Page 75 of The Love Letter

‘Not good, I’m afraid. William Fielding was brutally attacked in his home yesterday morning by a gang of thugs. He’s on the critical list and they’re not sure if he’s going to make it.’

‘Oh God, no! How awful.’

‘I know. You really do start to wonder what the world is coming to. Apparently they burst into his house in London, stole God knows what paltry possessions he owned and left him for dead.’

‘Oh God.’ Zoe choked back a sob. ‘The poor, poor man.’

‘And – sorry to be practical – but as you can imagine, it’s messed up our filming schedule for this week. By the sound of things, even if he does make it, he’ll be in no fit state to continue with the film. We’re looking through the rushes now to see what we have and haven’t got. With some careful editing, we reckon we’re just about there. Anyway, until we’ve sorted that out, filming’s on hold. So no need to come to Norfolk today.’

‘Of course.’ Zoe bit her lip. ‘Listen, Mike, do you happen to know which hospital William’s in? If I’m going to be in London for the next few days, I’d like to go and see him.’

‘That’s sweet of you, Zoe. He’s in St Thomas’s. Don’t know whether you’ll find himcompos mentisor not. If he is, send our love from everyone on the set.’

‘Of course. Okay, Mike, thanks for calling.’

Zoe put the telephone down, berating herself for making derogatory comments about William to Joanna and Marcus on Monday night. Unable to settle to anything at home and surprised at just how upset she was about his assault, Zoe set off after lunch for St Thomas’s.

With her unimaginative bunch of flowers, grapes and fruit juice, Zoe was directed to intensive care. ‘I’m here to see William Fielding,’ she informed a burly nurse.

‘He’s too ill to see any visitors other than close family. Are you close family?’

‘Er, yes, his daughter, actually.’On celluloid, anyway, Zoe thought.

The nurse took Zoe to a room in the corner of the ward and there was William, his head swathed in bandages, his face covered in lurid blue and purple bruises. He was hooked up to various machines that bleeped intermittently around him.

Tears sprang to Zoe’s eyes. ‘How is he?’

‘Very poorly, I’m afraid. He’s slipping in and out of consciousness,’ said the nurse. ‘Now you’ve turned up, I’ll get the doctor along to talk to you about his condition and take some details. We weren’t aware he had any children. I’ll leave you alone with him for a while.’

Zoe nodded silently, then, when the nurse left, sat down and took William’s hand in hers. ‘William, can you hear me? It’s Zoe, Zoe Harrison.’

There was no response. William’s eyes remained closed, his hand limp in hers. Zoe stroked his hand gently. ‘All the cast and film crew in Norfolk send their love. They hope to see you back soon,’ she whispered. ‘Oh William, what a terrible thing to happen. I’m so sorry, I really am.’

The scenario was so reminiscent of sitting by James’s bedside and watching him slip away that further tears fell down Zoe’s cheeks. ‘I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to talk more about when you knew my grandfather. It was fascinating, it really was. Some of the things you were telling me . . . well, he must have really trusted you all those years ago.’

Zoe felt one of William’s fingers twitch inside her palm and his eyelids flickered.

‘William, can you hear me?’ One of his fingers was wiggling so strongly that Zoe had to let go of his hand. His index finger lay on the sheet, enclosed by a large signet ring, twitching violently.

‘What is it? Is the ring hurting you?’ Zoe noticed William’s fingers did look swollen. ‘Do you want me to take it off?’

The finger waggled again.

‘Okay.’ Zoe struggled to remove the ring, which seemed far too tight a fit.

‘I’ll put it in your locker for safe keeping.’

Then she noticed his head was shaking slowly from side to side.

‘No?’

His index finger was pointing at her.

‘You want me to look after it for you?’

He managed a pathetic thumbs-up.

‘Okay, of course I will.’ Zoe stowed the ring away in her pocket. ‘William, do you know who did this to you?’