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SHOCKED, TESS SAT ROOTED to the spot. Eugénie looked different; thinner, broken and her dress was shabby.
‘Eugénie,’ she called softly.
The figure lifted her head and turned. Tess saw her bruised face wet with tears and instinctively reached out to her. Eugénie didn’t seem to see her and the figure slowly dissolved into the air. Tess had to steady her breathing before going to the sink for a glass of water. The memory of Sally’s bruised face flashed into her mind as she gulped it down. God, I’m surrounded by battered women! She went downstairs to find Charlotte who, luckily, was on her own in the kitchen making a cup of tea.
‘What’s happened? You’re as white as a sheet.’ Charlotte put her arms around her and led her to a chair. Tess told her what she’d read and seen.
‘Gosh, no wonder you’re upset. Here, have my tea and I’ll make another.’
Tess sipped the tea while Charlotte dunked a teabag in another mug and then joined her.
‘Poor Eugénie! How unlucky to have got saddled with such a man.’
‘Yes, especially as she resisted marrying again for so long. At least she has baby Victor, but at one helluva cost,’ Tess said, frowning. ‘The weird thing is, I also have my patient who’s in a similar situation, except she might be able to support herself if necessary. Eugénie was legally dependent on Pierre.’ She shook her head.
‘Are you going to read any more tonight?’
‘No, I’m not in the mood now. Having to deal with a battered wife in the present is bad enough.’
‘I can imagine. If you like I’ll carry on tomorrow when I can. I’ve noticed the entries have become less frequent since her marriage.’
‘Please do. And we know from Doris’s family tree that poor Eugénie didn’t live to old age which is probably a good thing under the circumstances.’
Tess had managed to shake off thoughts of Eugénie and Sally by the next morning and arrived at work in a cheerful mood. The day seemed to rush by and it was late afternoon before she had a chance to phone Paul at La Folie.
‘Hi, Tess, you’ll be pleased to hear Sally had a good session with Molly and they’re meeting again tomorrow. I get the impression Sally’s coming round to the idea of leaving her husband under certain conditions. So, it’s wait and see. In the meantime she looks better and says she’s enjoying the chance to be looked after, but misses Rupert. As we’re strictly child-free here, I’m arranging for Sally to spend a couple of hours at our house with her mother and the baby tomorrow morning. Louisa will stay with her. Happy with that?’
‘Yes, sounds a good idea. I’d wondered how she’d cope without him. And vice versa. Thanks, Paul, I’ll stay in touch.’
Pleased some progress was being made by Sally, Tess’s thoughts turned to Eugénie. She guessed there was no happy ending for her great-great-great-great-grandmother, but was anxious to learn what did happen to her.
‘Hi, Tess, have a good day?’ Charlotte asked as she arrived home.
‘Yes, thanks. Certainly better than Friday! And you?’ Tess squatted down to join James who was on the floor playing with giant Lego bricks. He gave her a toothy smile and she dropped a kiss on his cheek. Charlotte, stretched out on the sofa, looked tired.
‘Good but exhausting. This little chap has had me running around in the garden this afternoon and I’ve only just sat down. Where do they get their energy from?’ She gave an exaggerated groan.
Tess laughed.
‘The joys of motherhood, eh? I’m led to believe it gets better by the time they’re eighteen, so you simply have to hang on in there.’ She picked up James and gave him a cuddle, saying, ‘Your mummy says you’re wearing her out. Can you slow down a bit, please? I think she’s feeling her age.’ Tess grinned as her friend threw a cushion at her, making James gurgle with laughter.
‘I can see I’ll get no sympathy from Doctor Tess, so I might as well go and make a cup of tea while you entertain my son. Want one?’ Charlotte stretched and stood, slipping her feet into her sandals.
‘Please.’
Tess helped James build the walls of a house, admiring his complete concentration on the task. When Charlotte reappeared with two mugs of tea, she left him to carry on and joined her on the sofa.
‘Ah, that’s better.’ Charlotte sighed contentedly as she sipped her tea. ‘He’s a good little boy, really, so I shouldn’t complain. And when he had a nap earlier I managed to fit in some reading.’
‘Anything interesting?’
Charlotte described the events of the early 1870s, adding, ‘You know, I would have liked to meet your Eugénie. She comes across as a caring person, not just concerned with herself. In fact, she played down her own problems, which at times were pretty bad.’
‘I agree, I think she’s someone to be proud of. Did you read any further?’ Tess sipped her tea, the image of a sobbing Eugénie in her head.
‘The return of Adèle to Paris. I bet that caused quite a stir! Thanks to her poor mental state she’s confined in a nursing home. In her shoes, I think I’d have stayed in Barbados.’ Charlotte grinned wickedly.
‘Poor thing. Her life was ruined by unrequited love and a mental disorder which apparently ran in the family. It’s just as well I’m not related to Hugo or heaven knows how I’d have turned out,’ Tess said, pulling a face.
‘Fair point. I’ve marked the page where I finished if you want to carry on.’
‘Thanks, I do.’ Tess drained her mug and stood. ‘I’ll leave you in peace as it must be Master James’s supper time soon.’ She picked him up for a cuddle just as Andy arrived.
‘Hello, one and all.’
‘Dadda!’ James wriggled out of her arms and reached up to Andy, who, laughing, picked him up and swung him round.
Tess collected the diary, gave a quick wave, and left. The little family scene brought into sharp relief the different circumstances of Eugénie’s and Sally’s lives, leaving her somewhat pensive.
After a shower and change of clothes Tess ate her supper of chicken salad, poured a glass of wine and sprawled on the sofa with the diary. Tess pursed her lips as she carried on reading about the rest of 1872 and into 1873 when Hugo and Juliette returned to Paris once more and was cheered by Hugo’s generous offer of a pension, providing Eugénie some financial security.
Tess put the book down and rubbed her eyes. Enough for now. Time for a bit of TV before bed.
A couple of days later Tess received a call from Paul, to say Sally would like to see her at La Folie after surgery, if she could spare the time. Tess was happy to agree and drove across to Torteval that evening. The building, with Gothic towers and heavy granite walls was, in Tess’s view, quite ugly, but once inside it was transformed into a place of beauty. She sniffed the lightly scented air as she waited for Sally in the entrance hall, quite content to be still for a while. A woman in a white towelling robe came towards her and for a moment Tess didn’t recognise her.
‘Sally! You’re looking better. How do you feel?’ Sally’s once bruised face now glowed, whether with make-up or not, Tess wasn’t sure, and her hair looked freshly washed and styled.
‘Much better, thanks, Doctor. Sorry to drag you out here, but I’m not ready to go out in public yet. Shall we go into the garden? We can find somewhere private to talk.’
Tess agreed and followed her down a corridor leading to the back of the building and a door onto the garden. Tess looked around at the stunning flower beds, shrubs and trees leading towards the cliff and a view of the sea. To the right was a glass-domed structure housing a swimming pool and along the back of the property was a deep terrace scattered with tables and chairs.
‘Gorgeous, isn’t it? Someone worked hard to create a garden like this,’ Sally said, with a smile.
‘They sure did. Where shall we sit?’
Sally led her to the far corner, where a bench was set facing over the cliff.
As they sat down, Sally began twisting her fingers.
‘I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me to be here. Not only has my body had a chance to heal, but I’ve been able to gain a new perspective on my...marriage and what I’ve been putting up with. The counsellor’s been great and helped me to see I do have choices.’
‘I’m glad, Sally. Have you been able to reach any conclusion?’
Sally let out a deep breath.
‘Yes. I’ve decided not to pursue charges against Don. On certain conditions.’
‘And they are?’ Tess held her breath.
‘That he agrees to a legal separation, prior to divorce, setting out his commitment to support me and Rupert financially, but to stay away from me. If he were to threaten me or try and hurt me, I’d go to the police. He’d go to prison and his reputation and career in the States would be finished.’ She paused, her hands still twisting. ‘I...I’ve seen my advocate and she’s drawing up an agreement for him to sign.’
Tess breathed again.
‘That sounds good, Sally. And you can go through with it? I remember you saying you loved him...’
She nodded.
‘I know, and part of me does love him. But I can’t go on living like I was and it’s not fair on Rupert is it? In a few years’ time, he might see Don hurt me and what sort of message does that send to a little boy? I was always scared no-one would believe me, Don’s such a powerful and well-liked man, but you believed me and so do the people who have helped me here. I see now I was simply too afraid to pull away and start again.’ She smiled shyly. ‘And I have you to thank for giving me this chance, Doctor.’
‘Well, I’m glad I was able to help. Do you think Don will accept your conditions?’
Sally frowned.
‘He doesn’t have any choice if he wants to stay out of prison. My advocate assured me that’s what would happen if I went to the police. And Don would hate that.’
‘For sure. And what about Rupert? Will you allow him contact?’
‘Yes, but again with conditions. He could see him at my mother’s or at his parents’. I wouldn’t want to be there.’
‘Sounds like you’ve thought of everything. Well done. So, when’s Don going to be told?’
‘Tomorrow. I can’t leave it much longer as I want to be with my son, but it’s not safe for me to leave here until we reach an agreement.’
‘I understand. I think you’ve been very brave and you’re doing the right thing for you and your baby. You deserve to enjoy a new life free of fear and pain.’ Tess clasped Sally’s hands.
Sally stood, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
‘Thank you, Doctor, I’ll let you know what happens. And even if I move from the Vale, I still would like you as my GP.’
Tess nodded and they walked together back inside before saying goodbye. She sat in her car, taking a few deep breaths before starting the engine. It was wonderful if it did work out for Sally the way she hoped, and it looked promising. So that was one battered wife escaping abuse, but Tess had a horrible feeling things were not looking good for Eugénie.