‘Shall I wake him?’ Lottie asked Dayea, who nodded.
‘Not much point in visiting if we don’t,’ said Angie.
Lottie ignored her mother. ‘Uncle Bernard,’ said Lottie, patting his hand gently. No response. ‘Uncle Bernie. We all came to visit you.’
‘Wake up Bernard, for heaven’s sake.’ Angie gave his shoulder a good shake.
Poor Bernard jolted and let out a loud fart. Daniel got the giggles again. ‘What? What?’ said Bernard, blinking rapidly and looking alarmed. Lottie watched his monitor with trepidation.
‘It’s okay. We came to say hello,’ said Lottie.
Bernard’s features settled into a warm smile. ‘Button,’ he said, reaching for her hand. His expression tightened. ‘Have you brought Joe?’ He glanced rapidly around the bed.
‘No.’ She kept her irritation under control, he wasn’t a well man.
‘Right. There’s a possibility that I may have overreacted yesterday.’ He glanced at Dayea, who was nodding.
Lottie couldn’t let it go that easily. ‘Joe saved your life.’
‘So I hear. It was just that all I could think about was what Joe’s father did. These medical people have your life in their hands. He nearly got away with it you know. The murder.’
‘But he didn’t, did he?’
‘I guess not.’ Bernard looked contrite.
‘And more importantly, it was nothing to do with Joe.’
Bernard pouted but didn’t say anything. It was too much to hope he’d changed his opinion of Joe overnight.
‘Good to see you looking better,’ said Daniel, leaning over and patting Bernard’s shoulder.
‘Thanks. I’m feeling better too,’ said Bernard, shuffling himself up on the pillows. Now he was awake, his colour was improving. ‘I’ll be out of here in no time,’ he said, and Lottie saw him squeeze Dayea’s hand. Lottie was pleased he had someone like her to care for him. Dayea failed to stifle a huge yawn.
‘Dayea, he needs you fit and well. You should go home and get some rest.’
Dayea shook her head. Lottie remembered Dayea’s car was still at the manor because she’d gone to hospital in the ambulance with Bernard. ‘Let us drop you home. There’s room in the Range Rover.’ Uncle Daniel nodded his confirmation. ‘Then that’s settled. You need to rest and you need to eat.’ Lottie could have got rid of the rest of the ham sandwiches if only she’d thought.
Lottie updated Uncle Bernard on the duck race, including Dave’s involvement, and it was lovely to see him laugh. The change in twenty-four hours was quite remarkable. When she’d run out of things to tell him and her mother’s twitching had reached a level where the nurse was paying attention, they said their goodbyes.
They managed to persuade Dayea to let them give her a lift, although Lottie felt sure she would have a quick shower and change and then get a taxi straight back to the hospital. But in a way, that was reassuring. She didn’tlike to see her great uncle this unwell, but she did enjoy witnessing the love they clearly had for each other. Dayea loved Bernard – that was obvious.
Lottie was also glad of the excuse to see where Dayea lived, especially if she was serious about having Bernard move in with her. Not that they needed Lottie’s approval, but she did care where Bernard went, unlike most of the rest of her family. Dayea sat in the middle seat in the back and gave directions by way of pointy fingers next to Lottie’s right ear. She directed them to Bourton-on-the-Water, one of Lottie’s favourite villages.
They drove through the main street, with its little stream running alongside the road, perfect footbridges dotted along it. The ducks were huddled together in groups.Not many tourists about to feed them at this time of year, thought Lottie. The small shops were all closed, but with their pretty bay windows all done up for Christmas, they looked enticing.
‘Here,’ said Dayea, forcefully pointing across Lottie. Daniel took the next left turn into a wide road with elegant houses. ‘At the next lamp-post. Stop, please,’ said Dayea, and Daniel did as instructed. Everyone peered out to get a look. The house they were outside stood back from the road, like its neighbours, and was built in warm yellowy Cotswold stone. It was beautifully symmetrical with three large windows on the first floor, a central door painted grey and a large sash window either side.
‘This is nice,’ said Lottie.
‘Yes, who lives here?’ asked Nicola.
‘Me, I live here,’ said Dayea, giving Nicola a look that said that was a very dumb question.
Angie exited first so that Dayea could get out of the middle seat, and she had a good nose around the driveway. ‘There’s a caravan,’ called back Angie delightedly.
‘Yes,’ said Dayea. ‘I sleep in it. But it has plenty of room.’
Lottie leaned over to see the tiny caravan, with neat curtains, bunting at the windows and its wheels lodged on bricks. ‘It looks lovely,’ she said, and Dayea smiled at the compliment.
