Page 98 of The Village Midwife
‘Nothing’s wrong.’
‘Come on…’ He took her by the elbow and started to lead her away from the crowds. ‘Let’s go somewhere quieter.’
‘That’s what I was trying to do when I bumped into you.’
‘Didn’t look as if you were managing. I’ve been trying to get your attention for ten minutes, and you kept talking to people.’
She turned to him with a frown. ‘How long have you been here?’
He pointed to a road off the main street. ‘Is that the right way to your house?’
‘Not as such, but you could go that way.’
‘It looks less busy; let’s go that way.’
‘Ritchie, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?’
‘I only just decided to come and check it out.’
‘On your own?’
‘I was interested. Anyway, I wouldn’t have been on my own – you’re here.’
‘You didn’t know I’d be here. I might have decided to stay away.’
‘You?’ He gave a short laugh. ‘Stay away from a celebration? Anyway, I thought even if you weren’t here, I thought I’d have a look and then come up to your house.’
He hadn’t really answered her question, but she gave up on it because it was clear he wasn’t going to.
She stopped on the narrow pavement. ‘I don’t want to go home.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I don’t. If I go home now…’
Shehadwanted to go home, but now she didn’t. If she let Ritchie take her home, it would send the wrong kind of signal; it would tell him that she needed him. And she did – at least, she needed someone – and that was even more dangerous.
‘If I go home now,’ she continued, ‘it means they’ve won.’
‘Who’s won?’
‘People. Problems…I don’t know, justthey.That’s what you say, isn’t it? When it’s all vague and just life. You don’t letthemwin.’
‘Don’t let the bastards grind you down?’
‘Yes, exactly.’
‘You want to go back to the carnival or whatever it is?’
‘Not yet. Maybe in a bit. I might find somewhere to sit and collect my thoughts. You can go back to Manchester.’
‘Why would I do that? I came to see you.’
‘I thought you’d come because you were interested in Thimblebury.’
‘Well, yeah…but I was still counting on you being here. And I was right. It’s a good job I know you so well. So where do you want to go?’
Zoe thought for a moment. ‘There’s a bit of the riverbank where you can sit. It’s nice.’
