‘I’m really sorry. I wish I could be more positive about the hit and run. We’ll keep it open, of course, and I’ll let you know if anything turns up.’

‘Thank you.’ I turned towards the display of DVDs. ‘Are you looking for anything special?’

‘Dad wanted to see that series about a Victorian kitchen garden. He missed it when it was on TV. But I don’t think they’ve got it here.’

‘Oh, I’ve got a copy of that,’ I said. ‘I’ll take it round – it would be nice to see him again.’

I was pleased to see Bob’s father looking quite spry.

‘Made all the difference, that operation,’ he said. ‘Glad you made me see sense about it. I can do all sorts now, out in the garden too – one less thing I’ve got to ask Bob to do.’

‘That’s splendid.’

‘He’s so busy nowadays; I don’t like bothering him all the time. That’s the trouble about getting old, having to rely on other people – it’s not fair on the children.’

‘I’m sure they want to help,’ I said.

‘They’re willing enough, but it’s having to ask. That’s why that operation was a marvel, it gave me back a bit of my independence.’

‘I know. You don’t like to keep asking the children to do things, although they always say they want to help. But young people lead such busy lives now and have so much on their mind. You must feel that with Bob, especially with his job.’

‘That I do. He and Molly will do anything for me, and always so cheerful about it. But Bob’s always been a worrier and this job really takes it out of him sometimes. Only the other day – well, he never talks about his cases to me, but I could tell he had something on his mind and when I asked him, he said it was nothing, just he felt there was something not right with one of his cases, couldn’t put his finger on
it. He shut up then, like he always does. But I could see it was bothering him.’

‘That must happen quite often,’ I said. ‘Especially with someone as conscientious as Bob.’

‘He’s always been a thoughtful lad, one of the quiet ones.’

‘Yes, I remember.’

He picked up the DVD. ‘And it was very thoughtful of you, Mrs Malory, to bring this. It’s something I always wanted to see, how they did things in the old days, and I missed it when it first came round. I’ll watch it straight away and get it back to you.’

‘No, you keep it. I’ve got so many things I mean to watch and never seem to have the time. Anyway, it’s worth looking at more than once!’

Rosemary and I were driving over the moor to have lunch in Exford, something we do sometimes when we feel in the need of a little break. It was bright and sunny, not too hot, as we drove over Porlock Common, and, when we stopped to look at some foals in the group of Exmoor ponies grazing near the road, there was a refreshing breeze.

‘It really is a perfect day,’ Rosemary said, looking at the view in front of us, steep wooded valleys and stretches of moorland dotted with sheep. ‘You can see for miles.’

‘Yes,’ I agreed. ‘I couldn’t bear to live anywhere else. I mean, other places are fine to visit, but this – well, this is where I belong.’

‘I think Eva felt that, that was why she came back, and I think Daniel was beginning to feel a sort of pull …’

I was silent for a moment, then I asked, ‘What about Patrick, is he going back to London?’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so, not yet, anyway – he hasn’t said anything. He doesn’t seem to be thinking beyond the next day. I know he’s so composed and
together
but he seems somehow lost without Daniel. Not surprising, they were very close. Of course the cottage belongs to him now.’

‘Really?’

‘Well, Eva left everything to Daniel and apparently Daniel made a will ages ago leaving everything to Patrick.’

‘I see.’

‘There’ll be two lots of death duties, but I don’t think he’d need to sell the cottage to cover them, so he could stay on here if he wanted to.’

‘How would you feel about that?’

‘We’ve had a lot to do with him lately and I’ve grown very fond of him, and he’s been amazing with Mother. I suppose it’s because he’s a link with Daniel.’