The Tulip Girl (32 page)

She stared at him for several moments, before she asked slowly, ‘Now why on earth should you think that?’

Nick gave an angry snort and blundered from the kitchen, slamming the back door behind him.

The doctor was just hurrying down the steps of his house towards his car when Maddie arrived.

‘Doctor, Frank’s much worse. He’s so weak. Please, would you come and see him?’

The doctor glanced at his watch. ‘I’m on my way to a difficult confinement, a breech birth. I’ll look in to see Frank on my way back.’

‘Thank you, doctor. We’d be very grateful.’

As the doctor moved away in his car and she turned the pram towards home once more, a voice hailed her.

‘Maddie, Maddie. Wait a minute.’

She glanced over her shoulder to see Steven Smith running towards her. ‘How’s things?’ he said as he drew level and fell into step beside her. ‘How’s Mr
Frank?’

‘Not good, Stink – Steven.’ She glanced at him, but he only grinned. Even in her anxiety the nickname she had always used came naturally. ‘I’ve just seen Dr Hanson
and asked him to call again.’

Steven nodded. ‘Good.’ There was a brief pause before he said, ‘Is there anything you need a hand with? I don’t have a market anywhere on a Monday. I know you must be
missing Mr Frank’s help.’

‘Well, there is something. Could you take the boxes of flowers to the station tonight on your lorry? We’ve a couple of trays ready in the greenhouse and I’m going back home now
to pick and pack them.’

‘Of course I can. What time do you want me to come?’

‘They’ve got to be there in time for the six o’clock train.’

‘Right. I’ll be there in good time, Maddie.’

There was a pause, but he still walked alongside her making no effort to leave her. Suddenly, he said, ‘You calling to see Jen?’

‘Yes, but I can’t stay long. I must get back to pick those flowers.’

‘I’ll come along with you then.’

Again there was silence between them as they walked along until Maddie asked slyly, ‘Are you and Jen going out together, then?’

Steven pulled a face. ‘I wish we were. Oh, she’ll come out with me. To the pictures and that, but, well . . .’ He hesitated and Maddie noticed that his face had reddened
slightly, so she finished his sentence for him.

‘She doesn’t seem as keen on you as you are on her?’

‘That’s about it.’

She wondered whether to tell him about Jenny’s infatuation with Nick, but decided it would be kinder to say nothing. Instead she advised, ‘You just carry on asking her out and being
nice to her. I think you’ll win her over in the end.’

‘You think so?’ He sounded so unsure, so unlike the Stinky Smith she thought she knew. He’d been a little imp at school, but she’d always been a match for his devilment
and had never felt intimidated by him. Nor by anyone else, she thought with an inward smile, if it came to that. Yet now, obviously in love with Jenny Wren, Steven was diffident, almost shy.

How love changed people, Maddie thought wryly, thinking back to her own weaknesses where Michael, and now little Adam, were concerned.

She smiled up at Steven and, mentally crossing her fingers, said, ‘I’m sure of it.’

As soon as Dr Hanson saw Frank, he said, ‘He’ll have to go to the hospital. I’ll arrange it. Pack whatever he’ll need and I’ll send an
ambulance.’

‘No, I’ll be fine,’ Frank said weakly from the bed. ‘I just need to rest. That’s all.’ They watched him as he tried to raise himself, but he could hardly lift
his arm up, let alone push himself up to a sitting position.

The doctor’s face was grim as he went downstairs and faced the three of them in the living room. ‘I think you would be wise to contact his son.’

Harriet’s eyes widened and she let out a little cry and staggered, reaching out blindly for a chair to support her. At once Maddie was at her side and easing her down into Frank’s
chair by the fireside, where she lay back moaning, ‘Oh no, no.’

Maddie said haltingly, ‘We don’t hear from Michael now. Only Nick has seen him since he left home. And the last news we had of him was that he would never . . .’ She pulled in
a deep breath. ‘Come home again.’

The doctor’s voice was gentle as he turned to Nick and said, ‘Well, I think you should try to see Michael again and tell him that if he does not come home soon . . .’ His voice
deepened. ‘He may never see his father again.’

Behind them, Harriet began to sob.

At just gone half past four, Steven’s lorry drew into the yard. He climbed down, slammed the door and was calling out as he came across the yard, ‘Maddie? Where are
you?’

She poked her head out of the door of the big barn and shouted, ‘Here. I’m in here. I haven’t got the packing finished yet. Frank’s had to go to the hospital.’

Steven nodded. ‘I guessed as much. I’ve just passed the ambulance on its way to Wellandon. Here . . .’ He picked up a bundle of raffia and moved to stand beside her. ‘Let
me help. A dozen to a bunch, is it?’

Maddie grinned at him. ‘Baker’s dozen.’

‘Tut-tut.’ Steven shook his head. ‘And there I was thinking what a clever business woman you were. Just think how many you’re giving away. For every twelve bunches,
you’re giving a whole bunch away.’

‘Ah,’ Maddie tapped the side of her nose. ‘But they can’t come back at me then and tell me one of the blooms was too far out or a stalk damaged. We did talk about it, me
and Frank,’ her voice shook a little, thinking about the man who had become so dear to her and who at this moment was being admitted to hospital. She should have gone with him. She should be
at his side, but the flowers would not wait and they were their livelihood. She knew he would understand. ‘But we decided,’ she went on more strongly, ‘that if we gave a little,
we might not get any complaints.’

‘And have you had any?’

‘Complaints?’ Despite her anxiety, she smiled at him. ‘Not one.’

A shadow fell across the open doorway of the barn.

‘Oh! Hello, I didn’t know you were here.’ Nick’s tone was flat, devoid of any note of welcome.

‘Come to lend a helping hand,’ Steven grinned at him. ‘Maddie asked me if I could take the boxes to the station.’

‘There was no need. I take them.’

‘You’ll have enough to deal with here,’ Maddie put in quickly. ‘Now Frank’s so ill.’

‘How do you think I’ve been managing these last weeks and helping look after him?’ There was a barely concealed sneer in Nick’s tone now. ‘It’ll be easier now
he is out of the way.’

‘Nick . . .!’ Maddie began but swiftly he added, ‘You know what I mean. Now that he’ll be well looked after, we can concentrate on the work. That’s all I
meant.’

Steven had his head down now, concentrating on tying the bunches and laying them carefully in the wooden boxes, but Maddie could see that there was a tightness to his mouth that had not been
there before Nick’s appearance.

‘These boxes are returnable, aren’t they?’ Steven said, changing the subject.

‘Yes. But sometimes we have a job to get them back.’

For a moment, he appeared to be deep in thought, then he said, ‘I might be able to help you out a bit there . . .’

‘I thought you might,’ Nick said, sarcastically. ‘Well, if you’re taking over, I’ll get on with the work in the battery house. Or do you want to have a go at that
an’ all?’

‘Nick!’ Maddie was suddenly angry, but before she could say more, Steven touched her wrist and said softly, ‘Leave it, Maddie.’

‘Steven, I’m so sorry,’ she said, as Nick disappeared across the yard towards the battery house.

Steven shrugged. ‘Funny lad, isn’t he?’

Maddie sighed and said softly, ‘Moody, I suppose you’d call it. But with a mother like he’s got and the life she’s made him lead, well . . .’ She said no more, but
knew that Steven understood her meaning.

Frank was in hospital for a week during which time they did all sorts of tests, yet still they could not put a name to the cause of his debilitating illness.

‘I’m coming home tomorrow,’ Frank told Maddie on the following Sunday afternoon.

‘Have they said you can?’

‘No,’ he smiled at her and held up his hand as she began to protest. ‘But I feel so much better and I hate being here. I’ll be better at home.’

‘Will they let you come?’

‘How are they going to stop me?’

‘Oh, Frank, you mustn’t go against the doctor.’

‘I won’t, Maddie. But Dr Hanson will be in tomorrow morning. I’ll have a word with him then. Just you bring my clothes tomorrow afternoon.’

‘I heard Mr Brackenbury was ill. I came to see if you needed any help?’

Maddie gave a little gasp of surprise at the sound of his voice. Behind her, she had heard the greenhouse door open and gently close, but she had not looked up from picking the tulips.

‘Oh, Mr Theo. I’m sorry, I thought it was Nick coming in.’ She stepped towards him down the narrow aisle between the rows of trays on either side of the glasshouse, brushing
the earth away from her fingers.

‘No, please, don’t let me stop you. I know how important it must be to crop the blooms at just the right time. We can talk as you work. That is . . .’ he hesitated, ‘if I
won’t be in your way?’

‘Of course you won’t. But I would like to get on. I’ve these to pack for Nick to take to the station and . . .’ she smiled, ‘time’s already running out on
me.’

‘Then, please, do carry on, Maddie. I’m sorry – Mrs Brackenbury.’

Maddie laughed as she turned back to her task. ‘Call me Maddie. Everyone does.’

‘Thank you. Then you must call me Theo, without the Mister.’

She glanced briefly over her shoulder at him. ‘I couldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be right.’

‘Why ever not?’ Then softly, he added, ‘I’d really like you to.’

‘Oh – well . . .’ Maddie was unaccountably flustered. To consider calling Sir Peter’s son by his Christian name in such a familiar manner was against all Mrs
Potter’s strict rules. And even though she was no longer under the woman’s thumb, the upbringing was hard to leave behind. ‘I’ll try.’

Whilst Maddie worked, they talked. Theo wanted to know all about Frank’s illness and what was being done. Then Maddie asked, ‘How’s your father?’

‘Better, but not better, if you know what I mean. He’s recovered from the stroke as far as he’s going to.’

Maddie said nothing, but glanced at him enquiringly. She heard him sigh as he said, ‘He’s paralysed and there’s little hope of further improvement.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said with sincerity, although her pity was more for the young man standing beside her than for Sir Peter.

‘Yes,’ Theo said quietly. ‘He’s not the . . .’ He hesitated and Maddie had the feeling that he altered what he had been going to say. ‘The man he
was.’

There was a long silence now whilst he watched her work. It was not an uncomfortable silence between them yet Maddie felt obliged to break it. ‘I’m sorry that Mr Frank hasn’t
sent you any rent yet. He means to start paying you again this month, with the New Year, but . . .’

Theo held up his hand. ‘Please, Maddie, don’t even mention it.’ He smiled at her. ‘To tell you the truth, I had forgotten all about it. Our estate bailiff sees to all
that and it really hadn’t crossed my mind again.’

‘Well, we hadn’t forgotten.’

‘No, I know that. But don’t worry about it just now. You’ve enough to cope with.’ He stood idly slapping his riding crop against his legs as he watched her work.
‘These flowers are lovely. You really have done well, Maddie.’

Maddie gathered together a dozen or so golden blooms and, turning, gave him a wide smile. ‘Please, would you take these for your sister?’

Embarrassed, he held up his hand, ‘No, no, really, I didn’t mean . . .’

‘I know you didn’t,’ she said softly. ‘But please take them to her. I – I know how much she loves them.’

Their glances met and held and he gave a tiny nod, acknowledging that she understood far more than was being said between them.

‘Thank you,’ he said quietly, reaching out for them. There was no need for him to say more except, ‘I’d better be getting along and not hinder you any longer. Give my
regards to Mr Brackenbury.’

‘He’s hoping to come home tomorrow.’

‘Then I’ll call to see him next week. Goodbye for now, Maddie.’

‘Goodbye, Mr Theo, and thank you.’ Somehow she just couldn’t bring herself to drop the ‘Mr’.

‘As I said,’ he murmured softly. ‘Don’t mention it.’

As the sound of his horse’s hooves down the lane died away, Nick came into the greenhouse. ‘What did he want? Come to demand his rent?’

‘Exactly the opposite,’ Maddie said tightly. ‘He’d forgotten all about it.’

‘Oho, I bet!’ Nick countered sarcastically and went out again, slamming the door so that the glass rattled.

‘Mind the . . .’ Maddie shouted after him, but already he was striding across the yard, too far away to hear, so that her voice fell away on the final word, ‘. . .
plants.’

‘Oh, it’s good to be home.’ Frank gave a deep sigh of satisfaction as he lowered himself into his chair.

‘Well, I must say you look better, Mr Frank,’ Harriet fluttered around him, bringing a rug for his knees and prodding the fire into blazing warmth.

‘I feel it, Harriet, I’m thankful to say.’

‘Have they said what it is?’

Frank shook his head. ‘No. Some sort of gastroenteritis, they think.’

‘Have they given you a special diet . . .?’

‘Oh Mam,’ came Nick’s voice. ‘Let the poor man get settled before you start firing questions at him.’ He came and laid his hand on Frank’s shoulder. ‘It
is good to have you back, but I’m sorry, I must go and start the generator or we’ll have problems.’

Frank looked up, suddenly worried. ‘Are you managing all right, Nick?’

Maddie saw the fleeting flash of resentment in Nick’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant and she hoped that Frank had not noticed it.

‘Of course I am,’ he said and smiled so genuinely that Maddie had to admire his self-control. ‘I had a good teacher.’

Maddie went out to the greenhouse, leaving Harriet to fuss around Frank. There were three more trays ready for cropping and packing.