Harkett's Haven (18 page)

‘Why haven’t we gone there before Dad?’

‘It’s a long story Esme and.....well........ I’ll fill you in on later. I need to concentrate on the roads around here.’

He pressed a button on the hands-free phone and simply said ‘Eric
Harkett. We’ll be arriving in twenty minutes.’

Rachel watched Eric as he drove, curiosity piqued. He hadn’t told his daughter about his background and she wondered why it was now th
at he had decided to revisit his distant family home. They could have travelled anywhere. It would have been as easy to jump on a flight to Ireland, France. Anywhere. Whatever the reason, Eric didn’t want to explain, at least not yet.

The traffic grew increasingly busier and Rachel found herself missing the peace and tranquillity of the little cottage by the sea where the only traffic jam was the
orderly queue of the Sunday morning visit to the baker that doubled as the newsagent. She had worked and been brought up in remote, peaceful locations and it was always a difficult transition for her to come back to the built up, busy sprawl that was city living.

They approached the a
irport and drove to the international terminal, pulling into the passenger drop off.  A uniformed man approached Eric, a few words and the keys exchanged. Their luggage was dropped off in a trolley and the chauffer drove off with Eric’s car.

Eric was efficie
nt and easy in movement, lifting Esme up on top of one of the suitcases with a kiss and taking Rachel by the arm, smiling and guiding the trolley and her to the priority check in desk.

He smiled at the woman behind the desk and Rachel was amused to see the
woman blush and dart shy, flirty glances from under her lashes. Rachel wondered what Eric’s patient list was like at his practice and smiled to herself, imagining the talk about the handsome new doctor amongst the ladies of the area. Their luggage was checked in and Eric took them to the first class lounge. They found a quiet corner and Eric ordered some coffee and pastries for them.

As
she sipped her coffee she felt as happy as she had done in years. The conversation flowed easily. Eric sat on one side of her, his arm protectively round her and Esme sat on her other side, cuddled close. Rachel could feel Esme’s excitement and it touched her deeply that this small girl had formed so close a bond to her. Rachel felt like she was going on holiday. Once they had finished their pastries and coffee Rachel decided to stretch her legs.

‘Coming to the shops
Esme?’

‘Yes please!’

Eric smiled at them, his delight at Rachel and Esme’s friendship written on his face. He fished for something in his pocket and pulled out his credit card.

‘Go and buy yourselves something nice.’

‘Not necessary Eric. Thanks all the same.’ She turned from him, taking Esme’s hand, slightly annoyed at him for offering her his card. But she also felt annoyed at herself for fee Crseoungling like she did. After all, she had accepted his offer of accommodation and flights without discussing the financial details but the outstretched card with all its connotations was perhaps more obvious. More direct. Connotations of the kept woman. Memories of her relationship with Tom.

‘Are you OK Rachel?’

Esme was watching her, concerned.

‘Of course
Esme. Just thinking about what I’m going to buy for the plane journey. Any ideas?’

Esme
didn’t answer her immediately.

‘Did Dad do something to annoy you?’

Rachel stopped in her tracks and bent to hug her, holding her close and kissing her head.

This little girl was
extremely perceptive for such one so young and Rachel’s heart went out to her.

‘No
Esme. Of course not. I just want to treat you to something nice. Come on. Let’s hit the shops. I need a good book.’

They br
owsed the bestsellers, magazine racks and sweet stands and before they knew it they had a full basket and took it to the till to pay.

The elderly lady at the shop counter smiled at
Esme.

‘Where’re you heading off to today then?’

‘Nova Scotia.’ Esme answered shyly.

Rachel held her hand
, seeking to reassure her. She noticed Esme’s reticence and shyness when it came to speaking to strangers.

‘Well I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.’ She looked at Rachel
and smiled, ‘Your daughter sure is pretty.’

Rachel opened her mouth to correct the lady but
Esme quickly answered, Thanks Ma’am,’ and clung harder to Rachel’s arm.

Rachel paid for her goods and took
Esme out of the shop. Esme’s smile was wide and knowing. Rachel smiled back at her and held her tight but she felt on the verge of tears.

This little girl who had been through so much in her short life
had blurted out her hopes for Rachel. Rachel felt deeply moved, her affection for Eric’s child huge. However, she knew that with this trust and love came with an added responsibility. She would find it more difficult to leave Eric if that became necessary. She hoped with all her heart that it wouldn’t but ever since Tom she couldn’t help thinking about exit strategies from relationships.

‘Rachel, can you take me to the bathroom?’

‘Of course honey. Let’s go.’

The bathrooms were a short distance across the concourse and as they funnelled into the crowd of people moving along the passageway she became aware of
a man walking purposefully about two people in front of her. He was talking on his phone, another burly man walked slightly behind him, a woman in a suit at his other side.
< Cfonof her/p>

She knew the moment she saw him. It was Tom Sullivan.

For a moment the world stopped turning and her senses became razor sharp. She could see every small detail of the man in front of her. He wore his normal choice of Gucci dark pinstripe suit, the top of his white collar showing. She knew without having to see, that his collar would be open at the neck. Smart casual. He had a dozen of these suits neatly lined up in his huge dressing room. His blonde hair was shorter than he used to wear it and his large hand looked tanned as he held his phone close to his ear. He was tall and his shoulders broad.

The big man at his side was watching Tom, making sure no-one got too close, his minder. Tom often travelled with a minder. Rachel didn’t know much about Tom’s business dealings but she guessed that Tom was wealthy enough to feel that a minder was justified. Rachel
hated the intrusion of the minders he sent along with her on any trip she made without him. There was nothing or nowhere she could go to escape his watch.

She was only vaguely aware of being swept along on the tide of people and of
Esme’s small hand wrapped in her own. Her legs kept moving but she felt almost disembodied, no longer attached to the physical world.

‘Rachel. Rachel.
Rachel’

She became aware of
Esme tugging at her arm and saying her name. And again. Louder. Again. Louder.

Her mind
snapped back into her body, the danger of her situation making her reactions lightening fast.

Esme
was trying to get her attention because they were passing the ladies toilets but her voice was getting increasingly louder.

Rachel quickly moved to the door of the ladies, gently but urgently pulling
Esme with her just as Tom’s head whipped round, something alerting him to the voice shouting his ex bride-to-be’s name. She pushed quickly through the door.

Rachel was sure he hadn’t seen her but just in case she took
Esme direct to the nearest cubicle and put her finger to her mouth to indicate silence.

Esme
immediately complied, sensing the urgency in her movement.

Rachel lifted
Esme up on to the toilet seat and then on to shelf enclosing the cistern. She stood on the toilet and listened.

Above the normal noise of the hand dryers
and footsteps, Rachel heard a sharp click of high heels on the tiles. The footfalls went to the far end of the cubicles and then slowly back.

‘Excuse me.  Have you seen this lady?’
An American voice, a woman.

‘No. Sorry.’

And again, the answer a repeated ‘No.’

Rachel’s heart thrummed against her ribcage and her face blanched.
Esme watched her intently and Rachel tried, and failed, to smile convincingly at her.

Esme dire0">Then a
knock, and ‘Rachel?’

‘Not here,’ came the irritated reply.

Another rap on the door, closer this time.

‘Rachel?’

Esme quickly jumped from the toilet and pushed past Rachel, opening the door. Rachel tried to grab her jacket and pull her back but her fingers swiped at air. The cubicle door swung closed again.

‘I’m Rachel,’
came the little voice

‘Oh. Well hello Rachel.’
A pause.

‘I was looking for a lady who has the same name as you. Here’s a picture of her.....you wouldn’t
have seen her around here by any chance?’

Another pause.

‘She’s pretty......No. I’ve not seen her.’

A sigh and then,
‘Okay. Thanks anyway.’

Then the click of the heels off out the bathroom.

The cubicle door was pushed in and Esme’s face appeared, grinning broadly.

‘I got rid of her Rachel.’

Rachel pulled the little girl into her and held her close, relief and gratitude flooding through her.

‘You are a clever girl
Esme Harkett..... thank you.’

Esme
hugged her back.

‘Rachel. .....who was she
? Why was she looking for you?’

Rac
hel wondered what to tell her but after the merest moment of thought she knew she had to tell Esme the short version of the truth. She had already been pulled into her messy past.

‘I was to be married to a man who...well....wasn’t
very nice. I left him a long time ago but he’s still looking for me. That lady was someone who was helping him.’

Esme
looked thoughtful and then worried.

‘
You won’t leave me and Dad will you?’

She needed to tell this little girl some more of the truth without breaking her heart and smashing her dreams.

‘Esme. Meeting you and your dad has given meaning and hope to my life and I really can’t think of a time when I’ve been happier. But you have to know that it’s early days for me and your dad. We’ve only known each other for the shortest of times and no matter what you wish and hope for....well.....sometimes........through nobody’s fault.........things don’t work out.’

Esme
’s face fell.

‘I need you to know that sometimes adults,
for lots of different reasons, end up not being friends anymore.’

Esme
looked thoughtful.

‘That’s kind of like me and Abby
at school. We were best friends and then we weren’t.’

Rachel smiled and took her hand.

‘Yes. Just like you and Abby. So just now your dad and I are best friends and I hope we remain best friends. But I need to let you know that sometimes friends ....well....’

‘Fall out.’
Esme finished, ‘I know all about that.’

Rachel nodded and tried hard to suppress a smile at the grown-up matter-of-fact way
Esme spoke.