Page 227 of The Moon Sister
‘Well, I didn’t,’ he said as he put the tray down on the bed. ‘I just want to apologise now for putting you through that ordeal last night; it was totally selfish of me. All that stress was absolutely the last thing you needed.’
‘Honestly, I feel okay,’ I said as Charlie hooked his stethoscope into his ears and listened to my heart and my chest, then checked my blood pressure. ‘Now, tell me, did you have your tests in Geneva before you left?’
‘No, I flew back here with Zara but . . .’
‘No buts, I’ll book you in at Inverness for them tomorrow. Surprisingly though, your obs are all normal,’ Charlie said as he removed the monitor from my arm and poured me some tea.
‘Well, I have just spent the best part of three weeks in bed resting. And besides, last night was like an out-of-body experience. I can’t really remember what I said. It was as if someone else was saying the words I needed to say for me.’
‘Well, itwasyou, and you were magnificent. Really, Tiggy, I can never thank you enough. You’re not regretting it, are you? Thinking you should call the police?’
‘No, why should I, if it’s got rid of Fraser? Being unable to take Kinnaird away from you is just as bad a punishment for him as going to prison. He has gone, hasn’t he?’ I said, my heart giving a tiny lurch.
‘He has, yes, but I had Ulrika up here at seven this morning. She was hysterical – wanted to know what I’d said that had made Fraser pick up his stuff and take off in the early hours without her.’
‘He didn’t take her with him?’
‘No. In fact, he told her it was over and he was going back to Canada by himself. She obviously presumed I’d dished some dirt on her which had put him off. I’m amazed you didn’t hear the shouting.’
‘I didn’t, no. Is she still here?’ I asked him nervously.
‘No, she drove off at top speed, saying she’d see me in court. Kinnaird’s not out of the woods yet,’ Charlie sighed. ‘I’m sure Ulrika will demand her pound of flesh in the divorce proceedings.’
‘Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.’
‘No, well, I’ll just have to find a way to pay her off – maybe sell a few hundred acres to the neighbouring estate – they’ve been after some Kinnaird land for years, and, thanks to you, Tiggy, at least we’d get to keep the bulk of it. Now, eat your breakfast.’
‘Thank you for this.’ I smiled at him, glad to see that, even though he looked like he hadn’t slept, his eyes had lost the sheen of hopelessness and were a vivid blue. ‘What did Zara say when you told her what we’d done?’ I asked as I ate the toast.
‘The words she used are not repeatable in polite company . . . but inotherwords, she was ecstatic,’ he nodded.
‘Did she say anything more about you and Ulrika divorcing? I know she was brave last night, but the news must have affected her.’
‘If she is sad about it, then she’s doing a very good job of not showing it, Tiggy, really. And maybe seeing us separatelywillbe healthier for her. She’s always been a Daddy’s girl right from when she was a baby and Ulrika probably thinks I’ve promoted it – whispered poison into Zara’s ear – which I absolutely haven’t. I’ve always wanted them to get on well, but they simply never did. Mind you, Zara’s already making noises about moving up here to Kinnaird with me. Lochie’s told her all about the college he went to. Maybe Ishouldthink about it,’ Charlie said. ‘I mean, just because all my Kinnaird ancestors and I went to boarding school, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for Zara, does it? Besides, I’m going to need all the help I can get if I’m going to try and save Kinnaird for her.’
‘You’re moving up here?’ I said, wondering if I had the wrong end of the stick.
‘Yes, Tiggy, I am. After I’d put you to bed last night, I did a lot of thinking and the good news is, with the aid of some whisky, I grant you, everything came into sharp focus.’
‘Such as what?’
‘For starters, Kinnaird’s in my blood, and that’s the way it is. Maybe it’s only when you’re about to lose something that you realise how much it means to you. So at least I can thank Fraser for that. I’ve decided that I’m going to take a sabbatical from the hospital for a year. That will give me a chance to really focus on the estate and to work out exactly what can be done to restore it. And also to see if it’s right for me to be here full-time. I owe my ancestors – and Zara – that at least, and I can always go back to medicine if it doesn’t work out. Or even maybe do as we once told each other we’d dreamt of and disappear off to Africa.’ Charlie smiled.
‘Er, talking of that,’ I confessed, feeling guilty for some reason, ‘I have an interview next week for the job of Conservation Officer on a reserve in Malawi.’
‘Malawi in Africa?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh. Right.’ I saw the concern and a touch of panic in his eyes. ‘I see. Well,’ he swallowed, ‘I did tell you that your future at Kinnaird was uncertain, and far be it from me to dissuade you. But I have to say, I’d honestly be very concerned about your health, because I doubt there’s a decent hospital nearby. Besides . . .’
‘What?’
‘Well, I was obviously hoping you’d stay on here and help me at Kinnaird.’
A pregnant silence, full of the things we both wanted to say but didn’t know how to, hung between us. I sipped my tea and looked out of the window, feeling horribly uncomfortable. I watched as Charlie stood up and paced, hands deep in his pockets.
‘Last night, when you and I were plotting what I shall now call “Frasergate”, I thought that . . . well, that we were a team. And it felt really fantastic, Tiggy.’
