Page 37 of The House at Hope Corner
‘Halloooee!’
Caroline’s voice was unmistakeable.
Flora rolled her eyes but put on a smile and went to greet her.
‘Oh, goodness, Flora, you poor thing. However are you all coping?’ She came forward to give Flora a hug. ‘Why don’t I make a nice cup of tea for us both. I’ve just seen Hannah down in the village, so I know you’re all on your own. I expect you could do with the company.’
Flora, who didn’t want company at all, gave a weak nod. ‘That’s very kind, Caroline, but I’m actually sick of the sight of tea, I’ve drunk that many cups of it over the last day or two. You go ahead though, I don’t mind if you’d like to stay and have one. I was just in the middle or rearranging some furniture for when Fraser gets home.’ The last thing she needed was a heart-to-heart with Caroline.
She received a sympathetic look. ‘It seems impossible that Fraser could even be in hospital, he’s always seemed so strong, but for them to send him home again after only a week when he’s had such a major operation—’ She stopped suddenly and cleared her throat, a slight look of alarm crossing her face for an instant. ‘Oh, I, er, met Ned coming through the yard, he filled me in on how things are…’
‘So I see…’ Flora couldn’t help herself.
‘I was on my way over, obviously, just to see how Fraser was doing, how you’re all doing. Ned mentioned how amazing you’ve been, looking after everyone.’
Flora ignored the last comment. ‘No, well, it’s early days, but he’s through the worst now. Moving forward is what’s important, for everyone. Things aren’t going to improve overnight, but every day will be better than the last and soon Fraser will be back to normal.’ Even if she wasn’t sure this was the case, Flora made damn sure her face said so.
Caroline’s brow wrinkled a little. ‘Oh, I hope so, after all this it would be desperate if Fraser had to sell the farm.’
‘What on earth makes you think he’d have to sell the farm?’ The comment had caught Flora completely off guard and her voice rose as she replied. ‘I don’t think that’s even been considered, nor should it be.’
A hand fluttered to Caroline’s chest. ‘Oh, no… I didn’t mean. Oh goodness, this has got all of us in quite a tizz, hasn’t it?’ She reached out a hand. ‘I’m so sorry, Flora, I didn’t think what I was saying. Of course that won’t be necessary, I was just thinking silly thoughts, but Fraser will be fine, I’m sure of it. I guess it was seeing Ned so stressed just now, you can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen. Under the circumstances that’s hardly a surprise.’
‘No, he’s having to work harder than ever at the moment, but that won’t be for long. Besides, I’m going to be helping him out once Fraser is settled back home.’ She held Caroline’s look, at a complete loss to know where her last statement had come from. She hadn’t even considered the possibility before. Perhaps she should have… ‘And then as far as we’re all concerned Fraser will just pick up where he left off once he’s able to. A few things will have to change in the short term, but…’
Caroline was nodding heartily. ‘Yes, yes, of course. Well, that is good news, I’m so relieved. And you mentioned you’re getting things ready here for when Fraser comes home. I expect that will be a huge help to Hannah, but let me know if there’s anything I can do, won’t you?’
Flora was on the verge of refusing when it suddenly occurred to her there was something which Caroline could help with after all. She smiled to herself. A rather wicked smile.
‘Actually… You could give me a hand with something if you wouldn’t mind?’ She motioned for Caroline to follow and led her into the dining room. ‘I hope you’re feeling strong?’
Caroline stared at the virtually empty space, a hand at her throat. ‘Goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this room changed in all the years I’ve been coming to the house.’
‘No, well, Fraser’s never had a heart attack before either, but he’s going to need somewhere on the ground floor for a few days once he’s home. There are far too many stairs up to his and Hannah’s bedroom and it’s right the other end of the hallway from the bathroom. This will make a perfect bed-sitting room though. It’s right opposite the downstairs cloakroom too, and of course next to the kitchen. Plus, it’s the only room in the house apart from the kitchen that we stand any chance of keeping warm.’
She gritted her teeth.For goodness’ sake, Flora, shut up, you don’t need to justify yourself.
‘But for what I had in mind, it would be better if the sideboard were shifted along a bit so it’s closer to the dresser.’ She pointed. ‘But it’s too heavy to move by myself so it’s lucky you came along just when you did.’
Caroline gave her a wary smile. ‘Oh, I see… well I…’
‘So if you could just grab that end there, it won’t take a moment.’
She watched with an amused expression while Caroline deliberated the possibility of either not being able to manage the task requested of her, or looking like a complete fool while she was doing it.
‘I’ve already emptied the cupboards so it shouldn’t be too heavy.’ It would be, it was a dead weight, Flora knew that. She did pause to wonder quite why she was being so wicked when all Caroline had done was pay a friendly visit, but whenever they met there was just something that Flora couldn’t quite put her finger on and today she wasn’t in the mood to pretend otherwise. She moved to take up her own position.
‘Thanks so much, I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
There was a slight lip on the top of the sideboard which made it a tad easier to find something to hold onto, but it was still only a finger-width wide.
‘We might just have to shuffle it over bit by bit, let’s see how we go. Ready?’
Caroline nodded, still fidgeting with her grip.
‘And lift!’
It took an absolute age as they walked the sideboard along the wall inch by painful inch, which was all Caroline could manage before she had to put it down again, and, by the time they had it more or less in situ, Flora was glowing slightly. Caroline, though, looked positively scarlet and a small strand of the low bun she favoured when she was riding had come loose and, for some reason, seemed to be annoying her inordinately. She tucked it crossly behind her ear once more, standing straighter and blowing out her cheeks.
