Henry’s voice was gentle, bewildered, educated. Obediently, he held out his hands and allowed Tony to help him to his feet. His clothes were as sodden as if he’d been in the pond. Maybe he had.
‘Been for a swim?’ said Tony.
Henry blinked slowly. ‘I’m wet.’
They stood and gazed at each other for several seconds in the rain. Then Tony watched as Henry searched in his trouser pockets and produced a gray sock. He proceeded to put it on his left hand like a glove. This was Martha’s husband; he had been an accountant. God, Alzheimer’s was a brutal, disgusting disease. It crossed Tony’s mind that there was no one in sight. No one even knew he was here. If he were a character in a film, he might be tempted to lead Henry to the water’s edge and push him in. It was deep here. He wouldn’t be able to climb out. He could be gone, removed, eradicated…
But this wasn’t a film. And he may have done some things in his life that he was less than proud of, but he wasn’t a murderer.
Tony smiled slightly and reached for his mobile.
‘I’d love a cup of tea,’ said Henry, brushing water from his springy gray-white hair.
‘We’ll get you one.’ His finger hovered over the phone. ‘Henry, who’s Martha?’
He saw a flicker of recognition in the silver-rimmed brown eyes. ‘Martha? I think she lives next door, doesn’t she?’
Tony said gently, ‘Martha’s your wife.’
‘Ah yes. Yes, that’s right.’ Henry looked at the sock on his hand. ‘A cup of tea and a biscuit.’
‘Do you love Martha?’ Did this make him a truly despicable person? ‘Henry, do you love her? Your wife?’
‘Oh yes. Where are my shoes? I love her very much.’ He was nodding earnestly now. ‘And a ham sandwich. That would be nice. I’m quite hungry, you know.’
Tony made the call. ‘I’ve got him, he’s fine.’
‘Oh thank God!’ Martha let out a sob of relief. ‘Where are you?’
He told her, adding, ‘Don’t say anything to Eunice, just get yourself straight down here.’
It took Martha less than five minutes to reach them. The rain had begun to ease off slightly, but they were all so soaked through now it no longer mattered.
‘Hello!’ Henry’s face lit up at the sight of her heading through the undergrowth towards them.
‘What’s her name?’ said Tony.
‘Oh my goodness, I do know it. Let me think… she’s my beautiful wife.’
‘Oh, Henry, we were so worried about you. We didn’t know where you were.’ Martha clutched his hands, one of them still encased in the gray knitted sock. ‘Where are your shoes?’
‘Harrods, I think. Or Sainsbury’s. I’m wet.’
‘I know, darling. It doesn’t matter, we’re going to get you home now.’ She looked at Tony and said, ‘Thank you so much. You have to go. But thank you.’
As Tony turned to leave, Martha was already calling Eunice to tell her that everything was OK, Henry was safe.
Henry, carefully examining the sock on his hand, said to no one in particular, ‘Or roast chicken would be nice.’
Chapter 34
Opening the door at eight o’clock in the morning, Roo wasn’t that surprised to find Niall on her doorstep. Ellie had told her all about the recent encounter with him and Yasmin outside Claridge’s.
But to show willing, she said, ‘What are you doing here?’
‘You’ve blocked my number. I need to talk to you, find out what’s going on.’ He wasted no time. ‘You went to see Yasmin.’
‘And?’
‘I want to know why.’
‘Just curious, I suppose. I was interested to find out what she was really like. And guess what? She was lovely. Better than you deserve, that’s for sure.’
‘Well, don’t do it again, OK? Leave her alone.’
‘Don’t tell me what I can’t do,’ said Roo.
Niall exhaled. ‘OK, please don’t go there again. If you tell her, you’d break her heart.’
Fancy that. She’d be the one who broke his wife’s heart. Aloud she said, ‘You think?’
‘Roo. Please.’
***
Working in a charity shop might not be glamorous but it was undoubtedly a good thing. People gave away stuff they no longer wanted, and it was bought by people who did want it, and the money raised went to a worthy cause.
It was just a shame that sometimes people gave away stuff they no longer wanted without first making sure it was clean. This was Roo’s first morning in the shop and she was discovering that rubber gloves were a necessity. Already, unpacking the mound of plastic bags left outside