A SHARE IN A SECRET (County Durham Quad Book 5) by Jude Tresswell

Author:Jude Tresswell [Tresswell, Jude]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-17T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Spring turned into early summer—in many ways, the happiest that the quad had known. For the first time in what seemed like years, there were no new clouds to darken their horizons. There were no problems at work, and no problems at home other than the Raith-induced ones that they were used to. Most of the time, Raith oozed goodwill and positivity but, occasionally, his vulnerable side would start to surface. Nick observed, and admired: Mike, Ross and Phil were always alert to the warning signs, always watchful. Ross would sit at the kitchen table with Raith, clasping large hands in his own much smaller ones. He would talk to him quietly, encouragingly. It reminded Nick of the role that a second might have in a boxing ring. Ross was someone who was trusted, who would offer advice and, importantly, would offer an action plan to aid the person suffering in the fight.

Mike, if he wasn’t working, would grab a drink and a packet of biscuits. He’d lead Raith outside and stride up The Street and across the moors with him. What occurred when they were out wasn’t spoken of but, one day, when Nick was discarding some rubbish, he noticed biscuit wrappers, a condom and an empty tube of lube in the recently emptied waste bin. He wondered if the men had lain where he and Mike had lain together—a favourite stopping place perhaps. Should he feel insulted? No. He had no problem with sharing a patch of heather, nor with contemplating what had happened on it. But it was Phil whose dealings with Raith intrigued Nick most. It seemed to Nick that Phil was permanently vigilant and, if he felt the need, he steered Raith to the sofa, sat with an arm wrapped around him and gently stroked Raith’s head. Panic and hysteria simply faded away. It really was a sort of wizardry and, invariably, it worked.

So the quad were happy, and Nick was happy too. He’d become aware of his happiness-state when he’d travelled to London on a BOTWAC job. There was a show he fancied seeing and an exhibition that looked interesting. Should he stay overnight and get the train back the following afternoon? A show and expo or Tunhead? Tunhead or an expo and a show? He didn’t need to toss a coin. He walked to Kings Cross station and caught the first train home.

He thought about his happy frame of mind as he gazed through the train window at the passing towns and farmland. Almost surprisingly, the curious arrangement that he’d found himself a part of seemed to be working. Deep down, he had always felt that Raith would make an effort. They got on well, and little things that Raith said and did made it clear that he more than liked Nick’s company. He’d always got on well with Phil, too. Nick wasn’t conversant with Phil’s original reservations, but he had his share of empathy. He rightly guessed that Phil had been

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