Helix Nexus by Chris Lofts (read e books online free .TXT) 📕

the quilt tighter around them and placing her hand on her six-month baby bump. ‘I’m too bloody old for this lark.’

‘Come on. Let’s go inside, it’ll be warmer,’ Gabrielle said, climbing to her feet. ‘And you’re not too old. There are plenty of babies born to women in their forties.’

SJ accepted her sister’s outstretched hand. ‘In the cities maybe,’ she said, following Gabrielle into the log-built school-cum-doctor’s surgery. ‘And amniopods, for those too posh to push, don’t count.’

Flame shadows from the candles danced across the textured walls as Gabrielle added a log to the wood burning stove. The seasoned wood hissed and crackled as SJ settled into one of the fireside chairs. Crossing the room, Gabrielle tucked Lauren’s leg back under the pile of blankets and deer skins tumbling from their bed. She leaned down, smoothed the sleeping eight-year-old’s blonde hair from her face and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

‘Feeling warmer?’ Gabrielle whispered as she took the seat in the dim light next to SJ.

SJ nodded. ‘Is it normal that the baby plays football with your bladder?’

‘Quite normal. Either that or trying to rearrange your ribs.’

Gabrielle squeezed her sister’s hand. ‘It was great to come out in the summer, but I never expected it to be this cold.’ She leaned forward, opened the door of the stove and jostled the burning log with a poker. ‘Still, we’re better off than some.’

‘What happened at dinner earlier on?’ SJ said. ‘One moment you were all smiles and then…’

‘It was nothing.’ Gabrielle pursed her lips. ‘Probably me being hyper-sensitive.’

‘Let me guess.’ SJ stretched her legs out and wiggled her toes. ‘Walt and Jess were whining about the school and surgery again.’

Gabrielle shrugged. ‘You and Bo and most of the others have made us feel so welcome and for the first time in ages I feel like I have a purpose in my life.’

‘We needed a school. It was a community decision agreed by the majority. End of. The other school was overcrowded, run by a mad woman and at a mile-and-a-half walk each way, too far for the little ones. And the nearest doctor is even further out. You provide the skills for both, so it’s only right you have somewhere to work and to live.’

‘You’re right.’ Gabrielle smiled. ‘It’s just…’

‘What was that?’ SJ said, glancing towards the school room door.

Gabrielle followed her gaze. ‘I didn’t hear anything. It was probably the—’

SJ held her hand up. ‘There it is again,’ she whispered, sliding to the edge of her seat.

‘I expect the back door’s come unlatched,’ Gabrielle said, resting her hand on her sister’s arm. ‘Sit tight. I’ll see to it.’

The candle-lamp cast a weak pool of light across the floor and up the school room door. Lauren stirred as the door creaked open. Cool air licked around Gabrielle’s ankles as she stepped inside. Too weak to light the entire room, the flame of the lamp lurched threatening to go out. She listened. The room was as silent. She leaned in with the lamp at arm’s length, sweeping a wide arc of dim light around the classroom. The candle was almost snuffed out as she snatched her arm back. ‘Justin!’ she gasped as the light fell across Wheeler’s dishevelled form.

Before Gabrielle’s ex-husband could speak, SJ charged through the door, poker raised over her head. ‘What the hell…?’ she said breathlessly.

Wheeler pulled his hands from under the layers of grimy rags draped over his shoulders. He held them up in a feeble gesture of surrender. ‘Whoa! Easy, SJ.’

‘What are you doing in here?’ Gabrielle said. ‘There’s nothing to steal.’

‘Is that what you think I am, Gabrielle? A thief.’ He shook his head.

‘Well, what are you doing snooping around? If you’ve nothing to hide why didn’t you come through the village?’

Wheeler arched an eyebrow. ‘Can I sit down?’

‘No.’ Gabrielle set the lamp down on her desk. ‘You’re not staying.’

SJ lowered the poker and perched on the edge of the desk beside her sister. ‘What are you doing out after dark on your own?’

Wheeler leaned back against the door. ‘Who said I’m on my own?’

‘We made it clear, we don’t want you and your cohorts anywhere near the village, Justin. You have nothing we want or need.’

‘I’m not here to barter chickens and chestnuts,’ he said, his hands open before him.

‘Well at least you got that message through your thick skull,’ SJ said. ‘Stick around long enough, Justin and you’ll see that folks around these parts don’t take kindly to threats. They have their own ways of dealing with them.’

‘Scary.’ Wheeler feigned fear by dancing his fingers over his lips. ‘I’m here to talk.’ From within the layers of material he pulled out a bottle of red wine and stood it on one of the desks. ‘There’s plenty more where that came from. Glasses?’

‘We’re not interested,’ Gabrielle said. The label on the bottle was familiar. She hated to admit it, but it was the one thing she missed. Winding down with a nice bottle of wine at the end of a busy day. What the hell was she doing? She shook her head. ‘Look. Say whatever it is you want to say and clear off.’

‘I thought we could talk, you know—’

‘No. I don’t know. And there’s nothing to talk about, Justin. I’m here, you’re not and that suits me fine.’

‘It doesn’t have to be like this,’ he said, gesturing around the school room. ‘I have many of the creature comforts we used to enjoy in London.’

SJ snorted. ‘We know all about the kind of creatures you associated with in London.’

‘You could still play teacher and doctor. It’s only a short ride.’

‘All of this might be a game to you, Justin,’ Gabrielle said. ‘This is my life now and I have no plans to change it.’

Wheeler sighed. ‘I know things can’t be quite the same as they were, Gabrielle, but—’

‘What? Forgive and forget.’ She threw her hands up. ‘I think you’ve been picking the wrong kind of mushrooms.’

Lauren called out. ‘Gabrielle.’

SJ rushed to the door