Secrets of the Tower by Debbie Rix

Author:Debbie Rix [Rix, Debbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-909490-82-6
Publisher: Bookouture

Chapter Eighteen

June 1999

Pisa was approaching midsummer. It was June 15th and the weather was hot. Even in the early hours of the morning, Sam’s cramped pensione bedroom was stifling. She lay on top of the bed, her sheet thrown off some hours before, a faint layer of perspiration on her forehead. The phone rang – an insistent noise that woke her from a dreamless sleep. She fumbled with the receiver.

‘Good morning, darling… and how are you today?’ Her mother’s chirpy voice bounced loudly from the earpiece.

Sam groaned.

‘Sorry, did I wake you? I just wanted to catch you before you went off to see Michael; I know you like to have breakfast with him.’

‘Yes,’ Sam mumbled, ‘but not at seven in the morning. What are you doing up so early anyway?’

‘Have you forgotten what children are like, darling? It’s six here, but we’ve all been up since five. I’ve already done breakfast, put on the washing, emptied the dishwasher and started to make a cake with the twins. If they weren’t due to go to nursery in two hours’ time, I think I might have a nervous breakdown!’

Sam sat up in bed and took a deep breath. ‘Mum, I’m sorry. You are such a star; and you know how grateful I am to you, don’t you? I haven’t the faintest idea what I’d have done without you these last few weeks. Are the children driving you mad? I know they can be hard work.’ Sam tried to sound apologetic.

‘They’re adorable, and just as they should be,’ said her mother matter-of-factly.’

‘Can I speak to them?’ asked Sam.

‘Oh darling, I’m not sure that’s a good idea… we don’t want them unsettled.’

‘Mum… please I miss them so much – do you have any idea what it’s like?’

‘Oh, all right then, I suppose it will be OK.’

She heard her mother calling to Freddie. Distant strains of Radio Three filled the silence until she became aware of a familiar, faint breathiness at the other end of the phone.

‘Freddie darling...?’

‘Mummy!’ His voice was indignant, cross. ‘Where are you? Want you here.’

‘And I want to be there, darling – but I’ve got to stay here with Daddy for a bit longer.’

She could feel the familiar nagging pain in her heart.

‘Why?’ he asked logically.

‘Because he’s poorly, darling, and he needs me to look after him.’

‘But I need you to look after me. I’m poorly – I’ve got a sore finger…’

She heard her mother snatching the phone and muttering, ‘Don’t be silly, Freddie, there’s nothing wrong with your finger. Darling… they’re all fine.’

‘Really – what’s wrong with his finger? Are the girls OK?’

‘Darling, there’s nothing wrong with it… the cat scratched him that’s all. And the girls are making a cake at the moment, so it’s probably better not to disturb them.’

‘Oh, OK... if you think it’s best,’ Sam’s disappointment was palpable.

‘I do, darling – it just unsettles them really. Now that’s not why I’m ringing. I wanted to talk to you about arrangements for getting Michael home. I’ve been

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