determination more than a lead.’
‘Call for help if my mother stabs you with a hatpin.’
It took over an hour to talk Lady Grace into taking the few steps out of her room and onto the landing. She complained all thetime of the pain, her stiffness, her back, her leg. Jessica gathered her patience and persuasive skill. It was exhausting.
Eventually with the aid of the walker, Lady Grace did manage to walk the length of the landing, peering into Lily’s bedroom. It was a bit untidy.
‘That child’s bedroom is a disgrace,’ she said. ‘Chaos.’
‘That’s why you need to be up and about,’ said Jessica. ‘To take charge of things again. The more exercise you take, the less pain there is.’
Lady Grace snorted. ‘You’re merely saying that. You’ve no proof.’
‘I’ll get you some proof.’
There would be a self-help book in the mobile library, Jessica felt sure. She would get one today.
The journey back was marginally faster as Lady Grace had seen her mid-morning coffee arrive. She sank back into her armchair by the window, pushing the walker away. Jessica sorted out the blood-thinning medication.
‘Don’t forget we’re playing cards this afternoon,’ said Lady Grace. ‘The cards are in the sitting room. I’ll tell you where they are kept.’
‘After you have done your straight leg exercises,’ Jessica said. ‘They are very boring but necessary. You could listen to music or watch television at the same time if you like. We could find some decent music on the radio.’
‘I don’t allow television in bedrooms. Not character building.’
It was going to be a busy day.
Jessica hurried down to the kitchen, hoping to catch Lucas before he went back to the Queen Victoria Hospital. But he had gone. His patient came first as was to be expected. She poured herself some coffee from the percolator and sipped the reviving caffeine gratefully.
‘I needed that,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’
‘I could hear you having a time of it upstairs,’ said Mrs Harris. ‘I didn’t interfere. I hadn’t done Lily’s bedroom, more’s the pity. I’d better do it now before her ladyship starts into me.’
‘You put up with a lot,’ said Jessica.
Mrs Harris nodded. ‘Sometimes we have to. That’s life.’
‘Where’s the nearest swimming pool, Mrs Harris? I really want to get Lady Grace into the water. Walking in the shallow end of a swimming pool is one of the best exercises after a hip operation. Because the water is buoyant and holds you up, there’s very little stress on the hip. She would enjoy it.’
Mrs Harris said nothing. She knew about Lady Grace’s aversion to water.
‘A pool would be a good idea,’ Jessica went on.
‘She’d say the water was too warm, too cold, too wet,’ said Mrs Harris, going upstairs. She paused halfway, lowered her voice. ‘Yet she used to be a champion swimmer. Used to swim in the sea, off Brighton beach, any weather, I’m told.’
Jessica found a copy of Yellow Pages and roamed through, looking for leisure centres. Brighton and Worthing were both unsuitable having large pools. Lady Grace would certainly refuse to go anywhere that members of the public might be using at the same time.
Lucas was a puzzle, one minute kind and charming, and the next cold and aloof. Perhaps one day he would tell her what had made him so unfathomable. There was no antagonism between them but she never knew where she was with the man. He was unpredictable. And yet so attractive. But he was the last thing she wanted. There was no place for another man, however good-looking, in her life.
She had to keep him at a distance.
He could be dangerous. One move from him and she might find herself unable to forget him. He had spirit and texture and soul. Not many of those about.
There was a range of keys hanging from hooks near the kitchen door. Jessica glanced at the labels. There were more keys than doors. One of them was the key to the vintage car waiting for her in the garage and
‘Call for help if my mother stabs you with a hatpin.’
It took over an hour to talk Lady Grace into taking the few steps out of her room and onto the landing. She complained all thetime of the pain, her stiffness, her back, her leg. Jessica gathered her patience and persuasive skill. It was exhausting.
Eventually with the aid of the walker, Lady Grace did manage to walk the length of the landing, peering into Lily’s bedroom. It was a bit untidy.
‘That child’s bedroom is a disgrace,’ she said. ‘Chaos.’
‘That’s why you need to be up and about,’ said Jessica. ‘To take charge of things again. The more exercise you take, the less pain there is.’
Lady Grace snorted. ‘You’re merely saying that. You’ve no proof.’
‘I’ll get you some proof.’
There would be a self-help book in the mobile library, Jessica felt sure. She would get one today.
The journey back was marginally faster as Lady Grace had seen her mid-morning coffee arrive. She sank back into her armchair by the window, pushing the walker away. Jessica sorted out the blood-thinning medication.
‘Don’t forget we’re playing cards this afternoon,’ said Lady Grace. ‘The cards are in the sitting room. I’ll tell you where they are kept.’
‘After you have done your straight leg exercises,’ Jessica said. ‘They are very boring but necessary. You could listen to music or watch television at the same time if you like. We could find some decent music on the radio.’
‘I don’t allow television in bedrooms. Not character building.’
It was going to be a busy day.
Jessica hurried down to the kitchen, hoping to catch Lucas before he went back to the Queen Victoria Hospital. But he had gone. His patient came first as was to be expected. She poured herself some coffee from the percolator and sipped the reviving caffeine gratefully.
‘I needed that,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’
‘I could hear you having a time of it upstairs,’ said Mrs Harris. ‘I didn’t interfere. I hadn’t done Lily’s bedroom, more’s the pity. I’d better do it now before her ladyship starts into me.’
‘You put up with a lot,’ said Jessica.
Mrs Harris nodded. ‘Sometimes we have to. That’s life.’
‘Where’s the nearest swimming pool, Mrs Harris? I really want to get Lady Grace into the water. Walking in the shallow end of a swimming pool is one of the best exercises after a hip operation. Because the water is buoyant and holds you up, there’s very little stress on the hip. She would enjoy it.’
Mrs Harris said nothing. She knew about Lady Grace’s aversion to water.
‘A pool would be a good idea,’ Jessica went on.
‘She’d say the water was too warm, too cold, too wet,’ said Mrs Harris, going upstairs. She paused halfway, lowered her voice. ‘Yet she used to be a champion swimmer. Used to swim in the sea, off Brighton beach, any weather, I’m told.’
Jessica found a copy of Yellow Pages and roamed through, looking for leisure centres. Brighton and Worthing were both unsuitable having large pools. Lady Grace would certainly refuse to go anywhere that members of the public might be using at the same time.
Lucas was a puzzle, one minute kind and charming, and the next cold and aloof. Perhaps one day he would tell her what had made him so unfathomable. There was no antagonism between them but she never knew where she was with the man. He was unpredictable. And yet so attractive. But he was the last thing she wanted. There was no place for another man, however good-looking, in her life.
She had to keep him at a distance.
He could be dangerous. One move from him and she might find herself unable to forget him. He had spirit and texture and soul. Not many of those about.
There was a range of keys hanging from hooks near the kitchen door. Jessica glanced at the labels. There were more keys than doors. One of them was the key to the vintage car waiting for her in the garage and
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