Free In Search of Hope by Anna Jacobs

as if afraid they’d jump on her, Ashley walked inside. The two women stood near the door, letting her go round at her own pace, but Toby went in after her and started explaining about the facilities. In such a small flat, this wasn’t really necessary, but Ashley didn’t seem to mind.
    Emily smiled. Toby was so friendly and assumed others would be the same, and they usually were with him.
    Ashley went round opening every single drawer and cupboard to look inside, then she stood by the window and looked out at the internal courtyard. ‘Flowers!’
    Emily had put a few pots of flowers out to soften the courtyard, which was about twenty yards by thirty and was now paved by square grey setts. ‘Do you like flowers?’
    ‘We had flowers at home. I helped Mummy with the garden.’
    ‘You could help me and Toby look after these, if you liked. I’m sure he won’t mind.’
    Ashley looked at her, then around the flat again, opening every cupboard and drawer for a second time.
    After that, she turned to Toby. ‘Is your flat clean and tidy?’
    ‘She’s a bit obsessive about keeping things clean,’ Mrs Barley murmured to Emily. ‘Her mother must have spent untold hours training her to look after a house. A good fault for a tenant, don’t you think?’
    ‘Indeed, yes.’
    ‘Come and see my home.’ Toby led the way next door and again the two women stayed by the entrance.
    ‘It’s quite tidy,’ Ashley said. ‘I’ll help you keep it better than this, though.’
    ‘That’d be good,’ Toby agreed.
    Bless him, Emily thought. He’d do anything for anybody.
    ‘Ashley’s brilliant at housework,’ Mrs Barley said. ‘Oh, and she has her own furniture. Would she be able to bring it?’
    ‘Of course. We can move these things out.’
    ‘We’ll send someone to check up on her a couple of times a week at first, and of course someone will take the two of them shopping every week.’
    Ashley came out of Toby’s flat and he took her into the courtyard. She stood with her head on one side, as if listening, then turned to Mrs Barley. ‘This is a good place. I can come and live next to Toby. I can keep everything very clean.’
    Mrs Barley turned to look questioningly at Emily.
    ‘I’d be very happy to have you here, Ashley,’ she said at once.
    The young woman nodded, as if expecting that answer.
    ‘We’ll go and choose the things you’ll need and arrange for them to be brought over tomorrow, Ashley,’ Mrs Barley said.
    ‘I’ll have this furniture taken out,’ Emily said.
    ‘And I’ll help you set up your new home, Ashley,’ Mrs Barley said.
    ‘No. I’ll arrange everything. I know where things go.’
    ‘Your furniture might not fit in here the same way as it did at home.’
    ‘Mummy and I re-arranged things sometimes. I can re-arrange things here.’
    ‘I can help you lift the heavy things,’ Toby offered.
    ‘If you do it carefully. We mustn’t scratch the furniture.’
    He beamed at her. ‘I’ll be careful. I’ll be happy to have a friend next door. Come and look at this.’
    He took Ashley along to the communal room at the end. ‘This is where we can all meet and watch television together.’
    She looked round it, eyes narrowing. ‘This room needs re-arranging. You can help me do that, too, Toby.’
    He nodded cheerfully.
    ‘What exactly is Ashley’s diagnosis?’ Emily asked in a low voice.
    ‘A form of autism. Her mother gave her a lot of attention, so she learned to interact with people, but she’s very rigid about keeping things tidy and arranging them just so. Obsessive even. We don’t want her to upset Toby. If you want to employ her in the antiques centre, she’d probably be brilliant at dusting everything.’
    ‘A job that bores me.’
    Mrs Barley nodded. ‘It’s a wonderful thing you’re doing, not even charging them rent.’
    ‘Chad and I were both trapped in poor care after accidents, and we know how bad the experience can be,’ Emily explained. ‘We have enough money to