Page 147 of Strangers in Time

“She could use our room and I could sleep on the floor in the bookshop,” offered Charlie.

Molly said quickly, “Charlie, I could never ask you to do that.”

Oliver said, “And surely she needs hospital care, Molly. And then there’s the question of transporting her. We can’t simply load her into the car and drive her back.”

Molly looked defeated, but then her expression changed. “I think I might have an idea.” She rushed off.

Later that evening Molly found Oliver and Charlie and told them what she had managed. “I had Dr. Stephens make some inquiries and he found a telephone number for the Tinsdales in Yorkshire.”

“Excuse me, the Tinsdales?” said Oliver.

“Rich relatives of Molly’s up north,” explained Charlie.

“Yes. They’re my mother’s family and theyarequite wealthy. I don’t think they’ve been in touch for many years. Anyway, it took the poor operator three tries, but finally I spoke to Lucretia Tinsdale, Mum’s second cousin or something like that. They remembered Mum very well. They had no idea what was going on with her, didn’t even know she was still alive. They were extremely concerned when I told them about her condition. And they have agreed to help with her care and also in getting her back to London.”

“Why, that’s wonderful,” said Oliver.

“She could be in hospital in London and I could care for her there. And there might be some treatment for her kidneys. I thought I would go and tell Mum now. Do you want to come with me?”

Charlie said, “I will.”

But Oliver said, “I don’t want to overwhelm her with my presence.”

“All right. We’ll talk later.”

“Well done, Molly,” said Oliver.

Molly had been given a key by Dr. Stephens. She unlocked the door and they went into her mother’s room.

Molly drew close to the bed and said, “Mum, I’ve got the most wonderful news. We’re going to take you back to London. And your family, the Tinsdales, are going to help. Isn’t that so splendid?” Molly smiled at Charlie, bent down, and gripped her mother’s hand.

Eloise Wakefield’s eyes popped open and the person revealed behind them was not one with whom Molly was remotely familiar.

The scream resonated down the hallway. Eloise sat bolt upright, grabbed Molly’s hair and began pulling and twisting it. She then slapped and punched at Molly, knocking her down.

Molly screamed and said, “Mum, stop, it’s me, Molly.”

Her mother formed no words. She only grunted and shouted nonsense. Then she saw the framed photo and threw it at Charlie.

Charlie ducked and then jumped back as a punch she aimed at him barely missed. He grabbed Molly’s hand and pulled her up from the floor. They ran for the door, got through it, and shut it behind them.

Molly frantically locked the door, as more screams emanated from the room. Molly, her hands over her ears, ran down the hall, tears streaming down her face.

“I’m not sure what I was thinking,” Molly said in a trembling voice. She was sitting on her bed at the guest cottage with Oliver and Charlie and Drs. Foyle and Stephens all standing around her. Afterleaving her mother’s room she had found Dr. Foyle and a matron, and they had rushed to her mother’s room.

“She has fits like that, Molly,” said Stephens. “Not often. Most of the time she is totally calm and placid. But something triggers her and then off she goes.”

“She was hitting and punching me and screaming. She looked like she hated me.”

Foyle added gently, “I seriously doubt she even recognized it was you, Molly.”

“The human mind is an extraordinary instrument,” said Stephens. “It is the thing that makes us unique amongst all living things. But because of that when it goes bad, it goes terribly, terribly bad, I’m afraid.”

“Has she—is she better now?”

“She has been sedated so she won’t hurt herself,” said Foyle. “She is resting comfortably.”

“I suppose I should ring the Tinsdales and let them know that Mum won’t be going to London.”

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