Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (best free e reader .TXT) 📕

on the nearest armchair. ‘I don’t mean to be unkind, but I can’t help feel that this is Sam’s biggest chance.’

Thea uncurled her legs. ‘You mean, Sam is inside, so let’s see if he can stay inside?’

‘Yes.’ Helen smiled. ‘I’m not saying tie him to the table or anything, but he is here, now; in his house.’

Watching Woody as he counted down the seconds, Tina willed Sam to come round as she took a bite of toast. Even if she hadn’t felt hungry, her body obviously knew better, as the butter and marmalade easily slipped down her throat. ‘When he wakes up and finds himself inside, what’s to stop him diving outside? What if he panics and has another accident?’

Helen frowned. ‘I don’t know. Open the door maybe? He could run into the garden if he had to. I’ll go and move the bench that’s just outside, so he doesn’t trip over it.’

‘That’s a good idea.’ Woody had just made his mind up to call an ambulance, when he suddenly said, ‘Eyelids.’

‘What?’ Tina looked harder at Sam’s face.

‘They moved, thank goodness. There were only three seconds left on my countdown.’ Woody perched on the nearest seat. ‘Yep, look, they’re opening… Sam? Sam mate, can you hear me?’

The soft groan Sam made from the stone floor was almost drowned out by the murmurs of relief from his friends.

‘Thank goodness. Sam, can you hear me?’ As her boyfriend gave an almost imperceptible nod, Tina spoke to Woody without looking up. ‘Should we move him?’

‘Not yet.’ Woody addressed Sam. ‘You caught your head when you fainted, mate. Keep still for a little while, then we’ll get you to bed. You’ve got a bump and a bit of a cut, so we need to make sure you aren’t concussed.’

Sam murmured into the tiles, ‘Tina?’

‘I’m here.’ She crouched down so he could see her face. ‘Can you see me clearly or am I blurry?’

‘Seven eyes, right?’

Sam’s feeble joke sent tears of relief streaming down Tina’s face. ‘Absolutely, seven eyes.’ She knocked his ponytail from where it had fallen over his shoulder. ‘Would you like a cushion? This floor is awfully hard.’

‘Floor?’ Sam’s forehead creased as he raised a hand to where the ice pack was cradling the bump on his head and winced. ‘What happened?’

‘You don’t remember?’ Tina glanced at Woody, who held his mobile, still poised to call an ambulance if he needed to.

‘We were by the chickens, and then I was running and…’ Closing his eyes for a second, Sam groaned. Disappointment sounded in every syllable as he said, ‘I tried to follow you. I did try, Tina. I wanted to talk to you, to explain why and then… I really did try to come inside after you.’

‘You did.’ She wiped a stray hair from his forehead. ‘And you made it.’

‘Made it?’ Sam’s voice was dry. He licked his lips as he asked, ‘Am I… am I inside?’

Anticipating what was about to happen, Woody stood up and headed to the door as Tina gripped Sam’s hand tighter. ‘The kitchen.’

‘I’m inside.’ Sam’s pulse began to pound as his eyes darted towards the door. ‘Outside! I have to go outside.’

‘You need to stay still for a while. Just to make sure you’re okay, and…’

Sam was already scrabbling to his feet, his face blanched. ‘Outside. Take me outside!’

September 11th

Tina looked drawn as she sat back at the kitchen table. ‘Woody is going to sit with Sam for a while. If he’s still lucid in another hour, it’ll be safe to let him sleep.’

Thea pushed Tina’s cold toast towards her. ‘Thank goodness Woody knew what to do.’

Playing some toast crumbs between her fingers, Tina said, ‘I knew really. I did a first aiders course before we applied to open the house, but because it was Sam lying there…’

Helen poured Tina a cup of tea. ‘It’s natural you forgot everything in the face of seeing someone you love hurt. It’s not an unusual reaction.’

As they lapsed into a silence that was only broken by the sound of crunching toast, Thea pictured Shaun. She badly wanted to contact him as soon as they’d found Sam, but she hadn’t liked to leave Tina, and it seemed cruel to email her boyfriend when Tina’s was hurt; her relationship as bruised as Sam’s head. She hoped Shaun would hurry up and find or replace his mobile soon. ‘What time is it?’

‘Almost one o’clock in the morning.’ Helen stifled a yawn. ‘Can I ask why Sam is like this?’

Thea thought for a few seconds, unsure if it was her place to answer Helen’s question, but Tina was staring into space, looking as if her thoughts were miles away. ‘Sam was in the forces. He got trapped inside a burning building trying to save someone. He’s been severely claustrophobic ever since.’

‘Wow.’ Helen breathed out the word with quiet awe.

Watching as a twinkle of pride came to Tina’s eyes, Thea added, ‘When we got caught in the mill fire in the summer, it was Sam and Shaun who saved us. They broke in and dragged Tina and me out. I’m not sure having to face his fear again so exactly did Sam any favours.’

‘Bloody hell.’ Helen put her plate down. ‘He must love you very much.’

Tina didn’t say anything, but her face flushed pink as Helen went on. ‘Tonight I suspect Sam realised just how sidelined you felt, and he was so determined to talk that he did one of the two things that terrifies him most in the world. He ran into a house.’

Tina murmured, ‘I suppose he must.’

Helen got to her feet. ‘If you guys don’t mind, I’ll get to bed, then I’ll get up when it’s time to do breakfast. You two should have a lie-in.’

‘Thanks, Helen.’ Thea gave her friend a grateful grin.

‘Two things that scare him?’ Tina asked as Helen headed to the door. ‘What’s the second thing? Is there something else I haven’t been told?’

‘I have no idea if he’s told you or not. It’s so obvious, that I