Chapter Fifty-Two

Helen looked at her watch. The time had come for Henrietta to return to the hospital. She turned to her grandmother, who had been chatting for quite some time to Dr Bernard. They seemed to be getting on very well and were clearly in the middle of an in-depth discussion.

‘I’m awfully sorry,’ Helen said, ‘but I’m going to have to drag my aunty away from you. I promised I’d have her back by four. And not a minute later.’

‘What a shame,’ he lamented. ‘We were just having the most interesting discussion about A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. So few people seem to read these days. And it’s such a relief to chat to someone who doesn’t want me to diagnose some ailment or other they might have.’

Helen laughed. John had told her it was one of the downsides of working in the medical profession. As soon as someone knew you were a doctor, you could wave goodbye to a normal evening of socialising.

‘Well, it’s been a joy chatting to you, Dr Bernard. You’ve made my Christmas Day even more enjoyable – if that was at all possible,’ Henrietta said.

Was her grandmother flirting?

Helen watched as Dr Bernard took hold of Henrietta’s pale hand and kissed it.

‘My sentiments exactly!’ he said, standing up.

Was the doctor flirting with her grandmother?

Helen put out her arm for Henrietta to hold so as to aid her walk back to the corridor, where she had insisted on putting her wheelchair.

‘So sorry,’ Helen said to Dr Bernard, sensing his disappointment, ‘but I have to get Cinders back or the spell will be broken. Her carriage will be turned back into a pumpkin and then I’ll never get her to the Royal.’

‘Surely that wouldn’t be such a catastrophe?’ Dr Bernard said, smiling at Henrietta. ‘Your aunty would just have to bed down here for the night instead of at the Infirmary. There’d even be a doctor to hand.’

He was flirting.

‘I’m sure we’ll meet again – as the song goes,’ Henrietta said. And with that she turned and walked with her granddaughter across the canteen-turned-Winter Wonderland to the exit. As she did so, one of her gloves, which she had just pulled from her handbag, fell to the ground.

Dr Bernard smiled. He twisted his light grey moustache, walked over and picked it up. He had his glass slipper. They would meet again.

As Helen helped Henrietta back into her wheelchair, she shook her head. ‘Well, Grandmother, I do believe you have an admirer.’

Henrietta looked wide-eyed at her granddaughter. ‘And would that be such a surprise?’

Helen laughed as she started pushing the wheelchair down the corridor.

‘No, not at all, Grandmother. Nothing surprises me about you. Absolutely nothing.’

*

Helen glanced at her watch as they neared the Royal. She could see that her grandmother was tiring. She pulled up in the parking area at the front of the hospital.

‘Helen …’ Henrietta gave her granddaughter a serious look as the car came to a halt ‘… I have a request to make.’

‘That sounds a tad ominous, Grandmama,’ Helen said. ‘What is it?’

‘When I’m back on my feet properly,’ she said, ‘I want to go and see Gracie’s parents. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot these past few days.’ She paused. ‘Would you help me to find them? Arrange for me to meet them?’

‘Yes, of course, Grandmama.’ Helen hesitated. ‘But let’s take one step at a time, eh? Let’s get you one hundred per cent fit and healthy first.’

Henrietta nodded. ‘All right, my dear. But when I’m ready, will you do it? Will you find them and take me to them?’

‘Of course I will,’ she said.

Helen knew that her grandmother wanted to make amends, even though, in her opinion, Henrietta had done nothing wrong and was blameless, but she knew that her grandmother was not of the same mind.

Aware that Pearl visited Gracie’s parents occasionally, Helen knew that there would be no problem locating them. She was unsure, though, how keen Gracie’s mother and father would be to meet Henrietta. Gracie’s parents hated Charles Havelock with as much intensity as Pearl did, and had made it clear that they would tell the world of the crimes committed against their daughter if needs be.

‘On a lighter note,’ Helen said, ‘I have another Christmas present to give you, but it’s not something I can hand to you at this moment in time.’

Henrietta looked at her granddaughter. Sometimes she caught her younger self in Helen. Not that she would ever tell her. Helen might love her dearly, but she doubted very much she wanted to be like her.

‘But, Helen, you have already given me more than enough – this wonderful day, and this wonderful outfit.’ She looked down and smoothed her skirt. ‘That and so much more. More than you will ever realise.’

Helen felt the prick of tears. She wanted to tell her grandmother that she had given her so much too. Much more than she would ever realise. But she didn’t. She didn’t trust herself.

Henrietta clasped her hands. ‘It sounds very mysterious.’ She looked at Helen. ‘What is it?’

‘I’ve got it all organised – and agreed officially. You’re coming to live with me and Mother as soon as you’re discharged from hospital.’ After her chat with Dr Eris, she now had everything in place.

‘Oh, my dearest Helen!’ Henrietta was taken aback. ‘Are you sure? Is that what you really want? And your mother? To have me come and live with you both?’

Helen smiled.

‘Yes, Grandmother, it’s what we want. What we really want,’ she reassured. It was certainly what Helen wanted. She doubted her mother would be so keen, but she had no say in the matter. If she didn’t like it, she could always go and live at the Grand permanently, which, come to think of it, might not be such a bad idea.

As Helen helped Henrietta out of the car, she could see her grandmother’s face was alive with excitement, despite the fact she was clearly exhausted after the day’s jollities. As they walked to the entrance, though, her mood suddenly changed and her face clouded over.

‘But …’ she hesitated ‘… are you’re sure I’ll be allowed to?’

‘Yes, you’re allowed to,’ Helen said, her voice steely. ‘No one can or will stop you.’

She’d made damn sure of that.

As Helen drove back to the Christmas Extravaganza, her mind wandered to thoughts of her grandfather. It angered her that her grandmother still felt the pull of his leash. Her concerns about being ‘allowed’ were evidence of that.

Helen knew she had won a minor victory over her grandfather in forcing his hand over Henrietta’s release from the asylum – and how much he would hate this, even though Henrietta was to continue living under a false identity.

She also knew, though, that a good part of her grandfather’s ire would be because his failure to get rid of Henrietta meant it would not be possible for him to do what he really wanted to do – wreak revenge on all those he perceived had done him an injustice. And Helen knew it would not be just Pearl and Bel who would be the focus of his vitriol, but all those they loved and cared for.

Helen also realised that there was another reason for her grandfather’s desire for revenge – a far more worrying and perverse reason – and that was because he loved nothing more than to inflict pain on others. He had been doing it all his life – and he was not going to stop now simply because he was old. He was a sadist in the true meaning of the word.

Helen may well have trounced her grandfather on this occasion, and his hands might be tied – for now – but he would not take this defeat lying down. As well as being a cold-hearted, evil man, Charles Havelock lived for the thrill of a good fight. And he didn’t give a fig if that fight was with his own flesh and blood. Her grandfather was not one to be beaten. He would be plotting and planning – of that she was sure.

She would have to be vigilant.

Back at the Christmas Extravaganza, the tables had been moved aside to create a makeshift dance hall. Seeing her father and Gloria, Helen headed over. She saw John and waved, but he didn’t see her. He was looking rather preoccupied and was making his way over to Dr Eris.

‘Everything all right?’ Gloria asked.

‘Yes, yes,’ Helen said, sitting down. ‘Really good, actually. I’ve just told Grandmama I’ve got the green light for her to come and live with me – and Mother, too, of course.’

‘That’s great news.’ Gloria turned to Jack, who nodded.

‘Aye, that’s brilliant. And I’d have thought a lot safer for Henrietta,’ he added sagely.

‘Definitely,’ Helen agreed. It had been one of her primary concerns. Who knew what else her grandfather might try?

‘Dr Eris has agreed to sign the discharge papers. She said she’d have them all ready for me tomorrow and I just need to add the date when Grandmama’s well enough to leave the Royal and ready to come home.’

‘I’m pleased for yer,’ Gloria said, taking her hand and squeezing it.

They were quiet for a moment. Helen watched as Dr Parker and Dr Eris walked out of the canteen together.

‘It seems like yer ’n Dr Eris are getting on better?’ Gloria asked.

‘We are,’ Helen agreed. ‘We had a good chat the other day. I told her how thankful I was to her for going against Grandfather’s orders. She was risking her job. Her career.’ Helen laughed. ‘She actually wanted to make sure I wouldn’t let on what she’d done. Honestly, as if I’d drop her in it after she helped save Grandmother’s life.’

Gloria shook her head. ‘She obviously doesn’t know yer.’

‘I also told her that I had a proposition to make,’ Helen said.

Gloria looked at her. ‘A proposition?’

‘I said that if she gave me Henrietta’s original admissions form,’ Helen explained, ‘then I could get Henrietta discharged from the asylum for good and then Dr Eris wouldn’t have to keep feeding her sugar pills and risk being found out and having her career cut short. Grandfather would be removed from her life.’

‘She obviously agreed,’ Gloria said, ‘which surprises me as surely that means she’s handed over the document she’s been using to blackmail yer with – to keep yer away from John. That document was her bargaining chip, wasn’t it? Proof of Henrietta’s true identity?’

Helen laughed again. A little bitterly. ‘She might have done right by Grandmama, but she’s still on a mission to get John down the aisle by hook or by crook. There’s no way she’ll ever risk letting me get in the way.’ Helen raised her eyebrows. ‘I had to promise to give the form back to her.’

‘And have yer?’ Gloria asked.

‘Of course, I am a woman of my word.’

Gloria looked at Helen. She could see her heartache.

Feeling the need for a cigarette, Helen looked in her handbag, but there weren’t any.

‘I won’t be a minute,’ she said, standing up. ‘I’ve left my cigarettes in the car. I’ll be back.’

Manoeuvring herself around the table and across the dance floor, Helen left the party.

Taking her time as she walked down the various corridors to the main entrance, her mind wandered to John and all the times she had walked this way to meet him in the canteen, to drink tea and eat iced buns. It still surprised her how much she simply enjoyed being in his company. She never got bored. Never got fidgety. Never wanted to leave.

She sighed. Perhaps there was still hope. John might end his relationship with Claire. It wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility. They had been courting for some time now and there had not been the whisper of an engagement, even though it must be clear to John that there was nothing Claire would like more.

When she reached the reception area, Helen looked over at the new receptionist. Even her predecessor, Denise, had managed to bag herself a husband, by all accounts. John had told her she’d gone out with one of the younger doctors from the Royal and ended up falling for his widowed father. Sometimes, she mused, it seemed that life liked to throw the occasional curve ball. The odds might be against her and John at the moment, but you never knew – that could change in the blink of an eye.

Helen opened the main door and stepped out into the dark, cold, but also very beautiful evening. The snow had continued to fall and the vast grounds of the hospital were now covered in a sheer white blanket of virgin snow. The sight of it caught her breath and she stood for a moment, enjoying the view and the stillness.

She was just about to make her way down the stone steps to her car when in her peripheral vision she caught movement. She looked to her right, where she knew there was a bench. One on which in warmer weather she had often sat with John and chatted.

She could just about make out two figures in the dark. A man and a woman. At first, she thought it must be a courting couple. Perhaps a wounded soldier and one of the pretty young nurses. But as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realised there was something familiar about the two figures.

Standing as still as a statue, she continued to look. Suddenly feeling a little voyeuristic, she forced herself to look away. But before she did so, the man stood up. And as he did, her heart sank.

It was John.

He was standing up and doing that thing with his hair – raking it back with his fingers to keep it from flopping forward.

Unsure whether to continue down the steps to the car or turn and go back into the foyer, she ended up staying glued to the spot.

She watched, her eyes fixed on John as he went down on one knee.

At first, Helen thought he’d dropped something.

But of course, he hadn’t.

He was proposing to Claire.

Helen couldn’t help but look. After a few moments, Claire, who was still seated on the bench, leant forward and kissed him

There was no need to second-guess her answer.

Finally, Helen managed to break the spell of inertia.

Turning, she stepped back on tiptoes, suddenly terrified of being seen, of feeling that she was snooping on them. Of them seeing the devastation on her face.

Quietly, she pushed open the door and slipped back into the main hall.

From there she made her way straight to the Ladies, where she stayed for a while, allowing herself to give free rein to her heartbreak.