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CHAPTER SIX
ITWASNOON when Chloe got back to her flat, but the first thing she did was strip off, push her clothes in the linen basket and step in the shower. The act of washing was purely symbolic; she knew the scent of hospital was in her mind, because the only thing the doctor’s consulting room on the top floor of the rather beautiful Georgian building it occupied had smelt of was his expensive aftershave.
Hair still damp, she tightened the belt of her robe around her waist and flung herself down on the sofa, keying in her sister’s number on her phone...but it went straight to voicemail.
With a sigh she dropped the phone in her robe pocket and padded barefoot over to the kitchen. Of course, if her sister had known about the hospital appointment she would have been waiting for the call—no, she would have come with her—but she didn’t know. Chloe deliberately hadn’t told anyone about it, especially her family.
They had been through enough during the long months after the accident—not that her choice not to tell them was entirely selfless. She knew that they, or at least her parents, would struggle to understand her decision not to have further cosmetic surgery. Down the line who knew how she’d feel about it? While it certainly was an option, right now she’d had enough of hospitals and she felt that to go through all that again was unbearable, especially as there were no guarantees regarding exactly how much improvement there would be, as the doctor would not give any promises.
She had taken a sip of her scalding coffee when her phone rang, and she lifted it to her ear and said hello.
It was not her sister who replied and, stifling a surge of disappointment, she said, ‘Can you just hold on a second?’ and reached out to shut the door of the fridge, which was buzzing to remind her she’d not closed it. ‘Hi, Tatiana.’
‘S... Sorry, is this a bad time?’
Chloe’s reaction was immediate; elbows on the counter, she leaned forward, concern furrowing her brow. ‘No, it’s fine...is anything wrong?’ When they had spoken earlier today, Tatiana had sounded relaxed and happy, issuing an invitation that Chloe had refused, which had been to join her on the family estate on the Greek island of Spetses. But now, only a few hours later, she was obviously close to tears.
‘I told you, didn’t I, that I agreed to Eugenie spending the first week of the holiday with her friend Pippa in Hampshire...?’
‘Yes...has something gone wrong?’ Chloe asked.
Tatiana gave an unamused laugh. ‘You could say that. Pippa’s parents in their wisdom decided that two fifteen-year-old girls were mature enough to be left alone in the house while they went away for the night.’
‘Oh, dear!’
‘Oh, yes, definitely oh, dear. The girls decided to have an impromptu party with supposedly just a few friends but, to cut a long story short, it was gatecrashed by lots of other kids, the place was wrecked and the neighbours called the police! Eugenie has been cautioned by the police and she is waiting at the local police station to be picked up. Pippa’s parents have decided she is a bad influence—can you believe it? The problem is, my grandmother has a really high temperature, so I can’t leave her, and my brother’s not picking up his phone and no one seems to know where he is.’
‘What can I do?’
A sob of relief echoed down the line. ‘Could you pick her up for me and take her to the airport?’
‘Of course.’
‘The Gulfstream jet was in Frankfurt; I have no idea what my parents are doing there. Anyhow, I made some excuse up to say I needed the plane, but I really don’t want them to know about this. It should be there by the time you arrive.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll drop her off safely.’
‘Drop her off? Oh, no, Chloe, I need you to travel with her to Spetses, and sit on her if necessary! I’m not risking her pulling another stunt.’
It was only the rising hysteria in her friend’s voice that stopped Chloe pointing out that there seemed little possibility of her daughter coming to any harm on a private flight to a Greek island. ‘Fine, I’ll sit on her.’
‘I knew I could rely on you. Thank you so much, Chloe. I’ll never be able to repay you.’
Actually, Chloe realised as she picked up her car keys, it was Tatiana who was doing her a favour. Left to her own devices she’d have spent the evening brooding over her decision and planning how she broke the news to her parents. Instead, she had plenty to distract her.
* * *
A cloudburst proved to be one of the distractions she hadn’t figured on.
Chloe was drenched to the skin as she sat in the police station studying a poster on the wall that proclaimed in large letters Don’t be a victim, a sentiment she agreed with wholeheartedly, when Eugenie appeared walking alongside a fresh-faced policewoman who barely seemed older than the teen.
The girl’s face dropped when she saw Chloe.
‘I thought Uncle Nik was coming to get me.’
‘Your mum couldn’t contact him.’ Chloe struggled not to sound judgemental about that as her imagination kicked in, supplying a slide show of selfish reasons for Nik being off the grid, all revolving around beautiful women and bed.
Well, you declined his offer to spend the night with him,Chloe reminded herself. Did you expect him to go back home and weep into his beer, or did you expect him to pursue you?
