Humpty's bones

Heather’s voice interrupted the beginnings of his reply: ‘Now, what can I do for you, Mr Hezzle?’

The man’s whole demeanour abruptly changed. ‘Mrs Laird. Good morning. I’ve just been passing the day with your niece here. She’s a good looking girl, isn’t she?’

‘Like me, she’s not easily flattered.’ Heather scowled. ‘Have you been letting your dogs run wild again, Mr Hezzle?’

‘They can go where they please on my land.’

‘They’re brutes, Mr Hezzle.’ The woman kept her voice formal; even so, there was more than a hint of irritation. This must be the source of a long running argument. ‘You should keep them tied up in the farmyard, if they’re not allowed in the house.’

‘Everyone here has dogs,’ he replied evenly. ‘If you call out the police today they’ll appear next Tuesday — if you’re lucky. Those dogs of mine keep thieves away. We’d be robbed bankrupt if it weren’t for those brutes, as you call them.’

In a telling way she sang out, ‘Good day, Mr Hezzle.’

With polite restraint he nodded a farewell, then in a more friendly way to Eden, ‘Take care of yourself, Miss.’ A moment later he walked vigorously away.

‘He’s one of the notorious Hezzle tribe,’ murmured Heather to Eden. ‘They say they’ve been here since… well, from before the Romans marched in, if you believe all the tales they tell you. Take my advice, have nothing to do with them.’

‘Mr Hezzle was giving me some advice.’

‘What? The one about leaving bread and milk at your back gate at sunset? Or never cut the holly bushes down in your garden?’

‘Mr Hezzle told me not to dig holes.’

‘That’s a novel one, I suppose.’ She checked the excavation. ‘Good work. You saved the day, Eden. Will you help me lift one of those stones at the bottom? There might be an earlier floor beneath it.’

After that there was only small talk. Eden looked round the garden.

‘You don’t have any holly bushes?’

‘No, I can’t stand them. We had all the holly ripped out.’

10. Tuesday Afternoon: 5.45

Curtis arrived; an angry whirlwind in human form. He slammed the car door, kicked open the front door to Dog Star House. Then ripped open kitchen cupboards.

‘Why can I never find anything in this house!’

Heather tried to keep pace with him. ‘Curtis? What have you done to your face?’

‘I’ve done nothing to my face. He’s going to pay for this!’ He smashed a cupboard door shut. ‘What is it with this house? The moment you want something — need something! — it hides away!’

‘Curtis. Let me have a closer look.’

Eden stood in the doorway.

‘Yes, Eden. You join the audience. Have a really good look at this!’ He pointed to his face. ‘I told Wayne he was sacked. The ungrateful little sod took a swing at me.’

‘It might need a stitch.’ Heather held his head between her two hands as she examined the cut that ran through an eyebrow. Blood smeared the skin up into his hair line. There, dried blood formed brown crumbs amongst the silver strands.

‘A stitch. Does it hell need a stitch. I just need the first aid kit.’ He jerked his head free of his wife’s hands.

‘Eden,’ Heather said, ‘There’s antiseptic cream and plasters in the bathroom cabinet.’

‘I’ll be right back.’ Eden hurried up the stairs.

In the kitchen Curtis raged, ‘I’ll call Raj tonight. He can issue the summons. I’ll have Wayne in court so fast the little idiot won’t know what’s hit him!’

11. Friday Morning: 8.20

Several things happened that Friday morning. At least ‘things’ that, to Eden, hinted at momentous events to come.

Firstly, Curtis left early for the studio. With grim satisfaction written large on his still-bruised face, he snarled, ‘I wish I could see Wayne’s ugly mug when the court papers are served on him. If he thinks he can take a swing at me, he can think again.’

Secondly, dark clouds swelled in the sky. Thunder grumbled on the horizon. An ominous threat of approaching storm.

Thirdly, Heather announced that continuing the dig today would be pointless because of the rotten weather forecast (frankly, the gazebo offered scant shelter when it came to torrential downpours). ‘Instead, you can help me shift some of the junk out of the attic. I should have done it after my mother died, but I didn’t fancy tackling it on my own. Now I’ve got you it’s time I rolled up my sleeves.’

Fourthly, Eden Page had a revelation. So now they’re treating me as a servant. I’m no longer the guest. I’m the live-in help. They expect me to obey their commands. In desperation she telephoned the builder again. No, he couldn’t start work on her apartment until the end of the month. No escape yet. Unless…

Eden telephoned her mother. Or at least she tried. Only after calling half a dozen of her mother’s acquaintances did Eden learn where Mum had gone. She had headed out to Dublin to stay with a friend. Mum being Mum there was no contact number of course; no address, no e-mail access. Eden’s mother feared that mobile phones, like permanent addresses, pension schemes and marriage, were all instruments of confinement. A free spirit, my old Mum. Bless her. Being unable to contact her mother brought Eden to item Five: ‘I’m alone,’ she murmured as she washed the breakfast dishes. ‘I really am alone.’

‘What was that, Eden?’ called her aunt from the living room where she sat and leafed through a magazine.

‘Nothing. I’m only singing to myself.’ Why did I say that? I should have told Heather that I’m sick of being treated like a serving maid. No, it’s more than that: I feel so alone here. I’ve not a single friend within thirty miles. And neither you nor your grouch of a husband really want me here. Homeless or not, she could see herself launching a verbal attack on both her aunt and uncle before the day was out. She’d tell them what a low opinion she had of the pair. Then whatever happened she’d catch the train back to the civilisation. ‘This place is driving me mad,’ she hissed as she pulled the sink plug. For a moment she imagined herself as a bird hovering high above Dog Star House. Roman road at one side. Flat, endless fields all around. Besieging the place. Jailed by circumstance rather than high walls. This isolation. It’s crushing…

12. Friday Morning: 11.00