Rachel's Coming Home Read Free Page B

needed.’
    â€˜Ah. Yes. And how is Colin? Is he home at the moment?’ Colin was Alison’s husband, whose work in the oil-rich countries of the Middle East funded this comfortable lifestyle.
    â€˜He came home briefly last week but he’s away again now. He was lucky to get leave at short notice.’
    Alison placed a white porcelain teapot on the breakfast bar along with two delicate white cups and saucers. Philip would have preferred coffee, and something to eat, but didn’t say so.
    â€˜And how are you?’ he said, perching uncomfortably on one of the shiny stools. He knew he would have to ask sometime. ‘What was it you wanted to talk to me about?’
    Alison stirred her tea and didn’t look at him. Normally she was alert for his every word and expression, ready to advise or criticise. Her reticence only increased his unease.
    She said to the floor, ‘I’ve not been well. How shall I put it? Women’s problems, you know.’ She gave a little laugh. ‘Colin came home last week so he could be with me when I saw the specialist.’ Philip jerked his head in surprise and she said quickly. ‘It’s not serious, don’t worry. I mean, it’s not life-threatening. But they’ve decided they do need to operate. It’s quite a major procedure. I’ll be going into hospital on Monday.’
    This was the last thing Philip had expected. Alison was not only always organised, she was also always annoyingly healthy. ‘I’m sorry …’
    â€˜Originally they were going to operate the following week so I thought I had more time to arrange things. But now they’ve brought it forward. I suppose I should be pleased. I’ve been in some pain and, well, you don’t want to talk about that. I’ll be in hospital for up to two weeks and then there’ll be quite a lengthy period of convalescence. Colin’s plan is that I should go out to Dubai to rest and recover.’
    â€˜I suppose that makes sense,’ said Philip doubtfully.
    â€˜The only difficulty is, of course, what we should do about Amelia. There is no one to look after her here whilst I’m in hospital, and it won’t be ideal for her in Dubai whilst I convalesce.’ She gave him a quick glance. She really looked exhausted and Philip felt the stirrings of sympathy.
    Then she continued, ‘It was Colin who thought of you. Colin’s parents are dead, and with his sister living in Australia, there’s no one here we can send her to. I was at my wit’s end. But Colin remembered you weren’t gallivanting all over the country any more. He thought that, now you’d settled down, this might be an ideal opportunity for you to get to know your niece better.’
    Philip felt as though someone had struck him. To get to know his niece better meant … what? ‘I’m sure Amelia is a lovely girl,’ he said faintly, trying to deflect what he knew was coming.
    â€˜She is. She’s a good girl. She’ll be no trouble. And you’re the only family she has left in England. It makes sense that she goes to you.’
    â€˜Scotland,’ said Philip, shaking his head. ‘I live in Scotland.’
    â€˜Exactly. And you’ve got that lovely big house, you won’t have any difficulty accommodating her.’
    â€˜But Alison,’ said Philip, trying to marshal his thoughts and put up a convincing argument, ‘what about … about, er, school? And I’m very busy on this book I’m writing. And how will a little girl feel about being whisked off to the back of beyond? Alison, isn’t there someone else?’
    Alison shook her head very slowly, as if even that was too much effort. ‘No, there’s no one else. It’s the summer holidays just now, so we don’t need to worry about school. And at seven it wouldn’t really matter if she missed a few weeks. What matters is that she has someone to