Page 96 of A Year at Appleyard Farm
Stephen grinned. ‘Are you ever going to change your opinion of me, even though you know I’m a changed man and you love me really?’
Sam looked up from yesterday’s newspaper, and arched an eyebrow. ‘Don’t push your luck, Stephen, this is Freya you’re dealing with, don’t forget. She has a memory like an elephant and—’
‘You say anything about the size of my backside and you’re a dead man!’ she exclaimed, marching between them. ‘Either of you.’
Sam winked at his brother and returned his gaze to the paper. ‘What did I tell you?’ he muttered.
‘I’m serious,’ said Freya fiercely. ‘Don’t even think of making any sort of advance towards Laura. She’s going to need a huge amount of courage to take these first few steps, and I promised her we’d take things slowly. She certainly won’t be looking for any romantic entanglements right now, especially not with someone who has all the subtlety of a brick.’
Much to Freya’s surprise, Stephen nodded. ‘I can’t imagine what she’s been through. Having David die in a horrific accident was bad enough, but then to have his integrity questioned the way it was…it’s shameful. It seems such a long time ago now, and I’m still surprised neither of us recognised her, but I do remember folks talking about it down the pub for weeks, and not in a good way either.’
Sam raised his head in astonishment, catching Freya’s eye with a knowing look. ‘I don’t suppose they meant any harm, but folks don’t always think before they open their mouths, especially if they’ve got a few on board at the time. I think we can all remember the time when the three of us were the subject of gossip and speculation, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. The difference was that we had other people around to protect us, to some extent. Laura’s been alone with her thoughts day after day.’
‘I wonder if she even knows that there were people who stood up for her at the time,’ added Stephen. ‘I didn’t know her then of course…still don’t,’ he rubbed his chin ruefully, ‘but Drummond deserves to be taken down a peg or two. He did back then, and I don’t suppose anything has changed.’
‘And you’re going to be the man who does it, are you?’ remarked Freya, knowing what Stephen was like.
Stephen shook his head. ‘Uh uh. Not a chance. Think what that would do to Laura. The whole lot would be raked back up again, and she needs to move on, not be tethered to the past by that scumbag.’
Freya smiled to herself, careful not to let Stephen see. He wasn’t a changed man, but he was definitely changing. Gone was the angry, arrogant bully who Freya had despised for so many years, and in his place, was a happier and more mature man. She looked at Sam affectionately, knowing that a few short months ago the brothers could hardly bear to be in the same room as one another, let alone trade jokes and mock insults. Things were undeniably shifting; she could feel it.
As if Sam could feel her eyes on him, he looked up, shaking out the paper.
‘What day were you nearly run off the road, Stephen?’ he asked. ‘Was it Monday?’
‘Yes, why?’
Sam laid the newspaper flat on the table. ‘Because you might want to take a look at this,’ he said in a low voice, anxiety creasing his brow.
Sam’s finger tapped on the article which was a third of the way down the page. The headline screamed out at Stephen.
Hit and run driver leaves pensioner for dead.
‘Bloody hell,’ he said, scanning the page for details. ‘It happened about the same time, and the driver was thought to have left the village via the Witley Road…that’s where we were.’
Freya came round the side of the table. ‘What does it say?’ she asked, quickly reading the article. ‘Oh, but that’s awful. You should have gone to the police, Stephen.’
‘To say what? I really didn’t see much, I was too busy a) trying to stay on my bike, b) trying not to crash into Laura, and c)…shouting at her,’ he finished lamely. ‘And apart from anything else, I didn’t realise anything was wrong at the time, other than some idiot driver losing it on the bend. It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.’
‘No, but you can’t ignore what’s in the paper; it’s too much of a coincidence.’
Stephen rolled his eyes. ‘I wasn’t going to ignore it. Jesus, will you ever stop labelling me as a thoughtless bastard?’
He snatched up the paper, re-reading the article, while Sam gave Freya a pointed look. She dropped her eyes to the floor.
‘What I was going to say,’ said Stephen, ‘is that although I don’t remember much in the way of detail, perhaps Laura does. She was facing the road, and it’s possible she saw more of the car, and sideways on too, which makes a difference. I should go and see her. Between the two of us, we might be able to come up with something.’
Freya frowned. ‘This couldn’t come at a worse time for her,’ she said, thinking ahead. ‘Suppose you are able to give the police something which would help identify who did this, imagine what a furore there’d be; reporters, families…courts. Laura would find it very difficult.’
‘So it’s okay for her not to go to the police, but different rules apply to me, is that it?’ Stephen glared at her.
‘I didn’t say that,’ she retorted.
‘Maybe not, but you might as well have done. The police are appealing for witnesses; we’re witnesses. What else is there to say? I know Laura will find it hard,ifshe’s seen anything, which of course I don’t know yet. But if there’s anything that needs to be said, at least I’d be there to hold her hand.’
‘Yes, I bet you would,’ she snapped, as all her old feelings about Stephen came rushing back.
Sam lurched up from the table. ‘Will you two stop it! For God’s sake, Freya, give Stephen a break.’ He took the paper from Stephen’s hand. ‘Besides which, my brother was speaking metaphorically, weren’t you?’
