Laura didn’t wait to hear more. ‘Ever since I knew he’d gone out on his bike I’ve been worried sick! Where is he?’
‘In the car. I think we need to call an ambulance.’
The amount of attention and urgency her words created gave Meg the impression that Justin was more than just a chef to Laura; maybe a lot more.
Chapter Thirteen
As Meg drove back to Nightingale Woods she found herself strangely put out by what had happened. She tried to analyse her feelings. She’d found Justin (whom she disliked) in a ditch. She’d done all she could to help him – she’d been a Good Samaritan. She’d driven him to the hotel where he worked, and his friends had taken over, leaving her free to go on her way. What was wrong with that?
When she got down to the root of her feelings she concluded it was Laura Wilde she found so irritating. She’d behaved as if she owned Justin, and Meg had felt almost blamed for his predicament.
She sighed deeply; she was put out because Laura was a very bossy woman. Bossy women could be irritating. That was it. No need to feel weird about it. It was all fine!
Meg found her mother in the kitchen when she got there. ‘Oh, are you back already?’ Louise said. ‘But you’re covered in mud! What happened?’
‘I found Justin and his bike in a ditch on my way to May Hill.’ She laughed ruefully. ‘It’s rather a long story. I’d better go and get changed before I tell you about it.’
‘But he’s all right, isn’t he?’ Louise sounded worried.
‘Oh yes. He’s going to be fine. He may have broken his ankle or something, but nothing life-threatening.’
‘Thank goodness for that!’ said Louise. ‘I’d better tell Andrew. I never have trusted motorbikes.’
And I don’t trust the men who ride them, Meg thought.
Once she was back in the flat, she realised she felt quite shaky, as if she’d been in the accident as well as Justin.
She got as clean as she could under the little shower, which gave out tepid water in a feeble trickle. Though there were probably streaks of mud in places she couldn’t see, she put on her cleanest dress and sandals. Then she went back to the kitchen. It was where she felt happiest.
Her mother seemed a bit out of sorts, as if she’d had bad news since Meg had told her about Justin’s accident.
‘How did breakfast go?’ Meg asked her now.
‘Perfectly fine. It couldn’t go wrong, really.’
‘So what’s up, Mum?’
Louise instantly pulled out a chair and sat down at the kitchen table. ‘Andrew’s going back first thing tomorrow. He should go today, really, but I persuaded him—’
Meg heard the crack in her mother’s voice and realised she was near tears.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’ Meg put the kettle on. While a cup of tea wasn’t the cure-all everyone expected it to be, it might help a bit. ‘Where’s Andrew now?
Her mother sniffed bravely. ‘He’s in the office, going through the safe, looking for the deeds to the hotel. He says the safe is absolutely full of old papers that people have stuffed in there over the years.’
‘Why don’t I do a tray of coffee and you can take it in, and help him look?’
‘I could do that.’ Louise lowered her voice. ‘I didn’t realise how much I’d mind him going back. He’s been away for a while now and I’ve been fine. It’s just …’
‘What?’ asked Meg gently.
‘I didn’t know quite how he felt about me before. And of course, after last night …’
Meg stiffened, willing her mother not to say any more. But Louise took a breath as if she was about to carry on.
Meg interrupted quickly. ‘Look, I can do everything here. You go into the office now, so you can spend as much time together as possible. I’ll bring the coffee.’
‘Thank you, darling. That would be so kind.’
