Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,100
them and my grandchildren. They are lovely, but a bit of a crowd if they all come at once.”
“I am sorry, but why will I see your children when they visit you? Not that I would not love to, of course.”
“Well, we will be in Cupar again, or maybe out the road a bit. My cousin..”
“Why Cupar?”
“Well, I am hoping you can find space for me in your new repair shop. These motor cars are getting very popular, I hear.”
Lewis went pale. He stood quite still and looked at Neil, whose cheerful ruddy face looked back at him, smiling. Lewis opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. He shut it again and stared. At last he found some of his voice.
“I am surprised, Neil.”
“Surprised? You are shocked to your core. Tell him so.” Trynor was shaking his head at Roki, who raised his hands out from his hips in a ‘what can I do?’ gesture and stayed silent.
“You stole my job when I was grieving. You came asking for my help every time it was too difficult for you, you practically forbade me to see your children once I stood up to you, when you knew seeing them was keeping me sane and now you have the gall to come and ask me to employ you, when you are known in Dundee as a fraud and dangerous?” Lewis broke off, winded.
“Think about it, Lewis. I will not ask you to make up your mind today. I will call again tomorrow.” Neil turned on his heel and stalked out of the workshop. Lewis leant against the doctor’s car, feeling as though he had just run a mile. He wondered what he could do. It is not fair of him to ask me such a thing, he thought. He would take over here as he took my place in Dundee. But I cannot let him starve. He must work.
“Not for you. He can go back to the farms. He has plenty of cousins and nephews with land to work.”
And poor Margaret. She must be distraught. I cannot see her with nothing.
“Poor Margaret knew her husband was lying and using you. She could have stopped him. Do what is right for you, my Lewis, not what you imagine is right for the Martins.”
It is wrong to be so weak and let Neil ride roughshod over me again. But it is unchristian to see him and his wife hungry.
“Come on, send his karma back to him now, or you’ll have to do it again in the future, maybe in your next lives. Get it over with.” Trynor was getting exasperated. Lewis stood up.
“I cannot decide. Maybe if I tidy the garage, things will come clear.” He moved around for a while, picking up tools and returning them to their places on the wall. As he reached out to hang the heavy wrench on its peg, he felt a sudden pressure in his chest and his breath caught in his throat. He grabbed for the worktop, but missed and watched his hands blur as he fell to the floor.
“Well, that’s one way of avoiding the decision, I suppose,” said Trynor, as he went to warn the others that Lewis would be coming.
Chapter 36
Meeting number Seventy-one
Lewis lifted slowly away from his body, looking at it sprawled on the ground. He put a hand on his chest, relieved to find that there was no pain. His arms felt normal and when he looked at his hands, they were clean, not a trace of oil remained. His head felt clear. He looked around the workshop and felt a regret that he had not moved back here sooner. Only two years my own master, he thought. I should never have stayed in Dundee, even with the new factory. And now no one of my own to leave this to. That apprentice is a good lad, but too interested in motor cars. Not enough attention paid to the skilled work. I wonder where he is?
A boy of about eighteen ran into the workshop, calling out “Mr Lindsay? Did you call? I heard voices.” He stopped short when he saw Lewis lying on the ground.
“Oh, my goodness, are you all right? Mr Lindsay?” He knelt beside Lewis and watched his chest intently.
“I am perfectly all right, silly boy. Just not breathing. Now, tidy me up and get on with that repair for Dr Stewart. He has to drive his motor to Glasgow tomorrow.”