Free Stay with Me by Jessica Blair

has a business to run,’ Lena pointed out. ‘It was good of him to call when he could.’
    â€˜Well, I bring you news. Mother and Father arrived home from Robin Hood’s Bay late yesterday.’
    â€˜Is all still well there?’
    â€˜Yes. The baby’s recovered and my cousin is up and about again after her illness following the birth.’
    â€˜I’m so pleased.’
    â€˜Mother sent her love and will visit you tomorrow. I’ve warned her not to overtax you. You know how she loves to fuss. What you want is something more than reading to occupy your mind. Do you ever play the piano?’
    â€˜I’ve never felt like it. It would remind me of what we were doing on the night of the . . .’ Her voice faltered. ‘And it doesn’t seem right, after what happened.’
    Olivia nodded sympathetically. ‘It will pass, I’m sure of it, and you’ll enjoy playing again. What about the household duties? Can’t you . . .’
    â€˜Mrs Campion’s so efficient,’ Lena interrupted, ‘that I really have no need to get involved. Oh, she is kind enough to consult me, but there is no reason why I should alter anything.’
    â€˜Doesn’t Alistair visit you?’
    â€˜Yes, but his doctoring gets in the way, and when he does call it’s more often than not only briefly, because he has to be off to a patient.’
    Olivia pulled a sympathetic face. ‘That’s him, absorbed in his calling. I think he was smitten when we visited your uncle and aunt in Scotland the first time, and the desire to help people has never left him.’
    â€˜Very noble of him,’ commented Lena with a touch of sarcasm. ‘I wish he’d followed his father.’
    â€˜If he had, he might still be just as absorbed in his work,’ Olivia defended her brother.
    â€˜Maybe, but at least it would have been interesting, unlike his doctoring. The subject is so unpleasant.’ Lena pulled a face to show her disgust. ‘And I can’t understand half of what he talks about.’
    â€˜I’m sure he talks about other things?’
    â€˜But he always brings them round to illness and treatments. ’
    â€˜I think you are still suffering after what happened in Scotland. You should fix your mind on brighter things.’
    â€˜Getting out of these sombre clothes would do it,’ snapped Lena.
    â€˜Time will soon pass.’
    â€˜I hope it will move more quickly then, so I can get some colour back into my life.’
    â€˜You shouldn’t wish time away.’
    â€˜Fiddlesticks!’
    Seeing her friend growing more irritable, Olivia changed the subject, hoping it would help. ‘What about James? Talk to him about the business.’
    Lena gave a grunt of contempt. ‘I don’t see a lot of him. We breakfast and then he’s off - and more often than not I don’t see him again until our evening meal, and even then he might be off again. It’s the business and the building of this new ship. He’s got so involved he doesn’t seem to have time for anything else, even talking to me. And he’s supposed to keep me informed about what is going on.’
    â€˜Point that out to him then.’
    â€˜I’ve tried to but he always fobs me off with some excuse. “I haven’t time.” “Tell you later.” “I have an appointment with Mr Chapman.” It’s as if he doesn’t want me to know.’
    â€˜I’m sure that’s not it,’ Olivia sprang to James’s defence. ‘He’s merely very busy and wants to make a success of expanding the firm.’
    â€˜Well, beware, Olivia, of a man who gets so involved in his work that he hasn’t any time left to spend with you.’
    â€˜Oh, come, Lena, I think you exaggerate. You’ll see things in a different light when . . . ’
    â€˜I hope so!’ she cut in roughly.
    Â 
    â€˜I think you must have had