The Dream Weavers by Barbara Erskine (books you have to read txt) 📕

when he saw who it was. He spoke before she could say why she had come. ‘I’m sorry, this is not a good time for visitors. I’m expecting someone.’

Sandra felt a surge of anger. ‘I haven’t come all this way on a whim. I need to talk to you.’

‘Why? To explain all the damage you’re doing to Bea?’

Sandra took a step forward. ‘Bea is a dangerous woman and I want, I need, to help your daughter.’ She put out her hand as though to push him back so she could enter the house.

He didn’t budge. ‘No. I’m sorry. I don’t want you here. I’m expecting my wife at any moment.’

‘I will go, but not before I’ve explained.’ She spoke through gritted teeth. ‘You don’t understand what is happening.’

Behind them a car pulled into the layby outside the cottage and parked beside Simon’s old Volvo. He groaned. ‘Please. Go. Now. I told you, I do not want you here.’

‘Dad?’ Emma had appeared behind him. ‘Is that Mum’s car?’ She spotted Sandra and stared at her. ‘What are you doing here?’

Sandra clenched her fists. ‘Your wife should listen to what I have to say as well.’

The force with which Val slammed the door of her car after she climbed out spoke volumes. She opened the gate and ran up the steps onto the terrace and only then seemed to see the stranger standing by the door. She stopped in her tracks.

‘Mrs Armstrong? I am sorry to intrude but there are things you ought to know about what your daughter has been doing.’ Sandra was oblivious to the family tensions around her. ‘You need to listen to me. I don’t think your husband understands what is happening to him. He is blinded by Bea’s charisma and now there is an added problem and he can’t see the danger of what has been going on.’

Emma pushed past her father. ‘What is going on is absolutely none of your business!’ she shouted. ‘You’ve been following me, and we should call the police! You’re nothing but a vicious stalker!’

‘Em!’

Simon put his hand on Emma’s shoulder but she shook him off. ‘No. Everyone is too scared of her to tell her what an appalling person she is. A busybody. A spy. A vicious, jealous interfering—’ Words failed Emma and she burst into tears.

‘That’s enough!’ Val walked past her husband and Sandra and pushed Emma back towards the door. ‘Go inside. I have no idea what is going on here, but I’m beginning to understand. This lady,’ she threw a withering glance at Sandra, ‘appears to have a very good idea of the situation, but I gather it has nothing to do with her, so I think we can deal with this ourselves, thank you.’ She glared at Sandra. ‘I suggest you leave us to our own affairs.’

Sandra held her ground. ‘I didn’t come all this way up here to be sent away. I’m not the one in the wrong here,’ she stated stoutly. ‘I’m coming in. That child will lie to you, and your husband is besotted with the woman who is grooming your daughter!’

The silence that followed this statement was broken only by the call of a buzzard riding the thermals above the valley. Sandra took the chance to walk inside and sit down by the empty hearth.

Even Val was left speechless by this. She turned to Simon, who also appeared dumbstruck. ‘Call the police!’ she hissed at him. She followed Sandra inside and stood looking down at her.

‘Val. Let’s all calm down.’ Simon shouted after them as Emma pushed past him and ran upstairs to her bedroom. The whole house shook with the force of the door banging behind her and they heard the sound of her sobs through the ceiling.

‘Now see what you’ve done!’ Val spat the words, whether at Sandra or Simon or both wasn’t clear. ‘All right, if you’re so keen to tell me what you think is happening, let’s hear it, then perhaps you will leave us in peace.’ She sat down opposite Sandra, perching on the edge of the chair, her arms folded.

‘No, Val,’ Simon tried his best.

‘Shut up!’

He sat down at his writing table and put his head in his hands.

‘Well, I’m waiting,’ Val looked at the woman opposite her.

Sandra smiled. This was her chance.

40

Sandra spoke without interruption for several minutes, all too aware of Mrs Armstrong’s eyes fixed unblinkingly on her face. Val’s expression was forbidding. When at last Sandra fell silent, there was a long pause. Simon raised his head to look from one woman to the other.

‘Thank you.’ Val spoke very quietly. ‘Leave this with me.’

Sandra looked perplexed. ‘But I have to help you deal with this.’

‘I don’t see how, or why you need to involve yourself further in our affairs.’ Val stood up. ‘I would like you to go now so that my husband and I can talk. Please,’ for the first time her voice rose slightly, ‘leave us alone.’

‘But—’

‘No. Nothing else. Speak to no one, follow no one. Leave us all in peace!’

‘You don’t believe me!’ Sandra was outraged.

‘I believe you are perfectly sincere, Mrs Bedford. But I don’t believe our family is any of your business. Whether or not there is a problem here, it’s for Emma’s parents to address, not a complete stranger.’

She moved forward to stand over Sandra’s chair. There was no mistaking her body language. Sandra stood up and shuffled unwillingly towards the door. ‘I did tell you that the bishop and the dean—’

‘Yes, you told us.’

Simon moved at last. He walked over to the front door and pulled it open. ‘Time to go, Sandra. Thank you for your help, but my wife is right. This is for us to sort out now. Please do not take this any further. And don’t come here again.’

‘But Bea—’ Sandra was already outside on the terrace.

‘Leave Bea alone.’ Simon closed the door with a bang and leaned against it, his eyes closed.

‘What a ghastly woman.’ Val threw herself