Entwined (23 page)

CHAPTER 23

A white van waited patiently in a pull-off on the A1. A man of average height and a rounding middle stood beside the open driver’s door. With one foot on the running board and the other on the tarmac he was perched ready for flight.

Simon guided the lorry smoothly in behind the van.

He stopped the engine and tossed Duncan the keys.

“I can’t drive this thing, Pa.”

“If the need arises, you’ll do it,” Simon said, jumping down from the cab and making his way cautiously toward the waiting vehicle.

Duncan appreciated his father’s confidence in him, but he didn’t share it. Running his fingers over the ridges of the of the ignition key, the image of Harry’s face filled his mind. Duncan’s stomach tightened and his heart pounded as he forced himself to recall the catastrophic way in which he had let Kate and Harry down. His lapse of judgment, his failure to remain alert, his inability to rescue them couldn’t be undone. They were gone, their lives taken by a chance meeting. But he couldn’t be sure that they had been found by chance. The buried crystal should have protected them. He searched his memory for clues of what might have gone wrong.

“The crystal should have protected us,” he whispered.

“Did you say something, boy?”

Duncan had quite forgotten Robert. “Errm… no, not really. I was just thinking out loud.”

“Very well,” Robert replied, leaving an uneasy silence in the cab.

“Peter Watson?” Simon said, extending his hand in friendship.

“I guess you are Simon Campbell,” the man said, accepting Simon’s outstretched hand.

Simon nodded. “We need to go.”

“You leading?” Peter asked.

“Unless you know where we are going.”

Peter shook his head. “Not a chance. I used the crystal to leave the village. Couldn’t find it again if my life depended on it.”

“It does,” Simon replied, gruffly. “Get in the van, we’re wasting time,” he finished, turning to head back to the lorry.

“He’s a fool. I don’t like him,” Simon said, taking the keys off Duncan and sliding them into the ignition.

“Why Pa, what happened?”

“The man’s a bumbling idiot. Far too jovial for my liking,” Simon snapped, turning the key.

The engine roared to life and the lorry rolled slowly toward the exit of the pull-off.

“What’s in the van?” Duncan asked.

“Medicine, I hope,” Simon replied sharply.

“I was under the impression, Sir, that you had a Stag to see to your ailments,” Robert said.

“Haven’t you been listening to anything? The Stag is dying. Take a look at my wife. Does she look like the Stag’s helping her?”

“No, Sir, she doesn’t. But I did hope that the creature may offer some assistance to your good woman once we arrive in this village.”

“You thought wrong. The Stag will die at midnight and, when it does, we will all be as mortal as you,” Simon said, pointing at Robert. “We are returning to the village to save our people from the Dark Circle, not to live forever.”

Checking his mirrors and rear view monitor for the white van, Simon returned his look to the road. The van had tucked in comfortably behind the lorry and was following at a good distance. He felt a stab of guilt for the way he had snapped at Robert and the rude manner in which he addressed him. His question had been a valid one and hadn’t deserved Simon’s wrath. He still remained irritated by the man despite his silent apology for his rude behavior. Simon also considered that he may also have misjudged Peter Watson and again offered a silent apology. His mind was consumed with worry and his heart torn with fear, but like any soldier, he understood the job he had to do and resolved to do it to the best of his ability.

The buzz of Duncan’s mobile brought Simon’s attention back to the moment.

“She is? When?” Duncan turned to face his father. “Pa, she’s awake. Ma’s going to be alright.”

“Dear God, thank you,” sighed Simon, raising his eyes momentarily to the sky.

“That is indeed good news, Sir,” Robert said, cracking what Simon thought could almost have been a smile.

“Can we stop and see her Pa?”

“Soon lad. We are about an hour from Scotch Corner. We’ll stop there.”

In the back of the lorry a tiny moan escaped Corran’s lips as she reached out to touch her child.

“Don’t try and move, Corran,” Rose said, lifting her hand and resting it gently on her friend’s shoulder.

“Thirsty,” she whispered.

Graham unscrewed the cap off a bottle of water and lifted it carefully to Corran’s lips. “Just take small sips,” he said, tilting it to wet her parched mouth.

“Thank you.”

“How is the pain?” he asked.

“Bearable.”

“That’s good. Let me know if you need me to increase your medication.”

“What happened?” Corran asked, turning her head to look at the baby in the drawer beside her. She reached out her hand and let her fingers lightly brush the baby’s arm.

“Is… is that my baby?” she asked.

Rose nodded and forced a smiled down at Corran. “You gave us all a bit of a fright.”

“Where is Simon?” Corran asked, scanning the faces around her.

“He’s driving.”

“Jenny,” Corran cried, recognizing the girl beside Grace. Although she knew her face she had no memory of how she recognized her.

“Yes, Corran. You saved my daughter,” Grace said, putting her arm around Jenny.

“I don’t remember… I know we tried but I don’t remember how,” Corran said weakly.

“Try not to talk. There will be plenty of time for questions,” Graham said, holding her wrist and silently counting her pulse.

“Is the baby alright?” Corran asked.

“Your baby is fine,” Graham assured her.

“I’m sorry but I don’t remember you.”

“I’m Graham, the doctor who delivered your baby.”

“I don’t -,” Corran whispered.

“It’s OK. You won’t recall it. We had to do an operation… A cesarean section.”

“I think I’ve read about them.”

“Don’t worry about it now. Just enjoy your beautiful healthy baby,” Graham said.

“I think Simon was right,” Corran said, staring at the child.

“Why?” Rose asked.

“Because it looks like a boy.”

“It’s not often you can tell the sex of a newborn by its face, but in this case you are absolutely right. You have a very male-looking son,” Graham said, with a small rumble of laughter.

“Where are Harry and Kate?”

The lorry fell suddenly silent and the air tensed. Graham reached for Corran’s hand and understood the fear in her eyes.

“They didn’t come with us,” Graham began, “They… errr… They -”

“Harry didn’t want to come,” intervened Grace.

“Yeah,” Jenny chimed, “He put up a terrible fuss about being an old man.”

“But Simon should have made him come. He could have been reunited with Jessie.”

“He was very adamant, Corran,” Graham said.

“And Kate?” Corran asked, casting another frantic look around the lorry.

“She stayed with Harry,” Grace said simply, hoping that Corran hadn’t hear the choked sob that had just escaped from Rose.

As if on cue the baby let out a lung busting cry and all eyes shot towards the tiny form.

“Is he hungry?” Corran asked nervously.

“He can smell your milk,” Graham replied.

“Should I feed him?”

“If you feel strong enough. We’ve started him on a bottle, so it may take a bit of patience to get him onto the breast,” Graham said, searching the lorry for something to prop up Corran.

With Corran’s recovery seemed to come an improvement in everyone’s mood. Jenny bounced from the floor and moved swiftly to Graham’s side.

“I can help you move some boxes, if that will help?” she said.

“Thank you, Jenny, but don’t go lifting anything too heavy.”

It wasn’t long before Grace and Rose joined in and between them a solid wall of boxes was built behind Corran’s mattress.

“You still coping with the pain?” Graham asked when finally Corran was sitting propped up against pillows and boxes.

She nodded, but the pale color of her skin and the tiny beads of sweat on her forehead told him different.

He pulled his bag towards him, and clicking the catch on the bag, Graham extracted two boxes of tablets. He slid a card of pills from each box and popped one tablet from each card into a small plastic cup.

“Here,” he said, passing Corran the plastic tub. “Take these.”

She took the tub from him whilst he unscrewed the cap on a bottle of water.

“I’m alright, really,” she argued, holding the tablets in her trembling hand.

“Why won’t you take them?” Graham asked, offering her the bottle of water.

“Because I read that taking medicine when you are breast feeding can harm the baby.”

Graham smiled down at her. “Do you really think I would go to all this trouble to deliver your son and save your life and then put it all in jeopardy by giving you something that would harm you both?”

She shook her head.

“Well then, I’m your doctor and I’m telling you that this medication will harm neither you nor the baby. Take it Corran, you need the pain relief.”

Hesitantly she did as he asked and then handed the bottle of water and the plastic tub back to Graham.

“Are you ready for your baby?” Rose asked, lifting the tiny bundle from its crib with a forced smile.

She nodded nervously as Rose lowered the baby gently into the cradle of her arms. Gripped by an overwhelming force, Corran drew the child instinctively to her chest. Her eyes locked on his face as the baby’s bottom lip curled and quivered. A weak cry escaped his throat and she drew him tighter against her.

“I know, little one, Ma is sore too,” she whispered, as an overwhelming and almost unbearable feeling of love and fear twisted inside her. The baby stilled and his eyes opened to focus on his mother’s face. Corran stared into the mysterious dark eyes and in that moment an unbreakable bond forged between her and her son and she understood that from this time on, she could and would never love another as she did this child.

“He’s a proper little gem,” Rose said, drawing Corran’s attention back to the moment.

“You have been crying,” Corran said, noticing Rose’s tear stained cheeks and swollen red eyes.

“Yeah, just the emotion of the day. You know, I wish Harry and Kate and had come with us too,” Rose replied, fighting back another wave of tears.

“I am so sorry, Rose,” Corran said, wondering as she did what had inspired her husband to let them stay behind. Kate she could understand, but Harry she couldn’t fathom.

“Hey, it doesn’t matter,” Rose said, with a strained cheer.

“It does, and I know how painful it must have been to leave them.”

“Never mind, I’ll see my Mum and Gran soon,” Rose said, maintaining the façade and willing an up-beat tone to her voice. “Now, you can do it nature’s way or the modern way,” she said, channeling the conversation back to the baby.

“I’ll try it nature’s way,” Corran replied, lifting the child to her breast.

“Well done you,” Rose encouraged.

As the little mouth closed over her nipple, Corran let out a wail of pain which left her momentarily breathless. Her face contorted and she sucked in a short, sharp breath.

“The pain will pass,” Grace said softly. “It always hurts when they first start to suckle.”