Running Scarred (17 page)

They spent the next three weeks ironing out minor problems and training all the staff in emergency first aid, regardless of their official position.

Joe arrived on Christmas Eve, tired and thin and more than relieved to be out of the services.

He slugged back another glass of delicious fine wine and sat back in his chair obviously very relaxed.

            “It was hell there last week. I’ve been to that many goodbye parties. I’ve barely eaten a thing, only drunk barrels of cheap beer. I feel like it’s all still sloshing about inside me. I shall need feeding up before I start work here.”
His speech was slightly slurred.

David laughed out loud.

“Well you’ve come to the wrong place then. Ellen’s doing all the cooking as we still can’t find a real chef. She’s interviewed a couple, but they’re all into that nouvelle cuisine here. Useless for us lot. This is a hotel for chaps with massive appetites. Ellen’s going to stick with the roasts and buffets for a bit. She can just about manage them.” He winked at his sister.

“Cheek!
You haven’t complained much, just scoffed the lot and you should see what we’re having for tomorrow’s dinner. It’s going to be fabulous. Geraldine’s been no end of help and I’m loads better at it all.” Ellen looked indignant.

Joe looked up, suddenly very interested.

“Ah! Would that be the lovely Geraldine that I’ve heard so much about? I swear she was here before looking after Adam, but I barely took any notice then. I wondered why Adam kept coming down to breakfast with a massive grin.” He smiled at Ellen’s puzzled expression. “David has been giving me daily updates on her, via email. I’ve heard all about her fabulous green eyes and glossy dark hair.” He ducked as David threw a roast potato at him. It landed further down the table leaving a trail of grease across the tablecloth.  “Have you still got her helping you with your legs every morning and night?” Joe leaned across, stabbed the potato with his fork and popped it in his mouth.

Ellen gaped at David.

“What? Helping you with your legs? You haven’t David!” She stared, aghast at her brother.

David blustered, looking as though he were about to kill Joe.

“No, no. I was just kidding Joe about that, though I may have mentioned her eyes once or twice.” David protested his innocence and then concentrated very hard on his roast beef and Yorkshire puddings.

They finished dinner with a delicious almond cake from the market, smothered in crème
fraiche. Geraldine came in, green eyed and dark haired, with a tray of coffee. Ellen smiled as she saw her wink at David before gliding away again into the kitchen.

Joe let out a great guffaw of laughter, but then stopped
quickly as he registered David’s glare.

“By the way.”
He changed the subject swiftly. “I saw that terrible ex-fiancé of yours last week. That awful blond guy. Justin was it? He said you had invited him over for a stay. He said something about a reconciliation. I didn’t think you would get back together with him. I was a bit surprised.”

Ellen’s jaw dropped and she nearly choked on her mouthful of coffee before she spoke.

“Surprised! So am I. I’ve not seen him for months and I’ve certainly not invited him over. The last time I had any contact with him was about the sale of my Spanish apartments. I had to write him an enormous cheque just to get him off my back. You must have been mistaken Joe. I don’t want anything to do with him ever again.”

Joe smiled grimly.

“I knew he was talking out of his backside. Ghastly bloke, bit creepy. I was glad when you split up. Can’t think why you ever went out with him in the first place. I was a little drunk at the party. I must have misheard him. Oh well.” He yawned widely. “I think I’m going to get an early night. It’s been a long day what with all the travel. I can’t wait to have a look over the grounds and see what you have planned for me.” Joe pushed his chair back and stood up.

“I’m going to go to bed too Ellen.” David finished his coffee and levered himself out of the chair. He winced as he rose.
“God! I think I’ve jarred my back going down that zip wire.” He rubbed the base of his spine.

Ellen rolled her eyes in despair.

“Serves you right. You’ve been down it about thirty times this week alone. It’s meant for the kids, you great idiot.” She looked exasperated at him.

David let out a laugh.

“I was testing it out, making sure it’s safe.” His eyes twinkled merrily at her.

Joe was nodding eagerly at David.

“Yes, Dave has been telling me all about it and I agree. You can’t test out that kind of thing enough. I think I’ll have to test it too. You know, just to make sure.” They were both grinning widely.

Ellen shook her head in defeat.

“Oh, do what you like. You’re like a bunch of kids, but don’t come moaning to me when you’re in agony from being so reckless.” She picked up the remaining dishes and took them through to the kitchen.

She heard David and Joe making their way up the stairs. She filled the dishwasher and turned it on, then turned off all the lights and followed them up the stairs.

She walked along the corridor towards her own room, but stopped as she heard David groan as she passed his door.

Perhaps he really had hurt his back? She sighed deeply, opened the door and stepped in to check on him.

She stopped instantly as she saw Geraldine sitting on the edge of the bed beside David. She looked as though she was tucking him in. He was half under the covers, his scarred chest showing just above the quilt. The two of them stared silently at her. Then Geraldine slid her hands out from under the sheets and pulled out one of David’s false legs.

Ellen glowered at David, who stared back at her, guilt written all over his face.

“For God’s sake David! You weren’t joking.” Ellen hissed at him. “Taking off your legs is not in Geraldine’s contract. She has enough to do without pandering to you.” She looked over at Geraldine and smiled apologetically. “Don’t believe him when he says he can’t manage. He’s a rotten liar. And David, you can get up in the morning and make breakfast for everyone for taking advantage. And you can bring me a tea up here too. I don’t take any sugar.” She slammed out of the room and stalked to the room at the end of the corridor.

She turned the door handle and crept inside. There was a small camp bed pushed against the wall between some boxes. Her sleeping bag was laid on the top and over that was Patrick’s coat. She was about to get undressed when there was a gentle knock at the door.

David walked in, both legs back in situ, his pyjama jacket on but unbuttoned and the trousers slightly askew where he had obviously dragged them on in a hurry.

Ellen slumped.

“What now David? I’m tired. I’m sorry I was sharp, but really, taking your legs off indeed! Whatever are you going to get the poor girl to do next?” She folded her cardigan over the back of a small chair.

David walked to the chair and sat down.

“You really should knock before you barge in Ellen…” He paused briefly. “She wasn’t taking my legs off.” He looked at the floor and then glanced back up at Ellen, hoping he wouldn‘t have to elucidate further.

She raised her eyebrows.

“Really! So what was she doing then, straightening your sheets and tucking you in? You’ll be getting her to make you hot chocolate and read you bedtime stories next.”

David coughed into his palm.

“Don’t be silly, it’s just that she…she was, well I was…” He paused again and stared hard at his sister. Ellen just looked right back at him, waiting. He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. “Well, if you want me to spell it out for you. She wasn’t straightening the sheets Ellen, she was helping me straighten something else entirely.” His tone was significant and he squared his shoulders as he glared at her. He twiddled his thumbs and sat with his hands in his lap while he watched her expression as she suddenly caught on.

Her mouth fell open and she felt herself
flush to the roots of her hair. 

“Oh God!
I am so Sorry! I thought it was all just a load of flirting. I had no idea you were actually involved. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? How embarrassing.” She covered her face with her hands.

David laughed, relieved that he hadn’t needed to be even more explicit.

“Embarrassing! Bad luck for me more like. I was about to have the best Christmas Eve of my life. She’s gone back to her own room now. She was mortified.” He smiled gently at Ellen who was also looking mortified. “Look, we were going to tell you, but it’s only been three weeks and I just hadn’t got round to it. I liked her before when we came but she was only helping Adam and he had all her attention then, but this time, well I didn’t want to say anything if we weren’t sure about each other. We’ve been emailing and speaking on the phone all autumn. I adore her Ellen and I don’t know how, but somehow she seems to adore me too. Even with only half a body and less than half of a face. It’s just as well that I’ve still got all the most interesting bits of me left. And I don’t mean just my brain!” He grinned sheepishly.

Ellen laughed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“Oh David! I’m so glad for you.” Her eyes were shining.

He let out a relieved breath.

“Yes, well, I’m going to put a lock on that door tomorrow morning and knock from now on eh.” He glanced around Ellen’s room suddenly taking in the lack of furnishings and a proper bed. “Why are you sleeping in here anyway? This is just a box room. Why haven’t you sorted out your own bedroom yet?” And then he noticed the big coat. “Oh Ellen, you had been sleeping at his place, hadn’t you? Good God, I’ve been here for nearly a month and I was so wrapped up in Geraldine I didn’t notice that you were practically sleeping rough. Had you been down at his place until I arrived?”

She gulped and nodded, tears suddenly springing into her eyes, desolation in her heart.

“I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to be with him so much, I did the only thing I could think of to be near him. I wanted to be there if he came back.”

David pulled a handkerchief from his
pyjama pocket and handed it to her.

“But what if he comes back with his wife? You have to give this up Ellen. He hasn’t made any sort of contact. He’s not interested. He would have written or something if he was.”

Ellen gulped loudly and stifled the tears.

“I know. I know, I just didn’t think it would be so hard without him. If he had just told me it was over, I would have felt better about it. It’s the not knowing. His letter was so vague.” She wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and blew her nose in David’s handkerchief.

“I think he’s made it pretty clear by now, don’t you?” David was firm.

“Yes, I know. I’m just being pathetic.” She sighed. “Don’t worry. I’ll get this room fixed up properly. I won’t go back to his place again.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

David grunted in approval.

“Good. Have you
any of your stuff there?” She nodded silently, her heart hurting so much that words wouldn’t come.  He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly “I’ll go and get it all for you over the next few days. I don’t want you going back there and being all upset again. We have too much to organize here. I tell you what, I’ll go down there when you go to buy the pig for the New Year’s hog roast. Then you won’t even think about it. You’ll be too busy working out how to cook the blooming great thing.” He stood up, ready to leave.

She chanced a few words, praying she could hold in the tears.

“Thanks David. And I’m sorry about earlier again. I didn’t mean to ruin your evening.”

David laughed again.

“Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure there will be plenty of other opportunities for her to practice her techniques. Oh, and you can bring me my tea in the morning, just to make it up, two sugars please.” And he left the room chuckling lightly.

Chapter Ten

Patrick turned the light on and dumped his bag on the settee.
God! Nearly New Year’s Eve.
He sighed in relief, glad to be home. The last few months had been a complete nightmare.

He shivered. The house was colder than he had hoped. He wasn’t expecting Ellen to be right there waiting for him, but he had hoped that she had left a fire going. He rested his hand over the stove. It was stone cold. He opened the door and peered in at the ash. It was clogged and damp. He stood up straight and looked around at the rest of the house. He frowned, slightly confused. There was a thin layer of dust over all of the surfaces.

It wasn’t that there was dust that disturbed him. He didn’t care about a bit of dirt. In some ways he rather liked it. It made everywhere seem more homely and normal, but this was all wrong. There was no way Ellen would have allowed their home to become cold and dusty. He walked into the bedroom. It was cold too. He sat down on the bed and pressed his hand to the quilt. It was slightly damp.

His heart started to thump hard and for a moment he was worried, but then he sighed in relief as he thought he knew what must have happened. She was probably busy up at the Chateau. Perhaps she had opened the hotel for Christmas and was now coping with left over guests. She probably had more
arriving for New Year too.

He stood up again and walked back to light the stove. She would be tired when she eventually arrived home. He would get a fire
going, make it warm and cosy for when she got back.

The flames grew a little higher and he watched as the smoke churned up the chimney. The fire was warming the house quickly. He walked back to his bedroom and pulled the quilt back to let the sheets air. A wonderful waft of her perfume floated up to him. He pressed his face to the pillow, breathing in the fragrance he loved so much. He sat for a while waiting to hear the door open, but as the heat permeated the room he stood up and pulled off his clothes. He took off his leg, then lay down on the bed and wrapped himself in her scent. God, he was so tired from the journey. He wished he’d hired a car. The ferry and then the trains and then the taxi, had taken forever. He breathed in deeply again and closed his eyes. He couldn’t wait for her to c
ome and find him. He was desperate to have her back in his bed. `

He curled up in the slightly damp covers, anticipation
and desire warming him more than the flames of the fire in the room next door.

Ellen woke early. She shivered in the early morning light. The central heating hadn’t kicked in and she felt very cold as she pulled on her dressing gown. She made a mental note to keep it turned on during the night when she had guests. She wandered to the bathroom thinking about her conversation with David a few nights before. He was right. She had to move on. He was picking up her bits from Patrick’s cottage that morning. Ellen had wanted to go herself, but David had insisted that she wasn’t to go back. She had given him a list of the things she had left there.

She stood in the shower lathering her hair and watching the suds gather in the drain before swirling away. It was New Year’s Eve.
The last day of the old year. She wouldn’t be sorry to see it go.

She dried quickly and then walked back to her bedroom and pulled on her jeans and jumper. The room had changed in the few days since David had discovered her sleeping rough between a
load of unpacked boxes. He and Joe had spent Christmas day lugging the boxes up to the attic and moving furniture. Then they had spent Boxing Day painting the room before a new bed had arrived. 

Ellen brushed her hair and fastened it, then dabbed on a little lipstick. She didn’t have to dress up early, she had to go and collect the pig anyway. She’d put her glad rags on later just before the party started. She walked out of the door and down to the kitchen.

Geraldine was already there with two mugs of tea in her hands. She had moved into David’s room on Christmas day. She smiled a little self-consciously at Ellen.

Ellen smiled back.

“So he’s got you fetching him tea now too. He’s such a lazy devil. Don’t let him get away with it Geraldine. Get him to make the tea for you. He’s perfectly capable.” She pulled a mug down from the shelf for herself.

Geraldine sipped out of one of the mugs.

“I think I will buy a kettle for our room. ‘e loves a cup of tea first thing I the morning, I think it is an English custom, but now I like it too. I think I will let him be lazy a little longer. I don’t mind. I love him.” She said it so simply that a tear sprang to Ellen’s eyes.

“Yes, he said. You are both so lucky to have found one another. I know he thought it would never happen, not after being so injured. Some people can’t see deeper than the surface.”

Geraldine’s smile grew wider.

“David is a very intense person. I saw that straight away, and I find him ‘
andsome too. A few scars don’t bother me, not when the person inside is so wonderful. ‘e tells me you felt the same about that man that lived ‘ere.”

Ellen gulped, surprised at Geraldine’s openness.

“Yes, I did, but unfortunately for me, he’s gone. I don’t think he’s coming back and even if he does, it won’t be the same as you and David. Patrick has a wife already. I’m putting it all behind me as of today. You know, a New Year and a new beginning, besides what with all our guests arriving today, I doubt I’ll have time to be maudlin over it.”

Geraldine nodded.

“Yes, and of course there will be all these ‘andsome soldiers arriving. Who knows, there may be someone else in your life very soon.” She swept out of the kitchen doors.

Ellen looked down, suddenly more miserable than ever.

“No,” She whispered. “No, there won’t be. Not ever again.” She turned and filled her mug with hot water.

Patrick turned over in his bed. For a moment he was disorientated and it took him a couple of seconds to realize where he was. A weak sunshine was shining through his window. He hadn’t closed the curtains the night before. He swivelled himself round, pulled on his leg and stood up. He peered out of the window and the pushed it open wide. Crisp, clean air flooded over him. He looked out over his overgrown vegetable garden and into the nearest trees. He breathed in deeply. He could smell the lush forest around him, the scent of pine and earth. He smiled. It was good to be home.

He pulled some clean clothes out of his bag and dragged them on. He was going to have to go to the Chateau pretty soon. She still wasn’t here and the suspense was killing him.

He turned to his room and noticed the thin layer of dust on the dressing table again. He walked over to it and ran his finger along the surface, then stopped as his finger touched a bottle of Ellen’s perfume. He smiled and was about to walk through to the kitchen to make tea when he heard his front door open.

Relief
swept over him. He hadn’t realized how anxious he had been feeling, but she was here at last! He threw himself back into the bed, grinning stupidly as he pulled the covers over himself, waiting for her to come and discover him. And then he couldn’t help himself.

“Hey! Ellen, I’m in here, come and get me!” He yelled delightedly.

There was complete silence from the room next door for a few seconds, and then the unfamiliar sound of heavy, charging feet on the floorboards. The bedroom door flew open. Patrick flung out his arms in welcome and waited expectantly for Ellen to leap on him.

He didn’t expect a six-foot blaze of fury to launch itself across the room at him.

He leapt out of the bed again, stumbling against the chest of drawers.

“Who the hell are you? Get out of my house!” It took a second for him to realize that the man facing him, with steam practically coming out of his ears, was scarred a lot worse than himself. He was truly terrible to look at. His nose was ruined and misshapen, one
dark brown eye was half closed, but the other was glaring at him furiously. The way the man lurched as he came across the room made it obvious that he was a double amputee. Realization suddenly came to him.

“David?” Patrick pulled himself away from the furniture and questioned urgently. “Are you David? Where’s Ellen? Is she at the Chateau?” He tried to smile but it wavered as David came further into the room.

“You’ve got a nerve, you piece of shit! Why the hell have you come back?” David spat the words, his breath coming in furious gasps. “She’s just getting over you. You stay away from her, do you hear?” His words hissed from the side of his scarred mouth.

Patrick staggered on his feet, completely confused.

“What! Getting over me? What do you mean? Why isn’t she here?” He was so taken aback that he sat down on the bed again.

David started
yelling.

“Why, you bastard! Don’t pretend you don’t know. She not here because you left her! After months of using her, you just waltz off with your wife, leaving her completely devastated.
One pathetic note that’s left her hanging on for months, desperate for you to come back. You’re lucky I don’t kill you right now.”

Patrick shot up
. David was coming closer, fists clenched now, but Patrick leapt forward from the bed and faced him.

“One note?
What the hell are you talking about? I’ve written every bloody week telling her what’s happening. I was living in one shitty B and B after another wondering why she hadn’t written back. I had assumed she was busy.” He scratched his head.

David was still puffing.

“Don’t lie to me. She’s worked herself half to death to get this place up and running in time for tonight, just to get over you, and you walk in here like nothing has happened. Did your wife chuck you out again? Is that why you’ve come back? Well don’t think you can just start where you left off with Ellen. It’s not going to happen. She doesn’t want anything to do with you. You go near her ever again and I will kill you. Do you understand? And don’t think I can’t, because I bloody well can. You stay away from her. Okay?”

Patrick was a good few inches taller than David, but David’s fury was greater. Patrick shook his head, trying to keep calm. Fear gripped him. The muscles in his chest had constricted so tightly he wondered how he was still breathing. His voice was almost strangled in his throat.

“I’ll stay away if she tells me to, but not you. You can go to hell and back before I do anything you want. Is she at the Chateau? I’ll go up there now and see what she says. If she doesn’t want me, then fair enough, I’ll go, but not until I’ve heard it from her lips.” He pushed past David and strode out of the door.

Patrick could hear David lumbering after him, but he didn’t turn around. He had to see Ellen immediately. He had to get this sorted out and explain. He couldn’t let her leave him. David wouldn’t have to kill him. He’d do it himself if she didn’t want him.

David struggled to keep up as Patrick surged ahead along the path. He marched straight up the stone steps of the Chateau and pounded through the front doors.

Geraldine screamed in shock as the doors blasted inwards, and she dropped a vase of flowers and greenery that she was carrying across the hallway.

“Mon Dieu! What ‘as  ‘appened?” She was breathless with fright.

Joe burst out of the lounge door at her
scream, he skidded on the broken vase and puddle of water, only just managing to keep upright. He flailed around, finding his feet just as David puffed in through the doors behind Patrick.

Joe was about to ask what was going on, when he stopped dead and stared, open mouthed, at Patrick. Then in one fluid motion, he pulled himself up to attention and saluted.

David staggered to a stop behind Patrick and gawped at Joe. Joe was still rigid.

“What the hell are you doing Joe? This is
the scumbag that let my sister down.” David’s breathing was laboured. Joe never even blinked. He stayed firmly at attention.

“At ease Lieutenant!” Patrick barked at Joe. “Where’s Ellen?”

Joe gave the merest flick of his eyes over at David and then back to Patrick.

“Sir, Not here Sir!”
Joe had dropped the salute but was still in full military mode. He made his complete report. “Her fiancé arrived shortly after Captain Phillips went to fetch Miss Ellen’s stuff, Sir! A taxi dropped him off. She was going to go and pick up the pig for the hog roast. Her fiancé went with her, I saw him get into her car, Sir.” He was still standing very straight.

David moved forwards, pushing past Patrick’s now frozen form. He clutched Joe’s shoulders, shaking him out of his rigid stance.

“Joe, do you mean Justin?” David exploded. “What was he doing here? He’s just a money grabbing low life. She dumped him way before she bought this place and he certainly wasn’t invited here today. He’s not her fiancé Joe. She detests him.”

Patrick slumped forwards, suddenly breathing again. Joe looked taken aback.

“But he said he was, Dave. You remember, I told you before Christmas, just after I arrived. I saw him at one of my leaving parties. He said he had been invited over, he said they were getting back together.”

David rolled his eyes.

“You were drunk at that party you idiot! And you downed a load of wine the evening you arrived here too. Ellen wouldn’t get back with that piece of crap if he were the last man on earth. If you had been sober you would have known that he was telling you a load of lies.” David was fuming at Joe.