“I don’t think he wants us to go,” Hank said, the words like a lance through my chest. I ran towards my faithful stallion.
In the stables, I found Achilles braying and striking the cobbles and his stall walls with his hooves. It took a full ten minutes after Hank’s horse float had disappeared up the drive for Achilles to calm down. I was checking him over for injuries when Mother’s voice echoed through the stables.
“William!”
I stuck my head up to see what she wanted.
“Darling, I’m taking the car into town.”
“That seems a bit irresponsible, as you don’t have a licence,” I said.
“I know, that’s why I’m taking Bramley.”
“You can’t take Bramley. Who’s going to make sure all our shit is put back in the right place?”
“Well, it’s your house, darling. You’re the baron.” Mum turned to walk away, muslin scarf flapping in the breeze behind her.
“Where are you going?”
She didn’t answer.
It was several hours later when I finally made it back up to the folly, smelly, dirty, and still in my boxer shorts. I slumped into my father’s armchair in the study—and noticed the drawer of the desk had been left open. There was a note inside.
Thank you for everything. It’s going to be a hit. I’ll see you in a year. Petey Boy x.
Below that was a PS.
Tackle the hard stuff. I believe in you.
Well, now I was even more confused. What did this mean? Was this an apology? A promise? I didn’t know. All I knew was, it gave me hope. Now I had to make sure there was still a Buckford Hall for him to come back to, and not a tacky hotel.
Chapter 31
Petey
It was time to return to London, but there was one thing I had to do first. The taxi pulled up to Glenfield Hospital, where Indira was being treated at the cardiac unit.
“Anywhere here’s fine, thanks, bruv.”
As I paid, I looked out the window and saw Bunny Winters striding out of the hospital’s main entrance to a car where Bramley was waiting with the door open. By the time I grabbed my receipt, they were gone. I had to drag my whole suitcase through the hospital. At first, I didn’t think the nurse on the ward desk was going to let me in.
“She’s had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery,” he said. “She’s very weak and shouldn’t really be having visitors yet.”
“I’m pretty certain she’s already had a visitor,” I said. “I’ve just seen the Dowager Baroness Buckford leaving the hospital.”
The nurse leant across the desk, tapping a pen against his cheek to draw attention to his dimples. “Her ladyship is head of the board of trustees. Bunny can do whatever she likes. No one says no to her.” Then he looked me up and down like I was a steak. “I bet no one ever says no to you, either, do they? Big tall lad like you.”
I wasn’t in the mood for flirting, but I was desperate to see Indira, so I batted my eyelashes and begged.
“It’s room six, sweetheart. Down the corridor and on the left.” He winked.
Indira looked terrible. She was surrounded by machines and screens. There were tubes everywhere. Her face was bloated, with dark rings under her eyes.
“Petey Boy,” she said, her voice soft and croaky. “Exactly the man I need.”
“That’s a popular opinion right now.”
“Huh?”
