Chapter 2

Peter and Caroline met as arranged and were parked and in Reception at the hospital by ten to three. Peter could only give his name and the circumstances of the woman’s arrival in hospital. The receptionist though was thoroughly clued up.

“Dr Martin warned me off, Mr Williams,” she smiled. “Her name is Miss Penny Judd and she’s on Riverview Ward, second floor and turn left out of the lift.”

Peter thanked her and he and Caroline found the ward without trouble. They went first to the nurses’ station where they identified themselves and asked to see Miss Judd.

“Excuse me asking,” said Peter, “but was there any other bruising apart from the back of her head and her left cheek?”

“Yes!” replied the nurse vehemently. “She’s been abused.”

“Oh, God!” breathed Peter and Caroline clutched his hand and buried her face in his shoulder. “Have you reported it to the police?”

“No. She asked us not to in case he finds her and beats her up again.”

“Hmm!” murmured Peter but said no more on the subject. “Whereabouts is she?”

“Third bed from the window on the left.”

“Thanks!”

The two of them walked over. Penny Judd was asleep. Peter with permission borrowed the visitor’s chair from the neighbouring bed. They both sat down. Caroline’s hand found her father’s.

“Horrible!” she whispered. “Poor little thing! How long are you going to wait?”

“Half an hour at least.”

Caroline nodded. There was a long silence which she broke.

“We’ve got to persuade her to report the swine to the police.”

Peter nodded. “Maybe not straight away but wait a few days until she’s grown to trust us.”

“Mmm.”

Penny woke some fifteen minutes later. It took her a moment or two to register on Peter and Caroline when she looked worried.

“Hello, Miss Judd,” said Peter gently. “My name’s Peter Williams and it was me who knocked you over in the street yesterday.”

“Oh!” She still looked worried but less so.

“This is my daughter, Caroline. I just felt I had to come and say sorry for being so clumsy and hurting you. Please forgive me. I was in a bit of a hurry and not looking properly where I was going.”

Peter’s quiet and gentle voice, his smile too, calmed her and the fear left her eyes.

“Thanks,” she said softly. “You didn’t have to.”

“Yes I did because your fall knocked you out as well. At least I was able to call an ambulance for you.”

“Thanks.”

“While we were waiting for it to come I noticed the bruise on your cheek and wondered whether you were sleeping rough and someone had knocked you about. Was I right?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “That’s why I was on the streets. I ran away from home.”

“Ah! That explains it.”

Caroline reached out and took her hand. “The doctor said you had a lot more bruises,” she said softly.

“Yes.”

“But you didn’t want him to tell the police.”

“No.”

“So when they let you out from here tomorrow you’re going to go back on the streets.”

“Yes.” It was little more than a whisper.

“And you haven’t any money for food.”

“No.”

“May I call you Penny?”

“OK.”

Caroline smiled, a warm, gentle one, “Penny, my father and I would like you to come home with us when they let you out. We’ll look after you until you get things sorted out.”

“I can’t do that!”

“Why?”

“‘Cos I can’t pay you or anything.”

“You won’t have to. If you want you can help a bit with the housekeeping and the garden.”

“But ... but...”

Caroline squeezed her hand. “Please come, Penny,” she said softly. “We’d really like you to and Dad’ll never ever hit you. He never smacked me even when I was a little girl.”

“She tempted me to once or twice,” grinned Peter. “Like when she painted the bath purple.”

“Dad! Don’t tell tales.”

Penny chuckled. “Was it oil paint?”

“No, thank goodness! Watercolour.”

“Good!”

“Please come and stay with us, Penny. We’d really like you to.”

“Really, really!” added Caroline.

Penny’s eyes filled with tears. Since her mother died she had never known such kindness and gentleness.

“Please, Penny!” whispered Caroline and gently squeezed her hand.

“O-O-K-Kay,” stuttered Penny. “Th-thanks!”

Caroline squeezed her hand again. Peter said nothing but smiled warmly. He wanted to touch her cheek but realised that to do so might put her off.

They lingered for another ten minutes telling Penny where they lived and their planned temporary sleeping arrangements for her. She was very, very grateful and was unable to help a few tears.

On the way out they stopped at the nurses’ station and told Sister what had been agreed. She looked at them in admiration but said nothing other than that she would tell Dr Martin on his evening round but a final decision would not be made until the morning round the next day. She gave Peter the ward telephone number and asked him to ring any time after ten.

“Golly!” said Caroline as they walked back to the car. “That was quite hard work to persuade her.”

“Yes, poppet, but you were brilliant. I’d never have managed without you.”

“Predatory male!” She dug his ribs with her elbow.

“Cheeky wench! I might have to smack you despite my restraint all those years ago.”

“All those years, Dad? You make me sound middle-aged!”

“Give it another fifteen years or so.”

“Grr! The way things are going it may be you that gets the smack.”

Peter kissed her cheek and received a radiant smile in return.

“Dad, do you want me to skip a day at uni so as to be at home for Penny tomorrow? We’ve got the weekend after that to let her settle in.”

“Is there anything vital tomorrow?”

“No but I think you ought to ring and tell them I’ve got a tummy bug or something.”

“You want me to lie?” he exclaimed with a grin.

“Of course not, Dad!” She simpered. “Just stretch the truth a bit.”

Peter snorted.