too well. I wonder if you would care to come and fetch him?’
There was a pause on the other end of the line. ‘What’s wrong with him?’
‘He’s struggling for breath and he needed to sit down for a while.’
‘Where are you?’
James was obviously a man of few words, and Louise decided to be equally succinct. ‘We’re in Castle Park, just about a quarter of a mile from the entrance.’
‘I’ll come and find you. Will you be able to stay with him until I get there?’
‘I won’t leave him on his own,’ she said in a clipped voice. She was tempted to add, unlike some, but she managed to restrain herself. No doubt her sharp manner would have been enough to convey the message.
He cut the call, and for a moment she stared down at the blank screen. So much for James Ashleigh, grandson extraordinaire… How long was it going to take for him to get here? she wondered. Would he manage to avoid any detours or distractions along the way?
She turned her attention back to the man beside her. ‘He’s coming over,’ she said.
He smiled broadly, his features relaxing properly for the first time since she had met him. ‘That’s good.’ He glanced around. ‘I don’t think he’s set foot in this park since he was a child,’ he said on a musing note. ‘We used to bring him here, his grandmother and me. Those were good times.’
Louise’s mouth curved. ‘I can imagine.’ They talked for a while about those visits and the way the riverside had always been an attractive spot for picnics. Louise did most of the talking, afraid that the elderly man might relapse with the effort. ‘I love to be out in the open air,’ she said. ‘Even this close to the centre of town, this place is a lovely haven for wildlife.’
‘Yes. I wanted to see if they still have the aviary here.’ He coughed and stopped to gather air into his lungs. ‘I don’t get out much these days. It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten the exact layout of the place.’
She felt a rush of sympathy for him. Had it been so many years since he had a chance to visit the park?
‘I remember some years ago they used to have one. I think nowadays it’s more of a pets corner for the children—rabbits and guinea pigs and the occasional quail scrabbling about.’
‘Ah…’ He nodded. ‘Things change, don’t they?’ He looked at her, a gentle, indulgent smile on his face. ‘But I can see that you’re a girl after my own heart, Louise. May I call you Louise?’
‘Of course.’
‘Thank you. I’m Joseph. You’ve been very kind to me and I want to thank you for all that you’ve done. I feel guilty about this. I’m sure you must be busy and I’m taking up so much of your time.’
‘That’s all right, and you don’t need to feel guilty at all. I’m happy to be here with you. As things stand, I’m able to take a slightly longer lunch break today. But, whatever happens, I won’t leave you until you’re safely on your way home.’
He patted her hand once more in acceptance of that, and itwas as shewas returning the gesture that she became aware of a man striding purposefully towards them.
She looked up, casting a thoughtful glance over him as he approached. Like his grandfather, he was well-dressed, wearing a grey suit, though the jacket hung open to reveal a crisply laundered shirt with a pale, faintly striped design. She wondered if he was a businessman of some sort.
He was tall, long-legged, and his demeanour was resolute, the jut of his strong jaw signalling a man who was used to being in charge.
His gaze flicked over her. ‘Are you the lady who called me? Louise Bridgford?’
She nodded. ‘That’s right. I am.’
‘Thank you for calling me, and for staying here with my grandfather. I appreciate it.’ Then he turned his attention to Joseph, and his matter-of-fact manner changed to one of concern. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked, hunkering down, his knees bent so that he could be at eye level with him.
Louise let her glance wander over the beautiful cut of his black hair, noting its springy texture. The hair seemed to reflect the man. It shimmered faintly in the sunlight, with not a strand out of place, and she judged that each fibre was thick and strong.
‘I’m fine now. This young lady here, Louise, has been a great help to me.’
James subjected her to another quick scrutiny before turning back to his grandfather. He nodded. ‘I’m glad to hear it, but what happened to you? Was it just that you felt short of breath, or did you actually collapse?’
‘I just felt a bit peculiar,’ Joseph told him. ‘I’m feeling much better now.’
James appeared to be giving that some thought. ‘The car isn’t too far away. I’ve brought it as far into the park as I could. I’m just wondering if you’re going to be able to manage the walk.’
‘Yes… I think I can do that, if you just give me another minute or two.’
‘Hmm.’ James was doubtful. ‘Perhaps it would be better if I called for the paramedics. You should probably have someone look you over at the hospital.’
‘No. I don’t want that.’ Joseph’s voice was firm. ‘I wouldn’t like that at all. I’ll walk back to the car.’ He made to get up and, seeing how the colour immediately drained from him, both James and Louise gently pressured him back down into his seat.
‘I think I might have a solution,’ Louise murmured, getting to her feet.
James stood up and came alongside her, both of them moving a short distance from where his grandfather was sitting. ‘And what might that be?’ he asked.
‘I work at the hospital just across the way. I could go over there and borrow a wheelchair. It shouldn’t take me more than a few minutes to go and organise that.’
‘That seems like a good idea. Would there be any objection to you doing that?’
She shook her head. ‘I think they trust me enough to know that I’ll bring it back. There’s just the question of whether you could sit and wait with your grandfather that long.’
James gave her an odd look. ‘I’m not sure that I know what you mean.’
‘As far as I understand it,’ she said, giving him a direct stare, ‘you were with your grandfather when you suddenly went off and started to deal with your phone calls. Do I have that right?’
‘Partly.’ He frowned. ‘We were at the café, and I received a phone call that was quite urgent. The signal wasn’t too good, so I left my grandfather enjoying a cup of tea and a bun and went to deal with it outside.’
She guessed that he had been so taken up with dealing with his call that afterwards he had forgotten all about his grandfather. Of course he wasn’t going to admit that to her, was he?
‘Well, I sincerely hope that isn’t going to happen again, because it’s very important that
