Chapter 51

Two men arrived early next morning to re-point the chimneystack. Richard noticed that one was always on the ground. He took them a mug of coffee each mid-morning, ascertained that they had both been in the Army and asked of them whether they had both been in the Royal Engineers.

"No," replied Ron, the one who worked aloft, with a grin. "I was but this thick ape was a bloody infantryman."

"Cheeky bugger," responded Sid equably.

Nothing untoward happened that week.

Sharon arrived on Wednesday as usual but she was not her ebullient self. She hugged Richard and kissed him on arrival but had nothing to say for a change.

"What's wrong, my sweet," Richard asked.

"Nothing."

"Yes there is. Tell me."

Sharon's eyes searched his face and found nothing but love and concern. "Poor little Tig!" she cried bursting into tears. "Louise told me about Edinburgh and then Neil filled me in on the rest. It shouldn't happen to such a sweet girl," she howled. "And poor darling Deborah! Oh God, you must be going through hell, my darling man." She continued to sob into Richard's shoulder.

"Sharon, darling, did they speak to you?"

"No-o-o, so I couldn't warn you. Why didn't they speak to me? Have I done something wrong/"

"No, my sweet. You told us that Tig would be safe. She was. Alison and Doug made sure of that because Neil had organised them. They didn't and haven't let you down. Have they?"

Sharon looked at him through tear-filled eyes and shook her head.

"So you haven't let us down either, have you?"

Sharon shook her head again.

"Deborah and Annette are taking everything in their stride so what have you got to get yourself in a state about?"

Sharon's eyes filled with tears again. "You!" she howled and then collapsed against his chest where she continued to sob. Richard held her saying nothing.

Finally Sharon pulled back but looked him in the eye. "You," she said, "because you are carrying them both and you're scared that something might happen to them. And that's a hell of a burden to carry."

Nothing untoward happened that week but, on the days that he collected Annette from school he was tailed by a blue BMW which ceased to follow him once he had turned off the main road for the village.

On Sunday night Sharon rang. "Jeremy's in the area," she said. "I can feel it strongly."

"Have you told Neil?" Richard asked.

"No," she replied. "Would you like me to?"

"Yes I would and I suggest you warn Louise as well."

"OK, my darling man. Consider it done."

Richard told his women. Annette became very solemn.

"Don't worry, Tig darling," said Richard. "Louise will be watching out for you and Neil's team will make sure no-one gets near you. Even if he does turn up tomorrow you may not even see him."

Annette nodded and gave him a wan smile.

After she had gone to bed Deborah and Richard decided they both wanted to collect Annette from school the following day. It also gave Gabriela a break and a chance to ring Geoffrey and speak privately to him. Furthermore it gave Deborah and Richard twenty minutes alone together apart from in bed at night.

Annette and Louise came out of school together. Louise stayed a few minutes to chat then the other three piled into the car. After a few minutes Richard told Annette not to look round and asked Deborah if there was a blue BMW behind them. She glanced in the mirror.

"No," she said. "There's one of those VW Polos. Oh, wait a minute, there's a blue BMW behind that. Why?"