Page 92 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘Wow,’ Ottilie said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘You catch on quick, don’t you?’
‘Then I can’t—’ Mila began, but Heath cut her off.
‘Don’t. You’ve done enough damage. I told you Ottilie wouldn’t be able to do anything, I told you not to do this, but you did it anyway.’
Mila held out an arm for his assistance, but he simply let out a mirthless laugh. ‘You think I’m going to help you?’
‘I fell over!’ Mila flung an arm at Ottilie. ‘Her stupid path was uneven. I ought to sue!’
‘Try it,’ Ottilie said. ‘I’m sure you’ll enjoy explaining why you were here uninvited when the case goes to court. I can’t imagine what you thought you were going to get by coming here anyway. Were you really mad enough to think I’d help you?’
‘I must have been. Ashton told me not to bother, but…well, he’s family. I thought maybe you’d see that…’
For a moment her tone softened, and Ottilie was almost won over. But then she shook her head. ‘He was right; you shouldn’t have bothered.’
‘You’ll regret it,’ Mila said. ‘I can promise you that if you go to court and testify against him?—’
‘Don’t be a moron,’ Ottilie said in a withering tone. ‘I wasn’t going to testify against him anyway because I wasn’t involved in the incident. I was meant to give an impact statement, but, you know what, I’m going to give it to you now and you can let him know. He ruined my life. He killed the man I loved and I can’t wait to see him go down. There, that’s all I have to say. Now please leave.’
‘You’d better go,’ Heath said.
Ottilie looked at him. ‘You had too.’
‘You don’t mean that,’ he began, but she nodded.
‘Yes, I do. I need some time to think.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It means I don’t want you here. I want to be alone. If you’re here you’ll try to talk me round and convince me none of this was your fault?—’
‘It isn’t!’
‘No, but you—’ Ottilie’s throat tightened with tears that she refused to let fall. ‘You know what Josh’s death did to me, and all this time you knew Mila was related to his killer. How could you keep that from me?’
‘I didn’t at first, and then we were…I was scared it would drive you away?—’
‘I don’t want to hear it! Now is not the time, Heath. Please – take her away and let me think.’
Heath was silent for a moment. ‘Don’t do anything rash, please. Promise me you’ll talk to me before you make any decisions.’
‘I’ll do what I want. I don’t need your approval.’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘Huh…’ Ottilie swallowed another wave of tears and pulled herself up straight. ‘Funny, isn’t it? When there’s something important to be said you want to bail on me. But when you’re at fault and you want to try and get round me…not so keen now.’
‘You’re right – I’m at fault and I’m sorry. Give me a chance to show you how sorry.’
‘Forget it,’ Mila cut in. ‘Are you going to help me or not? She told us both to leave.’
‘I’m not going anywhere with you,’ Heath said to her.
‘But you are going,’ Ottilie told him in reply. ‘Because I don’t want you here.’
‘Ottilie, please…’
‘I’m going inside and I don’t want you to knock or phone me or try to get in. I want you both gone.’
