Page 19 of The House at Hope Corner
‘Honestly, it can wait. You’re busy and it’s not fair.’ She smiled. ‘I’m okay though, in fact it’s probably better if I wait until later to talk to you. I got a bit wound up and should calm down first.’
Ned cocked his head to one side. ‘I don’t know… if it’s not one thing, it’s my mother… Am I right?’
Flora blushed. ‘That makes it sound awful, and it wasn’t, not really. Your mum was lovely in fact.’ She paused to chew at the side of her lip. ‘I got upset after that stupid mistake over breakfast and Hannah came in just as I’d decided to start blubbing. It’s okay, it was my fault after all, but after I’d cried all over her we had a little chat…’ She broke off at the look on Ned’s face. ‘Which was fine… except that she mentioned the wedding, and one or two other things and… I’m really not sure how I feel about it all. I’m probably just being stupid. Hormonal or something, I don’t know.’ She threw her hands up in frustration.
‘I doubt that,’ replied Ned. ‘Hormonal possibly, but how you feel is how you feel, you shouldn’t try to ignore it, or pretend it’s something else.’ He touched the side of her face. ‘Listen, I know Mum is stuck in the Dark Ages, and she’s been a martyr to the “women’s place is in the kitchen” cause for so long she doesn’t know how to be anything else, but we’re getting married, Flora, and that changes things whether she likes it or not. The important thing is thatyoudon’t get caught in the middle. We’ll have a chat about it, I promise, all of us together.’
Flora nodded, smiling gratefully. ‘Could we? I know now isn’t a good time,’ she said. ‘But with her and Fraser potentially moving out of the farmhouse, it seems like a good opportunity to get a few things straight. I do understand her position… I’m just not sure I can be who she wants me to be, and that could cause problems, for us too, and that’s the last thing I want to happen.’
‘Oh, Flora,’ sighed Ned. ‘I do love you. How do you manage to be so sensible and yet so bonkers at the same time?’ He scooped the hair back from her face and leant forward to kiss her, but then a sudden frown crossed his face. ‘Hang on a minute, who said anything about them moving out?’
‘Well, Hannah did, when we were talking. It’s not definite or anything, she said she wanted to talk to Fraser first. I gather it’s something they planned to do a few years back; she explained about the cottage and what they had planned for their retirement. Even though that’s years away yet, it was a nice gesture, Ned, and it would give us a bit more privacy. I don’t know how much work needs doing on the cottage, but—’
‘Quite a bit. And we’ve neither the time nor the money for it at the moment.’ His voice was harsh as he turned to look in his father’s direction. ‘Dad knows that. So does Mum for that matter.’
‘Well I think it was more of a suggestion really rather than anything concrete…’ Flora trailed off, wondering why there had been such an abrupt change of mood. She took a step backwards, peering around Ned’s shoulder. Fraser had his back to them, one hand holding onto the lower rung of the rail, just as Caroline had earlier.
Ned turned back to her. ‘Listen, I’d better get on.’ His voice was softer now, more like the Ned she knew. ‘But I’ll try and have a chat with Dad in a bit, see what Mum’s been saying. He’s not in a talkative mood today though, so I dunno.’
Flora nodded, still staring down the length of the shed. She was about to shout goodbye to Fraser when she realised that there was something a little off about the way he was standing, leaning all his weight on his supporting arm, holding his body at an uncomfortable angle. As she watched, he suddenly bent forward and a spew of liquid splattered onto the floor.
‘Fraser!’
She touched Ned’s arm, alerting him to what had happened, and hurried down the shed, reaching Fraser just as he was gripped by a fresh wave of vomit. At her shout he had half turned towards her and she jumped backward, grimacing as the remains of his undigested lunch splashed onto her boots. She reached out a tentative arm.
‘Fraser,’ she said again. ‘Are you okay?’
His eyes tried to focus on hers as he registered her presence, but they were staring wildly, full of alarm. His forehead was slick with sweat and, as he straightened slightly, his breath came in short pants. She reached out towards him, mindful that he might well be sick again, but still seeking to reassure him.
‘I’m fine,’ he said, gruffly, pulling his arm away from her reach. ‘Just give me a minute. I’ve had bloody heartburn all morning; must have eaten something that’s disagreed with me.’
A flicker of fear shot through Flora as Ned moved past her. ‘Come on, Dad, let’s get you out into the fresh air. Maybe you’ll feel better then.’ He took hold of Fraser’s arm firmly and, avoiding the puddle on the floor, stepped backwards, trying to pull his dad with him. Flora tried to bring up the rear, making encouraging noises, but Fraser wasn’t in any hurry to go anywhere.
‘Shall I go and fetch Hannah?’ she asked Ned, thinking she probably would anyway.
But Fraser’s refusal was instantaneous. ‘No!’ He stopped dead. ‘She’ll only fuss… and will you stop manhandling me, I’ll be fine.’ He straightened up, but then his face creased into a grimace and he stooped again, clutching at his stomach, a low moan slipping from his lips.
Flora caught the look in Ned’s eye as he nodded his assent, and she took off out of the shed and back to the house as fast as she could.
She returned within five minutes, an anxious Hannah in tow, and was glad to see that Ned had managed to get his father outside. You couldn’t hear yourself think inside the shed, and what with that and the smell, it was enough to make anyone feel ill. Fraser was now leaning up against Ned, gulping in lungfuls of air. His face looked grey and sweaty.
Hannah clicked her tongue. ‘Oh, would you look at you,’ she said. ‘Whatever is the matter?’
Fraser rolled his eyes in a ‘told you so’ manner. ‘I’m fine. Just eaten something funny. Stop fussing, I’ll be right as rain again in a minute.’
‘You’ve said that several times now, Dad, and you’re not getting any better, so what do you want to do?’
Hannah motioned for Ned to step away and moved forward to take his place. ‘Come on, let’s get you home,’ she said. ‘You need to get to bed.’
Flora hovered, unsure what to do, but she caught Ned’s attention as he looked helplessly at his dad. ‘Do you think we should even move him?’ she whispered. ‘Perhaps we should call an ambulance?’
Ned’s eyes widened. ‘An ambulance?’ He turned back for another look. ‘Why? Do you really think that’s necessary?’
Flora didn’t know what she thought. She didn’t want to be alarmist but she had to say something. ‘I don’t know. It just… It just seems as if this came on a bit quick, and it’s obvious your dad’s not letting on, but I think he’s in a lot of pain.’ She thought back to their conversation of a few minutes ago. ‘You said he hadn’t been particularly talkative this morning…’
‘Yes, I know, but nothing like this, Flora, just a bit quiet, that’s all. But my dad’s often a bit quiet.’ She could see him trying to remember if there had been anything else unusual. ‘What do you think it could be?’
Flora wasn’t a doctor but she knew that there were several things it could be – some more serious, some less so – and she prayed that she was wrong; he could just as easily have a stomach bug. But from what? He hadn’t eaten anything different from the rest of them, it didn’t make any sense. She smiled reassuringly.
