Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
Rita’s bed was right at the end of the small ward. The window looked out over a grassy bank which she stared at longingly.
‘Rita,’ Jules said softly, ‘how are you?’
The older woman turned her head and smiled broadly.
‘Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?’ She twinkled.
Jules let out a little breath.
‘I did call first,’ Jules said, ‘and the nurse said you were up to having another visitor if I didn’t stay too long.’
Rita shuffled a little in the bed.
‘You stay as long as you like,’ she murmured. ‘I’m bored to tears in here.’
Jules made a space on top of the crowded locker and placed a few magazines there.
‘I wasn’t sure what you liked so I bought you a selection and some chocolate.’
‘Just what I need,’ Rita said. ‘Don’t suppose you can use your influence to get me out of here, can you?’
Jules laughed.
‘No, I can’t. You’ve got to do what you’re told if you’re going to make a good recovery.’
‘Oh, I will, and I am,’ Rita proclaimed, ‘there’s no doubt about that.’
Jules settled back in her chair. This wasn’t the Rita that Christabel had described at all.
‘You look a lot better than I expected and your face is healing nicely.’
‘I never would have won a beauty pageant even back in the day so not many looks to lose.’
‘You have a beautiful face, Rita,’ Jules said.
‘My George thought so and that’s all that matters. Shall we crack into the chocolate?’
Jules proceeded to open one of the bars.
‘Christabel told you I’m at death’s door, has she?’
Jules smiled, broke off a square of dark chocolate studded generously with dried raspberries and offered it to Rita.
‘Not quite.’
‘Going gaga then. She’s going to use this, you know, to get me out of the house. I expect she’s already measuring up for curtains as we speak.’
‘I’m so sorry, Rita. I feel partly responsible for what’s happened. I should have sent Tasha home straight away.’
‘Not your fault, dearie. What’s meant to be is meant to be.
If it hadn’t happened this time, it would have been another.
Now take my mind off this place and tell me about you.
Is your lovely mother still here? And have you been back to The Pottery?
I think both of those things are really important for you. ’
Jules sat back in her chair and told her about mending Tasha’s broken jug and how guilty she felt regarding her annoyance that her mother had come over and how she’d now moved into the cottage.
‘If it had been my father, I could have coped better,’ she said. ‘After all these years I still miss him every day.’
‘The more you miss someone is a sign of how much you loved them,’ Rita said. ‘I still get a pain when I think about my George. Funny thing, it’s as if he was there when I fell, trying to save me. Perhaps doesn’t want me joining him just yet. Not ready for my nagging in eternity!’
Jules reached for her jacket on the back of the chair and stood up.
‘I ought to be going. I’ve stayed longer than I intended, and you’ll be getting tired.’
Rita reached out her hand.
‘It’s been like a breath of fresh air. Next time you come could you bring Tasha and Will?
I’m going to be here for another three or four days according to the powers that be.
’ Her eyes swivelled to the side. ‘Uh oh! And talking of powers that be, here comes one of them now. Better put on your crash helmet.’
Christabel strode down the ward, her heels clicking with military precision on the vinyl tiles.
‘You again!’ she said, totally ignoring Rita. ‘Considering you don’t even live on the island you get everywhere. I thought I told you this was a family matter.’
Jules opened her mouth to speak, but Rita got in first.
‘Where are your manners, Christabel? You should be thanking Jules for helping out in an emergency. I know I’m eternally grateful and before you say anything else derogatory, I asked Jules to visit.’
She turned her head slightly so that Christabel wouldn’t see the slight wink she made with her good eye.
‘And how did you do that?’
Rita picked up her phone and waved it in the air.
‘I’m not too stupid to send a message. Irene’s coming in later, too. And I’ve asked Jules to bring Tasha and William next time she visits.’
‘And what are you eating?’
‘Chocolate. Do you want some?’
Christabel shook her head and snapped her head towards Jules.
‘I’m sure you don’t want to spend any more time in a hospital ward. You must have enough of that in your everyday life. I can take over now.’
‘I was about to go anyway.’
Jules turned to Rita who blew her a kiss.
‘Bless you for coming,’ she said. ‘Done me the power of good.’
‘I’ll walk you out,’ Christabel said.
‘I think I can find my way.’
‘I’m sure you can, but I want a chat with the ward sister anyway.’ She turned to Rita. ‘I’ll be back soon.’
That’s what I’m afraid of, she mouthed at Jules.
As they walked out together, Christabel carried on past the reception desk until they reached the outer doors which led to the main staircase.
‘I’m sure Rita appreciates your visit,’ she said, as Jules pushed the exit button, ‘but as you’re the reason she’s in here the best thing you can do is go back to where you came from and sort your own life out.’
And with that she turned on her heel and walked away.
‘Christabel was vile,’ Jules said to Carrie as they walked up through the woods to the Longstone later that afternoon.
‘She’s not the friendliest. I’m sorry if she upset you.’
‘Actually not, she’s just made me really angry. I don’t know how Rita tolerates her.’
‘From what I hear most people think that.’
‘What on earth did Alastair see in her?’
‘She can turn on the charm when she wants to, apparently, and she is attractive. According to Irene, Guy’s grandmother, Christabel has delusions of grandeur.
When she met Alastair and heard about the farm and saw the farmhouse, which is undeniably beautiful, she thought she’d be taking on a lady of the manor role. ’
‘Sounds as if she’d be better with The Major’s son.’
‘Oh, I think she’s fluttered her eyelashes at him a few times in the past, but he’s never here for long enough for her to really work her charms.’
‘It can’t be a happy marriage.’
‘How do you define a happy marriage? Maybe it suits both of them. I don’t know. She comes and goes pretty much as she pleases and Rita’s always around to look after the children.’
Jules picked up a stick from the path and threw it for Wilbur.
‘I know that Christabel has the lives of both the children mapped out,’ Carrie said.
‘That’s a mistake.’
Carrie grinned.
‘You don’t have to tell me that. My mother’s still reeling from me staying here and not heading back to Manchester to try and get another job in a big PR company.
In fact, she’s so distraught that they’ve extended their world tour.
I feel a bit guilty because they ended up staying with my brother in New Zealand for a lot longer than planned. ’
‘But you said your dad’s lent you some money to tide you over?’
‘Yes. He’s been great actually. Much nicer than I expected, but I’m not to tell Mum about the money. It could cause a problem if she finds out.’
‘Do you think many people have happy marriages without secrets?’
‘Everyone has secrets, don’t they? Things they’re ashamed of that they don’t want other people, even the people who love them unconditionally, to know about. But yes, I do think there are happy marriages, although I also think there has to be a lot of compromise on both sides.’
They reached the top and Jules looked out across the valley. Dark clouds were gathering to the west. It felt as if there was a storm coming.
‘Life is a compromise, isn’t it?’ she said.
‘Up to a point, yes,’ Carrie said. ‘That’s the benchmark of a civilised society. But compromise doesn’t always have to be a negative thing. It can lead to contentment.’
‘That’s what I’m looking for,’ Jules said, ‘contentment. It sounds less exhausting than happiness.’
‘You’ll find it,’ Carrie said.
‘Yes,’ Jules said with a nod. ‘Yes, I will.’
They both heard the crash from the kitchen.
‘Oh my, what was that?’ Beulah exclaimed.
‘It sounded like something breaking,’ Jules said, bolting through the sitting room, across the hall and up the stairs.
She stood in the doorway of her bedroom and stared at the angular shards of her mother’s magnifying mirror scattered over the floor.
‘I forgot I’d left that on the sill,’ Beulah said, appearing behind her. ‘I was using the better light in here to pluck my eyebrows.’
‘And you opened every single window back and front when the wind’s getting up,’ Jules accused.
‘It’s luften, darling.’
‘What?’
‘Luften,’ Beulah replied, with an apologetic smile. ‘It’s German. It means to let air in. It’s all about letting the old, stale air out and new fresh air in. Very important for wellbeing, especially in an old property like this.’
‘Except it’s not going to be very good for my wellbeing if I cut myself to ribbons picking up pieces of broken glass.’
‘I can’t have fixed the window latch properly. Oh dear, I am a bit slapdash about things like that. The mirror must have smashed against the radiator on the way down. Let me clear it up.’
‘No,’ Jules said, raising her voice. ‘The last thing I need is blood all over the carpet. I’ll do it. I’ve already had to deal with one injury with Rita next door, I don’t want to be tending another one.’
She went downstairs to find an old newspaper and stood next to the hearth trying to compose herself.
This is what happened when she spent time with her mother.
Just when things seemed to be getting better between them something happened to make her churlish and impatient.
Did she really want to go through the rest of their lives having this reaction?
She reached into the log basket and retrieved some paper.
She could change her attitude right now if she chose, or at least try to.