Will said nothing of Hemming having denied any involvement in that beastly act.
‘And Mrs Stonebridge? Is she feeling better? I am sure that now your niece has been found, her problems will ease.’
‘She will be away for a bit longer yet, Mrs S. I need to get this place back to rights before she comes home. To be honest, I don’t think Holland House is good for her. I am hoping to convince her to move away from here.’
‘Oh dear. That is not something I would relish tackling! She is very attached to the house, very attached indeed.’
‘Overly, if you ask me,’ he said. ‘Her love for this place is not what I would call healthy.’
‘You are right, of course, but let me just say that you will have to be extremely careful what you say to her. Tread warily, Mr Stonebridge.’
‘What has Kate said to you about this place?’
There was a pause. ‘Everything and nothing. She simply lives and breathes for Whisper Fen. She can speak of nothing else. But as I said before, she had become rather distant over the past few weeks. Before I left, it was all she could do to even wave to me.’
Guilt? It seemed far-fetched but the old lady had frequently spoken of the garden as her “baby.” Could that be the reason for Kate’s act of destruction?
‘I’m sorry, Mrs S. She hasn’t been herself for some time now.’
Emilia clucked in sympathy. She must go, she said, and hoped that he would call in and see her when she returned.
Promising he would, he hung up. Immediately the telephone rang again. This time it was the call he’d been waiting for.
Philip Fauve sounded tired and anxious. ‘Jesus, Will. This is just terrible. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to reach you before, but what with the police and the doctors . . . and there is still nothing to tell you. Sophie has just clammed up. “Gone inside of herself” as they say.’
‘Have you seen her?’ Will asked.
‘Only through an observation mirror. They won’t let me in. She has someone with her constantly, but they are making little progress.’
‘Sam here says this is natural. It takes time for someone to be able to talk about a trauma such as the one Sophie underwent.’
‘Yeah, they say the same here, but there seem to be other symptoms that they’re not happy about. And every case is different, everyone reacts differently to trauma. God, I feel so helpless!’
‘We all do, Philip. Can I ask you something?’ Will was still haunted by the look the child had given him. ‘Are the people with her all women?’
‘Except for her Canadian doctor, and one family support officer, yes. Why?’
‘Did she react badly when she saw the male doctor?’
‘She didn’t react at all, Will. It was as if he wasn’t there.’
Will had been hoping that the dreadful look she had given him had merely been a general fear of men caused by her ordeal. But there were plenty of other men around at that moment. No, that panic-stricken gaze had rested on him and him alone. ‘They say that she needs to get home, and that you are going to get a permanent post there.’
‘My boss has offered me an excellent position at the base, and I would be a fool not to accept it. Life is too short, Will. We’ve all learned that recently, from Guy and Eva. I want to be with my family for as long as I possibly can.’
‘You’re a good man, Philip.’
‘Nah, just a family man. I love my wife and my kids, including Sophie. I’d do anything for them.’
‘I want to offer my support, but it seems that all Kate and I have done is bring more grief down upon your heads.’
The Canadian sighed loudly. ‘We just need to get Sophie back home. Françoise and Annette will do more for her than any doctor.’
‘I’m sure you’re right. The police just have to nail the bastard who took her, for the sake of other innocent kids.’
Philip said he had to hang up. The doctors wanted to speak to him again.
‘Keep us posted, Philip.’
‘Sure thing. As soon as there is any kind of breakthrough.’
Call ended, Will went to find Sam, who was about to leave for the supermarket. When he had gone, Will found himself alone for the first time in what seemed like an age. He wandered from room to room, picking things up and putting them down again. He finished up in Kate’s studio, looking out over the deserted fen.
All trace of the search team had gone from his garden, leaving a lone car parked by the house. The high tide hadn’t claimed it after all, and even the outbuildings had escaped the rising waters. He heard the phone ringing downstairs.
‘Mr Stonebridge? The Linden Clinic here, sir. Could you hold for a moment? I have Doctor Hassel on the line for you.’
Will tensed.
Then the psychiatrist’s deep voice was telling him not to worry. ‘It’s not bad news. There is just a slight problem that is preventing me from proceeding as I would wish. Your wife is somewhat concerned about a tree that came down in the storm?’
‘The rowan,’ Will said.
‘The rowan, yes. She seems terribly upset about it and needs to know that you will deal with it for her. I’m sure that once her mind is put to rest on that score, we shall be able to make a bit more headway.’
‘I forgot to call my gardener. A fallen tree was the least of my worries.’ He knew he sounded waspish, but he felt aggrieved.
‘But it is of great importance to Mrs Stonebridge. Now, this is what she would like you to do. Please have your man reduce it to pieces of a manageable size and drag it out on to the fen, where it should be burnt. She is emphatic that it is to be committed to the marsh that supported it during its life.’
‘Forgive me, Dr Hassel, but my young niece has just been rescued from the clutches of a paedophile, we have just suffered a flood on the marsh, and the police are crawling over everything, and you want me to play games with a tree? You’re joking, aren’t you?’
‘I am most certainly not, Mr Stonebridge. I would hardly waste my precious time with this if it were not of the utmost importance for your wife’s treatment.’ He sounded almost as cold as Inspector Fenner.
‘Why?’
‘Is it such a great inconvenience to comply with her wishes?’
‘I suppose not.’
‘Exactly. And it will make Kate happy.’
‘Alright. Tell her that I’ll attend to it for her, just as soon as Barry can fit it in.’
‘You are not just saying this, are you? You will do it for her? After all, she will know when she gets home again.’
‘I will do it. Okay?’ Will paused, collected himself. ‘I’m sorry, Doctor. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. My niece . . .’
‘I am delighted to hear that your niece has been found, but right now, Mr Stonebridge, your wife is my sole concern. The matter of the tree may seem trivial to you, but we cannot move forward unless it is dealt with.’ His tone became kindlier. ‘I do understand what a difficult time you are having, and I do sympathise. I assure you that as soon as your wife begins to make headway, I can be there for you too, but initially, she has to come first.’
After a second muttered apology, Will asked when he might be able to see his wife, or at least speak to her. The doctor was vague. ‘I have high hopes that you’ll be able to visit fairly soon. Let’s just get a few more days under our belts.’