Page 46 of The Trouble With Love

‘Think so,’ I gasped back. ‘You look like Frosty the Snowman.’

‘I’m pissing wet through. I hope this Vivienne is in, because if we’ve come this way for nothing I will be dropping your name into the next article I write on antisocial behaviour.’

But through the trees I could see the light spilling from Vivienne’s cottage. ‘Just be careful. Vivienne is like the Wicked Witch of the West without the redeeming characteristics.’

‘That good?’

‘She’s trying to get her husband to kill himself.’

‘Charming.’

‘Literally, in her case.’ I staggered towards the front door and rapped on it firmly. There was going to be no case of anyone collapsing with hypothermia from no one hearing the knocker.

A curtain twitched and a few seconds later Vivienne appeared in the doorway. ‘Who is it?’

‘’s me. And my trusty Sherpa.’

‘Good heavens, Holly. What on earth are you doing here?’ She was clutching the front door to her, probably to prevent the wind whipping it open, but it gave her the air of a spinster in a bath towel. ‘This weather is awful, isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ I said through gritted teeth, ‘it is. Can we come in?’

Vivienne held the door open and, like two polar explorers, Kai and I stomped our boots free from snow and walked in.

Isobel was sitting on the sofa. ‘Hello,’ she said, somewhat nasally. ‘Did we have the same thought?’ I watched her eyes widen as she looked Kai over. Due to the fact that his jeans were soaked and clinging to his legs and he’d unbuttoned his coat to reveal an equally wet shirt, I wondered if she thought all her wishes had come true at once.

‘This is Kai. Kai, Isobel and Vivienne.’

Everyone shook hands. ‘I came to make sure Vivienne was all right, alone out here in a storm like this,’ Isobel said. ‘And even the Isuzu didn’t like the hill much.’

‘Is your phone working? Kai’s daughter is in labour. Twins. We need an ambulance. Oh, and a guy in handcuffs needs letting out.’

Two sets of eyes went moon-sized. ‘Golly,’ said Isobel faintly. ‘That spell is really working for you, Holly, isn’t it?’

‘You don’t know the half of it.’

We checked Vivienne’s landline, all the mobiles and even her broadband link. All down.

‘Shit,’ Kai screwed his eyes shut. ‘Cerys.’

‘I’ll go.’ Isobel stood up. An otherwise invisible cat slunk away from under the sofa. ‘It’ll take too long to drive right round the outside of the woods to pick your daughter up, but the Isuzu should be able to get back to Malton, if I take it steady. I can get to the hospital and at least send a midwife out to you.’

‘That would be great,’ he gave her the smile at full wattage and I watched her notice his eyes.

‘And, could you go round to my place, please? There’s . . .’ I coughed. ‘There’s a bloke, um. He’s, well. He’s . . . Aiden, nice guy but, um. Naked. Handcuffed to my bed. Probably a bit annoyed, by now. Could you, um . . .’

‘I can’t make up my mind whether you hate me or like me very, very much.’ Isobel pocketed my keys. ‘Tell me where your house is.’

I gave her my address and she started putting her coat back on. ‘Vivienne? Do you want to come with me? You could stay with my mum and dad. They’ve gone all “Blitz Spirit” and all the neighbours are round playing charades.’

Vivienne shook her head. ‘I’ll stay here. This will all be over soon. Besides, I’m waiting for news.’

Isobel raised her eyebrows at me. ‘What sort of news?’

Vivienne gave a secret smile. ‘Yesterday a friend rang. My husband . . . ex-husband’s company has gone into receivership. He’s bankrupt.’ Her tone suddenly ran up the gleeful scale. ‘Isn’t it wonderful?’

‘We’d better get back,’ Kai sounded a bit affronted by Vivienne’s viciousness. Maybe he thought she’d start on him next. ‘My daughter, you know.’

‘She must be awfully young,’ Vivienne looked at him with her head on one side. ‘Is . . . you know, is the father on the scene?’

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