Helen’s jaw had dropped. ‘But I love this place and the garden . . .’
‘You must keep it. This is your home. I’m not going to try and duplicate the garden. Another good thing is, it’ll stop me feeling I’m sponging on you by always coming here.’
‘You don’t, you often take me out.’
‘Will you help me find a house and set it up?’
‘I’d love to.’ Helen’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation.
‘I’m not good at that sort of thing, but you are. It’ll be a place we can share.’
‘I’m being greedy.’ She was biting her lip. ‘I want to share your new house and to keep my own too. But it’s all very exciting. Let’s start looking for it today.’
‘I have to go to work, Helen. Things I must do.’ He laughed. ‘But you can.’
‘Shall I see if the local estate agent has anything to suit?’ she asked.
‘Yes please. We need it near here. I must put my flat on the market too.’
It turned out to be an exciting time for both of them, almost as though they were setting up home together. They pored over street maps and visited one estate agent after another. Looking at houses around the neighbourhood meant they were out and about more. And once out, they tended to stay out to have meals and drinks in the local pubs and cafés. Rex found it invigorating and had new energy; he thought Helen had too.
They looked at umpteen houses before they found Newburn Cottage. It was in a quiet backwater, tucked away behind a church. Rex had thought he wanted a modern house until he saw a photo of this one in an estate agent’s window. It was late Victorian, almost turn of the century, but it had been well worked over recently and had a large kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms in the very latest designs. There was central heating too, as well as an open fire, so they need never be cold.
‘It doesn’t need much doing to it,’ Helen said. ‘It’s all in tip-top condition.’
‘I like it very much.’ Rex went from room to room, overawed by what was going to be a huge change in his life.
‘It’s just a question of moving your own furniture in,’ Helen said.
Rex laughed. ‘You’ve seen my furniture, so you know there isn’t much I’ll want to bring.’
That started them going round the big Liverpool stores looking at carpets and furniture. Afterwards, they usually had a cup of coffee in some nearby café to discuss what they’d liked and what would be suitable. Helen made notes, and later they made their choices and returned to buy.
‘I’m going to have an absolutely beautiful new home,’ Rex told her. ‘I’m thrilled with it.’
It upset him when Helen’s enthusiasm left her like a burst bubble. ‘But the more I think of inviting Marigold to live with me, the less I like the idea. She’s never really pleased with anything.’
‘You’re right to think carefully about that.’ Rex patted her hand. He had in mind the fits of depression she used to suffer and thought her wise not to rush into it.
‘I wish I wasn’t such a selfish person.’
‘You aren’t that,’ he said. ‘I’ve been thinking about it, and there is another alternative. What about my flat? It hasn’t sold yet; would Marigold like to live there? It’s small and easy to manage.’
Helen’s face brightened. ‘I could ask her, couldn’t I?’
‘Why not? She might like it. We must take her to see it. Persuade her.’
Rex felt much better about things now he had somewhere to entertain Helen. But Marigold was still pressing her to let her move into Chloe’s room and he wanted to help her.
He and Helen went round his flat deciding which of his shabbiest furnishings should be thrown out, and Helen brought a few pieces from her house to smarten the place up. Then one Sunday, after Helen had provided the three of them with a good lunch of roast lamb and apple tart, they took Marigold to view it.
‘It’s small,’ Rex told her. ‘Just right for one person and very convenient for the shops.’
‘There’d be much less housework for you, as there’d be no fires to light,’ Helen added.
Rex drove them there in Helen’s car as his van had seats for only two people. When he drew up outside, he saw Marigold looking up at the newish pink-brick block without enthusiasm.
‘I don’t like the area,’ she said.
Helen pushed that aside. ‘In a block like this, you’d be closer to other people. You wouldn’t be lonely here.’
‘There’s a lot of stairs to get up to it.’
‘It’s only on the first floor.’ Rex knew Marigold was going to turn it down. Her lips were straightening into a hard line as they led her from room to room.
‘You can have warmth at the touch of a button,’ Helen said. ‘You’ll love that.’
‘But how much is it all going to cost?’
‘It’s very economical to run.’ Rex flung open the bathroom door. ‘Hot towel rails here, and I had the largest possible bath fitted.’
‘You like it, don’t you?’ Helen asked.
‘Well it won’t do for me. I couldn’t come to live in Princes Park, could I?’
‘Why not?’ Helen asked.
Rex said quickly, ‘It’s a very quiet neighbourhood and you have the park just round the corner. And Sefton Park isn’t far either. It would give you some nice walks, it’s a good place to live.’
‘But I’ve always lived in Anfield. How would I get to church on Sundays? Hardly any buses run on Sundays, you know.’
‘There’s a big church within easy walking distance of this flat,’ Rex assured her. ‘We could go and see it now.’
‘No thank you. I’d rather go to the church I’m familiar with, and be amongst people I know. No, Rex, your flat is nice enough but I don’t think it’s for me.’
Helen drove her home to Anfield after that. ‘Think about it, Marigold,’ she said as she got out.
‘Do you care what I think?’ she retorted.
‘Of course.’ Helen was subdued in the face of such confrontation.
‘Then much the most sensible thing would be for me to move in with you. You must be lonely now that Chloe’s left.’
‘I live a fair step away from your church,’ Helen pointed out gently.
‘Yes, but you have a car. It would be nice for us both to go on Sunday mornings, wouldn’t it?’
CHAPTER NINE
F
ROM TIME TO TIME Chloe spoke to her mother on the phone and knew she was sympathetic about the difficulties of getting out and about with a baby.
She said to Adam one evening over supper, ‘I’m afraid Mum might feel I’m neglecting her because I’ve made no effort to take the baby to see her. I’d like to do that, perhaps stay a night or two if she’s willing.’
‘I don’t like you staying away overnight,’ he said. ‘I miss you.’
‘Just one or two,’ she persuaded. ‘You could eat out, see a show or something. You know you’d enjoy that.’
‘Well, you do need a break. Just this once, then.’
Chloe was keen and went to ring her mother. She was surprised to hear her voice spilling over with good spirits.
‘I’d love to see you both, darling,’ she said. ‘Babies grow so quickly at this stage. Why not come for a week? That would give you a break and a change.’
‘Two nights, Mum. Adam doesn’t like me staying away too long.’
‘Right, then I’ll come to Lime Street station to pick you up. If you can’t spend long with us, I don’t want you to waste time coming up on the bus.’
Chloe saw her mother the moment she got off the train and thought she’d never seen her look so alive. She’d smartened herself up and was wearing her clothes fashionably shorter. She looked younger and happier than she had.
‘You look very well, Mum.’ Chloe couldn’t believe it; she’d been half afraid her mother would miss her and grow depressed again.
‘I’ve been in town all morning,’ Helen said, taking Lucy from her arms and trying to hug Chloe at the same time. ‘I’ve bought a new dress and had my hair done.’
She made a great fuss of Lucy as they walked to where she’d parked her car. ‘Isn’t she beautiful? And so like you when you were a baby. She’s really coming on, lovely blonde hair.’
‘She’s sleeping through the night now, so I’m able to as well.’
Helen hoisted Lucy higher on her shoulder to unlock her car, and then paused. ‘Are you happy, Chloe?’ she asked.
‘Yes, yes.’ Chloe tried to sound more enthusiastic about her changed circumstances than she really felt. ‘I’ve missed you and your lovely garden. I can’t wait to see it again, it’s always gorgeous in the hot weather at this time of the year.’
‘It is, I absolutely love it.’
‘And Rex, is he OK?’
‘He’s fine. When I told him you were coming today, he said he’d arrange to work in my garden so he could see you and Lucy. I’ve asked him to have dinner with us.’
‘Jolly good.’
‘And guess what? He’s sold the little flat he had and bought himself a lovely old cottage. It’s behind the church in Rossmere Road, do you know where I mean?’
‘Yes, I think so.’
‘I’ve been helping him with the furnishings. We think it looks gorgeous. Perhaps we’ll have time to take you to see it.’
‘I’d like that,’ Chloe said. It was a relief to find her mother was all right living on her own. In fact she seemed to be finding life more exciting than Chloe was herself. She pointed out with enthusiasm the two hybrid tea rose trees in their ornamental pots on her patio.
‘They’ve improved every year,’ she said. They were in full bloom again. ‘You and Rex gave them to me for a long-ago birthday.’ Red Devil had deep scarlet blooms and Evening Star was white. ‘I love them.’
Chloe felt the garden was an oasis of peace. She took a deckchair down near the pond and spent a lot of time sitting there in the shade. They ate breakfast and lunch in the summerhouse each day.
‘Lucy is absolutely adorable,’ Mum kept telling her, and she could hardly tear herself away from the baby. Rex was fascinated by her too and they virtually cared for her between them. Chloe felt she had a complete rest.
She spoke on the phone to Adam each day and it seemed he wanted her to return. When the day came, she was down in the hall all ready to leave for the station when the phone rang.
Her mother lifted it as she was passing. ‘It’s Adam,’ she said, handing it to her.
‘I’m glad I’ve caught you, Chloe.’ He sounded tense and hurried. ‘Something’s come up. I won’t be able to meet your train. Why don’t you stay another night with your mother?’
She would have loved another night here, but now it made her laugh. ‘It’s a bit late for that. I’ve stripped my bed, packed my case, and as we speak, Mum’s backing the car out of the garage to take us to the station.’
‘No, Chloe, I won’t be able to meet you.’
‘I’ll get a taxi.’
‘Wouldn’t you rather I drive over tonight and pick you up?’
She thought he sounded anxious. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Nothing really, nothing to worry about. I’m rushed now, I’ll explain when I see you.’
‘Better if I come now and use my return train ticket,’ she said. ‘Mum’s got something else on tonight. She’s tooting for me to come, can you hear her?’
Her mother drove her into Liverpool to catch the Manchester train. Travelling with Lucy meant she had to cope with a lot of baggage. She wondered why Adam had changed his mind about wanting her to come home today.
It was a peaceful journey. The gentle rocking of the train, and later the taxi, kept Lucy contentedly asleep past the time when her feed was due. Chloe knew she’d need feeding as soon as she got home.
When the taxi drew up at her gate, she saw a car she didn’t recognise parked in their drive and assumed a client had come to call on Adam. Lucy woke up and started to cry as Chloe manoeuvred her and her baggage indoors. With the babe on her shoulder she went to the kitchen to make her a feed. She filled the kettle and set it to boil. Then she went to find Adam. The door to his study was firmly shut. She gave it a tap and put her head round.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I’m back.’ She sensed immediately that there was something wrong. There were two men with Adam, one much older than the other. They seemed vaguely threatening.
‘My partner,’ Adam told them. Lucy opened her mouth and let out a lusty cry. Chloe knew she was capable of keeping it up.
‘Do you want me to make a tray of tea?’ That was usually what Adam asked her to do.
‘Better see to the baby first.’ Adam was stiff with tension. She noticed there were no antiques spread across the desk between them.
‘You are Miss Chloe Redwood?’ the older man asked.
‘Yes.’ She was conscious of Adam shrinking back in his chair.
‘And you live at this address with Adam Livingstone?’
‘Yes.’ Chloe felt her heart beginning to beat faster. ‘What’s all this about?’
They flashed their warrant cards at her and introduced themselves as police officers. ‘Mr Livingstone is helping us with our inquiries,’ the older one said smoothly.
Chloe froze. Lucy was howling at the top of her lungs by now and flailing her fists and feet. She could no longer think straight.
‘Were you here on the night of May the fifteenth through to the morning of May the sixteenth?’
‘Yes, I’ve lived here since the end of March.’ She looked from one to the other. ‘Why?’ She was afraid Adam was in some sort of trouble.
‘Mr Livingstone tells us he spent that night here alone with you. And he definitely did not go out between between ten and midnight. Can you confirm that?’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes, why d’you want to know?’
‘It would help us with our inquiries.’
Lucy’s cries rose to a climax. ‘Look,’ Chloe said, ‘I’ve got to see to the baby. She’s hungry.’
Full of alarming suspicions, she rushed to the kitchen to make up a bottle. Lucy was distressed and scarlet in the face. Chloe was heading upstairs to the nursery with her when she heard Adam showing the policemen to the front door. She sank down on the nursing chair. There was sudden peace as Lucy took great slurps from her bottle.
She could hear voices from the hall for a while, then the front door was shut and Adam came up looking much more relaxed.
‘Thank you,’ he said, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction. ‘I’m very grateful for that.’
Chloe felt she’d given the policemen short shrift. Her attention had been elsewhere. Now she straightened up. ‘Grateful for what? Why were those policemen here?’