It became clear over the following few days that no one was going to allow Freda to return to Dimmett House alone. Though she insisted she’d be fine and ordered everyone to stop fussing, Edward was having none of it, and nor was Jamie. Both nephews were ready to drive her, and probably both would have gone had Marianne not stepped in to inform them that she was going to do it. No one listened to Freda as she grumbled and objected, although it was plain to see how moved she was by so much determination to care for her. Eventually, it was decided that Jamie and Marianne would take her, and Edward would join them at the weekend, and when Freda finally agreed she had tears in her eyes.
“I spoke to the darling wife earlier,” Jamie told Joely and Callum when they dropped around to Marianne’s to wish everyone a bon voyage. “She’s going to bring the kids over on Friday so Freda can meet them, and we were thinking it would be a nice idea if you guys could make it down to Devon too.”
Joely and Callum exchanged glances. “Sure we can do that,” Callum told him, his eyes still on Joely’s, showing his understanding that Dimmett House might not be a place she wanted to revisit anytime soon. “We just have to check what Holly’s doing . . .”
“She’s already said she’ll come,” Freda informed them as she joined them at the car. “I’ve told her she can bring her boyfriend, Noel. Have you met him yet? A very nice lad, apart from his bizarre use of language. He says things are sick or bad when he means quite the opposite. Still at least Holly seems to understand him, and I suppose that’s what counts.”
Interested in this, Joely said, “When did you meet him?”
“Oh, they’ve called in a couple of times since Sunday,” Freda replied, popping her handbag onto the back seat of the car. “So it looks as though you’ve forgiven him,” she commented to Joely as if Callum were no longer there and she was free to speak. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea; it never really worked for me, all that forgiveness. I should have told Doddoe years ago that I’d had enough. If I’d been a stronger woman I might have, and then he might still be alive.” She pondered that for a moment, and said, “Yes, it’s only strong women who have it in them to tell their cheating husbands they’re no longer required.” Her eyes darted to Callum before returning to Joely. “Think about that,” she advised sternly.
Knowing Callum was bristling and almost wanting to laugh, Joely said, “There’s more to the story than you know.”
Freda nodded curtly. “Isn’t there always?” and pulling Joely to one side she said, quietly, “You know I didn’t mean for you to be in the tower for more than a day, don’t you?”
“Actually, no, I didn’t know that,” Joely informed her.
Freda frowned. “Really? Well, it was my intention to get the truth out of your mother and return again the same day, or maybe the next morning. As we know it didn’t work out quite like that, which is a lesson to me not to presume I know what’s going to happen.”
Joely’s eyebrows rose. Freda chastising herself for presumptions, this was a first. “And the music?” she asked curiously.
Freda shrugged. “I thought it would keep you company,” and treating Callum to a baleful look she got into the car. “I hope you’ve snuffed out the moth that flew into your flame,” she told him bossily.
Before Callum could respond, if he even knew how to respond, Marianne called out from the doorstep. “What are you two doing here? I thought you had an appointment at the hospital this morning, Joely?”
“We’re on our way,” Joely replied, going to embrace her mother as best she could. “We’ve just been hearing how Freda’s invited everyone for the weekend.”
“Or we’re foisting ourselves on her. Whichever way, she’s definitely not going back there alone so I’ve called the office to let them know I won’t be in for the rest of the week, and Jamie’s done the same. Did he tell you Clare and the children are flying over on Friday after school?”
“He did, and apparently you’ve all met Holly’s boyfriend who’s also joining the weekend party.”
“Yes, isn’t that lovely? Wait till you see him, he’s quite a dish, although Holly nearly gagged when I used that word. She informs me I should have said ripped, which opened up an interesting discussion with Freda. Anyway, do say that you can make it as well. It sounds like such a beautiful place. I know you don’t have the best memories of it, darling, but with us all there maybe you could create some new ones?”
Just like that. Her imprisonment and death-defying escape dismissed.
“The kids are counting on seeing you,” Jamie added as he came to collect his mother’s case. “And Clare’s already talking about picnics and walks and horseback riding.”
“Don’t forget the funicular,” Freda called out. “Everyone should ride it, shouldn’t they, Joely?”
How could she disagree with that?
Minutes later, after Jamie had promised to call when they reached their destination, Joely and Callum stood on the pavement watching Marianne’s Lexus, with Jamie at the wheel, turning out of the street.
“So no mention of the fact that she tried to kill you?” Callum muttered drily.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Joely responded, still feeling faintly dazed by the last few minutes. “Although I don’t think she sees it that way. In fact I know she doesn’t. She’s moved on, edited it out, rewritten it . . . She has so much else to focus on now, a long-lost nephew and his family, a teenage BFF with a boyfriend, and a new soul mate, Marianne. I’m not even sure you and I really fit in, and as for the memoir . . .” She turned to look up at him and said, “I guess one thing we can say for certain, it’s going to have a very different ending now to the one she imagined when she set out.”
His eyebrows arched. “In anyone else’s hands I might be intrigued to find out where it goes,” he replied. “In hers I’m thinking about upping the life insurance.”
It was around midday on Saturday when Callum turned the car into the driveway of Dimmett House and as Joely suspected he might, he gave a low whistle of appreciation. It really was an impressive place, especially with all the shutters open and early spring sunshine bathing the white walls.
He brought the car to a stop and as Joely looked at the house she could feel the horror of her imprisonment in the tower tightening her chest. It seemed both distant and frighteningly real. She’d known that coming back wouldn’t be easy, she’d had sleepless nights about it all week, but she was here now and, she reminded herself with clenched hands, things had moved on. Freda had changed, many of her family were already inside, there would be no locking her in again, or any danger of her falling to her death.
“Oh wow!” Holly exclaimed, coming awake in the back seat. “This is totally awesome.” She pushed open the car door and tumbled out to stretch her long limbs in all directions after the drive. Noel, the boyfriend, did the same, exposing a well-toned midriff to the chill spring air and a large strip of boxer shorts above the waistband of his drainpipe jeans.
Callum turned to Joely. “Are you OK?” he asked, clearly realizing she might not be. He’d been there for the sleepless nights, and had listened as she’d relived those terrifying minutes as though trying to exorcise them.
“I think so,” she replied, adjusting her sling. This new one was purple, created from foam and cut specially to fit her injured arm and shoulder, while doing nothing to improve mobility or alleviate pain. “We’re here now, so we should go in.”
He looked along the drive to where Holly and Noel were joshing with each other as they walked to the house and on across the impressive façade to the gleaming, vine-covered tower. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered taking in the height of it and the reality of the boulders below.
“The wisteria’s starting to bud,” Joely commented evenly. “It’s going to look beautiful by the end of the month.” Spotting her mother coming out of the front door to greet Holly and Noel she felt a truly strange shift in the world.
Her mother was in Freda’s house.
Putting the car back into gear, Callum said, “Only you and Marianne could do something like this. You might have been killed trying to get out of this place, and yet here you both are taking care of the woman who—”
“We have to try and put it behind us,” Joely broke in. “She needs us now, she always did, I guess, she just didn’t go about approaching us in a very good way.” She could see Freda now, opening the window of her writing room and stepping out onto the balcony to wave hello. Surreal, Joely was thinking as she waved back, completely and totally surreal.
With an incredulous sigh, Callum drove on up to the house and parked next to Marianne’s Lexus.
“Where’s Jamie?” Joely asked as her mother came to embrace her. Marianne now seemed to have taken over the role of hostess in Freda’s house, just as Freda had assumed it in Marianne’s.
This could all be a dream.
“He and Clare have taken the children to ride the funicular,” Marianne replied, giving Callum a hug. “We’ve arranged to meet them at the Rising Sun for a late lunch if you’re feeling up to it. Andee and her mother are joining us. They’ll obviously want to see you.”
Joely winced as a bolt of pain shot through her arm, “We can’t leave Freda here while we all go out,” she objected. “Is Brenda around?”
“She left half an hour ago, and Freda’s thinking about coming with us. Holly and Noel have gone to turn the thoughts into action.”
Of course they have.
“Where shall I put the bags?” Callum asked, opening the car boot.
“Dump them in the hall for now,” Marianne replied. “We can take them upstairs later. You’re back in the room you were in before,” she informed Joely, “Edward’s next door with his new girlfriend, Amanda. She’s very nice, by the way, I think you’ll like her. The rest of us have taken over the rooms on the top floor.”
The mysterious top floor that apparently contained no mystery at all.
“I hope you haven’t put Holly and Noel in together,” Joely said quickly.
Marianne treated her to a scolding look. “She’s fifteen,” she declared. “As if I would.”
Joely’s eyes widened, but Marianne was already going inside to continue her hostess duties.
“She said that with no irony at all,” she muttered to Callum, hardly able to believe it, but he was busy unloading the car.
Much later in the day, after a rowdy and delicious lunch at the pub, Joely and Jamie decided to walk back to Dimmett House while the others either traveled by car, or remained in Lynmouth to watch the tide washing up over the twin beaches to flood the tiny harbor.
“OK, so how are you?” Joely asked, finally able to link an arm through her brother’s for a private chat as they took their seats on the funicular to ride up to Lynton.
“It’s me who should be asking you that question,” he countered, nodding toward her sling.
“It’ll heal,” she replied. “I’m wondering how you feel about everything now you know more about your father and his family.”
He cocked an eyebrow as he inhaled deeply and gazed at the gray, sun-burnished channel spreading out before them. His fair hair was being tossed about by the wind, and the new, close-shaved beard that she hadn’t seen before last week suited him well. He’d always been a looker, and age was actually improving him. “I’ll always think of Dad as my father,” he said, squeezing her arm against him. “That’s never going to change, but I’m glad to know more about David.” He grimaced. “Glad” might not be the right word, but I’m sure you get what I mean.”
“Of course.” And as the small green carriage glided to a halt at its clifftop station, she stepped out ahead of him.
“Are you sure you’re all right to do this walk?” he asked, as they started for the coastal path and he offered her his arm again.
“It won’t take us long, less than an hour, and it’s the best chance we have of being on our own. So, back to David—and Mum. I realize now you’ve heard it before, but what do you think of their story?”
He gave a quiet laugh. “I guess I like it. We all want our parents to love each other, don’t we, and it seems they did. Tragic though, him taking his own life like that.”
Joely let a moment pass, sensing there were far deeper emotions stirring within him than he wanted to discuss.
After a while he said, “Does it sound odd to say that I felt it physically when I read it? It was like a connection that came alive inside me . . .” He grimaced awkwardly. “I’m not great with words, as you know, but it was like it had always been there without me knowing it and when I read how he died I felt it coming to life. It meant something; more than something, it meant a lot. That’s kind of strange, don’t you think, when I never knew him.”
“Not strange, no,” Joely replied softly. “Just inexplicable in the way connections and feelings often are, but it doesn’t make them any less real.”
He pondered that for a moment and said, “There’s been a lot for me to process since the time Mum and Dad showed me the letters, but I’m doing pretty well with it, I’d say. What concerns me more right now is the way Freda got you to write the story. What the heck was that all about?”
Joely inhaled deeply and let it go in a laugh. “You’re asking me to understand how Freda’s mind works, and that is way beyond my powers of amateur analysis. She’s different, that’s for sure, ‘unusual’ is what Edward calls her . . .”
“And dangerous?” He seemed genuinely worried, possibly in case it was genetic.
“I honestly don’t think intentionally, but she certainly gets a kick out of mind games. You’ve been here all week, so how are you getting along with her?”
He didn’t hesitate about that. “Pretty well, on the whole, but she keeps calling me David, which is definitely weird because I reckon she’s doing it on purpose.”
Joely had to smile. “Yes, that sounds like her. Do you think you’ll stay in touch with her now?”
“For sure. She’s my aunt, after all, and I get the feeling it would mean a lot to her, to Edward too, if I did. How about you? Will you stay in touch now that the memoir’s done? I guess it is done, is it?”
Having no other answer to offer, Joely said, “It’s a good question. I mean, it’s not actually her story to tell, is it, so it’s hard to know what she’ll do with it now. As far as staying in touch with her goes, yes, I’m sure I will. We don’t know how much longer she’s got and the last thing any of us would want is to leave her to die alone.”
Jamie said, “Ah, well that’s definitely not going to happen. No one’s had time to tell you yet, but Mum has now taken a sabbatical from her job so she can be here to ferry Freda back and forth for her treatments. What’s more, over lunch I heard Andee’s mother, Maureen, say that she was happy to help out if Mum needed any backup. So, it doesn’t sound as though my batty aunt’s last days—if they are her last days—are going to be spent bereft of family. My guess is we’ll all be visiting a lot more often than we might think.” He stopped and turned toward the view, pulling Joely in close to him so he could tilt his head to rest it on hers.
Realizing he might be talked out on a personal level for the moment, she gazed out at the perpetually moving waves with him and thought of all the different types of love there were. Right now, for her, the one she felt for her brother was the most important, but she understood that just like a tide it would yield to others, Callum, or Holly, or Marianne, or even Freda, when it mattered, and it made no one of them any less important than the other.
After a while he said, “We haven’t talked about you and Callum, but as he’s here I’m guessing you’ve sorted things out?”
Joely said, “For now, yes. For good, I hope, but let me ask you this, did you see how well he got along with Edward’s partner, Amanda, over lunch? Before, I might not even have noticed it, or I certainly wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but now . . . Well, I guess that’s what happens when trust isn’t holding you together the way it used to. Suspicion and doubt sneak in through the cracks and before you know it even innocent scenarios are turned into something they aren’t.” She didn’t add that she was afraid it might be the same for Callum going forward, watching her with other men, but it probably would be, how could it not?
“It’ll get better,” Jamie assured her. “It takes time, that’s all.”
“You’re sounding like Mum now.”
“Or Dad. It’s what he said to me when Clare and I ran into problems.”
Joely turned to him in confusion. “You never said . . .”
“I didn’t want anyone to know. Dad only found out because Clare told him. I don’t think he ever confided in Mum, because she’s never mentioned it.”
“So you . . . ? Did you meet someone else?”
“No, Clare did, but she came back and now . . . In some ways it’s better than ever. In others it’s different, but we live with it and if one of us gets worried we talk about it.”
Still stunned that she hadn’t known any of this, Joely said, “But surely she doesn’t have any reason not to trust you?”
He smiled. “I don’t think that’s the point. Now she knows how easy it is to meet someone else even when you’re not looking, she’s afraid it’ll happen to me.”
“Oh God,” Joely groaned, and dropped her head against him not wanting to think about how corrosive mistrust and insecurity could be.
Eventually they turned to walk on, moving into single file as the path became more of a ledge until they joined hands to climb over a stony mount into the Valley of Rocks.
“Wow,” he murmured, taking in the spectacular dry bowl between the moor and the sea. “It’s kind of otherworldly, don’t you think?” He frowned. “What’s that noise?”
Joely pointed to a handful of goats clambering up the hillside. “It’s their hooves clattering on the stones,” she explained and took out her phone as it bleeped with a text. She was expecting it to be Callum or Holly, possibly her mother.
It was Freda.
Where are you? Please try to get back before I die. I have more to tell you.