Page 10 of Echoes on the Wind (Borrowed Time #2)

I stood frozen on the doorstep, unsure what to do next, but as I turned to Gwyn for advice, the door flung open once more.

“Lee, I–”

“Inside. Now!”

He stood in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest, looking more furious than I’d ever seen him, and I silently nodded before limping in beside him and coming to a stop in a grand hallway.

He slammed the front door behind us, then held open one of the doors leading off the hall. He wouldn’t meet my stare as I followed sheepishly through it, but once we were all inside, he slammed that one as well.

I didn’t want to seem presumptuous, but the pain in my foot was getting unbearable, and without invitation, I took a seat on one of the fancy couches.

“Two years, Tom,” he yelled before dropping his voice to a whisper. “Two fucking years.”

Gwyn took a seat on the opposite side of the elaborately decorated room while Lee stood towering over us, raging with anger as he paced around. The room was large, and he made full use of the space as he walked back and forth. Every now and then, he would throw his arms up and let out a big sigh as if he was about to give a speech, then struggle to find the words and return to pacing instead.

“Well, it’s been more like eighteen months,” I replied. I hoped some humour might break the tension a bit, but he looked less than impressed.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but paused at the sound of china clinking outside the door.

“I brought tea, Mr Jacob,” the maid said as she entered carrying a tray. She kept her head low, not really acknowledging any of us as she set it down on the sideboard, then gave a slight nod to my brother and rushed back into the hallway.

As soon as the door clicked shut, he turned his attention back to me. “So where the hell have you been?”

“You have staff?” I asked, ignoring his question.

“Tom, I’m serious. Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?”

He held his arms up and stared me down, waiting for my response, and I began to feel like I did as a child when my father would tell us off. “Well, you seem to be doing alright for yourself,” I replied, a little snippier than I’d intended.

“Tom, I swear to god…” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Lee, I’m sorry. I really am. I didn’t know that any of this was going to happen. I swear, I only just got here. For me, it’s only been a few days. I was with you less than a week ago.”

“It’s true,” Gwyn said, trying to come to my defence .

“Oh, who asked you?” Lee spat, his face now red with anger.

“Hey!” I shouted, rising shakily to my feet. “Don’t take it out on him.”

I hadn’t even introduced them yet, but I could tell Lee already knew who it was, and he knew that Gwyn wasn’t to blame.

“Sorry,” he said, slightly calmer. “It’s not your fault. It’s his.”

He stopped his pacing to stare at me, and I shifted my focus around the room, hiding from the guilt I felt.

“How did you afford all this?” I asked.

Aside from the fancy hotel I’d stayed at with Mair and Gwyn once, this house was one of the most upmarket places I’d been to in this era, and it obviously didn’t come cheap. Everything was made with the best materials, and expensive artwork and ornaments covered every wall and shelf. I definitely hadn’t given him enough money to pay for somewhere like this when we left Cambridge.

“I’m doing alright for myself. No thanks to you.”

“Please, Lee. Don’t be like that.”

“Like what? Did you think you’d just rock up here after all this time, and I’d throw my arms around you?”

“Sort of,” I replied, though I felt ashamed for admitting it. Gwyn shook his head at me, and I knew I was messing everything up. “I really am sorry, Lee. If I had any idea that this could have happened, I never would have told you to put the necklace on. Everything just happened so quickly, and I wanted you to be here with me. I didn’t know we’d get separated.”

I moved to put my hand on his arm, and I could tell that it was taking all of his effort not to pull back or push me away. I hated it when he was mad at me, but I had no idea what I could do to make things better when I couldn’t take any of it back or change what had already happened.

I searched his features for a sign of him softening, for a hint of forgiveness, but his look upon me was cold.

“What happened to you, anyway?” he asked, pointing to my sling.

“He fell down one of the spoil tips,” Gwyn said, looking slightly embarrassed.

Lee looked even more furious at that. “You took him up on a tip?” When Gwyn had no response for him, he turned his attention back to me. “Do you know how bloody dangerous that is? You could have been killed if it had come down on top of you.”

I wanted to argue back against the scolding, but I remained silent, not wanting to make matters worse. Instead, I took comfort in the fact that he at least still cared enough to be concerned about my safety.

“And what about that?” he added, indicating to his neck but nodding towards mine.

I brought my hand up to the bruising around my throat and gave him a puzzled look. “That’s from the break-in the other day. He had that cord around my neck, remember?”

“Shit.” He rubbed a hand across his mouth and took a step closer, bending down to look at the bruise like he was only now contemplating how recent everything was for me. “That seems like so long ago.”

“Well, I guess it was for you. What happened when you got here? ”

Finally done with pacing, he sat in one of the many empty seats and began to talk. “I woke up in a field near that village you took me to, up the hill near where we got stuck in the road.”

“The omnibus stop,” I said to Gwyn, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

“I went down into the village to look for you, but the pub was closed. God, I needed a drink, but it already felt like I had the worst hangover of my life. I wandered down one of the lanes, and some guy called out to me, but he thought I was you. He told me you’d gone to Cardiff and pointed me in the direction of someone who could get me there, so I used some of the coins I had and went to find you, fuming that you’d left without me.”

“That was Zack. I saw him when I got back, and he told me he’d seen you. As soon as I worked out what had happened, I made my way here, and I was going to ask Gwyn to help me find you in Cardiff, but then I saw you at the mine yesterday. How did you end up here?”

“I didn’t stay in the city for long,” he replied, his tone sounding regretful. “Those coins didn’t last long, and I was so out of my depth. I ended up sleeping rough down by the docks in Tiger Bay.”

“Lee, I’m so sorry,” I said again, but he waved it off, done with my apologies.

“One day, I was wandering around, looking for some food and a place to wash, and I overheard someone complaining that his driver hadn’t turned up for a shift. I took a chance, said I had experience, and that I’d be willing to do it for half of whatever the other guy was being paid. I figured, how hard could it be? He didn’t seem too keen, but he didn’t have much choice, either, so he gave me a spare shirt from one of the buildings and sent me on my way. All I had to do was ride an empty cart up to the village from the docks and return with it filled with coal. I managed not to fuck it up, and he gave me some more work over the next few weeks. Eventually, I was able to afford a place to stay.”

“So you’re a cart driver?” I asked.

“No. Not anymore, obviously.” He gestured into the room and then brought his hands together at his knees. “I work at the mine. It’s a long story. One for another time.”

“We’ve got time,” I said, almost pleading for him to continue.

“Well, I don’t,” he said abruptly. “Not today, anyway.” He stood up as if getting ready to see us out, and I looked to Gwyn, unsure what to do next. “I have things to get on with.”

I was disappointed that our reunion was being cut short, but I knew that if I took things at his pace rather than my own, without pressing the issue, he would eventually come around and forgive me. He just needed time.

“I’m really proud of you for making all this work out for you,” I said. “It took me so long to get used to being here the first time. I didn’t have a clue about anything.”

“He still doesn’t,” Gwyn joked, and Lee showed the very first hint of a smile since we’d arrived.

“It wasn’t easy,” Lee said, “but I had to just get on with it. It would have been easier having you around.” He paused for a moment and stared out the window, before finally bringing his gaze back to me. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“Lee, I’m so sor–”

“I know,” he said, cutting me off. “We can’t change it. It’s done.”

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Tom, let it be!” he snapped, his face getting stern again. “Where are you staying, anyway?”

“With Nellie across town.”

“And that’s…” he looked at Gwyn, unsure how much to say.

“Dad’s sister,” I said, filling in the blank. “It’s ok, he knows everything.”

“Now that took some getting used to,” Gwyn said.

“You’re telling me,” Lee replied.

“This is Gwyn, by the way,” I said, finally finding an opportunity to properly introduce them.

“I’d worked that out already,” he replied, and he extended a hand to Gwyn, who gave it a firm shake in return. “Nice to finally meet you. Tom talked about you a lot. Like, a lot! ”

“I suppose we better go then,” I said.

Lee put one hand on my shoulder and pinched the bridge of his nose with the other, as he let out a long sigh. “Tom, I…” His face softened as we stared at each other, and for a brief moment, I thought we might finally connect again properly. Before he could continue his train of thought, the front door slammed shut, and we both turned towards the sitting room door.

When it opened, a young woman walked through it, and her eyes went wide at the sight of us as a huge smile spread across her face. “Goodness, I didn’t know who was who for a moment.”

Lee held out his arms to greet her, but she ignored his advances and came bounding towards me with her arms outstretched. Before I had a chance to react, she’d scooped me into a hug, completely ignoring the sling I was bound in. The pain from her embrace shot through my injured arm, but it felt impolite to complain about it, so I clenched my jaw until it was through.

“This is Letitia,” Lee said, popping up between us.

“And you must be Thomas?” she said. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”

Her voice was considerably higher pitched than I’d expected, but she spoke with a confidence that matched her demeanour, and I couldn’t help but smile as we took each other in.

Her fashion was strikingly forward for the period, showing off ample neck and cleavage in her figure-hugging dress. Her high, intricately styled blonde hair also set her apart from the demure, bonnet-covered styles that nearly all the other women wore. Maybe it was her wealth, or perhaps it was changing tastes, but I felt certain that this woman stood out in every room she entered, and she didn’t seem to mind one bit.

“Lee has told me all about you,” she said.

I looked at my brother, who could now barely meet my gaze. He’d told me absolutely nothing about her, but I decided not to embarrass either of them by saying so and simply smiled in return. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” I replied. “Lee’s spoken very highly of you.”

She let out a high-pitched giggle, then shuffled over to him and grabbed hold of his arm, giving him a squeeze. Both of their faces lit up as they stared at each other, and it was clear that my brother was smitten with her, which made me happy.

“Are you staying for dinner?” she asked. “Daddy will be home soon, and he’d love to meet you.”

“They can’t,” Lee cut in before I had a chance to reply. “They have to get going, but maybe sometime soon.”

“But you’re staying to eat, aren’t you?” she asked, looking up at Lee.

He caught my gaze, and I raised an eyebrow in his direction. Why would she be inviting him to dinner in his own house?

“Of course,” he replied, then he ducked from her embrace and opened the door into the hallway, waiting for us to leave.

“Yes, we really must be off,” Gwyn said, looking uncomfortable with the whole situation.

“Oh, that’s a shame,'' Tish said, dropping her lips into a pout. “Soon though, yes?”

“Definitely. As soon as my arm heals.”

Lee led us out to the hallway, and when we reached the door he gave Gwyn another handshake. Then, just as I stepped out onto the path, he grabbed me by the arm, stopping me from following Gwyn to the street.

“Meet me tomorrow,” he whispered. “1 pm, at the tea room by the church in town. Come on your own.”

I stared at him curiously, but he didn’t let go of me until I gave him a nod to agree. “I’ll be there,” I replied before turning for the gate .

The walk home was slow, but Gwyn stayed with me until we reached the top of the hill, before heading back to the mine to explain his absence for the day. I managed the last few metres to the house alone, but when I stepped into the hallway, the sound of raised voices brought me to a pause.

“...and you didn’t even bake a loaf this morning.”

“I bought one at the bakery. I was running late, and I needed to get to the infirmary.”

“That bloody infirmary. It’s always the bloody infirmary. What about the house? What about me? Would it kill you to put your duties as a wife ahead of your duties to that bloody infirmary, just for once?”

“You’re being unfair.”

“ I’m being unfair? You want to see unfair? I’ll tell you what, I’ll–”

I slammed the front door hard, hoping that it would indicate that I’d only just arrived, while also using it as a means to stop the argument escalating further. “Anyone home?” I called out, and Gethin came out into the hallway, smiling wide but looking dishevelled.

“Thomas, old chap. It’s lovely to see you,” he said, coming towards me with his hand outstretched. “Nellie told me that you were staying for a little while.”

“Yes,” I replied, shaking his hand. “Thank you for having me at short notice.”

“Well, it won’t be for long, will it?” he said, but his tone made it seem more like a command than a question.

I nodded in reply, unsure what to say. Nellie hadn’t indicated that I was on borrowed time, and I hadn’t even considered looking for somewhere else yet .

“Anyway, I must dash. I have a meeting to get to. I’ll see you for dinner.”

He grabbed his coat from the hook on the wall and made a swift exit, and I went to the living room to check on Nellie.

“Everything alright?” I asked.

She was sitting on the settee looking off towards the window, and though she gave a quick nod, she remained silent.

“I’ll be upstairs if you need anything,” I offered, leaving her to her thoughts.

When I got to the top of the stairs, Betty popped her head out of her bedroom door, then she snuck an arm through the gap and beckoned me towards her. “It’s been like that since I got home,” she said. “I ran straight upstairs. I don’t even know if they know I’m here.”

“Where have you been?”

She paused, considering her words, but ultimately ended up rambling. “I went for a walk in town. I saw the bakery, visited the tearoom, went to the park, met with Joseph, saw the church and went to the dress shop.”

“You saw Joseph?” I asked with a smirk, and her face flushed bright red.

“Shush, Thomas,” she said with a grin, then she pulled her face from the gap in the doorway and pushed it closed.