Page 160 of An Unholy Affair
‘Hospital’s the right place for her,’ Connor said, his expression grave. ‘That sounds bad. Was she conscious when you left her?’
‘Barely. She was delirious. Sweating and shivering and couldn’t cope with any light.’
‘When did the ambulance leave?’
‘Ten minutes ago?’
‘Okay. She’ll get there in the next fifteen and will be seen immediately. I’ll ring the hospital in an hour and see if I can find anything out.’
Jack’s shoulders slumped with relief. ‘Thank you.’
‘So, where’s Estelle?’ Henry asked.
‘With the police. She’s okay!’ Jack said, holding his hands up as Henry, Finn and Connor leapt to their feet. ‘She’s not in trouble.’
‘Then what the fuck is going on?’ Finn asked as they retook their seats.
Jack took a big breath. ‘I’ll give you the short version. Simon Little asked Eveline to marry him about ten days ago. She said no. He didn’t take it very well. As well as stabbing her in the back about the pews, he’s made a series of formal complaints against her to the Bishop, trying to get her sacked.’
‘Cocksucker,’ Finn spat.
‘He also tried to get me kicked off the mural project at Foxbrooke Haven.’
‘Why?’ asked Connor.
Jack glanced at his friend, feeling his cheeks heating. ‘I’ve begun a relationship with Eveline.’
Connor’s eyes widened. ‘But… France?’
‘I’m not going back.’
‘That’s great news!’
‘What about Estelle?’ Henry demanded.
‘When Eveline got worse, I rang Stelle to find out where the thermometer was at the rectory. She came over, helped me with Eveline, and rang the ambulance. We were waiting for it in Eveline’s room with all the lights off when we heard someone creeping up the stairs.’
The three men leaned forward, faces grim.
‘As whoever it was came to the door, I yanked it open to see Simon. I punched him and he went out cold. Stelle and I tied him up, and she called the police. She said it was best for me to do a runner and for her to claim she lamped him.’
Finn nodded. ‘Sensible.’
‘The police arrived just before the ambulance for Eveline. They’re still there now. Stelle said she’d ring me when she could.’
Henry’s knee was bouncing, and a muscle twitched in his jaw. ‘I want to—I want…’
‘Don’t,’ said Finn. ‘Going over there or ringing Stelle is the last thing you should do right now.’
‘I know,’ Henry replied, jumping to his feet and pacing. ‘I just want to make sure she’s—’
‘It’s okay to be worried,’ Connor began. ‘But Finn’s right.’
Henry sat, splaying his fingers over his knee to keep it still. ‘That man,’ he spat.
‘Has been arrested,’ Connor said. ‘Oh, and punched. Once this all plays out, I think our sister is going to be most pissed off about the fact she wasn’t the one to slug him.’
Henry huffed. ‘True.’ He rubbed his hand across his short hair. ‘Fucking hell. And here was me thinking Hunter-Savage showing up was the worst thing that could happen.’
