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sprawled on the road,
unconscious. Stella hoped it
would bring the boys closer
together, but Ned’s selfless
act seemed to drive them
even further apart.
‘I’ll see you later, Ma,’
Ned said, hugging her.
‘Ned?’ She caught his arm.
‘You’ll always have a home
at the Grand,’ she said and
he looked stung, as if she’d
hit him.
‘What? Why would I want
to live there?’
‘That little flat you’re in,’ she
said. ‘It’s so cramped. You
could have a much better
lifestyle staying at the hotel.’
‘Sometimes I wonder if you
know me at all, Ma,’ he said.
‘Even if I wanted to, do you
really think Michael would
want me there?’
‘This feud between you
and your brother is breaking
my heart. One of you should
make the first move. Why
can’t you get along?’
‘You know why we can’t
get along, Ma,’ Ned replied,
then he was gone, all six foot
of him, bristling with anger.✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿
Darcy felt like crying when
she saw Stella’s friendly face
peeping round the curtain at
her. Typical Stella, she was
smartly dressed and fully made
up, despite the early hour.
‘Knock, knock,’ she said.
‘What are you doing here?’
Darcy said.
‘I’m visiting you and
hopefully taking you home
in a bit,’ Stella replied.
‘Home?’ The word caught
in Darcy’s throat. ‘Do theythink we’ll be able to go
back to the Victoria?’
‘You’re coming back to the
Grand,’ Stella said. ‘We’ve a
little downstairs flat you can
use. No one is using it as it’s
due for refurbishment.’
Darcy pressed her lips
together. They used to have
an apartment at the Victoria
which was often used by
local companies for people on
temporary work placements
until Michael offered a better
deal at the Grand and
poached their customers.
‘It’s just until you sort
yourselves out,’ Stella said.
‘We could probably rent
somewhere,’ Darcy said.
‘A caravan perhaps.’
‘At this time of year?
I very much doubt
it,’ Stella said. ‘All
the holiday lets are
booked and the caravan
park will be full.’
Darcy realised she
sounded ungrateful. ‘I’m
sorry. It’s very kind of you,
Stella. Thank you.’
Stella patted her hands.
‘Esther was my friend,’ she
said. ‘I’d do anything for her
family. I’ll go and find Alan
and tell him the good news.’
Good news? It was almost
as if Stella was enjoying this,
Darcy thought uncharitably.
✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿
‘This is so kind of you, Stella,’
Darcy said as Stella showed
them round the smallapartment overlooking the
rear garden on the ground
floor of the Grand. ‘Thank you.’
‘Well, it’s not home, but
it’ll be a breathing space for
you until you get things
sorted. I’ve given Kate your
sizes and sent her out for
some clothes and other
necessities, and I’ve stocked
up the fridge.’
‘Thank you,’ Darcy said
again. She wished she could
think of something else to
say. ‘It’s very kind of Kate too,especially with it being such
a busy time.’
‘My daughter-in-law loves
clothes shopping,’ Stella said.
‘It’ll be no hardship for her.’
✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿
Later, Darcy slipped out to
look at the Victoria, now
surrounded by safety fencing
and police tape. She wasn’t
allowed in to gather up any
of their belongings and it
broke her heart to see her
beloved Victoria looking as
broken and bereft as her
grandfather. She wasn’t sure
she’d be able to put either
back together.
She felt a hand on her arm
and turned to see Michael
looking down at her.
‘Don’t torture yourself,
Darcy,’ he said and gently
guided her back to the Grand.
✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿
A few days later, Kate knocked
on the flat door, saying there
was someone to see them.
‘Is it Molly?’ Darcy asked
hopefully. ‘It’s the police,’
Kate replied. ‘Sorry.’
They had come to confirm
that the lorry had been stolen
and modified, the front of
it crudely armoured to do
maximum damage while
protecting the driver.
There was no doubt at all,
it was a deliberate act.
‘We can’t let this beat us,
Darcy,’ Pop said when the
detectives had gone. ‘Why
don’t you get out for a while?
You seem to be walking
a lot better.’
‘Come with me, Pop?’
He shook his head. ‘You
could go to the cemetery,’ he
suggested. ‘Get some fresh
air and gather up the cards.
And don’t forget we’ve been
invited to dine with the
Cassidys tonight.’
‘I’ll be back in plenty of
time, Pop,’ she said.
She squeezed his shoulder
and slipped out of the back
of the hotel and into the lane
that ran along the rear of the
seafront buildings. She called
at Molly’s cottage on her wayI was there – they were lucky to get
out alive. The hotel is a wreck