‘I was. What? Why are you smiling?’
He shrugged. ‘It’s nice to have someone worry about me, that’s all.’
‘Your mum worries.’
‘I know she does.’
‘Are you still worried about her living with me?’
‘It’s not you I have a problem with, Bess, not really. It’s trusting Mum. And I know I have to, but it’s going to take time. The pub was a shock, that’s all; it’s not like I’ve been teetotal all my life so I shouldn’t be judging you. How’s it all going anyway?’
‘The debt?’ She smiled. ‘Still there. Overtime helps.’
‘This shift is overtime?’
‘Yup. And I’d better get on and finish up my paperwork before the next job comes through. Are you going to call a taxi? I would offer to take you home but I won’t finish for a while yet.’
‘No need for a taxi.’ Hudson came into the kitchen and went straight for the shortbread tin, plucking a couple of pieces. ‘Nadia has a lot to answer for.’ He closed his eyes as he bit into a piece. ‘I’ll take you home, Gio. Assuming you’re local?’
Gio reeled off the name of his street.
‘Great. I’m leaving in about ten minutes as I have to get homefor the kids. And I’ve got my four-wheel drive so that snow doesn’t stand a chance. Meet you in reception?’
‘Cheers, appreciate it.’
Bess looked out of the window, the white landscape beyond, when it was just the two of them. ‘I don’t think we’ll get any more but it could take a while to melt.’
Gio positioned his crutches under his arms ready to go. ‘I’ll see you soon then?’
Bess smiled. ‘See you soon.’
And as she walked into the office to do her paperwork, she couldn’t stop thinking about the man who wasn’t just that little boy’s hero today; he was beginning to feel like he could be hers too.
26
Bess finished up in the shower and got herself dressed. Marianne was out at a cleaning job and it felt good to have a bit of quiet time on her day off. She planned to call the Citizen’s Advice Bureau today – she’d been putting it off long enough. Hopefully, whoever she talked with could perhaps help her steer her way out of the mess she was in with money.
She drew her bedroom curtains and looked out at the wintry scene. The snow was lingering enough that it still looked like a winter wonderland, but they hadn’t had a fresh fall and it was on track to melt over the next day or so. Bess hated the slush they got after a pretty layer of snow and always hoped a downpour would wash it all away quickly, but it didn’t always happen like that.
When someone knocked at the front door, Bess assumed it was the neighbour come to pick up a parcel Bess had taken in for safekeeping.
But it wasn’t the post lady.
She was so stunned to see Malcolm, withouther mother at his side, that she stood there letting the cold wind blow its way inside and her bare feet already felt the chill.
‘Hello, Bess. Would it be all right if I came in?’
She snapped to attention. ‘Of course.’ She closed the door behind him.
Malcolm pulled off the woolly hat, the static sending a few strands of grey hair comically into the air. ‘I’ll come out with it right away. I’d like to help you, Bess.’
‘Help me?’
‘With your current situation.’ He held up a hand. ‘I haven’t been gossiping about you behind your back; I just want to help.’
‘Malcolm, I?—’
His voice didn’t have its usual steadiness when he told her, ‘This morning, your mother gave me your information so I could make a transfer, into your account. It’s a loan, she’s sent you an email about it, sent it after I left the house, but I thought I’d come and explain myself.’
