Claire’s heart thudded as she crept down the stairs, wondering who would be knocking on the door at gone eleven thirty at night. Reaching the hall, she glanced worriedly back up the stairs, her mind on Ella. She was very aware that she was the only thing between her little girl and anyone intent on causing her harm. She would kill to protect her, instinctively, as any mother would, but she would be no match for some weapon-wielding maniac.
Might it be Luke? She hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts, hoping he would get the message and give her some space, so he was probably bound to come looking. She wasn’t sure she felt any more relieved at that thought.
Whoever it was knocked again as she deliberated whether to answer, causing her to almost part company with her skin. Hardly daring to breathe, she stepped hesitantly towards the front door, thanking God for the security chain and peephole her dad had installed and insisted she use. Guardedly, she peered out, and then gasped in disbelief.
Sophie? What on earth…? She hurriedly unhitched the chain and opened the door.
‘I got the last train,’ Sophie said tearfully. ‘I’m so sorry, Claire. I couldn’t stay there. I didn’t know where else to go.’
Claire stepped out to usher her in. ‘What happened?’ she asked, shocked as she took in Sophie’s bedraggled appearance, the bruising to her face, which had been obvious even in the dim glow of the security light.
‘I… went out. With a man I know,’ Sophie said haltingly. ‘I’ve been out with him once before. We went back to my flat. He must have thought… but I didn’t want to…’ She stopped, her chest heaving as she gulped back a sob. ‘I fought him, tried to run, but…’
‘Oh God, Sophie.’ Claire wrapped her arms around the other woman, allowing her to rest her head on her shoulder. ‘Did he…?’ she asked softly, as another sob racked Sophie’s body.
Sophie shook her head. ‘No, but…’ She eased away to look at her. ‘He caught up with me at the front door. He was so angry. I thought… I can’t go back there, Claire,’ she said, her voice trembling, her eyes shot through with fear. ‘I have no idea what I’m going to do.’
‘You can stay here. Ella’s in with me tonight, so you can have her room,’ Claire said decisively, placing an arm around Sophie’s shoulders and steering her into the lounge. The spare room was full of bits and pieces from the cottage, and she wasn’t sure Sophie would be comfortable in her father’s bed, under the circumstances. She’d have to sort it out, make some space for her, at least for a while.
‘But what about my flat? The neighbours will feed Cinder, but there’s all my things.’ Sophie seemed bewildered. ‘And then there’s the rent I owe.’
‘There’s no need to worry about all that now,’ Claire assured her. ‘We can sort it out later. Have you informed the police?’
Sophie shook her head, hard. ‘I know I should, but… I can’t, Claire. I’m so confused and scared. I just can’t face it.’
Bastard. Claire felt fury bubble up inside her. That a man could do this to a woman was inconceivable. What went through their minds? She would try to persuade Sophie to report him, but from the look on her face, it wasn’t going to be easy. She needed to rest, though Claire doubted very much she would sleep.
For now, though… Sophie had said she wanted to be part of Claire’s family. Claire could make that happen; be there for her as Sophie had said she would be for Claire.
‘I understand,’ she said with a reassuring smile. ‘Let’s just get you tucked up in bed for tonight. We’ll face the rest tomorrow. I’ll have to have a reshuffle bedroom-wise, but there’s plenty of room now that my father’s not here.’
‘Thanks, Claire.’ Looking hugely relieved, Sophie managed a shaky smile. ‘How is Bernard?’ she asked, wincing slightly as she wiped a hand over her bruised face.
‘Confused, but as well as he can be,’ Claire answered honestly.
Sophie nodded, looking contemplative. ‘Do you think I could go and visit him?’ she asked. ‘Tomorrow, maybe? It’s been so long since I last saw him.’
Claire was hesitant. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea yet, to be honest. He might find it too upsetting. He doesn’t recognise people any more. I honestly don’t think he’s likely to remember who you are,’ she explained carefully.
Sophie searched her face, her huge brown eyes uncomprehending for a second, and then she looked tearful all over again.
‘Leave it for a little while, I would,’ Claire suggested kindly. ‘I’m thinking it might be upsetting for you too. Why don’t you see how you feel in a day or—’
She stopped, her heart almost leaping out of her mouth as she heard a noise from the hall that sounded like the front door hitting the chain. Panic clutching her stomach, she looked at Sophie.
‘Luke?’ Sophie asked, clearly also alarmed.
‘It must be; he’s the only one with a key.’ Steeling herself for what was bound to be a fraught conversation, Claire turned for the hall.
‘Let me go,’ Sophie whispered behind her. ‘I’ll get rid of him.’
Claire doubted she would do that, given Luke’s overreaction when she’d mentioned Sophie’s existence. He’d be bound to demand to come in if he saw she was here. And judging by the fact that he’d used his key, evidently he thought he was entitled to come in. Uh uh. Not on, Luke. He’d made his bed and now he could lie in it, with or without the sexually exciting company he preferred.
‘No, I don’t want him bombarding me with questions if he sees you,’ Claire whispered back. ‘You stay here. Don’t worry; if there’s a problem, I won’t hesitate to call the police.’ Giving Sophie a reassuring nod, she headed into the hall.
‘Shit!’ She heard Luke curse from behind the door as he tried it again. ‘Claire?’ he called, at least making some attempt to keep his voice down. He’d remembered his daughter would be in bed, then.
‘What are you doing here, Luke?’ Claire hissed through the gap between door and frame. ‘Have you been drinking?’
‘No, I have not. I wouldn’t come here drunk, for Christ’s sake. What do you take me for?’
Apart from a cheat and a liar and a manipulator? ‘Asks the man who had a drunken fight with a defenceless old man right outside his daughter’s bedroom door.’
Luke shook his head. ‘That’s not fair, Claire, and you know it.’
‘It’s midnight,’ Claire said, exasperated. ‘Gone midnight. You’ll wake—’
‘I know what time it is,’ Luke cut in. ‘What the hell do you expect me to do? You won’t answer my texts or calls. I drive over, you’re not here. I’ve been to the care home. I’ve been going out of my mind with—’
‘The care home? At this time of night?’ Claire eyed him quizzically.
‘Let me in, Claire,’ Luke said with a heavy sigh. ‘I need to talk to you.’
She looked at him apprehensively. ‘About?’
‘Anna,’ Luke announced, stunning her. ‘I need to talk to you properly, face to face. I’m worried—’
‘No,’ Claire said adamantly. Did he really think she wanted to discuss her? What did he want? Advice? A shoulder to cry on? The man was mad. ‘You need to go, Luke,’ she warned him. ‘If you don’t, I’ll call the police.’
‘For fu—’ Luke sucked in a terse breath. Holding it, he glanced skywards, and then looked back at her, his expression now one of weary disappointment. ‘Please let me in,’ he said, his tone quieter. ‘It’s urgent. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.’
‘Urgent, as in you need to make sure I go to the station and give a statement?’ Claire asked him. She had no doubt he would be concerned about that.
‘No!’ he exclaimed.
‘Don’t worry, I’ve already been,’ she informed him. ‘I went as soon as I got back from Rhyl in the hope that you would stop bothering me.’
‘Bothering you?’ Luke baulked.
‘Bothering me, yes. So now you’ve established that I’ve done what you wanted, you can stop, can’t you?’ Claire looked him over, disillusioned. How could she have lived with this man and never truly known him? Given what she’d now learned about her father, she was plainly a rubbish judge of character.
‘Jesus!’ Luke ran a hand agitatedly over his face. ‘My being here has nothing to do with that. This is stupid, Claire. Can we not just talk inside?’
Liar. ‘Go, Luke.’ She made to close the door, but he moved faster, catching her unawares as he stepped forward to block it with his foot.
Her heart jumping, Claire met his gaze, and what she saw there shook her. She could feel the heat from his eyes as they drilled angrily into hers. ‘I need to talk to you,’ he repeated, his tone now worryingly quiet. ‘Please let me in.’
Swallowing back a knot of fear, she scrambled for a way to make him leave. And then closed her eyes with relief as the downstairs loo flushed behind her. Well done, Sophie. ‘You need to go, Luke,’ she reiterated forcefully. ‘I have someone here.’
Luke’s look turned to one of shock, then he narrowed his eyes. ‘Who?’
‘A friend.’ She summoned her courage, and prayed fervently that this wouldn’t turn ugly. ‘A male friend. You really should go now. I don’t want Ella upset again.’
‘A…?’ He stepped back from the door. ‘You’re… seeing someone?’ he asked, his expression incredulous.
‘Yes.’ Her nerves jangling, Claire waited. Prayed harder.
‘I see.’ Luke nodded slowly, and then emitted a cynical laugh. ‘Didn’t take you long, did it? Not that devastated about what I supposedly did then? Seems to me you couldn’t wait to get shot of me. Is that why you moved your father into the care home so fast, I wonder, so you could move that bastard in?’
Claire felt anger explode inside her. ‘Piss off, Luke. Now!’
‘Don’t worry, I’m going,’ he assured her. ‘Do me a favour. Don’t fuck him in the bed I couldn’t get near you in, hey?’ Dragging a disdainful gaze over her, he turned and stormed away.