Chapter Twenty-Five
The path led them to one side of the house. Miranda stopped at the front door. ‘I’ll go through the house and unlock the double doors at the side of the conservatory. If you wheel him round the outside of the house, Ryan, you’ll see that it’ll be easy to get him into it that way.’
‘Are you sure about this?’ he asked in a low voice.
‘Yes. He’ll love being in the conservatory, I’m sure. It’s a bright room and we can open some of the windows.’
The two women went through the house, locking the front door carefully behind them. The men were waiting for them outside the conservatory with the wheelbarrow and its occupant.
Miranda went across to unlock the outer doors of the big, sunlight-filled room and flung them open, gesturing to the garden sofa at one side of the big, hexagonal space. ‘I think that’s big enough to use as a bed for the time being, and if there’s a narrow single mattress in any of the bedrooms, we might be able to lay that on top of it. If not, we can put the cushions from the seats of the other chairs on top of it.’
‘I’ll go and see what bedding I can find.’ Libby hurried out.
The men waited to move Jim inside the conservatory until Libby called from upstairs for someone to help her with a mattress and Col went to do that.
They laid it on the sofa and it only overhung the edge a little.
‘Wait a minute.’ Libby ran back upstairs and came down again clutching a bundle of bedding. She quickly made up the sofa as a bed and only then did they lift Jim out of the large wheelbarrow and lay him on it.
He lay staring round the sunlight filled room with a smile. ‘This is a beautiful conservatory. It’s quite an early one, almost feels as if I’m outside in the fresh air.’
‘Know about the history of conservatories, do you?’ Ryan asked.
‘A little. I used to be head gardener at a big country residence.’ He broke off abruptly, looking sad.
‘You’ll have to tell us more about this one when you’re feeling better,’ Miranda said. ‘I’ve only just inherited the house and have never lived in the country before.’
‘I’ll be happy to do that. Oh, I shall so much enjoy staying in here. It’s much nicer than an upstairs bedroom.’
Libby said in a low voice, ‘I’ll go and get some clothing for him. Your ancestors must have been real hoarders. There’s a huge linen cupboard full of stuff.’ She hurried out again.
Jim didn’t make any comment about the house and she guessed he wasn’t a local, but as he looked round, she could see deep sadness in his face.
‘I really can help you sort out some plants for this place when I get better. I’m an experienced gardener and it’ll help repay you for coming to my aid today.’
‘That’d be a big help. I grew up in towns so don’t know much at all about gardening.’
‘So could I … stay for a few days, do you think? Till I feel truly better?’
‘You’re very welcome to stay as long as you like.’ She hesitated then added, ‘Permanently if you want a job – and a new family. Or have you changed your mind about letting me adopt you as a grandfather?’
He stared at her, happiness gradually replacing the sadness on his face. ‘I haven’t changed my mind at all. You really mean that, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do. I’d not say so otherwise.’
‘You’re such a kind lass, the very best.’
‘I’m a lass without any family and you’re the second person I’ve adopted, so be warned: it won’t only be me you’ll have to put up with. There’s Libby too, and who knows what other folk I’ll find to join my family.’
Her friend returned just then and Miranda gestured to her. ‘This is my adopted aunt, Libby, and this is Jim Tucker, who is now my adopted grandfather. What does that make him for you? Some sort of an uncle?’
The other woman gave him a very searching stare as if trying to spot whether he was taking an unfair advantage of Miranda. But her expression gradually softened as if she was satisfied with what she saw. ‘Welcome to the family, Uncle Jim.’
And when he instinctively held out one hand to seal that bargain, she took it and held on to it, so that he had two women holding his hands now. That felt so good. He realised at that moment that Gracie would have approved and wanted him to go on with a new life and that he’d found a place where he felt able to do that. And more than that, if this lass was a Westerby, Gracie would have wanted him to tell these two women about his secret. And he would do later.
His wandering hadn’t been in vain after his wife died. He’d rather have had Gracie still with him, of course he would, but there you were. Life simply carried you onwards and sometimes if you were lucky in a new direction. Or as was happening now, back into an old one. Hmm. He’d have to think about how to deal with that once his mind was clearer.
When Libby let go, she sorted out the bundle she’d been carrying and fumbled through an amazing assortment of stray items of men’s clothing. She pulled out a pair of faded pyjamas, some old trousers and a shirt or two. ‘There are all sorts of oddments in the linen cupboard, some of it decades old, as well as household items. I won’t be long.’
She saw Jim’s eyes flicker closed for a minute, then he jerked awake again, so she looked across at Ryan. ‘Could you guys help him put on these pyjamas and get into bed?’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘And maybe you can help him wash his hands and face while you’re at it. I think that’ll make him feel more comfortable. I’ll leave a bowl of water and a facecloth for that on the little table in the hall. Oh, and if you give me the clothes you take off him, I’ll wash them for him. I’ve found a washing machine. It’s a bit old fashioned but it seems to be still working and we’re going to put a few of our own things on to wash.’
Ryan glanced sideways. ‘I’ll be happy to help him but then I think we should leave him to sleep.’ He made a shooing motion with his hands. ‘Now, go away. I think he’ll be more comfortable about undressing if we don’t start doing that till you ladies leave us.’
She chuckled. ‘Yes, of course.’
They left the men to help their unexpected visitor but on the way out Libby picked up his backpack and the bin liner he’d been carrying. ‘I’m not only washing those clothes he’s wearing as soon as he’s settled, I’m also washing anything else that needs it.’
‘You can’t just fumble through his possessions!’ Miranda exclaimed.
‘Just watch me. Its contents don’t smell all that wonderful, do they?’
‘Well, at least ask him.’
‘If he stays awake long enough.’
By the time the men had sorted Jim out and got him comfortable in the bed, Miranda had found a medicine cupboard in the kitchen where there was half a packet of rather elderly aspirin tablets. Libby began to prepare warm drinks for everyone.
While she waited for the kettle to boil, she took a glass of water into the conservatory and Jim drank it all, seeming very thirsty. He was now rosy and clean but seemed very sleepy. She went back to find a carafe, so they could leave him some water and an empty glass next to the bed.
‘I was just about to put some washing on,’ she told him, trying to sound casual. ‘Shall I throw your things into the washing machine with ours?’
He looked at her and let out a sniff of wry laughter. ‘Very tactfully said. Yes, please, Libby. I’m not usually lacking a change of clean clothes.’ His cheeks turned a bit pink as he said that.
‘I’m happy to help you.’
‘I do appreciate that. I’ve not been coping well on my own and I’ve absolutely hated being so dirty. My Gracie would have gone mad at me.’
‘Well, we’ll sort your clothes out, don’t worry.’
Miranda joined them. ‘And then see if we can help you make some future plans once you’re well again. But I really do need a gardener if you want a job.’
He gave her a considering look. ‘Did you say your name was Westerby?’
‘Yes.’
He was about to speak when he was overtaken by a huge yawn. ‘I’m too tired to say anything carefully, so can we talk about that tomorrow?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Miranda helped him settle more comfortably and sat beside him while he took a few sips of the weak tea Libby had made.
As he smiled at her, he reminded her suddenly of her mother, both of them dark-haired, with widow’s peaks in the hair of their foreheads and lovely kind expressions. Strange, that.
When she pushed a box of tissues closer to him, he nodded a thank you, but couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer.
She watched him for a few moments but he didn’t stir and he looked peaceful now. Clearly, what he needed most of all at the moment was sleep.
She left him to ‘knit up the ravelled sleeve of care’. There she went, she thought with a smile, quoting Shakespeare to herself again. That brilliant writer seemed to have had such clever and memorable ways of describing just about any occasion or emotion in life.
‘I wonder what he was doing in the shed,’ Ryan said when the four of them had gathered round the kitchen table with fresh mugs of tea.
Libby shook her head. ‘Who knows? I think he’d just sought shelter there and was resting. Judging by the state of his clothes, he’s been on the tramp for a while.’
After a pause, Miranda said, ‘He can stay here till we help him sort out some more permanent way of life. I really am going to need a gardener, though, aren’t I?’
‘You should let me check his background first,’ Col warned her. ‘And he’s a bit old for heavy physical work, surely?’
She shrugged. ‘I don’t think it’s necessary to run police checks on him. You only have to look at the gentle expression on his face to know he’s not dangerous.’
‘You can’t always tell.’
‘I usually can,’ she insisted.
Ryan joined in. ‘He mustn’t have any family to turn to and that’s rare. So you do need to be careful about checking before you offer him a job.’
‘It’s not that rare,’ she said, unable to prevent her bitterness about that showing. ‘I didn’t have any either until my great-aunt left me the family house, and her housekeeper failed to destroy the information the old witch had been keeping from me for most of my life. I know exactly what it’s like to have no family to turn to.’
‘You have people who care for you now,’ Libby said quietly, reaching out to give her hand a quick squeeze.
‘And this man needs help too, so if I can I’ll make sure he gets it here. We can always spare a little kindness for a fellow human being, can’t we?’
The others nodded.
‘I’ll still check that there’s no one with his name missing,’ Col said. ‘I think we all admire how you’re planning to use some of your inheritance, but I’m making sure you take care how you do it.’
‘Thank you. It’s good to have friends.’
Ryan gave her a quick hug. ‘You definitely won’t lack them.’
She gave in to temptation and leant against him for a few moments, loving the feeling of quiet strength that he seemed to exude – yes, and the way he was starting to show that he cared for her. She didn’t think she was fooling herself about that and couldn’t help starting to care about him too.
‘I’ll ask him more about himself when he wakes up,’ she promised herself. But she didn’t think that would reveal any problems.
An hour later, Jim stirred and Miranda put the kettle on, then went to sit next to him. When he opened his eyes she smiled at him. ‘Tea or coffee?’
‘Either would be wonderful.’
‘Do you have any connection with this area? Or did you just come here by accident?’
He looked round, smiling slightly. ‘By a happy accident. There was a connection to the Westerby family. We stayed away to avoid a certain lady’s attention, the one you’ve had trouble with, but I suppose that now she’s dead, I can use my real surname, the one I dropped when I married Gracie and adopted hers.’
‘Which is?’
He glanced at her. ‘Westerby.’
There was dead silence and the others, who could hear what they were saying from the table at one side of the kitchen, didn’t try to hide their shock.
Miranda stared at him. ‘Westerby? Are you – a relative of mine?’
‘I think so. But long ago that woman, your so-called great-aunt, had made it hard to trace the connections. Her housekeeper told me when I asked that they’d destroyed all the old birth and death certificates and threatened that her brother would come after me if I caused trouble, so I left the area and changed my name.’
‘They tried to destroy the records again recently, but with Libby’s help, I managed to prevent that.’
‘You did?’ He beamed at her. ‘Well, if we can look at the relevant paperwork, I can show you something that I very much hope is true: that I think I’m some sort of relative of yours.’
He smiled at her and held out his hand. ‘I hope I’m right.’
She smiled back and took his hand. It felt very right somehow. ‘What sort of relative might you be?’
He took a deep breath and put his other hand on hers as he said, ‘I think I’m your grandfather.’
Libby looked across at her. ‘Col and I can check that for you, if you like.’
‘Please do.’
The minutes ticked past as they went through one set of documents. Then suddenly Libby let out an exclamation and pulled a paper out of a pile they’d found in one of the two older folders at the bottom of the box. She passed it to Col, who studied it and nodded.
They both looked at her as Libby held it out, nodding and smiling.
Miranda took it from her, holding her breath as she stared down at it and read what it said, then read it again before passing it to Jim.
He too nodded, then looked at Miranda. ‘Would you like a genuine grandfather, lass?’
Tears began to roll down her cheeks as he held out his hand. ‘I’d like that very much indeed. I wish my mother had been alive to see this day.’
‘So do I. But I had to flee for my life. If I hadn’t, I was quite sure your great-aunt would have had me killed.’
‘I believe that now. She was proved to be truly wicked. That really is the word for her.’
‘But your mother wasn’t, just weak and not in the best of health. And you’re a strong young woman. You’ve coped well with a hard life.’
‘Why didn’t she have me killed?’
‘She needed you as a figurehead when you were a child, then must have had some small shred of humanity, because though she banished you, she didn’t try to have you killed. I think she really did want to pass the big house to a Westerby born and bred, instead of to your distant cousin. Though I’m quite sure she didn’t expect to die so young, and what you’ve told me only reinforces that.’
They were still holding hands and joy suddenly welled up in her in place of the sorrow. ‘So I really do have a relative.’
‘Yes. And we might even find others when we go through those papers.’
‘You’ll come and stay at the big house, won’t you? You are a Westerby, after all.’
‘I’ll come and stay with you and take over your gardens if you’ll let me. I’m not hungry for big houses or money.’
‘I’m hungry for relatives,’ she said simply.
‘Then you can hire an expert to go through those papers and I’d guess you’ll find others.’
‘But you and Libby will still be the closest kin to me emotionally. Let’s go and tell her.’
That evening they had an impromptu party, opening a bottle of champagne and toasting the future.
Miranda had said she’d look for her other relatives, but for the moment she was glowing with happiness and Jim sat beside her for much of the evening, holding her hand often.
The others let them deal mainly with one another, because after all this time they were clearly deeply joyful about finding some family. It was a wonderful sight.