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But Hazel’s smile faded. ‘I’m really trying, Dad. I want to get back to normal. Especially for Arnold.’
‘Your brother knows you’re trying too. I don’t think my behaviour back then helped in the way I thought it would, unfortunately. And I’m glad I’ve finally told you the truth. But it was a misguided attempt to protect you.’ He shook his head, frustrated with himself. ‘I can’t help thinking if I’d been upfront, not paid that man, let him do what he threatened then we would’ve dealt with it all and put it behind us. I think in doing that you might have been back to the teaching that you love by now.’
‘No, Dad. Do not put any blame on yourself. Everything you did, you did for me and for Arnold. But I’m glad you told me everything. It makes me even more determined to make this work.’
The back door opened as though Arnold might want to assess the situation indoors before he braved coming in. He told Thomas, ‘You know, Franklin is most put out that you bypassed him in the field.’ As soon as his boots were off, he went to his dad for a father-son hug.
‘I’ll make a fuss of him later. Hazel needed me first.’ He held a fresh mug aloft and Arnold nodded to accept the offer of tea before grabbing a piece of shortbread from the tin.
‘How are you feeling?’ Arnold looked at Hazel.
‘Not too bad.’
‘The police will take it from here. He’ll likely be charged with assault.’
Hazel wondered when their dad was going to tell Arnold all about what he’d done, paying Ewan off, but he simply passed Arnold his mug of tea once it was made. She supposed it didn’t really matter much anyway. The whole truth was something they could talk about in time. For now, a calmer home and her family by her side was all Hazel wanted.
‘I might leave you kids to it for a bit,’ said Thomas, setting his empty mug in the sink. ‘Time I went to see Franklin and tell him that we’ll go out on a long ride in the morning.’
When it was just the two of them, Hazel thanked Arnold for calling their dad. ‘I didn’t realise how much I needed to talk to him today. It’s really helped.’
‘You were attacked, twice. That’s not a small thing to get over, Hazel. And I understand that. I’ll try to be patient.’
‘You’re not doing a bad job so far.’ Her smile faded. ‘But I won’t let that man define me any longer. His threats changed a part of me, made me doubt myself, gave me an overwhelming fear. But in a weird way, him turning up today has been a good thing. I’m not for one second saying I ever want to be confronted like that again, not by anyone, but for years, I’ve remembered his face, his words, and now, when he’s saying the same thing years on, when it’s all about him and his suffering without a word about Levi, it just tells me that this is more about him than me.’ She looked at her brother. ‘What’s that smile for?’
‘I’m just pleased,’ said Arnold. ‘Pleased that you are such a strong person you can see at last that this was always about more than you and what happened in your lesson.’
‘I can’t believe I’ve let him and his behaviour rule my life for so long.’
‘But it stops now though, right?’
‘It won’t happen overnight, but I’ll take it one step at a time.’
‘Sounds wise. And Abigail would be a good start.’
‘I think so too,’ Hazel smiled, sure that if there hadn’t been quite so much drama here today, he might drop in a bit of teasing about Gus too.
‘Where are you going?’ Arnold asked when she got up from the table.
‘I’m going to get dressed and I’m going to see our horses.’ A bit of normality would do her the world of good. ‘And I’ll go find Dad and ask what he wants for dinner.’
When the front door opened, they both looked along the hallway, expecting to see Thomas when instead it was Sally.
‘Mum!’ Hazel was first to run to their mother, hugging her madly in the hallway, an excited greeting rather than the one their dad had got, where she’d fallen against him and he’d had to hold her up.
‘I couldn’t stay where I was, not when I knew what was going on up here.’ Sally hugged her son next.
‘How did you even get here?’ Arnold asked.
‘I got a train, then another train, then a third train, and a taxi from the station.’
‘You must be exhausted,’ said Arnold.
‘Not now I’m here with you two.’ She looked around the walls of the house as they all went back into the kitchen. ‘I texted your dad, he knew I was coming, I told him to keep it as a surprise. And we’re both here for a week, thought we needed some family time.’
And just like that, all the pieces fell into place. And for Hazel, it was the best she’d felt in years.
