Chapter Seventeen #2
‘No need fer that; there’s enough of us ’ere to see to the little ’un,’ Peggy answered coldly, eyeing the woman with open dislike. Annie might have to watch her P’s and Q’s with her, but she certainly didn’t.
‘In that case we shall leave and wait for information,’ Mrs Taylor-Lloyd said and with a nod at her husband they turned and left.
‘Stuck up old bugger,’ Peggy grumbled when the door had closed behind them. ‘She didn’t even bother askin’ if you were all right or if yer needed anythin’. Still, you don’t need her sort, you’ve got us.’
The rest of the day seemed to pass interminably slowly and finally, as the afternoon darkened, Annie couldn’t stand not knowing what was going on any longer, and she rose to fetch her boots and warm coat.
‘I’m comin’ with yer,’ Peggy said in a voice that brooked no argument. ‘You can cope wi’ Adam fer a while can’t yer, Nancy, love?’
Nancy nodded; her young face strained. ‘O’ course, be as long as yer like.’
And so Peggy and Annie set off into the darkening afternoon, picking their way through the deep snow. By the time they reached the hospital the snow had seeped into their boots and their hands and feet were blue with cold, but they were both so concerned for Monty they barely noticed.
They were shown into a long ward with rows of neatly made beds along either side of it.
Monty was in the end one next to the nurse’s station.
Annie’s heart thudded as she stared down at him.
He seemed to have aged at least ten years in a day and his face looked haggard.
He appeared to be asleep but as she bent to drop a light kiss upon his cheek, his eyes blinked open and as always lit up at the sight of her.
‘Annie, love. What are you doing out in this weather?’ he scolded gently. ‘You should have stayed in the warm.’
‘You didn’t think I wouldn’t come, did you?’ She stroked the hair from his forehead noting that his skin felt clammy. ‘What did the doctors say?’
He had no time to tell her for at that moment the doctor appeared. ‘Mrs Taylor-Lloyd?’
When Annie nodded, he smiled. ‘If you’d care to come to my office for a moment, I’ll tell you what’s been decided.’
Annie squeezed Monty’s hand and followed the doctor as Peggy stepped up to the bed.
‘Ah, Peggy, I’m glad I’ve got this chance to talk to you alone,’ Monty said quietly as she dragged a chair to the side of the bed.
‘You see, I know it’s wrong of me to ask this of you, but I want you to promise that should anything happen to me you’ll look out for Annie and Adam. Oh, and Nancy too, of course.’
Peggy scowled. ‘Now that’s quite enough o’ that sort o’ talk, me lad,’ she scolded. ‘O’ course nothin’s goin’ to happen to yer. You’ll be home an’ right as rain in no time. You ’ave to be, there’s a little lad back there as needs yer.’
He sighed. ‘I miss him already. I’ve always felt that he was mine since the moment he was born, although I knew he couldn’t be.
’ Seeing the shock on Peggy’s face, he went on, ‘I knew long ago that the damage done by the shrapnel had made it highly unlikely that I’d ever have a child, and when Adam was born so early after the wedding I knew for sure.
It didn’t stop me loving him, though, or Annie, which is why I need you to promise that you and Levi will be there for them. ’
‘Oh Monty,’ Peggy said brokenly as she stroked his hand. She had assumed after the way he’d accepted and loved Adam that he had thought he was his. ‘We’ll allus be there fer ’em.’
There was no time to say more for Annie came back at that moment looking gravely concerned. ‘The doctor says they’re going to open you up tomorrow to see what can be done,’ she said quietly. ‘But I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. Wouldn’t it be better to leave things well alone?’
Monty shook his head as she took Peggy’s place at the side of him.
Peggy bent and pecked Monty’s forehead. ‘I’ll wait outside fer yer, pet, an’ give yer both a bit o’ private time together. See yer soon, Monty.’
Once alone, Annie stared at him for a moment. ‘The doctor informs me that you want them to go ahead with this, Monty, but I repeat, wouldn’t it be best left alone?’
He shook his head. ‘No, love. I’m sick of having to behave like I’m an invalid, never knowing if this damn shrapnel is going to move and snuff me out.
Every day when I wake up, I wonder if this will be my last. It’s no way to live and now that it’s started to move there’s just a chance they may be able to get it out once and for all. ’
‘So there’s nothing I can say to make you change your mind?’
He shook his head again, and Annie felt tears start in her eyes.
She knew how frustrating his life had been since he had been wounded.
Even their lovemaking had been tender rather than passionate, because they were both afraid of the shrapnel reaching his heart, so she supposed she could understand he was tired of waiting for something to happen. But even so . . .
A nurse appeared at the foot of the bed and said quietly, ‘It might be best if you left now, we want the patient to get as much rest as he can before the operation tomorrow.’
‘Just one more minute, nurse,’ Monty pleaded, and as she left, he caught Annie’s hand. ‘Never forget that I love you, Annie. I always have.’
Biting back tears, she bent to softly kiss his lips. ‘I shall be back here at the same time tomorrow and I want to find you sitting up in bed and on the mend. Do you hear me?’
He nodded. ‘I hear you. Goodbye, Annie.’
‘No, it’s not goodbye, it’s just goodnight,’ she told him and turning about she left the ward on legs that felt like lead.
As she and Peggy tramped through the snow back to the house, Annie’s mind was in a whirl.
What was it that Monty had said to her on New Year’s Eve?
If I were to die right now, I would die a happy man having had this time with you.
A terrible sense of foreboding took hold of her and try as she might, she couldn’t shake it off.
She’d thought it strange at the time but now she wondered if Monty had felt his end was drawing near?
But no, he was still a young man. He was far too young to die and after tomorrow he’d get well again, and they would grow old together.
‘Penny for ’em,’ Peggy said as she took her arm. ‘Yer seem miles away, gel.’
‘Sorry, I suppose I’m just worried.’
Peggy nodded. ‘That’s understandable, but let’s not think the worst, eh? Monty needs us to stay strong fer ’im.’
Annie nodded but the sense of foreboding persisted.