She said to Reggie, ‘Nothing happened.’
Reggie just nodded. ‘I realised that when a short time later, after you were probably fast asleep, Oliver left. His expression inthe lamplight as he crossed the yard wasn’t one full of the joys of spring. I guessed what had happened – he’d finally found out there was no hope for him, because you were still in love with someone else – with Jack.’
‘Bridie – is that true?’
They all heard the sound of Jack’s voice. He’d come up behind the fireman.
The fireman turned around. ‘Ah, the paramedic is on the war path.’
A middle-aged woman in a green paramedic uniform was marching towards them. She had clearly been in the middle of wrapping his hand in gauze bandages when he suddenly absconded from the ambulance.
‘Mr Harrison, I told you not to leave the ambulance until I was done wrapping those burns, and I insist you also come to hospital just to be on the safe side. Now give me that hand!’
Jack looked at the paramedic crossly. ‘I’m fine. Please look after Isobel.’
‘Isobel,’ Bridie repeated.
‘Is it true?’ Jack asked, turning back to Bridie.
Bridie opened her mouth to answer, but unfortunately Oliver got there first.
‘Yes, it’s true,’ Oliver answered while Bridie stood there open-mouthed. ‘I stayed with her a bit that evening, because she didn’t want to be alone, but nothing happened. She was drunk. She was lost, pining for someone she thought had betrayed her.’
‘You did betray me,’ said Bridie, finally finding her voice and directing her comment at Jack, wishing with all her heart she hadn’t been such a fool that night, too drunk to listen to her heart, and seize her chance with Oliver instead.
‘I wouldn’t have followed through on the plan – I swear,’ said Jack. He knew she was talking about the planning application he’d submitted.
‘Why? Why did you submit those plans in the first place?’ Bridie said.
He furrowed his brow. ‘I hated that theatre so much because it stole you from me. I always wanted to get my hands on it, and when I found out you had it … I wanted it even more.’
Bridie stared at him. ‘You held a grudge against a building all these years? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.’
‘Yeah,’ he said sheepishly, avoiding eye contact with Bridie and her little entourage of shopkeepers, who were standing behind her, staring at him too.
‘What changed your mind about the planning application?’ Oliver asked.
‘And saving the theatre?’ added Bridie.
Jack raised his eyebrows. ‘What do you think?’ Bridie said, ‘You changed your mind because you thought this time I wouldn’t leave. Because of the theatre, I would stay this time if I could make a success of it. It really wasn’t you, was it, sabotaging the theatre?’
‘No, it was not.’
Reggie said, ‘Excuse me for interrupting, but did I hear you right, Jack, when you told the paramedic to go and look after Isobel?’
‘Yes. She’s over there, sitting in the ambulance. Think she’s got smoke inhalation, but she’s going to be okay. Silly old woman. I’ve been bringing her groceries, even though she’s been keeping out of sight, but I knew you had a squatter, Bridie. I just couldn’t tell you after I thought …’ He looked from her to Oliver.
Jack continued, ‘Look, I knew that you would be wrapping up the rehearsals soon.’
‘How did you know that?’
‘It’s a small town. Aldeburgh is buzzing with excitement over the reopening of the theatre. I seem to overhear snippets of conversations wherever I go. You know, I left notes with thegroceries, offering her money, a rental place, anything I could think of to get her out, but she wasn’t having any of it.’
‘She told you this?’
‘No, not to my face. She returned my notes in the empty shopping bags hanging outside on the door handle of the stage door, telling me she would not accept charity. She was homeless. It was ridiculous. But she was so stubborn, refusing to leave. Actually reminded me of you, Bridie, stubborn as hell, and very single-minded.’
Oliver said, ‘Why didn’t you call the police?’
