Power of a Woman (30 page)

Jardine?” he asked, looking him over carefully.

Gideon nodded, thrust out his hand. “Gideon Jardine. My brother Nigel is inside with his injured wife and our sister, Sergeant.” Gideon nodded to the parked car. “I think that must belong to the man who did the shooting.”

“I see. Let’s go inside, Mr. Jardine, and try to sort all this out,” the police sergeant answered. “After you, Mr. Jardine.”

T
HE BRITISH AIRWAYS CONCORDE FLIGHT FROM

NEW York was a few minutes late when it landed at Heathrow just before six on Good Friday afternoon.

Stevie Jardine was the first person off the plane, the first in and out of Immigration. Since she had no luggage, only her briefcase, she went straight to the Customs Hall. Once again, because she was the first to enter, she was hurrying out into the terminal within a couple of seconds. As she emerged, her eyes scanned the crowd swiftly.

She saw her mother immediately. Blair was standing by the barrier, waiting for her, and she raised her hand in greeting. A moment later the two women were embracing.

As they pulled apart, Stevie stared at her mother worriedly, her eyes apprehensive and filled with questions.

Blair said, “She’s alive, darling; they’re both alive.”

334 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

Stevie let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God for that.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that the flight over has been
torturous
. I’m exhausted from worry.”

“I can well imagine,” Blair murmured.

“Where’s Derek, Mother?”

“Waiting for us on the private plane. You know how it is when he’s seen in public; he tends to get mobbed. We thought it better for him to board. But let’s hurry, Stevie; the plane’s on the tarmac, ready to take us to Yorkshire. We can talk then.”

Fifteen minutes later, Derek was greeting them as they came up the steps of the plane. After hugging Stevie and telling her not to worry, he showed them their seats. They all fastened their safety belts, and once the Gulfstream IV jet was airborne, the stewardess served hot lemon tea to Stevie and Blair, and a scotch on the rocks to Derek.

“How is Chloe
actually
?” Stevie asked anxiously, looking from her mother to Derek when they were alone. “I’m crazy with worry.”

He said very quietly, “She’s in a coma, Stevie, and she has been since she was shot. The bullet entered her brain, you see.”

“Oh,
no!
Oh, my God,” Stevie cried, and brought her hand to her mouth, stifling a cry of anguish.

“What are they going to do?”

“They’ve already done it,” Derek answered, putting a hand on her arm, trying to reassure her.

Power of a Woman / 335

“She had an operation on her brain this afternoon.

To remove the bullet. And—”

“Were they able to take it out?” Stevie interrupted shakily. She felt as though all the strength had left her body.

“Yes, they did. It took almost three hours to do the operation. She was operated on by one of the best neurosurgeons in the country, in the world actually, Mr. Valentin Longdon. She’s in the Brotherton Wing of Leeds General Infirmary. The private wing. In the intensive care unit. And so is Tamara.

She was shot in the chest. Several times. They’ve managed to remove the bullets, but she’s still unconscious, Stevie. Very weak. She lost a lot of blood.”

Stevie swallowed hard, and her voice was a whisper when she asked, “Are they going to make it, Derek? Are they going to live?”

“We hope so, darling; we’re praying they will.”

Blair took hold of her daughter’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s going to be all right, I know it is.

Try and have faith.”

Stevie nodded, unable to speak for a few minutes.

Then she murmured, “So they didn’t take them to Harrogate District Hospital.” She bit her lip. “It’s closer…but then, Leeds is such a big medical center….”

Derek nodded. “True. And in fact, they
were
taken to Harrogate. But the doctors there wanted Chloe to be sent to Leeds Infirmary, where there’s that crack neurosurgical unit. They wanted her to 336 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

have the very best. From what I understand from Gideon, they decided to send Tamara to Leeds as well, because of the seriousness of her wounds. They were helicoptered from Harrogate to Leeds, and were in the operating theaters by two o’clock this afternoon. It was all handled very speedily, Stevie.”

“I know Leeds General Infirmary is a good hospital,” she acknowledged.

“And don’t forget, it’s one of the finest teaching hospitals in Europe, in the world. Bar none. So is St. James’s hospital nearby. The Leeds medical complex is world renowned, so rest easy about their care, darling. They’re getting the best, and every facility is available.”

“I will try, Derek, but it’s hard. I just can’t help worrying—” She stopped, her voice breaking. Fumbling for her handkerchief, she blew her nose, tried to stem the tears that suddenly blinded her.

There was a small silence among them.

Eventually, clearing her throat several times, Stevie went on. “What about Tamara’s parents? Did someone manage to contact them? I know they were supposed to go on a cruise this Easter. To the Far East and China, I think.”

“They did go,” Blair said. “Gideon had Bruce send a fax to the ship. Fortunately, Nigel remembered his father-in-law telling him they would be arriving in Hong Kong on Good Friday and staying there for the Easter weekend.”

Power of a Woman / 337

“How is Bruce holding up?” Stevie asked, glancing at Derek.

“Not bad under the circumstances. It’s shaken him, of course, and he wanted to fly up with us today, but I told him it would be better if he came tomorrow. We’ve booked him a room at the Queen’s. That’s where we’re all staying.”

“Gideon found Miles in Paris. At the Plaza Athénée. He left immediately, and he’s probably already in Leeds by now,” Blair explained.

“Nigel must be distraught!” Stevie exclaimed, shaking her head. “He loves Tamara so much, worships her, really. He must be out of his mind…where are the children, Mother?” Stevie turned to Blair, her face taut with anxiety.

“Lenore took them to Lindenhill the moment they returned from their shopping trip this morning.

They’re there with Agnes. Apparently Agnes went over to Aysgarth End this afternoon, to get some of their things, and a few bits and pieces of her own.

They’re going to stay at Lindenhill indefinitely. Until we all go back to London, that is.”

“Yes, that’s the best solution,” Stevie agreed.

“I spoke to Lenore at five o’clock,” Derek said.

“When your mother and I arrived at the airport.

She’s the one who told me about Chloe’s condition and the operation, and about Tamara. Gideon asked her to stay next to the phone at Lindenhill. She’s our base—the person we all call to get information and to whom we give it. That way she can keep everyone informed.”

338 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

Stevie nodded. She moved slightly in her seat, crossing her legs, then uncrossing them nervously.

After a moment or two, she said to Derek in a low voice, “I guess nobody knows exactly what happened, why the shooting occurred. Or who did it?”

“Since the girls have remained unconscious, they haven’t been able to tell Nigel and Gideon—or the police—anything. However, the man who shot them was Tamara’s ex-husband, Alexis Dumachev. He’s been identified.”

“Oh, my God, no! But
why
? Why did he do a horrendous thing like this? I know Tamara hasn’t heard from him for years. He went off to work in…Japan, I think.”

“Yes, that’s what Nigel said to Gideon, and it’s true, they haven’t heard from him for years.” Derek sighed. “It seems as if he went berserk.
Why
we’ll never know, I suppose.”

Stevie inclined her head, and then she leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes. Chloe and Tamara might not make it, she knew that. Although her mother and Derek were being cheerful, she realized they were putting up a front. Derek made a good job of it; why wouldn’t he? After all, he was a great actor. But her mother couldn’t act, and it was Blair who gave it all away. Things weren’t quite as rosy as they wanted her to believe; of that she was absolutely convinced.

The stewardess came and told them they were about to land at the Leeds-Bradford Airport in Power of a Woman / 339

Yeadon. Opening her eyes, Stevie looked at her watch. It was twenty minutes past seven o’clock.

Miles was waiting for them in the Brotherton Wing of Leeds General Infirmary when they arrived at eight o’clock. As Stevie walked into the small private waiting room, accompanied by Blair and Derek, he leapt to his feet and hurried to his mother. Concern ringed his face.

“Hello, Ma,” he said, wrapping his arms around her protectively, holding her close. Stevie clung to her son for a second, taking comfort from his reassuring presence before pulling away.

Looking into his eyes, she asked, “Tell me the truth, Miles, is Chloe going to live?”

“Yes, I think she is. From what I understand, the operation to remove the bullet from her brain was a success. But it’s better that you talk to the neurosurgeon. He was just checking on Chloe a short while ago, and he’s waiting in his office for you.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Right away, Ma.” Turning to his grandparents, he embraced them both before opening the door and leading them out of the private waiting room.

As Miles hurried them down the corridor, Stevie grasped her son’s arm, asked urgently, “How’s Tamara? Is
she
going to be all right?”

“They’re hoping so. She’s also in intensive care, and holding her own right now, Ma. Tam’s in 340 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

another part of the Brotherton Wing and Nigel’s in a waiting room over there, to be near her. Gideon’s with him, giving him support. Once you’ve talked to Mr. Longdon and seen Chloe, I’ll take you to Nigel. The surgeon who operated on her wants to see you.”

Stevie nodded. A moment later Miles was ushering them into the neurosurgeon’s office.

“Valentin Longdon,” the neurosurgeon said, rising, coming forward to greet them, his hand outstretched. “Mrs. Jardine, Sir Derek and Lady Rayner.

Pleased to meet you.” After shaking hands with them, he added, “However, I’m so sorry we’re not meeting under different circumstances. Please, do sit down.”

They did so, and Stevie said, “Thank you for taking care of my daughter, Mr. Longdon. I appreciate everything you’ve done to save her life.”

The neurosurgeon inclined his head. “I would like to explain everything, so that you understand fully what has happened.”

“Yes, that would be very helpful,” Derek murmured, leaning forward slightly, pinning his eyes on the renowned surgeon.

“First let me tell you about the wound. The bullet entered the left side of Miss Jardine’s forehead at a forty-five-degree angle, going in at the edge of the eyebrow. It hit the frontal lobe actually, and broke a bone in her skull. It remained in her brain.” He paused and looked at Stevie questioningly, a brow raised.

Power of a Woman / 341

She nodded. “Yes, I’m following you, Mr. Longdon.”

Giving her a faint smile, the neurosurgeon continued. “I operated on your daughter immediately after she arrived here from Harrogate, in order to reduce the risk of infection. There was a large area of bruising, bleeding, and swelling. Great trauma in the brain. I operated down the track of the bullet, that is, I followed the track the bullet made as it went through her skull. I first removed the indriven bone, then the damaged brain tissue, then the blood clot, and finally the bullet. It was a three-hour operation, Mrs. Jardine, but she came through it well.”

“Thank you for explaining, Mr. Longdon, but I’m not sure I quite understand why Chloe is still in a coma.”

“Because of the great trauma suffered to the brain.

We must wait for the swelling to go down. She is in an altered state of consciousness right now, as she has been since she was shot. She will come out of the coma slowly, over a ten-day period, or thereabouts.”

“But she
will
come out of the coma, won’t she, Mr. Longdon?” Derek interjected.

There was only a fractional hesitation on the neurosurgeon’s part before he said, “She should, Sir Derek. I am very hopeful for her. And as I just said, she will emerge from the coma rather slowly, come into a lighter consciousness, a more stable state of being gradually.”

342 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

“How long will she have to be in intensive care?”

Stevie said.

“For the next forty-eight hours, at least, Mrs.

Jardine. Perhaps longer.”

“Is there the possibility that my daughter might not come out of the coma, Mr. Longdon?”

“Well, of course, there is always that possibility with every patient. I don’t think this is the case with Miss Jardine, however.”

“Could she be left with any brain damage?” Stevie stared at the neurosurgeon, biting her lip nervously now that she had expressed one of her worst fears.

“That is doubtful,” he replied quietly.

Stevie continued to stare at him, detecting something in his manner she could not quite put her finger on. She wondered if he was making Chloe’s condition sound less serious than it really was. She opened her mouth to ask him this, then changed her mind. Instead, she said, “Can we see Chloe, Mr.

Longdon?”

“Of course you can, Mrs. Jardine. I will take you to the ICU now. Please, come with me.”

The four of them trooped out after Valentin Longdon, and within several seconds they were entering the intensive care unit in the Brotherton Wing.

“It would be preferable if you saw Miss Jardine one at a time,” the neurosurgeon murmured. Opening the door to Chloe’s room, he stood to one side, allowing Stevie to enter first. He followed her in and closed the door.

Power of a Woman / 343

Stevie glided across the floor toward the hospital bed as quietly as she could, full of anxiety and apprehension. Her throat closed when she saw Chloe, and she had to fight hard to stem the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. It was with a sense of dread and a sinking heart that she came to a standstill next to the bed and looked down at her daughter.