Page 226 of The Moon Sister
Ulrika appeared in the kitchen a few seconds later, Zara trailing behind her, rolling her eyes.
‘Did I just see Fraser’s car leave?’ Ulrika asked.
‘Yes,’ I muttered.
‘But he was meant to be waiting for me!’
I sat down heavily on a chair, as all the adrenaline, or whatever it was that had got me through the past fifteen minutes, drained out of me.
‘Are you okay, Tiggy? You’ve gone a funny colour,’ Zara said, walking over to me, as Charlie reappeared and gave me a thumbs-up sign. Ulrika stood there uncertainly.
‘So have you and Zara had a chat?’ asked Charlie. ‘We have,’ Ulrika nodded. ‘She agrees it’s all for the best.’
‘Yeah, right,’ said Zara, then mouthed, ‘What the hell is going on?!’ from behind her mother.
‘And you’re absolutely sure a divorce is what you want, Ulrika?’ Charlie’s eyes bored into his wife’s.
‘Absolutely. No turning back now.’ Ulrika glanced at me. ‘He’s all yours if you want him. Right, I’m off. Fraser and I are going out to dinner tonight.’
‘Have a nice time,’ I called after her as she left the kitchen and headed for her jeep.
The phone rang, and Charlie went to answer it.
Zara waited until we heard the back door and the office door close, before she turned on me.
‘Perhaps you can tell me now what on earth is happening? I, like, had to pretend it was okay that my mum is literally helping that idiot boyfriend of hers steal my inheritance from under my nose! And agree to spend half the hols in his manky cottage when all I want to do is to punch his lights out!’
‘Don’t be too hard on your mum, Zara. You know how love can make you blind, don’t you?’ I said.
‘What? How come you’re on her side now?’
‘I’m not, Zara, but . . . let’s wait until your dad’s back and we’ll tell you what’s just happened. For now, would you make me a cup of really sugary tea?’
When Charlie returned, he walked over to me to put his fingers to my wrist.
‘That was Cal again. He’s up at the croft, safe and sound. Now, it’s hardly surprising, but your pulse is racing. Bed for you, miss,’ he said, putting an arm around my waist and helping me up from the chair.
I didn’t resist. I felt totally exhausted.
‘Will someone tell me what on earth is going on?!’ Zara complained.
‘I will when I’ve put Tiggy to bed, yes. But put it this way, Zara, it looks like this extraordinary woman has just saved your inheritance.’
38
I woke the next morning to soft light coming in through the windows, glanced at the alarm clock and saw it was twenty past eight. I’d obviously slept right through the night. I came to slowly, my mind gradually pulling together the threads of what had happened yesterday.
‘Was that really you?’ I murmured as I visualised myself standing in the kitchen, cool as a cucumber, telling Fraser I knew it was him who had shot at me. Where I’d found the courage to face him down, I just didn’t know, because I was the least combative person I knew.
Having woken myself up by splashing my face in cold water, I heard a soft tapping on my door.
‘Come in,’ I said as I climbed back into bed.
Charlie entered the bedroom with a breakfast tray, piled with a pot of tea, toast, and a blood pressure monitor. He was also wearing his stethoscope round his neck.
‘How are you feeling, Tiggy? I popped in a couple of times in the night to feel your pulse, but I want to check your blood pressure now and listen to your heart.’
‘Really, I’m fine, Charlie. I slept well.’
