“You need to face up to what you’ve done,” panted Liv, grabbing Amelia and shoving her face down on the floor. Livmight be skinny but she was wiry and strong and managed to force Amelia’s arms behind her back.
“And you couldn’t be more wrong,” said Liv clearly. “I Am Nothing Like You.”
Amelia struggled and shrieked but Liv held on.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
The Italian Chapel, one month later
Evie carefully pushed Freya into the Italian Chapel, being careful not to jolt her in the wheelchair. Her right side had been badly affected by the stroke. Her mouth was slightly twisted and she might never walk again, but thankfully there was no brain damage and her speech was coming back.
Freya had insisted on coming today and had asked Evie to dress her in her brightest clothes and with the most colourful blanket over her knees. As she recovered in the hospital, she’d had a long and tearful conversation with Evie, sat by her bedside. Freya apologised to her over and over again. “I’m so sorry, Evie. I let you down badly.”
Evie held her hand and wiped away her tears. “You don’t need to say sorry to me. It’s just that you don’t see the badness in other people and that’s a good thing.”
Freya could not be comforted, “But that terrible woman turned me against you. And I allowed her to do that. I should have seen through her.”
Evie tried to reassure her, “She manipulated everyone. Not just you.” Freya looked stricken. “I got it all so wrong.” She started to cry again.
“Now look,” said Evie. “You mustn’t upset yourself. Edwyn will kill me. You need your rest. Obviously when they let youout of here, I’m going to move in and look after you until you get better.”
Freya’s bottom lip trembled, “Do you really think I will ever get better?”
“I’m certain of it,” said Evie, with more conviction than she really felt, but Edwyn had told her that they needed to keep Freya’s spirits up.
Freya said vehemently, “I need you to take me to the service, Evie. I need to be there for Ross.” Evie knew there was no point in arguing with Freya when she had made her mind up. The weeks since Ross was attacked had gone by in a blur and there had been so much to do in the days after Amelia was arrested.
Evie, Liv, Delima, Edwyn and Kate had given lengthy statements to the police. Evie had spent most of the rest of her time between Ross’s bedside and Freya’s. The others would spend hours going over the events of the last few months.
Edwyn summed up the feelings of most of the people in Orkney when he told them, “I cannot believe that one woman could cause so much suffering.”
Delima nodded, “And to be so fixated on Evie. She was obsessed and Evie hadn’t done anything wrong. She didn’t even know Amelia existed.”
Liv said quietly, “Maybe that was the trouble. By the time Amelia was old enough to have a real understanding of her father and his past, he had gone doolally and forgot who she was or mixed her up with his other daughter.” She shrugged. “The more we find out about Amelia, the more I feel sorry for her.”
Edwyn shook his head. “Well, make sure you don’t say that in front of Maureen. She told me she wants five minutes alone in a room with Amelia to get justice for Ross.” The four of themfell silent remembering what their friends were going through. Edwyn continued, “We’ll have to wait a while. The police have her in custody until the trial, and that’ll be months away.”
Sophia had flown up from London right away and suggested they do something special for Ross. She immediately thought of the Italian Chapel. On the day of the service, there were too many people to fit inside the tiny chapel, famously built during the Second World War by Italian prisoners, far from home, but needing comfort and hope.
They created something beautiful from a pair of old Nissan Huts and over the years this had been a joyful place as brides and grooms exchanged vows, bonnie babies were christened and long lives remembered and celebrated. Approval for the service had been granted immediately.
The women had all cried together, remembering the joyous plans for Andrzej and Maureen’s wedding only two years before. Sophia had ordered flowers for Ross and a beautiful, printed order of service. Everyone was utterly shocked to the core by what had happened to him – and to Freya.
A black cloud hung over the island. In a place where everyone was connected it felt as though they had all been targeted. As the service began, everyone stood up, apart from Freya, who wasn’t strong enough to rise from her wheelchair at the back of the chapel. She was crying quietly.
Evie held on to the wheelchair, her knuckles turning white. She felt so much sorrow as well as deep anger. She hadn’t even managed to lose herself in her art and couldn’t imagine picking up a brush any time soon. All she would want to paint was canvasses full of blackness and blood.
Kate took Edwyn’s hand and Sophia hugged Finn. Delima handed Hari to Jack. He was fast asleep and little Ola was sitting perfectly still beside her mother. Rory sat down besidehis mum, Maureen, and Andrzej, whom he looked upon as a father. He handed the older man a handkerchief to dry his tears.
The minister spoke of the power of love and how good always triumphs over evil. As the beautiful voices of the choir soared, Evie looked up at the carefully painted ceiling of the chapel and found tears were running down her cheeks.
“I almost lost him,” she thought. “That splendid, wonderful man is lying in a coma fighting for his life and we are here together, hoping and praying for his recovery.”
Sophia had told them that getting everyone together to show their love for Ross would give them all strength and hope, especially his elderly parents, who looked so grief-stricken and bewildered.
She said to a sceptical Evie, “I know you aren’t religious, but that doesn’t matter. I honestly think it will help to have everyone together, praying for Ross.”
Evie had lashed out at her friend. “It’s like you’re having a funeral while he is still breathing. It won’t make any difference and it’s just self-indulgent and mawkish.” She had instantly regretted her outburst, but she was utterly exhausted, raw with grief and terrified Ross would never recover. She was also worried sick about Freya, who looked so frail and diminished.
