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James’s expression of shock was not unlike the one worn by the goats in the game after they’d been gunged. ‘Laurie, I wonder if you would look after the boys for a few minutes. I’d like to talk to Amy and Matt alone please?’
‘I’m not sure I …’ A look of panic crossed Laurie’s face.
‘Boys, why don’t you go down to the beck? It’s through the gate there, Laurie, if you wouldn’t mind. Try and stop them going in the den under the tree if you can. It’s full of sheep poo. Stay together, won’t you, boys?’
‘Yeah!’ they chorused as they raced off towards the stream, and Laurie set off after them, picking her way awkwardly between the stones.
James took a deep breath. ‘I’m so sorry. This was all my fault. Laurie got in such a state, but if I’d stopped for long enough to remember, I would’ve known who Oliver was — Harry talked about him often enough after school. I didn’t put two and two together. It never occurred to me they’d be at the same campsite. I got this one very, very wrong. I can’t apologise enough. I hope you’ll understand, Matt, Amy. I’m so sorry. I need to ask you … you have every grounds to do so, of course … are you going to take this any further?’
‘What do you mean?’ Matt asked.
‘I mean, are you going to report this to the police?’
‘The police?’ Matt echoed. ‘But nothing happened! It was all a huge misunderstanding. There’s no need for the police to be called. I haven’t done anything, can I remind you, and I would hope you’re not thinking of prosecuting Oliver?’
‘That’s not what I meant. I … um … I assaulted you.’ He was looking at his feet the whole time he spoke. ‘You would be within your rights to report me to the police.’
‘You’d be in a lot of trouble at work if we reported this, wouldn’t you?’ said Amy.
‘I would. A lot of trouble. I’m so sorry. We simply saw red. That last text, the one about Oliver hurting Harry … Laurie was practically hysterical, and she wanted to come over here straight away and put a stop to it.’ He sighed. ‘I should’ve taken more time to find out the full facts, and I should never have hit you, Matt. I’m sorry. I’ve been an idiot.’
If the boot had been on the other foot at this point, James would have swelled with righteous anger, reached for the phone and dialled the police, who would come racing to his side to dispense justice. He had to hope Matt was a more forgiving man than he would have been in these circumstances, and she waited to see how he’d handle it.
Matt looked up towards the mountains for a moment, as if drawing strength from them, then he turned to James.
‘It’s fine, mate,’ he said. ‘Harry’s your son, and you love him. It’s not surprising you were worried. I would’ve been if I’d seen some of those messages. A stupid mistake. No harm done.’
Amy had been holding her breath, and she let it out with a sigh of relief.
‘I can’t believe I was foolish enough not to realise,’ James said. ‘I’ve known Harry long enough to know he sometimes gets things wrong.’
‘Kids make mistakes, too,’ Matt assured him. ‘Harry’s a decent lad, and that’s all this was. Just a misunderstanding.’
‘Look, Matt, I’d like to make this up to you. Is there’s anything I can do?’ There was a moment’s silence, broken only by the distant bleating of the sheep up on the fells.
‘Well, there is one thing,’ Matt said, looking at Amy. ‘I heard what you said about taking Harry away from Amy. I’d like your word this’ll be the end of it. Harry stays with his mum.’
‘Of course.’ James seemed almost grateful for the opportunity to prove his sincerity. ‘And, for the record, I want you to understand I wanted more time with Harry, that’s all. Amy, you might not believe me, but I don’t like feeling excluded from his life, and there seems to be so much going on I don’t understand. You get all the news about school, about who his friends are and what they’re doing. I didn’t even remember who Oliver was, and he’s one of Harry’s best friends, it seems. Two years ago I would have known. I don’t want to be the one who’s always left out,’ he said, rather pathetically. ‘That’s all. And Laurie’s so keen to try to have time to get to know Harry better.’
As if on cue, Laurie came mincing back through the gate into the campsite, her high heels covered in mud. Her linen trousers had an ugly greenish-brown stain across the backside which suggested she’d inadvertently sat down on some sheep poo.
‘Did you see where they went? I can’t find them,’ she gasped, a look of panic on her face.
‘What do you mean?’ asked James, although it was immediately obvious to Amy what was going on. The boys were up to some mischief or other, taking advantage of Laurie’s lack of experience with children. ‘It’s only been ten minutes. You can’t have lost them already!’
‘I think they’re hiding from me.’
Amy looked at Matt. Matt looked at Amy. They both raised their eyebrows in sympathy.
‘They said something about going to find another child to play with, and the pair of them ran back to the campsite — at least, that’s where I thought they were going — but now I can’t find them. They’ve run off! Harry’s never usually naughty like this when I’m looking after him. It must be that other little boy, encouraging him.’ Laurie looked round as if expecting the boys to pop out of one of the tents.
‘How about, instead of arguing about whose fault it is, we start looking for them?’ Matt suggested. ‘They could’ve got a long way away by now and found a whole load of sheep shit to play with.’
‘Look for them? In these shoes?’ Laurie said, delicately raising a suede-clad foot.
‘What exactly was it they said they were going to do?’ James questioned her.
‘They wanted to find Jane and play with her. That’s what Harry told me.’
