Page 109 of A Year at Appleyard Farm
‘Mum, you are popular today!’ She laughed. ‘Look, someone else has come to see you.’ She held out her hand. ‘I’m Elizabeth, Blanche’s daughter,’ she added by way of explanation.
Stephen stood back to let Laura shake the proffered hand. ‘Hi,’ she began shyly, ‘I’m Laura, one of Blanche’s neighbours…’
The smile widened in recognition. ‘Yes, I think we’ve met once or twice, haven’t we? And of course, I’ve heard all about you, or rather I’ve heard all about the magical properties of your sloe gin.’
Laura gave Stephen a hesitant look. ‘I thought about bringing a bottle along with me today…but I didn’t think it would be allowed…’
‘You’re probably right. Pity though, eh, Mum? You’d have liked a drop of that.’
Stephen glanced at Blanche who was lying flat on her back but, apart from a bright pink bandage circling her wrist, looked surprisingly none the worse for wear.
She waved at Laura with her good arm. ‘Come and sit down, dear,’ she said, patting the chair beside the bed where her daughter had been sitting. ‘That’s all right, Elizabeth, isn’t it? That way I can talk to Laura properly.’
Elizabeth flashed Stephen a knowing smile. ‘Perhaps you and I could go and find some other chairs?’ she suggested smoothly. ‘That way Laura can have Mum to herself for a few minutes without us all gabbling at once.’
Stephen felt his shoulders relax. ‘If you’re sure, you don’t mind. We’ve rather barged in on your visiting time.’
‘Oh, I’ve been here most of the day, don’t worry. We’re just waiting for the doctor’s round so that mum can be discharged. She’s coming home to me for a bit, until she’s properly on her feet. Come on and I’ll fill you in.’
She led the way back down the ward, her heels clicking on the floor. Despite the fact that Elizabeth wasn’t too far off being old enough to be his own mother, she was a very attractive woman, and at any other time Stephen would have admired the sway of her hips in her tight jeans, or the cashmere jumper which clung to all the right places, but not today. He was only concerned with how Laura was feeling.
‘That was very kind, thank you,’ he said, as they reached the corridor outside.
Elizabeth turned. ‘Not at all,’ she replied. ‘Mum told me that Laura’s deaf, but aside from that I’ve got a bit of an ulterior motive I’m afraid. That’s why I wanted to talk to you by yourself.’
Stephen looked back down the row of beds.
‘Oh?’ he said.
‘Since her accident, I’ve been in to see Mum most days, and she’s really quite worried about Laura. To be honest, I’m rather ashamed that I hadn’t realised what good friends they are, or that Laura had been calling in on Mum nearly every day to check on her. Physically, mum’s going to be fine. She’s as tough as old boots actually, but the doctors are more concerned about her up here at the moment.’ She tapped the side of her head. ‘At her age the shock of the accident and a bad fall can be a real setback, and couple that with the fact that she’s not going to be going at the same speed as she used to, the effect on her mental health could be disastrous. A young lad came to visit Mum earlier today and since then she’s been quite distressed about Laura’s well-being. That’s why I’m so glad to see her; it might help to put Mum’s mind at rest…particularly now that you’ve come with her. Mum mentioned that Laura was on her own, you see.’ She gave Stephen an apologetic smile. ‘Are you—?’
‘No,’ replied Stephen quickly. ‘I’m Stephen – just a friend. I live in the same village and we…it’s a long story.’
Elizabeth gave him rather too long a look for his comfort. ‘Well, whatever, Mum will be glad to see you. Perhaps now she can see that Laura has someone to call on if she needs to, it will help assuage her worries. She seemed quite concerned about her living by herself, and being so vulnerable.’
They had come to rest by a stand of chairs, and Stephen automatically plucked two from the top of the pile. ‘What do you mean?’ he asked. ‘Laura lives quite independently.’
‘Yes, exactly,’ Elizabeth replied. ‘Mum wasn’t worried that Laura couldn’t cope or anything like that, more that it had something to do with this chap. I don’t think she particularly liked him, although he seemed perfectly pleasant, but she mentioned something about an old family feud. Was he some dodgy boyfriend or something?’
Stephen looked at her concerned face. ‘Laura doesn’t have a boyfriend, she’s a widow.’
Elizabeth touched her mouth automatically. ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ she replied. ‘I didn’t know. Well, it can’t have been that then.’
‘No, I guess not,’ replied Stephen. ‘But, as you say, a good chinwag will do them both good.’ He adjusted the grip on the chairs and motioned with his head. ‘After you,’ he said, his mouth set in a thin hard line as he followed Elizabeth back down the ward.
He did his best, but there was no way he could keep changing the subject; he was running out of things to say. So he sat, anxiously waiting for the moment when either Blanche brought up the subject of her earlier visitor, or Laura asked about the accident. Discussion of either one was guaranteed to reveal the identity of the ‘mystery’ young man who had come to see Blanche, at which point it would propel Laura through the ceiling. All Stephen could do was hang on until it did, and do his best to deal with the fallout. That, and pray for a miracle.
‘He must think I’m soft in the head, or something,’ Blanche deduced after a few minutes of animated discussion. ‘As if that lad would even think about somebody else, let alone come and visit an old biddy in hospital, and one he hardly knows at that.’ She looked across at Elizabeth. ‘And I’m not surprised one little bit. His father’s just as bad, as you very well know, Laura.’
Elizabeth looked confused. ‘I’m sorry, Mum, I’m not following you. Are you saying that this lad who came in earlier is the one who knocked you down? Because that’s a very serious accusation. I thought you didn’t see the car?’
Blanche tutted. ‘I didn’t, but why else would he come to see me? He wanted to see if I remembered him of course; no doubt worried he’s going to get into a whole heap of trouble. I think I did pretty well not letting on.’ She smiled gleefully.
All of three of them exchanged looks; Laura now sitting up ramrod straight and Elizabeth opening and closing her mouth.
‘But Mum, you have no proof. You can’t make wild accusations like that, he could have come for any number of reasons…’
It was inevitable really, Stephen knew that. And the fact that he’d seen it coming a mile off didn’t help. The conversation had been brewing like a volcano waiting to explode, and there was nothing Stephen could do to stop it. He looked at Laura, stricken, knowing exactly what was going to come out of her mouth any minute now.
