A Family Concern (28 page)

‘A
sugar
basin?'

‘She said she'd noticed I hadn't got one. God, Rona, I wish I'd listened to you in the first place. She's a manipulative little devil, all right. Lord knows what game she's up to now, but don't worry, darling. I'll be back soon.'

He gave her a swift kiss and went downstairs to the waiting policemen. In the silence of the bedroom, she heard the car drive away.

I
t was the longest Sunday of her life. Immediately after Max had left, Rona phoned Lindsey, who, blessedly, asked no questions but said simply, ‘I'm on my way.'

She hurriedly showered and dressed, but the everyday routine did little to dispel her sense of shock. She'd always
known
that woman was trouble, from the very first mention of her name, but Max, whose protective instincts had been aroused by her seeming helplessness, had been too macho to see it. Even so, she'd thought flirtation was on her mind, not something altogether more dangerous.

The bell rang as she was brushing her hair. She dropped the brush and ran downstairs to open the door to her sister. Lindsey caught her in a fierce hug, and Gus, nosing his way between them, gave a soft whine.

‘Thanks for coming,' Rona said unsteadily.

‘What else could I do, when you tell me Max has been arrested? I just can't
believe
that woman would go so far.'

Rona's eyes filled with tears. ‘Bless you, Linz. Bless you for not even considering there could be any truth in it.'

‘Well, of course there isn't!' said Lindsey, who had wondered just that on her mad dash to town.

They turned into the sitting room and Rona, realizing the central heating had switched off, lit the gas fire. They both sat down, and Gus came and leaned heavily against her legs. She patted him absent-mindedly.

‘So what was the build-up to this?' Lindsey prompted.

‘You saw them together at the Gallery,' Rona began.

‘I did indeed. And you said there was nothing in it.'

‘Apparently she told him she was suffering from depression, and speaking to him made her feel better.'

Lindsey gave an unladylike snort.

‘Well, a week ago she suddenly turned up at the studio, asking – literally – for tea and sympathy. Max was livid – he'd just mixed some paint and didn't want it to dry – but short of throwing her on to the street, there was not much he could do. So he went to make the tea, but in the kitchen she suddenly tried to kiss him.'

‘Why doesn't that surprise me?' Lindsey asked rhetorically.

‘He put her straight on a few things, and she rushed off.' Rona twisted her hands. ‘The horrible thing is that someone saw her running from the cottage, and at the Dawsons' party the next night, he teased Max about having a bit on the side.'

‘Oh, Ro!'

‘Until then,' Rona continued steadily, ‘he hadn't told me about it, presumably because he guessed how I'd react. We had a stormy session, a day of not speaking, and then it all came out. Anyway, after all that, he didn't think she'd turn up at class last week, but she did; and not only that, but in front of the whole class she gave him a sugar basin as a Christmas present, because when they had tea in the kitchen, she'd noticed he hadn't got one! It didn't seem to occur to her that neither Max nor I take sugar. The packet was only for cooking.'

‘Then what?'

‘Well, that's all really. She must have seen he was under-whelmed, but nothing specific was said. And the next we know, we have Archie Duncan and his chum on the doorstep, talking of assault.'

‘No doubt she's shown them those bloody bruises,' Lindsey said darkly.

‘No doubt. We always guessed they had their uses, didn't we?'

‘So what happens next?'

‘I've no idea. Presumably at some stage Max will come home. They're not likely to bang him up, are they? Not until they've got more to go on, anyway?'

‘So what are you going to do?'

‘Wait, I suppose.'

‘Shall we drive out somewhere for lunch? It would help to pass the time.'

‘Lindsey, I can't. Suppose he phones or comes back, and I'm not here? He'd think I was doubting him.'

Lindsey sighed. ‘OK, we'll dig ourselves in for the duration. How about a cup of coffee, for starters?'

And Rona, glad of something to do, led the way down to the kitchen.

At the police station, Max was finding things were more serious than he'd assumed. He learned that Adele had phoned 999 in the early hours of Saturday morning, and told the emergency operator she'd taken an overdose of sleeping pills.

‘Where the hell was her husband?' he interrupted.

The man who was interviewing him glanced at his companion, who nodded.

‘We understand he's taken the children on a four-day trip to Lapland, to see Father Christmas. Mrs Yarborough was supposed to be going with them, but cried off at the last minute. So far, we've been unable to contact him, but her parents have come down from Ipswich and are with her now. When she regained consciousness, she made a statement alleging that you'd assaulted her on several occasions, because she refused to sleep with you.'

Max stared at him with incredulity. ‘Did she say exactly when and where these fictitious assaults took place?'

‘We can't divulge specifics, sir, but we understand you live apart from your wife during the week?'

‘Meaning it was an ideal set-up? But if Adele wanted to keep me at arm's length, why come to the cottage? Wouldn't that have been asking for trouble?'

‘We'll do the questioning, sir,' the inspector said mildly. ‘Are you suggesting the interest was, in fact, on her side?'

Max sighed. ‘It would seem so. My wife always warned me, though I couldn't see it. But to get the facts straight, Inspector, it was she who made overtures to me, a week or so ago at the cottage. I made it plain I wasn't interested, and I presume this is her revenge.'

‘Mrs Yarborough has severe bruising to her arms, legs and neck, sir, and we're informed there are also older bruises and evidence of previous fractures.'

‘I'm not surprised,' Max said shortly.

The policeman's eyes narrowed. ‘Would you care to explain that comment?'

‘With pleasure. As you might know, I'm an art tutor, and Mrs Yarborough joined my class last May. During that very hot spell, I noticed she always wore either a cardigan, or a dress with long sleeves. One day, her sleeves rode up as she reached for something, and I saw her arms were covered in bruises.'

The two policemen exchanged glances.

‘My wife will bear me out on this, because I mentioned them to her. Later, in view of Mrs Yarborough's pallor and general timidity, I became even more concerned. I asked my wife and her sister to invite her to tea, and let me know what they thought.'

‘And what did they think, sir?' the inspector asked stolidly.

Max flushed. ‘That the bruises had been caused by heaving furniture about during the Yarboroughs' recent move. But the other week, I saw more bruising. To be frank, I was convinced her husband was abusing her. Once, she even “fell” downstairs; it transpired that he'd been upstairs at the time, and what's more, my sister-in-law, who lives opposite, had more or less to force him to take her to hospital.'

He looked challengingly from one man to the other. They returned his gaze impassively.

‘On reflection,' Max continued heavily, ‘it figures, doesn't it? She suddenly finds she can't take any more, but she daren't say anything against her husband, either because she's frightened of him, or because it might split up the family. So, as soon as he's out of the way, she picks on me, thereby killing two birds with one stone, since it would pay me back for rejecting her.'

‘An interesting theory, sir.'

‘I think you'll find it's the right one,' Max said.

It was four o'clock when the police car brought him home. Rona rushed into the hall to meet him, Lindsey tactfully remained in the sitting room.

‘What happened?' she demanded as she hugged him. ‘Has it all been cleared up?'

‘Not really, no. I'm released on police bail “pending further enquiries”, and have had to undertake not to go within a hundred yards of Adele. As if I'm likely to.'

‘Lindsey's been waiting with me,' Rona said, and led the way into the sitting room. Her sister came forward and kissed Max's cheek.

‘Sorry you've been landed with this,' she said.

He smiled ruefully. ‘It's not as if you didn't both warn me.'

‘Did you contact Barry?'

‘No, I didn't think it was warranted. They offered me a solicitor, but I declined.'

‘That was unwise,' Lindsey, the solicitor, rebuked him.

‘No doubt, but I don't think I did too badly in my own defence.'

Lindsey smiled. ‘We can't have you doing us out of a job.'

He sat down, patting Gus who had come up wagging his tail. ‘It was more serious than it seemed,' he told them soberly. ‘She'd taken an overdose of sleeping pills.'

They looked at him in consternation. ‘Is she all right?'

‘Yes, they pumped her out, or whatever it is they do.'

‘But – where was Philip?'

‘That's what I wanted to know. He's taken the kids to Lapland, if you please, to see Father Christmas. Adele was going with them, but dropped out at the last minute.'

‘So she was alone in the house?'

‘Presumably. They've not been able to contact him; I suppose, going for only four days, it didn't seem worth adapting his mobile, especially as until the last minute he thought she'd be with him.'

‘When's he due back?'

Max shrugged. ‘Some time tomorrow, I suppose.'

‘I wonder if they'll question him about the bruises.'

‘Well, at least I got in my pennyworth. With luck, it might have sown the seeds of suspicion.'

The next two days brought no further news, but at lunchtime on the Wednesday, Max phoned.

‘I've just had Archie Duncan round,' he announced. ‘The allegations have been dropped.'

‘Well, thank God for that. Was there any explanation?'

‘No. I think Archie was jumping the gun, bless him; he'd been highly embarrassed about the whole thing. He just said that I'd be hearing officially, but he wanted me to know as soon as possible.'

‘Has Philip been arrested?'

‘Darling, I'm telling you all I know. At least someone's seen sense. Look, since there are no classes I've a free afternoon, so I'm pressing on with the calendar. But I'll be home earlier than usual – say sixish?'

‘I'll have the champagne on ice,' she said.

‘I didn't think you were serious about the bubbly,' Max commented, opening the bottle.

‘Well, it's a celebration, isn't it? I didn't fancy being married to a jailbird!'

He poured it carefully into the glasses, and as they toasted each other, the doorbell rang.

‘Somebody smelt it!' Rona said.

‘Let's take it up, anyway, and savour it in comfort. You carry the bottle, and I'll bring the tray with the glasses.'

Rona led the way. Max rested the tray on the hall table before opening the door, and she went ahead into the sitting room, stiffening as she heard him exclaim, ‘Yarborough!'

‘Please don't shut the door,' Philip was saying quickly. ‘I realize I must be the last person you want to see, but I have to speak to you.'

Max hesitated, and Rona came into the hall. ‘Come in, Philip.'

‘Thank you.'

Max reluctantly stepped aside, and Philip passed him and, at Rona's gesture, followed her into the sitting room. He looked wretched, she thought, with a stab of pity.

‘First, on behalf of my wife, I owe you both the most enormous apology. I can't think what came over her.' His eyes fell to the champagne bottle Rona had set down, and he produced another from behind his back. ‘You've preempted me, but I hope this will come in useful over the New Year.'

Rona glanced at Max's face, which remained stony. ‘Thank you,' she said.

‘And the second thing I owe you,' Philip continued, ‘is an explanation. Adele's ill – you must have guessed that, but perhaps you don't realize quite how ill.'

‘She told me she suffers from depression,' Max said stiffly.

‘Yes, but that's only a part of it. I'm well aware what you, and doubtless other people, have been thinking about me.' He glanced at Rona. ‘And I know your sister blamed me for not taking her straight to A and E when she fell downstairs; but the simple fact is, I was embarrassed to do so. I could see she wasn't badly hurt, and we've been to every hospital in the area so many times, I couldn't face it again.'

‘In which case,' Max said, ‘I'm surprised the medical authorities didn't contact the police. They must be used to stories of walking into doors and so on—'

‘—from battered wives?' Philip finished bitterly. ‘Exactly. But the truth of the matter is, she's been harming herself.'

Rona and Max stared at him in disbelieving horror.

‘It's a form of Munchausen's syndrome. No doubt you've heard of it?'

They both nodded.

‘It's partly my fault it's got this bad. I was convinced it would pass, that with love and care she'd stop doing it. Sometimes she'd go for months without harming herself, and then something would start her off again. This last time, it must have been leaving Suffolk and her family, and coming here. She's steadfastly refused to have treatment in the past, despite her parents and I pleading with her, but this time I think she frightened herself. Incidentally,' he added, ‘the sleeping pills weren't sufficient to do serious damage. They were just another symptom, a means of attracting attention and sympathy.'

‘It must have been terrible for you,' Max said.