20
Florence
Florence was so pleased after visiting Tiggy, telling her about the flat, which her sister had loved. She couldn’t wait to let Stefan know, so she had left on the early train to get home as soon as possible.
I shouldn’t be thinking about Stefan. I should be thinking about talking to Rhett and Tyler and Erin about the move .
She shook her head at herself as she stepped off the tram in Pepper Bay, deciding she’d go home and see Rhett first. The walk up the lane would help clear her head of Stefan, as she didn’t want him to be the first person she thought of when things happened, even though recently he was the first person she thought of each morning on waking, and he was the last person she thought of as she fell asleep every night.
Tiggy had enquired after him, and Florence was sure her little sister knew how close she now was with him.
Oh, I need to get my head out of the clouds. I …
A whack in the back pushed Florence to her knees, disorientating her for a moment. Her small suitcase rolled to the grassy verge, and before she had time to turn her head, someone’s hand had latched on to her handbag, tugging it hard.
‘Give me your bag,’ spat a man’s voice.
The strap was secured across Florence’s shoulder, and as he tried to rip it free, she screamed, finding herself tossed from left to right whilst still on the ground.
‘Oi!’ another male voice yelled.
The mugger quickly let go and sprinted off down a dirt track road.
Florence was on her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath.
‘Rory,’ said the man who had saved her, talking into his phone. ‘There’s a mugger heading to your farm. Male, five-nine, twenties, red hoodie.’ He lowered the phone, dipping to meet Florence’s eyes. ‘You okay?’
‘I think so. I’m not sure what just happened.’
‘Lad just tried to make off with your bag.’
‘Yes, yes.’ She pressed up from her hands, her palms grazed and stinging. ‘Oh, Scott, it’s you. I…’ She reached for her head as he helped her up to sit on a wooden stile.
‘Can you see clearly, Florence?’ Scott waved a finger back and forth in front of her face.
‘Yes, I can see. I was just a bit dazed there for a moment.’ She smiled softly into his kind blue eyes slightly shaded by glasses. Every time she saw Scott Harper, she thought of Clark Kent, although right now, Florence felt he was very much Superman.
‘Your knees are bleeding, Florence. Are you okay to walk? I can take you back to mine and get you cleaned up.’
Florence glanced over the road at the cute lemon thatched cottage she knew to be his home. ‘Oh, I’m fine.’ She wasn’t, as her legs had turned to jelly, her heart was still racing, and her knees were cut and sore from the fall.
‘I’m not letting you go home like that, Florence.’
Some people walking up the lane had stopped to see what the commotion was after hearing Scott yell out. Nate Walker was one of them. He made his way through the crowd to squat at Florence’s side.
‘What’s happened?’ he asked, looking from her to Scott.
Florence clutched her handbag. ‘Someone tried to mug me.’
‘Bloody tourists,’ someone shouted.
‘Erm, excuse me, I’ve been coming to this island for my holidays for years, and I’ve never mugged anyone,’ said a female voice.
‘Yeah, don’t blame it on us,’ said a man.
The sound of police sirens filled the air, and Florence was starting to feel a tad embarrassed with everyone gawping at her.
Scott spoke to Nate. ‘You deal with the police. I need to clean Florence’s knees.’
She glanced down to see a small amount of blood dripping towards her green pumps. ‘I’m okay. I just want to go home.’
Scott held a sympathetic smile. ‘How about I bring my first aid kit out here first? And I’ll fetch you some water as well.’
She could do with a drink. Preferably some brandy, but the last thing she wanted was to still be on display. The crowd showed no signs of going anywhere, and if anything, more people had come up from the shops to see what was going on.
Nate waggled his hand at someone behind him. ‘Robyn, run up to the windmill and fetch the doc.’
‘Yes, Dad.’ The teenage girl slipped through the crowd, and Florence could see her long strawberry-blonde hair blowing in the light breeze as she sprinted off.
‘I really don’t need a fuss.’ Florence froze as the mugger was frogmarched her way by Rory. Her gasp caused both Nate and Scott to turn.
‘That’s him, Rory,’ said Scott, standing.
Rory approached, his grip on the lad strong and firm. ‘Grabbed him trying to cross the bridge.’
A police car pulled up, and Rory marched the offender over to the officer, explaining the situation.
The lad huffed and struggled to free himself from the muscular man’s hold, but he was going nowhere except into the officer’s handcuffs.
‘One of Bunty’s lot,’ someone shouted.
‘Lock him up,’ called someone else.
‘Oh, local is he?’ came another voice. ‘How about an apology for the tourists?’
‘Oh, shut up.’
The police officer placed the lad in the back of his car, then turned to the crowd. ‘Simmer down, and go about your day. Nothing to see here now.’ He approached Florence. ‘Do you need an ambulance?’
‘No. I just have some cuts and grazes, that’s all.’ Florence wished she had that water Scott had offered, as she was feeling a little hot and bothered. ‘I’d like that drink, please, Scott.’
‘I’ll be right back,’ he told her, then darted across the road.
The officer pulled out his notebook. ‘You up for telling me what happened?’
‘She’s shaken up, Brian,’ said Nate. ‘Can’t it wait till tomorrow or something?’
Brian nodded. ‘Pop in the station tomorrow and make a statement. Yours will be added to the others we have on him. We’ve been searching for him for a few days, as he’s due in court soon. You won’t see him on the streets for a good few years.’
‘Bet he was trying to get some money to get off the island,’ said Rory, his soft Irish accent soothing Florence a touch.
Her head was pounding, but at least she had stopped trembling.
‘Florence!’
She peered around the officer to see Stefan racing towards her. ‘I’m all right. Just in need of a paracetamol and a few plasters.’
He dipped to her side, brushing back her sweaty locks whilst examining her face. ‘Robyn said you’d been mugged.’
‘We got him, Doc,’ said Rory. ‘He’s in the police car.’
Stefan glanced that way before turning back to Florence. ‘What hurts?’
She showed him her palms. ‘My hands are stinging a bit, and I scraped my knees.’
Stefan tilted her head gently to one side. ‘You’ve got a mark on your neck.’
She hadn’t even realised it was sore. ‘Oh, that must be from where he tried to tug my handbag off me.’
‘You should have let him take it. You’re more important.’
Florence frowned, and a small pain hit her temple. ‘It was stuck to me.’
Stefan shook his head just as Scott came back with a bottle of mineral water and a first aid kit.
‘Thank you,’ said Florence, taking a much-needed sip.
Scott revealed his medical supplies. ‘You want to do it, Doc? I am trained, but seeing how you’re here.’
Stefan nodded, pulled on some gloves, then reached for the saline solution.
Nate waved to the crowd. ‘Right, clear off now. Let the woman breathe.’
Brian reminded Florence to come into the police station, then he set off.
‘Where’s Lindy?’ she asked Stefan, who was cleaning her wounds.
‘She’s in the cottage with Robyn. My first patient isn’t till ten this morning. We were just getting ready to head over there.’ He glanced up at Nate. ‘Lindy’s met Robyn before up at yours when visiting your cows.’
‘Yep, I’ve seen your little one around. She does love our cows. I’ll pop over to the windmill to let them know what’s happening.’ He picked up the suitcase. ‘I’ll take this with me, Florence.’
‘Thank you, Nate.’ Florence looked at the top of Stefan’s head. ‘I think I can walk up there as well.’
‘You can stay put until I’ve covered the wounds.’
‘Is it bad?’
‘Nope. But I’m going to put a butterfly stitch over one cut.’ Stefan glanced at Scott. ‘This is a good kit you’ve got here.’
A slight twitch hit the corner of Scott’s mouth. ‘It’s good to be prepared.’
Florence knew some bits and pieces about Scott. ‘He used to be in the military.’
Stefan’s head bobbed. ‘Ah, so good in a crisis.’
Scott smiled. ‘Something like that.’
Florence stared up at some dark clouds slowly floating by. ‘I was having such a good morning as well.’
Stefan’s hand came around her cheek. ‘Hey, don’t let that loser beat you down. He’s in cuffs, and you’ve still got your handbag.’
‘Does that mean I won?’
‘It means, be thankful.’
Scott pointed over at his house. ‘I’ve got the footage, so I’ll send that to Brian later.’
She peered at Lemon Drop Cottage, not seeing anything but a thatch roof.
Stefan closed up the medical box and handed it back to Scott. ‘Thanks.’ He looked at Florence. ‘Do you want me to get my car?’
‘No, just walk with me to yours and make me a cup of tea.’
‘Yep, I can do that.’
Florence creaked to a stand and rolled her shoulders, feeling a slight bruise where the attacker had shoved her.
Stefan put his arm around her. ‘You okay? A bit shaky?’
She sipped some more water. ‘I’ll be all right. I just wasn’t keen on the audience I had.’ She noticed a small crowd had failed to dwindle away.
‘I’m glad you’re okay, Florence,’ said Rory. ‘I’ll head off now, but you let me know if you need anything.’
She thanked him, then Scott before heading off with Stefan.
‘Are you really all right?’ he asked softly.
‘It gave me a fright, but I’m calming down. It was a lot worse the last time I was mugged.’
Stefan met her eyes. ‘How many times have you been mugged?’
‘Oh, only once before, back in London. I was walking along with my ex when these men came out of nowhere to steal his watch. They turned on me when he was on the ground and snatched my jewellery. They were quite violent. Kicked Gavin while he was down, and banged my head on a parked car. It was over in seconds, and Gavin was more concerned about his stupid watch than anything else.’
‘Bloody hell. Has this triggered anything for you?’
She shook her head. ‘Only how annoyed I was about Gavin going on and on about his precious watch. I wouldn’t mind, but he went out and bought another one two days later.’
‘Did you get your jewellery back?’
‘No. That was long gone.’
They approached the driveway to the windmill, and Florence stopped him for a moment. ‘Hey, Stefan, please don’t worry about me. I can see your cogs turning. I am okay. The last time this happened, it didn’t stop me from walking the streets of London, and this thug won’t get inside my head either. I know there are bad people out there, just look what one did to my sister. So I refuse to let these scumbags ruin my life.’
Stefan pulled her into his arms for a hug. ‘You’re a strong woman, Florence.’
‘No, I’m not. I’m just pissed off.’
He chuckled slightly and pulled back, showing his serious face again. ‘Tell me one more time, for my sake, are you okay?’
‘Yes, just bruised body, mind intact.’
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. ‘Come on, let’s make you that tea.’
Nate and Robyn came to the door of the cottage with Lindy. ‘Right, we’ll head off,’ said Nate, giving them a nod.
‘Thank you for looking after Lindy,’ Stefan said to Robyn.
Robyn smiled. ‘That’s okay. We’re going to go riding together, aren’t we, Lindy?’
Lindy nodded, but her attention was on Florence.
Stefan waited until Nate and Robyn left, then closed the front door.
Lindy reached for Florence’s hand. ‘Do you want some chocolate?’
Florence smiled. ‘Ooh, some choccy bickies with tea would be good.’
Stefan went to the sink and washed his hands. ‘I’ll sort the tea, Lindy you can fetch the biscuits.’
Florence smiled at them pottering around the kitchen, looking after her. Their bird started singing in the living room, and she closed her eyes for a moment to absorb the sweet tune whilst taking some calming breaths and counting her blessings.
A gentle hand on her forehead soothed every ache. She opened her eyes to gaze at Stefan.
‘Spend the rest of the day with us,’ he said softly, not losing eye contact. ‘Well, in between my shifts.’
‘I’d like that, but I have to pop home first.’
‘I’ll drive you after we’ve had our tea, then wait for you.’
‘You have patients. Anyway, there is no need to stick to me like glue.’
‘Lindy will want to see the horses.’
Florence smiled. ‘She can come with me. We’ll see you for lunch.’
‘Okay. Now, tell me, how did it go with Tiggy?’
‘She wants to live in the flat.’
‘That’s great.’
His hand was still on her head, and his green eyes unmoving. ‘I’m glad you’re okay.’
‘Me too.’
‘Do you want to have a sleepover with us tonight?’ His tone so soft, tender.
Florence grinned. ‘Are you worried I might have nightmares if alone?’
He moved his hand and sat beside her. ‘We’re camping in the garden. Just thought you might like to join in.’
Slowly, she nodded. ‘As long as you roast some chicken for our dinner.’
‘I’ll pop one in the oven.’
‘Then I’m in.’
His hand came back towards her once more. A light stroke of her hair, then he was up making the tea, and Florence couldn’t feel any more pain at all.