Page 51 of The Village Midwife
‘Him and Geoff are usually at the centre of things,’ Corrine said. ‘If it’s not them you need, they’ll know who else to talk to.’
‘Sounds like a good place to start then,’ Alex said thoughtfully. ‘I’ll go and see them when I can.’
The conversation turned back to the finds on the fields of Hilltop, and it was clear that Victor was more excited about them than Alex was. And while Zoe enjoyed listening to them for a while, half an hour later she found herself surprised by a violent yawn.
She laughed. ‘God, I’m sorry! I’m not bored, honest!’
‘That’s all right,’ Corrine said. ‘You must be tired.’
‘It’s been a long day, to be honest,’ she said. ‘I think I might go home.’
‘Would you like Victor to walk you back across?’ Corrine asked.
‘I’ll be all right – I have my torch.’
‘I’ll go as far as the path with you,’ Alex said. ‘I need to get back anyway.’
‘So soon?’ Corrine asked and then glanced between the two of them, a knowing look suddenly appearing as she backed down. ‘I dare say being outside all day does take it out of you.’
‘And I’ve got an early start tomorrow for Billie’s appointment,’ he said. ‘If you want, Victor, I’ll pop over again once we’re back from the hospital; otherwise we can arrange to meet up at the weekend.’
‘Don’t come away on my account,’ Zoe began, but he got up from his seat.
‘It’s no bother. Like I said, I was thinking I ought to get home anyway. It makes sense for us to walk together.’
Zoe could have put up more of a fight, but she didn’t want to. Against her better judgement – which was the way she seemed to be operating all the time these days – she wanted his company and him to herself, if only for a few minutes, and the temptation of his offer was too much to resist.
After thanking Corrine and Victor and bundling up in coats, Zoe and Alex followed the beam of his torch and headed towards Kestrel Cottage. Victor had put sporadic lighting along parts of the path from Daffodil farmhouse to Zoe’s home, but it still never felt like enough – not that she’d ever utter a word of complaint because she knew if she did, they’d end up overcompensating, and by the week’s end there’d be a row of motorway-worthy lampposts spanning the entirety of their land.
‘They’re so lovely, aren’t they?’ Zoe said as they walked, buffeted by winds that seemed to be blowing from every angle.
‘Victor and Corrine? They’re great. I don’t think I could have asked for better neighbours.’
‘I think he might be more excited about your arrowheads than you are.’
‘You might be right,’ Alex said, and though she couldn’t see it in the gloom, she could hear the smile in his voice. ‘He’s been telling me about some of the other finds around here from over the years.’
‘I had no idea he was such an archaeology buff.’
‘Me neither. Just goes to show.’
They were silent for a moment, and when it started to feel too heavy, Zoe began again. ‘How’s Billie feeling? In herself, I mean? Is she looking forward to the scan? I always think it makes such a difference when you see your baby on the screen – it reminds you that they’re really in there.’
‘I think so,’ he said, but she could hear caution there. ‘It’s a strange time for her. This wasn’t how…’
‘How she expected things to be?’
‘Exactly. I think she’s torn. She wants the baby, of course, because it’s all she has left of Luis. She doesn’t say it to me because…well, I’m sure she would have found it easier to share with her mum, if we still had her, but I think she’s terrified. Sometimes I get the feeling she doesn’t want to admit the baby is there because she’s scared of doing it alone.’
‘But she’s not alone – she has you.’
‘It’s not really the same, is it?’
‘Probably not.’ She regarded him thoughtfully, wishing she could see his face in the darkness. ‘She told me that you lost your wife. Christmas, wasn’t it?’
‘Around then.’
‘I can’t imagine it. Ottilie –you’ve met her, I imagine – she lost her husband, you know. She never stops thinking of him,even though she’s with Heath now and she’s happy. I suppose that’s how it is for most. For you…?’
