Evie allowed herself to be ushered out of the hospital to return to George Town with Frank and Reggie.
She wanted to be alone, to fold her baby in her arms and never let him go. What kind of a world had she brought him into? A world where God would allow a man like Doug, so strong, fit and healthy, to be cut down in his prime.
To her relief, the brothers left her on the doorstep and didn’t offer to come inside. It was already eight in the evening. Incredible to believe that only the previous evening she’d been sitting in the garden here with her guests, unaware of Doug’s plight. In that brief time her entire world had been changed irrevocably.
Aunty Mimi opened the door, eyes brimming with tears. ‘Solly for Tuan. I light many candles in temple today for him.’ She looked away. ‘For you too, Mem,’ she said, before disappearing into the kitchen.
Mary Helston was waiting in the drawing room. She opened her arms and wrapped Evie in an embrace.
‘My poor darling. Frank called me from the hospital and told me what’s happened.’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘How is Doug?’
‘He wants to die. He’s decided to die. I need a stiff gin.’ She moved towards the sideboard but Benny appeared and did the honours, while proffering his good wishes for the tuan. Evie collapsed into a chair.
‘It’s food not alcohol you need, Evie. When did you last eat?’ Mary face was full of concern.
Evie waved her hand dismissively. ‘Where’s Jasmine?’
‘Upstairs helping Susan bath the babies. She’s anxious to see you, but I asked if I could have a few moments with you first.’
‘What does she know?’
‘Just that her daddy has had an accident and is in the hospital.’
Evie put her head in her hands. ‘How the hell I am I going to tell an eight-year-old her father’s going to die.’
Mary closed her eyes. ‘Oh, Lord, Evie. Surely it won’t come to that?’
‘Short of a miracle it will. Even if I manage to change his mind in the morning it may still be too late to prevent blood-poisoning.’ She ran her fingers through her tangled hair. ‘He’s made up his mind to die. Doug is an obstinate man and he refuses to contemplate losing a leg. He thinks death is preferable.’
‘You have to tell her the truth. If you dress it up she’s going to be even more shocked when she finds out. Tell her he’s had a terrible accident and prepare her that he may not make it. Children are more resilient than we give them credit for.’
Evie began to cry softly. ‘I don’t think I’m strong enough to get through this.’
‘Yes, you are. You are the strongest person I know.’ Mary gave her another hug. ‘And tomorrow, once he’s got over the shock, he may look at things differently.’
‘Tomorrow may already be too late. I need to talk to Jasmine.’
26
Telling Jasmine what was happening to her father was the hardest thing Evie had ever had to do, but the child made it easier. The little girl listened solemnly, then said, ‘I’ll be like you. We’ll both have no daddy.’ Lip trembling, she was clearly struggling not to cry, and Evie’s heart lurched as she gathered her step-daughter into her arms.
‘We’ll have to be strong for each other and for Hughie,’ Evie said, stroking the little girl’s hair. ‘Sometimes I’ll be very sad and I’ll need you to cheer me up and sometimes you’ll be sad and I’ll try to cheer you up.’
‘What happens if we’re both sad at the same time?’
‘Oh, my darling!’ She squeezed the child tight against her breast. ‘We’ll have to hope that Hugh can cheer us both up.’
Jasmine nodded, her face grave. ‘Hughie’s always good at making me smile. He’s a very happy baby. He makes me happy too.’
Unable to sleep all night, Evie was up and dressed at dawn and asked Benny to drive her to the car ferry and on to the hospital in Butterworth. When she arrived, she found Arthur Leighton sitting in the corridor outside Doug’s room. Seeing Evie, he rushed towards her and wrapped her in his arms.
Evie stood rigid as a pole. To give in to her emotions, break down and be comforted by Arthur, would feel like an act of disloyalty to Doug. To be embraced, however innocently, as her husband lay dying a few feet away, was not something she could allow, no matter how much she longed to.
‘Have you seen him?’ she asked, pulling away.
Arthur shook his head. ’The doctors are in with him now.’
‘How did you know? When did you get here? I thought you were in Singapore.’
‘The bush telegraph travels fast. As soon as I heard what had happened, I drove up. I was in Klang so it wasn’t so far. I drove through the night. I got here about ten minutes ago. No one’s told me anything yet. Is he all right?’
‘No. He’s not all right,’ she snapped, nerves frayed. ‘If they don’t amputate his leg he’s going to die. He’s refused to let them. And it may already be too late.’ She crumpled into a chair and Arthur sat down beside her. He took her hand but she jerked it away. Seeing him there, his long legs whole inside their light flannel trousers, his skin tanned and healthy, made Evie want to scream.
‘Have you talked to him?’ Arthur asked.
‘Yes, but he won’t listen. Seems to think it’s better to die than to be without a leg. Never mind his children. Never mind me.’ She gave a groan of exasperation.
‘Would you like me to have a go? Maybe I can talk some sense into him.’
Evie was irritated. Why did he think he would have more influence than she had, when she was Doug’s wife? But anything
