Chapter 37
Later that day, Megan put Zac on his lead and set off for the nursing home. It was just outside Treweham village, so wouldn’t take too long to walk, and besides, she needed space and time to think.
So much had happened since arriving in Treweham, and her life had changed in so many ways. Not for the first time she compared it to six months ago when she had been living with her parents in the suburbs and working in a busy office, filled with gossip. She wondered what Adam was doing. Probably what he always did: charming clients, playing football, drinking with his friends and chasing women. How could she have been taken in by him? A vivid memory of his hands up his secretary’s skirt made her judder. How many times had he cheated on her, she pondered, then realised it really didn’t matter; she just didn’t care.
Tobias was all the things Adam wasn’t, and she thanked her lucky stars that Gran had given her Bluebell Cottage. Was it fate? Where would she be now without it? Still stuck in a town she had grown tired of with a job she had tired of even more. Treweham village was literally a breath of fresh air. She loved its quaintness and charm. She loved the characters in it; well, most of them. Nick had proved to be a dark horse. Megan still couldn’t quite believe all she had heard about him, yet it was true. She had discussed with Tobias her seeing him and Sebastian kissing in the summerhouse. Tobias had verified what she had witnessed, confirming Finula’s version of events. However, he also shed more light on the matter. Unbeknown to Finula, Nick apparently had always been seeing Sebastian. His relationship with Finula certainly wasn’t exclusive. Megan was appalled when Tobias had revealed this, in confidence.
‘So you mean he was seeing them both at the same time, all along?’
‘Yes. The man has no scruples. Sebastian’s tolerated far too much from Fletcher. It’s not that Sebastian’s gay that bothers me – I really couldn’t care less – but it’s his choice of partner.’
‘But are they partners? Finula described it as on and off.’
Tobias shrugged. ‘The simple answer is, I don’t know. All I do know is that every time Sebastian’s home, Fletcher’s about somewhere.’ He wrinkled his face in disgust.
It baffled Megan how someone like Nick could be so blasé with people’s feelings. Was he so lacking in empathy? Yet he had shown genuine concern for Ted, so she couldn’t decide. The whole scenario puzzled her.
Taking a deep breath, she walked up the driveway to the care home. Zac was allowed in the gardens, so she had arranged with the staff to meet Ted there. She rang the doorbell and was soon greeted by the receptionist.
‘I’ve come to meet with Ted in the garden,’ Megan explained.
‘Yes, that’s right, he’s waiting for you in the back.’
Megan looked down at Zac, who appeared alert, his tail wagging. He must know, she thought. Sure enough, as soon as Zac saw Ted sitting in the deck chair with his tartan rug covering his legs, he pelted at full speed to him. Ted’s face lit up, making a lump form in Megan’s throat.
‘Hello, old boy!’ Ted’s shaky hand patted an exuberant Zac, who was bouncing up and down. Ted turned to her. ‘Hello, Megan.’
‘Hello, Ted.’ Megan sat in the deck chair next to him. For a moment they both sat still. Then Megan took his hand. ‘Thank you for telling Tobias everything. It means so much.’ Her eyes began to fill.
‘Megan, it’s so good to be able to tell the truth after all these years.’
‘Yes, it must be,’ she swallowed hard. ‘Ted, I want you to meet Mum.’
‘I have met her, lass, albeit she didn’t know who I was.’
‘I know, but I do want her to know. I want you both to talk.’ She looked at him and waited for his reaction. A single tear ran down his weathered face.
‘I’d like that, too,’ he said, his voice cracking.
‘Ted, how must it have felt, me living next door? What if I hadn’t found the letters and photographs?’
Ted shook his head, ‘Just having you close by would have been enough.’
Megan let out a sob. ‘Ted, my brother, Chris, you have to meet him, too.’
‘Yes, I’d like that very much. We’ve so much ground to cover, haven’t we?’ He gave a little laugh and rubbed her hand in comfort. The last thing he wanted was to upset anyone. He so wished Grace was here.
‘Yes, we have. Thank you, Ted, for being… well, you know,’ she wiped away another tear.
‘No, Megan,thank you.’
Zac jumped up onto Ted’s legs and licked his hands, making them both laugh.
‘He’s obviously missed you,’ Megan remarked, patting the black Labrador.
‘I’ve missed him, haven’t I, old boy?’
They were given tea and scones and sat in the sunshine for over an hour. Megan told Ted about Tobias’ work on the cottage, of which he approved.
‘It was good of the Cavendish-Blakes to rent me that cottage, for a peppercorn rent, too. I think they took pity on me. I was the soldier who came back when everybody thought I’d been killed in action.’ There was a poignant pause.
‘It was lucky that Gran managed to buy the one next door, too, wasn’t it?’
‘Fate, lass, fate.’
‘Yes, Granddad, it was,’ agreed Megan.
