Free When You Walked Back Into My Life by Hilary Boyd Page A

word. ‘So you do nice things together do you? She said in the report that she took you to church on Sunday … in Eldon Road?’
    Another pause.
    ‘She … No, she didn’t.’
    Flora was surprised, but maybe Dorothea had forgotten. It was possible. Surely Pia wouldn’t lie about something like that?
    ‘So you didn’t see Reverend Jackson?’ She knew how much Dorothea loved the charismatic vicar of her church.
    ‘I … don’t think so,’ the old lady replied.
    ‘You know that Rene can stop Pia coming if you don’t like having her here.’
    Dorothea looked at her, her expression suddenly alert.
    ‘We can easily get another nurse to look after you at the weekends,’ Flora added.
    ‘Can you?’ Her pale eyes looked doubtful.
    ‘Yes. It would be no problem. You wouldn’t have to see her again.’ It would be a problem, in fact, finding a really good nurse to take over weekends. But Flora knew Rene would go to the ends of the earth to protect her friend, if that’s what was needed.
    Dorothea seemed sunk in thought, to the extent thatFlora began to wonder if she had forgotten what they were talking about.
    ‘I don’t think that would be a very good idea.’ The old lady spoke slowly but firmly.
    ‘So Pia is kind to you. You like having her here.’
    Her patient stared at her for a long time. ‘I … think it’s best to leave things as they are,’ she said.
    Flora didn’t know what to think. Surely, if Pia was the problem Dorothea would have said something to one of them by now. She and Rene had given her every opportunity.
    On her way out to the shops, she questioned Keith.
    ‘I’m not up here much on the weekends,’ he told her. ‘I know who you mean … small Asian lady, plumpish. We’ve said hello once or twice.’
    ‘So you wouldn’t know if she took Miss Heath-Travis to church on Sundays, for instance?’
    Keith shrugged. ‘Not sure how she’d get the chair down those steps, she’s only a wee thing. She hasn’t asked me, but maybe one of the residents helped her out?’
    Flora sighed.
    ‘Problem?’
    ‘Not sure.’ She wasn’t going to point the finger, but Keith had understood anyway.
    ‘I can check on them next weekend if you like. Wouldn’tbe a problem to make up some excuse to drop in. I’ve got a key.’
    Flora thought about this. ‘That might be helpful. Can I let you know when I’ve talked to Rene?’
    *
    Dorothea slept for almost two hours that afternoon. Flora took the opportunity to ring Rene and tell her what had happened, but she wasn’t sure what to do either.
    ‘Keep an eye,’ she told Flora in her breathless high-pitched voice. ‘Let me know what you think by Thursday, so we have time to get something else organised if necessary. I’m going to ring Pia and see if she can throw any light on it all. We mustn’t fall into the trap of blaming her unless we’re absolutely sure. I must say, I find it hard to believe … Dorothea might just be going a bit dotty.’
    As Flora finished the call, she found a text from Jake:
Do you fancy music and pizza Tuesday eve? Got friend playing jazz in Soho caff. Might be a laugh. Jake x
    Without hesitation she replied,
Yes, love to. What time?
    Starts eight. Later ok. You say.
    Flora told him she’d be there by eight-thirty. She’d ask Mary to come half an hour earlier, and she’d make it up the following morning. They’d done it before.
    Great, Flora thought. That sounds like fun. There had been nothing from Fin, and each passing hour of silencechipped away at her burgeoning dreams, making her angrier, more determined than ever to put him behind her and begin enjoying her life.
    When Dorothea woke up she seemed disorientated and still anxious.
    ‘You … are here today?’
    Flora nodded. ‘All week.’
    ‘Every day?’ Dorothea asked, working her fingers together as they lay on the bedcover.
    ‘Yes, every day.’
    ‘You said something … about another nurse coming?’
    ‘Not for my days.’ Flora wanted to make