Melkinthorpe appeared to be more of a hamlet than a village to Brenda, but she could certainly see its attraction as she drove past pretty stone-built cottages sprawled alongside the narrow roads; it was a beautiful area. The gardens were at their brilliant best too, set off by the afternoon sunshine, and the scent of newly mown grass wafted through the open car window. Her sat nav guided Brenda to the south of the village, past a sign for Melkinthorpe Hall and a large wooded area, beyond which, her device informed her, was the river Leith. Alice’s cottage was a property standing on its own, just off the main road and she pulled tentatively onto the drive, trusting she had the correct address.
The attractive double-fronted cottage reminded Brenda of Alice and Tom’s home in Matlock, although much smaller and certainly in a quieter spot. The thought that perhaps subconsciously, they’d chosen a similar home as the one they’d loved and left crossed her mind as she parked her car in front of the garage. Brenda grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and threw open the door, anxious to see Alice and hopefully learn the answers to some rather troubling questions.
When she heard the sound of someone coming to answer the doorbell, Brenda almost shouted ‘hallelujah’, and as the door opened, just a crack at first, relief flooded through her as she found herself facing a startled and nervous-looking Alice. Her friend looked pale and had lost a considerable amount of weight since they’d last been together, but a smile lit up her face and tears glistened in her eyes at the sight of her friend on her doorstep.
‘Brenda! What are you doing here? I thought you were in Australia?’
Brenda scowled. ‘Why would I be in Australia?’
‘Rachel said you were visiting Chloe for three months…’ Alice looked confused but stood aside to allow her friend to enter her home. The two women hugged then stood back to look at each other properly.
‘I think Rachel has a lot to answer for.’ Brenda frowned. ‘She told me that you were in The Elms, permanently, after a breakdown.’
‘What? No, I was in there for a few weeks, but I’m home now and much better, as you can see. Come through to the kitchen and tell me when you spoke to Rachel.’
Alice led Brenda through the house to the kitchen, automatically putting the kettle on to boil. It was as if they’d never been apart and the ease of their friendship, picked up again so readily, comforted both women. Brenda took in the generously sized farmhouse style room with the window overlooking open countryside. The kitchen door stood open and the sounds of birds drifted in on the scent of roses. It could have been an idyllic setting for Alice’s retirement, but things seemed to have gone badly wrong. Brenda wondered if she should ask about Tom or wait for Alice to tell her in her own time. She accepted the tea placed before her and smiled.
‘So, you’re feeling much better now then? Why didn’t you let me know you were home? I could have come sooner.’
‘I would have, but my address book seems to have got lost in the move and I couldn’t remember your phone number.’ Alice didn’t like to admit that she’d hardly been able to remember her own name at times.
‘You could have emailed?’ Brenda suggested.
‘Ah, that’s another story. I seem to have deleted all my contacts on the laptop too. Things have been so strange lately, but I really am much better. So, did Rachel get it wrong then? Have you been to Australia?’
‘No, Alice, that was never on the cards. Chloe lives in London, not Australia.’ Brenda’s brow furrowed again. Perhaps her friend was still confused.
‘I thought so, but I’m sure that’s what Rachel told me…’
‘Don’t worry about it, I’m here now and if it’s okay with you, I can stay for a few days. I brought an overnight bag expecting to stay one night in a hotel somewhere, but now that you’re home, we can spend a bit of time together. But I might need to borrow a change of clothes?’
‘That would be lovely. I’ve missed you so much and it’s quite lonely here at times.’
‘Don’t you see much of Rachel then?’
‘She rings each morning to check up on me, but quite honestly, we’ve not seen eye to eye lately, ever since I went into The Elms. She wanted me to stay there, but I’m not as bad as my daughter seems to think I am.’
‘What do you mean by ‘bad’, Alice? What exactly has been the problem?’
‘At first, the doctors thought it was a stroke, but it wasn’t. Then they thought dementia, which it probably is, but Sarah assures me that there are people much worse than me who can still live independently. What did Rachel tell you?’
‘She did mention dementia but said you’d had a complete breakdown… who’s Sarah?’
‘A volunteer at The Elms, but she’s become a friend since then. She’s a lovely lady, a policeman’s wife and so caring. I can talk to her when I can’t talk to Rachel, which sadly is most of the time.’ Alice looked thoughtful before asking her friend what was on her mind. ‘Brenda, do you know who Millie is?’
‘Of course! She’s your granddaughter and the reason you and Tom moved here.’ Brenda was confused now and found it difficult to assess just what her friend’s state of mind really was.
‘Did you say Tom?’ Alice almost dropped the cup she was holding. Her face paled and tears again clouded her eyes. ‘Rachel told me that Tom died four years ago – from a heart attack and that I don’t have a granddaughter…’
‘Alice, you’re not making any sense. Rachel wouldn’t say those things, surely? Tom’s in hospital. He’s had a stroke, don’t you remember?’
Alice’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘And I suppose Rachel told you that!’ She was suddenly furious as her mind raced and things started to fall into place.
‘I’m going to ring Sarah; I want you to meet her.’ Alice left a very puzzled Brenda in the kitchen and went to telephone her friend. At least Sarah would back her up as to what Rachel had, or hadn’t, said.
‘Here, look at this!’ Alice returned from making her call and thrust a piece of paper into Brenda’s hands. After reading the front page, Brenda felt quite nauseous and gasped.
‘But what’s this? Where did you get it?’ She was shocked to read the order of service for Tom’s funeral, dated four years previously.
‘Can’t you guess? Rachel! Tom isn’t in hospital after a stroke, it appears he’s missing. I don’t know what my daughter’s playing at, but I’m going to find out. Sarah’s coming straight over, and when you’ve heard what she has to say, I’d like you to come with me to visit Rachel. She’s certainly got some explaining to do.’
* * *
While they waited for Sarah, the two women speculated on why Rachel had been deliberately lying, but the biggest concern to Alice was where Tom and Millie were.
Since leaving The Elms, Alice hadn’t visited Rachel’s house. There seemed no point as she’d accepted that Millie was just a figment of her supposedly muddled mind. Now, however, all previous concerns about her granddaughter’s welfare resurfaced and her head throbbed with the shocking knowledge that Rachel was deceiving and manipulating Alice. How could she be so cruel, so heartless? But what about Tom? Dare Alice hope that her husband was still alive and if so, where was he?
When Sarah arrived and quick introductions made, Alice asked Brenda to tell her new friend about Millie. Sarah’s face drained of all colour as she listened to this woman confirming that Rachel Roberts actually did have a daughter called Millie. Alice wasn’t confused. She was right all along – Brenda had even met the child on a couple of occasions.
‘Now tell her about Tom.’ Alice’s voice was breaking, there was so much to process and she felt exhausted with the effort and the painful knowledge that her daughter had so callously deceived her.
‘The last time I saw Tom was a week or two before they moved here from Matlock.’ Brenda confirmed. ‘He came round with Alice to have a meal with Ian and me. He was as fit as I’d ever seen him and looking forward to retirement.’
‘But Rachel told us at The Elms that Tom died four years ago, and she certainly denied having a daughter! She almost bit my head off for believing Alice. Tell me, was Alice a teacher at Matlock Primary school?’
‘Yes, and a rather brilliant one too! Look, it’s quite obvious that Rachel’s the one who’s living in a fantasy land, not poor Alice. That girl’s told lie upon lie until it’s almost impossible to know the truth, but the question now is what do we do about it? I know Alice wants to go round and confront her but is that the best thing to do?’ Brenda and Alice both looked to Sarah, who was still reeling with the incredible knowledge of Rachel’s deceit.
‘I feel out of my depth here and can’t advise you but I don’t think it would be wise to confront Rachel. If she’s capable of such deception, who knows what else she’s capable of? Alice, would you mind if I rang Jack and asked him to come and see you?’
‘Not at all, it would be such a relief to hear his advice. Sarah, do you think Tom might still be alive?’
