Power of a Woman (32 page)

“All right. I’ll be at the hospital, of course. Take a taxi from the railway station to Leeds General Infirmary. It’s only a few minutes, maybe eight at the most.”

“I’ve arranged for a car and driver. I thought it was the best. Also, a car’s useful to have on call.

And a room has been booked for me at the Queen’s.”

“I see everything’s taken care of, then.”

“Yes, it is.”

“What about Tamara’s parents? They’re flying in to Heathrow tomorrow night. Have—”

“Again, all that’s been handled,” he explained, cutting in. “There will be a car and driver waiting for them at Heathrow, and they’ve been booked into a suite at Claridge’s.”

“Thanks for doing that, Bruce. I know they must be devastated, and worried out of their minds. And they’ll be tired after their long flight. Well, good night.”

“Good night, Stevie, my dear. I will see you tomorrow morning.”

After she had hung up, Stevie took a bath 356 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

before going to bed. Realizing she wouldn’t fall asleep immediately, she went to the desk where she had placed her briefcase earlier.

Sitting down, opening it, she took out her journal, which went everywhere with her. She sat for a moment, staring at the page she had written last night in New York. How swiftly and drastically her life had changed since she had made that entry. It was about the trip she was planning to make to Paris next week. Now she made a mental note to cancel it, and to phone André tomorrow. He was her closest friend, had been through so many things with her, and he would want to know. He adored Chloe, who was his godchild, and he had a very soft spot for Tamara as well. Yes, he would want to know what had happened.

As she always did, Stevie wrote in the day and the place at the top of the page.

Good Friday, 1997

Today has been the worst day of my life, a
nightmare. I’ve been through many things in
the past: Ralph’s terrible, untimely death; giving
birth to an illegitimate child alone, without her
father. But nothing has been as difficult to
handle as this
.

My beautiful sweet Chloe is lying there in a
coma which she may never come out of, and
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there is nothing I can do to help her. And lovely
Tamara is in critical condition, also fighting for
her life
.

I am suddenly helpless. Me of all people, who
is always in control of every situation. I’m
usually so good at taking care of things, but I
can’t take care of this. I’m not a doctor. I need
a miracle. An Easter miracle from God. I’ve
never been deeply religious, but I do believe in
God and I’ve always tried to be a good woman,
to do good whenever I could, and I think I’ve
succeeded in many ways
.

I’ve prayed a lot today. I hope God hears my
prayers. Perhaps He has already. Sometimes
God needs a man to work His miracles for
Him…Valentin Longdon…William Tilden. Good
men, good doctors. God’s surgeons. I hope
they’ve managed to repair my two girls. My two
lovely, and loving, daughters. I have always
thought of Tamara as a daughter, ever since
Nigel married her. And I’ve loved her from the
start. Such a sweet, unassuming young woman,
the perfect wife for Nigel, and the most wonderful mother. I have been blessed, having Tamara
as a daughter-in-law
.

All of our lives have been changed
today…and in less than a day. By a madman
wielding a gun. It’s unbelievable when I think
about it. I always thought I was in control of
my life, but I’m not. No one is, actually. We are
all vulnera-358 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

ble, defenseless. We are targets. Anything can
happen to us and we cannot stop it happening.

We are victims of this violent age we live in,
with guns available on street corners, and violence run amok. It’s quite terrifying. I’ve never
really thought about it before, but perfect
strangers can destroy our lives through their
own irrational acts against us….

I must be strong. For everyone. Especially for
my mother and Bruce, and for Tamara’s parents
when they arrive. And Nigel
.

Stevie closed her journal, put it back in the briefcase, and locked it. And then she went to bed.

The phone rang shrilly.

Stevie picked it up immediately. “Hello?”

“It’s Miles, Mother.”

“What is it, Miles? And where are you?”

“I’m here in my room. Gideon just phoned me from the infirmary. Tamara’s regained consciousness.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Stevie exclaimed, feeling a surge of relief.

“But she’s not great, Ma. I think she’s still in critical condition.”

“We’d better go over there, then.”

“Yes, Gid wants us to come. He went to the LGI with Nigel at five-thirty this morning. Neither of them slept. Nor did I.”

Power of a Woman / 359

“I didn’t either. Are you dressed, Miles?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll meet you in the lobby. I’m leaving the room now.”

“All right.”

Stevie hung up. She snatched a burgundy paisley shawl that matched her pants suit off the chair and threw it around her shoulders. Picking up the pen on the desk, she scribbled a note for her mother and Derek, put it in an envelope, and addressed it quickly.

She met Miles in the lobby. Her son greeted her affectionately and kissed her. After she had given the note to the front desk, he led her outside to the waiting taxi.

Nigel stood next to Tamara’s bed, holding her hand tightly. He spoke to her softly, telling her how much he loved her, and he was positive she understood him. Earlier, she had opened her eyes and looked at him; he thought he had seen recognition in them, but he wasn’t sure of that.

Suddenly, her eyes opened again and she stared up at him. He felt her fingers tightening slightly on his, and it was then he noticed she was trying to speak.

Bringing his face down to hers, he whispered,

“What is it, darling? Tell me, Tamsy.”

“Ni…gel…l…ove…y…ou…” Her eyes held his.

360 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

“I love you, too, Tam, so very much.”

Slowly, her eyes closed. A moment later her hand went slack in his.

Mr. Tilden, the surgeon, who was standing at the back of the room, glanced at the monitor. The lines had gone flat. He stepped forward, put his hand on Nigel’s shoulder. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Jardine.”

An anguished cry escaped Nigel’s lips. “No!” he shouted. “No!” He clung to his wife. “Don’t leave me, Tam!”

“She’s gone, Mr. Jardine,” William Tilden said gently.

“Leave me alone with her,” Nigel mumbled.

The surgeon nodded to the nurse, and the two of them stepped into the corridor.

Stevie, who was waiting near the door with Gideon and Miles, looked at him intently. “Tamara has died….” she began, and stopped. Her throat choked up and tears rushed into her eyes.

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Jardine,” he murmured.

“Can I go in, Mr. Tilden?” Stevie asked in a shaking voice. “My son needs me.”

“Of course,” he answered, and opened the door for her.

Stevie went over to the bed. She gazed down at Tamara, bent over her and kissed her, touched the silver-gilt hair. My lovely girl, good-bye, she said silently. I’ll never forget you, Tam, and I’ll always love you. Her heart was full of sorrow; she Power of a Woman / 361

thought it was going to burst. After a moment, endeavoring to marshal her swimming senses, her own grief, Stevie put her arm around Nigel and said quietly, “I’m here, Nigel. I’m here, lovey.”

He turned his face to hers. It was wet with tears.

“Why, Mam? Why, Mam?” he asked, reverting to his childhood name for her.

“I don’t know, Nigel, I really don’t. Sweet Tam…”

She tried to comfort him, but he was inconsolable.

His sorrow was unendurable.

A few minutes later Mr. Tilden and the nurse returned to the room. The nurse encouraged Nigel to leave, but he would not. He persisted in clinging to Tamara’s hand, tenaciously. When Mr. Tilden attempted to escort him out, he became hysterical, his grief overwhelming him.

“I’ll stay with him for a while,” Stevie said to the surgeon. “Until he’s a little calmer.”

A
WEEK AFTER THE SHOOTING HAD OCCURRED, Chloe was still in a coma. She had been taken out of the intensive care unit and put in a private room in the Brotherton Wing. There was no noticeable change in her state of consciousness.

Now that Chloe was out of the ICU, Stevie was allowed to stay in the room with her daughter, and for as long as she wanted until the early evening. At eight o’clock she usually went back to the Queen’s Hotel, since there were no facilities for her to sleep at the Brotherton Wing.

Stevie had been keeping a steadfast vigil by her daughter’s side, touching her constantly, holding her hands, talking to her, endeavoring to stimulate her, hoping and praying for a reaction from her.

Any kind of reaction, even the slightest, would have been welcome. There was none. Chloe lay in the hospital bed pale and inert, as if she were in a deep, untroubled sleep.

364 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

Stevie was never alone with Chloe for very long.

Members of the family were constantly in and out of the hospital room, underscoring Stevie’s own efforts to stimulate Chloe, to communicate with her.

Bruce, Derek, and Blair had been regular visitors, as had Miles and Gideon.

Nigel had gone to London on Monday, accompanying Tamara’s body in the private ambulance.

Lenore had driven the children and Agnes back to town the same day, and Gideon had followed in his own car on Tuesday morning. His main purpose for going was to help Nigel make all the arrangements for Tamara’s funeral. This had taken place yesterday, and every member of the family had attended, except for Stevie and Derek.

Loving Tamara as she had, Stevie wanted to be present when her daughter-in-law was laid to rest.

But she had been afraid to leave Chloe alone in case she came out of the coma. She wanted to be there for her daughter, to comfort and reassure her.

Stevie’s decision to stay in Leeds had been accepted, indeed endorsed, by everyone, Nigel included. Derek had insisted on staying with Stevie, in order to give her moral support, and also because he was so close to Chloe, like a father to her in so many ways.

Now, on this Friday morning at the beginning of April, Derek sat with Stevie in Chloe’s room.

Thinking out loud, he said, “It occurred to me that I might try reciting to her again. Bits and pieces from some of my roles, especially my

Power of a Woman / 365

Shakespearean roles. You know she loves Shakespeare.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Derek. Her favorite role of yours is Hamlet. Why don’t you recite the solilo-quy?” Stevie suggested.

Derek thought for a moment, then he said, “I don’t think it’s appropriate, Stevie. There’s something rather sad about it…. Hamlet is talking about dying. The other day I recited some of the sonnets, but I know she likes Byron. We spoke about him at Christmas.” Derek rose, walked over to the window, stood looking out for a few moments, composing himself, running the lines of various poems through his head. One of his great talents was his extraordinary ability to commit long speeches and reams of poetry to memory; in fact, he was renowned for this remarkable accomplishment. And like Richard Burton before him, he was able to recite Shakespeare and other writers virtually on request, so well versed was he in their works.

Turning around, he looked across at Stevie holding Chloe’s hand, and nodded, smiled at her encour-agingly.

Stevie proffered him a faint smile, sat back in the chair, ready to listen to him. But her eyes automatically swung to Chloe, and she gave her daughter all her attention, watching her closely and with enormous intensity.

Derek began to speak softly, his mellifluous voice carrying around the hospital room: 366 / Barbara Taylor Bradford

“She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow’d to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impair’d the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express, How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!”

Derek finished speaking and walked over to Stevie, returning her smile. “My favorite poem by Byron.”

“It was beautiful,” she said.

“I thought of our lovely Chloe as I was speaking, and it fits her well, doesn’t it?”

“Why, yes, it does.” Stevie turned back to her daughter and examined her face intently; unexpectedly, she stiffened.

Noticing this, Derek exclaimed, “What is it?”

Power of a Woman / 367

“I might be imagining it, but I thought I saw a slight movement under her eyelids.” Stevie sighed.

“But I was wrong. There’s nothing, no reaction.

She’s just lying there motionless.”

“Do you want me to recite something else, perhaps—” He cut himself off and glanced over his shoulder as Bruce Jardine walked into the room.

“Good morning,” Bruce said. “I just arrived from London and came straight here from the railway station.” He shook hands with Derek, and then went to kiss Stevie on the cheek.

Bruce stood looking down at Chloe, studying her carefully as they all did from time to time, frowning to himself. “No change, I suppose?” he said at last, addressing Stevie.

“No change. Although a moment ago I thought I saw an eyelid move. But it was just wishful thinking, I’m afraid.”