Tim heard the sharp sudden breath.
âYes?ââ
âThatâs it, isnât it? Donât go on, Tim.ââ
It was an order. âAll right, itâs only that Iâm concerned about you.ââ
âI know, darling, and itâs the wonder of my life. Goodnight and God bless.ââ
Anna took Timâs hand as he put the telephone down, looking round the cosy, unfashionable sitting-room with its high Victorian mantelpiece, crowded, as were the two display cabinets, with the pieces of porcelain and the curios no one else in Timâs family had wanted. â Do you remember that first time you brought me here? How formal we were, and then â¦ââ
âBecause we were aching for one another and could neither of us imagine that the other was feeling the same.ââ He pulled her arm up round his neck. âWe canât fall over Duffy on the stairs tonight and the cat seems out for the count.ââ He nodded towards the fireside chair in which Whitby was a tight grey circle. â So?ââ
âOh, yes! When we were dancing â¦ââ
They raced upstairs, tore off their clothes. An hour or so later, when they had just drifted into sleep, the telephone rang.
âHas to be a wrong number,ââ Tim mumbled crossly. â Nobody knows weâre here.ââ
âThe people who matter do. Youâd better answer it.ââ
âGod, yes!ââ He was bolt upright, his teeth chattering and his hand trembling, so that the telephone clattered to the floor and he had to grope for it.
âHello,ââ he said at last. Not DI Le Page , in his usual way.
âTim? Simon here.ââ
âSimon?ââ Why not my mother ? He had known for ever that there was something terribly wrong.
âTim, Lornaâs in hospital. But sheâs all right . Sheâs all right, Tim.ââ
âConstance Lorimer.ââ Another reflex, making him realise how uneasy the woman had made him.
âHit-and-run. So I suppose it could have been.ââ
So his mother had told Shaw about Constance. â But youâre all right. You let her walk closer to the road.ââ He regretted that as soon as heâd said it. But he was so fearfully angry. âIâm sorry,ââ he muttered.
âWeâd only just come down the hotel steps.ââ Shawâs voice was without expression, as if he had not heard Timâs terrible accusation. âOne of her earrings flew off, we watched it land in the road and she ran after it. She couldnât see it or get hold of it right away. While she was scrabbling she asked me to look for the bit that goes behind the ear, which she said should be on the pavement, and I was doing that when I heard the car and then saw it tearing up from the lookout towards Cambridge Park Road. It was so quick, Tim. Lorna slipped trying to get to her feet. I hurled myself into the road and caught hold of her by one shoulder as the car hit the other. Or something like that. It didnât go over her, it just knocked us both backwards. At least she ended up on me and not on the road. Her left shoulderâs dislocated and her left legâs badly cut, but otherwise sheâs okay.ââ
âWhat about you?ââ Tim had to force himself not to sound grudging.
âA few bruises. Iâm all right.ââ
âGood. Did you get the car number?ââ
âIâm afraid not. I was Lornaâs cushion and by the time weâd sorted ourselves out the car was well away. And when it was coming at her ⦠well, it was her I was looking at.ââ
âIt was coming at her?ââ
âIâd say so. The driver had to have seen her but he or she wasnât slowing down, they were accelerating. I think it was dark â the car, I mean â and not very large, but thatâs all I can tell you.
âYes?ââ
âThatâs it, isnât it? Donât go on, Tim.ââ
It was an order. âAll right, itâs only that Iâm concerned about you.ââ
âI know, darling, and itâs the wonder of my life. Goodnight and God bless.ââ
Anna took Timâs hand as he put the telephone down, looking round the cosy, unfashionable sitting-room with its high Victorian mantelpiece, crowded, as were the two display cabinets, with the pieces of porcelain and the curios no one else in Timâs family had wanted. â Do you remember that first time you brought me here? How formal we were, and then â¦ââ
âBecause we were aching for one another and could neither of us imagine that the other was feeling the same.ââ He pulled her arm up round his neck. âWe canât fall over Duffy on the stairs tonight and the cat seems out for the count.ââ He nodded towards the fireside chair in which Whitby was a tight grey circle. â So?ââ
âOh, yes! When we were dancing â¦ââ
They raced upstairs, tore off their clothes. An hour or so later, when they had just drifted into sleep, the telephone rang.
âHas to be a wrong number,ââ Tim mumbled crossly. â Nobody knows weâre here.ââ
âThe people who matter do. Youâd better answer it.ââ
âGod, yes!ââ He was bolt upright, his teeth chattering and his hand trembling, so that the telephone clattered to the floor and he had to grope for it.
âHello,ââ he said at last. Not DI Le Page , in his usual way.
âTim? Simon here.ââ
âSimon?ââ Why not my mother ? He had known for ever that there was something terribly wrong.
âTim, Lornaâs in hospital. But sheâs all right . Sheâs all right, Tim.ââ
âConstance Lorimer.ââ Another reflex, making him realise how uneasy the woman had made him.
âHit-and-run. So I suppose it could have been.ââ
So his mother had told Shaw about Constance. â But youâre all right. You let her walk closer to the road.ââ He regretted that as soon as heâd said it. But he was so fearfully angry. âIâm sorry,ââ he muttered.
âWeâd only just come down the hotel steps.ââ Shawâs voice was without expression, as if he had not heard Timâs terrible accusation. âOne of her earrings flew off, we watched it land in the road and she ran after it. She couldnât see it or get hold of it right away. While she was scrabbling she asked me to look for the bit that goes behind the ear, which she said should be on the pavement, and I was doing that when I heard the car and then saw it tearing up from the lookout towards Cambridge Park Road. It was so quick, Tim. Lorna slipped trying to get to her feet. I hurled myself into the road and caught hold of her by one shoulder as the car hit the other. Or something like that. It didnât go over her, it just knocked us both backwards. At least she ended up on me and not on the road. Her left shoulderâs dislocated and her left legâs badly cut, but otherwise sheâs okay.ââ
âWhat about you?ââ Tim had to force himself not to sound grudging.
âA few bruises. Iâm all right.ââ
âGood. Did you get the car number?ââ
âIâm afraid not. I was Lornaâs cushion and by the time weâd sorted ourselves out the car was well away. And when it was coming at her ⦠well, it was her I was looking at.ââ
âIt was coming at her?ââ
âIâd say so. The driver had to have seen her but he or she wasnât slowing down, they were accelerating. I think it was dark â the car, I mean â and not very large, but thatâs all I can tell you.
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