‘She’s here for me. Not you, my friend.’ Hugo’s tone was smooth, reassuring.
‘Where’s she going?’
‘Just to get another cup. We’re having hot chocolate.’
‘Ah, yes. Hot chocolate and draughts...’
Jacob’s memory had become fragmented by time. Some things were still clear in his mind, but he was groping in the dark, trying to make sense of others. It was common in patients who had dementia, and it was clear that Hugo was trying to reassure Jacob by re-creating the sights and sounds of things he did remember. The sound the counters made on the draughts board. The taste of hot chocolate. But that was all coming with a cost to him.
She fetched the cup and re-joined the two men, wondering whether Hugo knew that she’d heard and understood their conversation. Smiling, she poured the hot chocolate and sat down. Jacob moved one of his pieces and Hugo chuckled quietly.
‘You have me...’ He made the only move possible, and Jacob responded by taking four of his counters in one go.
‘Another game?’ The old man still seemed wide awake, and Nell wondered how long this was going to go on before he tired and they could take him back to wherever he’d come from.
Hugo nodded, and Nell shot him a frown. He couldn’t do this all night, but it appeared that he was perfectly capable of trying if it kept Jacob happy.
‘Will you teach me, please? I know how to play, but I don’t know the tactics.’
‘Of course, mademoiselle.’ Perhaps Jacob had forgotten her name again, but he remembered how to play draughts, and that was the way that Nell could keep him occupied while Hugo rested.
Hugo stood, giving Nell his seat, and retreated to the sofa. As she and Jacob set out the pieces, ready to play, he seemed to be dozing.
At least Hugo was relaxing, now. As they played, Jacob became animated, suggesting better moves to Nell, slipping from French into English and then back again, sometimes in the course of one sentence. Finally he began to tire.
‘Hugo’s tired. He’s ready to go to bed now.’ Nell nodded towards Hugo. If Jacob had known him since he was a boy, then he would also remember taking care of him, and some part of that relationship would still exist somewhere in his head.
‘Is it time?’ Jacob glanced around the room and then at his own attire. ‘It must be. I’m wearing my pyjamas.’
That posed a second problem. Nell had no idea who Jacob was or where he’d come from. But Jacob turned, calling softly to Hugo.
‘Wake up, lad. Time to go to bed.’
Instantly, Hugo’s eyes were open and he roused himself. Jacob clearly came first, however tired he was. ‘Let’s go.’
* * *
Nell was perfect. Hugo had been prepared to exert his authority and order her out of his apartment, but she’d realised Jacob’s situation very quickly and had played along. More than that, she’d taken charge, allowing Hugo to relax and get comfortable. Despite all his efforts to conceal it, he had to admit that he was very tired.
He led the way through the quiet corridors of the palace, Nell and Jacob arm in arm behind him. As he ushered them through one of the back doors and across the small courtyard towards the neat row of cottages used by palace employees, he wondered whether she’d be quite as gentle and understanding when Jacob was no longer within earshot.
It took Celeste a while to answer the door, and when she did so she was bleary-eyed, pulling on her dressing gown. Looking after Jacob was becoming a twenty-four-hour-a-day task for her, and she’d clearly been fast asleep when Hugo had texted her to say that Jacob was with him. He waved away her apologies and said goodnight, hearing Nell’s voice behind him echoing the sentiment.
The door closed and he turned to Nell, watching as the smile slipped from her face. That capable, no-nonsense expression didn’t fail to send a tingle down his spine, even if he was far too tired to make the best of whatever conflict was brewing.
‘So, Jacob wanders at night?’ She walked next to him back across the courtyard.
‘Yes. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything about it.’
He couldn’t see the flash of her eyes in the darkness, but imagined it there. ‘This place is full of secrets, isn’t it? How long do you think you can cover this up?’
‘I don’t need very long. Before I went into hospital, I was talking to Celeste about getting a carer for him at night so that she could get some sleep. I contacted her after I was taken ill and she said that things were okay and she was managing on her own.’ He turned the corners of his mouth down. Clearly things hadn’t been okay, and Celeste had just not wanted him to worry.
‘Celeste’s his daughter?’
‘Yes. Jacob came to work here at the palace when he was sixteen, it’s the only home he knows. My father’s always said that he and Celeste have a place here for as long as they want.’
‘So why all the secrecy?’ Nell frowned, clearly bothered by it.
‘When he heard that Jacob had been wandering at night, my father went to see Celeste and mentioned to her that a nursing home might be the right place for Jacob, and offered to pay the bills. Celeste took that as a royal command...’
‘But he was really just trying to help.’ Nell gave Hugo’s father the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Hugo should, too.
‘I’m sure he was. But Celeste doesn’t think it’s the right thing for Jacob and neither do I. Like I said, this is his only home and he’d be even more disorientated than he is now in a new place.’
‘Okay. Let me get this clear.’ Nell stopped suddenly in the middle of the courtyard, and Hugo felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. They were in full view of the palace, and he didn’t take anonymity for granted the way that Nell obviously did. He saw a light flip on, and then back off again. Probably nothing.
‘Your father thinks that the best place for Jacob is a nursing home, and you think it’s best for him to stay here.’ Hugo dragged his attention back to what Nell was saying. ‘So instead of talking to him about it, you’re going to get a night carer in, see if that works and then tell your father about it.’
When she put it like that it didn’t sound the best way of doing things. But then Nell didn’t know his father. ‘Yes. That’s essentially it.’
She held up her hands in a gesture of resignation. ‘Okay. You have an agency in mind, where you can get this carer?’
‘Yes...’ Hugo had wondered how he was going to break the news to her that tomorrow he’d be busy making those arrangements.
‘Right. Give the details to me. I can do an assessment of Jacob and talk to Celeste about what she thinks is best in the morning, and we’ll get things moving. If we can get someone in for tomorrow night, then Celeste can get some sleep and think better about her long-term options.’
Her tone brooked no argument, which was generally like
