Hope Blooms in Tuppenny Bridge (Tuppenny Bridge #5)

Chapter 24

TWENTY-FOUR

It was a sombre gathering at The Crafty Cook Café that evening. No one could quite believe what had happened. Daisy had kept the café open, though she’d sent Rowan and Tess, who’d both insisted on working that day, home. After Kat had locked the door to the craft shop and turned the sign to closed, the Bridgers had gathered upstairs, where Daisy served them all tea and coffee and they discussed the shocking events.

‘I’ll never forgive myself,’ Sally said. ‘To think, I doubted him! I thought it was him, hurting Isobel, and all that time… Oh! How am I ever going to look him in the eye again?’

‘To be fair,’ Kat said miserably, ‘you hardly know him. I’ve known him for years and even I doubted him. She was so bloody convincing! And I was scared that I’d dismiss her hints out of hand and then find out she was genuinely being hurt by him. What do you do for the best?’

‘That’s the trouble, isn’t it?’ Bethany said sadly. ‘No one knows what an abuser actually looks like. The most respectable people can turn out to be monsters behind closed doors and you have no way of knowing. That’s why, when someone seems to be a victim, we have to keep an open mind, even when it seems unlikely.’

‘But women who do what Isobel did, do all abused women a disservice,’ Summer said angrily. ‘Acting the victim when she was the perpetrator! It makes it so much harder to believe genuine victims.’

‘I still can’t get over the fact that someone like Isobel could hurt Noah,’ Clive admitted. ‘I mean, if it had been the other way round… Ach, I know he’s only a slight fella, but even so, I’ll bet he’s a good deal stronger than she is. He could have fought back, no problem.’ He held up his hands. ‘I know, and I’m not saying he should have. I just—I just find it hard to understand how she got the better of him.’

‘Because she’d beaten him down mentally,’ Daisy said tearfully. She cradled her cup of coffee in her hands, thinking back to the statement Noah had given the police. ‘She didn’t just abuse him physically. She’d broken him. His self-esteem was on the floor. He had no confidence, no belief in himself. He thought he deserved this!’ She choked down a sob. ‘By the time she started to get really violent he thought he was asking for it. And, besides, the fact is he loved her.’

‘I’m afraid that’s true,’ Zach said, shaking his head. ‘I had a long talk with him last night. He genuinely did love her once, and he wanted their marriage to work. I do believe a lot of it had to do with the way his parents treated him when he was younger. Eugenie did a wonderful job of taking care of those boys, but I don’t think Noah really got over his abandonment issues. He wanted to belong somewhere to someone more than anything, and he believed Isobel felt the same. I think he honestly thought that she shared his fears of being alone, but I think he was simply projecting that feeling onto her. He didn’t want to call time on his marriage—not until it became impossible to continue.’

‘And when Daisy came along and made him see what a real relationship should look like,’ Jonah said. He rubbed his face with his hands, clearly distraught. ‘I should have known. Should have seen! Do you remember, Ben, back when we were decorating your cottage, and it was so hot we all took off our jumpers? All except Noah. He carried on working in that bloody jumper of his, even though he was clearly boiling.’

‘I remember that!’ Ben said, horrified. ‘Do you think?—’

‘Of course I think,’ Jonah said heavily. ‘What else could it be? There was I, thinking it was because he felt he was too skinny next to me. Talk about ego! All the time the poor bugger was covering up bruises. Oh hell!’ He thumped the table, making everyone jump. ‘That poor man! Why didn’t he tell me?’

‘Jonah, you can’t blame yourself,’ Daisy said. ‘Even his own brother didn’t know. Ross is struggling to cope with the guilt, too, but it’s honestly the last thing Noah would want.’

‘And at least you didn’t believe Isobel’s performance,’ Kat reminded him. ‘When I told you what I suspected you had a right go at me, remember? You were adamant Noah would never do such a thing and you were right. Just shows you. I’m so ashamed that I ever doubted him. He was always such a gentle person.’

‘I still don’t understand why he didn’t tell anyone,’ Dolly said. ‘Why keep it quiet?’

‘Several reasons, and I think they were all jumbled up inside his head,’ Daisy said. ‘Firstly, because he didn’t want to get Isobel into trouble. Even yesterday morning he was reluctant to tell the police what had happened in case she ended up in jail. He says she’ll never cope. And secondly, because she’d threatened to tell everyone he was the one abusing her —a threat which she’d already laid the groundwork for, as we know.’

Kat and Sally looked at each other, their faces pink with shame.

‘And, as I said earlier, because part of him felt he’d asked for it. That he deserved it.’

‘And I suppose,’ Clive said slowly, ‘because of the embarrassment. Oh, I know there’s no real shame in it, don’t bite my head off! I just mean, it’s hard enough for a woman to admit she’s being assaulted by her man, but for a man to admit he’s been assaulted by a woman…’

‘And maybe he was scared he wouldn’t be believed,’ Dolly pondered. ‘Lots of people think it’s only women who get attacked by their partners. We’ve all heard the jokes, haven’t we? People think the very idea is funny. Fact is, plenty of fellas get assaulted by the women in their lives. Yes,’ she added as they all looked at her, ‘I have been playing with Auntie Google again. I think men are capable of hitting harder and the injuries can be more devastating, but it doesn’t mean some men aren’t getting battered just like Noah. We need to start taking this a lot more seriously, don’t you think?’

They all agreed that was definitely the case.

‘How’s Eugenie taking it?’ Kat asked. ‘I know Rita and Birdie are devastated, so how she is I can only imagine.’

‘Badly,’ Daisy admitted. ‘She’s at the hospital now, with Ross and Clemmie. That’s why I’m here. I’ll be going later, though.’

‘I suggested to Eugenie that, perhaps, the Tuppenny Bridge Fund could go to a charity that deals with domestic violence,’ Zach said. ‘Either one that helps both male and female victims or, if not, two separate charities. What do you think? It certainly seemed to brighten her up.’

‘I think that’s a great idea,’ Bluebell said. ‘And I think we should all chip in for some flowers and a card, an’ all. Let him know we’re all thinking of him and that we love him.’

They all murmured their agreement.

‘What do you think will happen to Isobel?’ Kat asked. ‘Have they even found her?’

‘She’s at her aunt’s in Harrogate. She’s been arrested,’ Daisy said. ‘They’re questioning her now.’

‘Rafferty said that, depending on what she’s charged with, she could get anything up to a life sentence,’ Sally told them.

‘Good,’ Dolly said bluntly.

‘It’s not likely, though,’ Sally warned. ‘In fact, she could get off with a caution. It all depends on what they decide to charge her with, if anything, how much evidence they’ve got, what Noah’s statement said, all sorts of things really.’

‘She won’t get off with it,’ Kat said fiercely. ‘I’ll make bloody sure of it.’

Jonah squeezed her shoulder. ‘Hey, you need to calm down. It’s not good for you or the baby if you get this stressed, and we’ve got another harrowing day ahead of us tomorrow, remember.’

Ben sighed as Summer put a comforting arm around him. ‘Leon’s memorial service.’

‘Aye. Fifteen years,’ Jonah said. ‘Who’d have thought we’d all be where we are today back then? You just never know, do you?’

‘Maybe it’s a very good thing we don’t,’ Kat said sadly. ‘How would we ever get through each day if we’d any inkling of what was to come?’

‘Is your mum okay, Ben?’ Clive asked.

‘She’s very shocked about Noah,’ Ben replied. ‘But to be honest, she says it doesn’t surprise her. Isobel was always difficult to like, and Mum never fathomed why Noah stuck with her.’

Daisy wondered what Jennifer would think if she knew Leon had fallen in love with Isobel. She thought that was one shock too many and hoped that it wouldn’t come out if the case went to court. Jennifer had had enough to deal with in her life.

‘I suppose we’d better be getting home,’ Kat said, pushing herself up from her chair with some difficulty. ‘Rita and Birdie have got Tommy and Hattie, and I don’t want to impose on them for too long. Are you all going to be at the service tomorrow?’ she asked, looking around at them all.

They all said they were.

‘Noah’s really upset that he can’t be there,’ Daisy told Ben. ‘He wanted to apologise to your mum, but they’re not letting him out until Wednesday morning at the earliest.’

‘Bloody hell! No one’s expecting him to be there, least of all Mum,’ Ben said. ‘Tell him not to worry in the slightest. And tell him we’re all thinking of him.’

‘I will,’ she promised. ‘Right, well, I’d better get this lot tidied up for tomorrow and then get changed to go to the hospital.’

‘I’ll take you,’ Zach said. ‘I promised Noah I’d pop back this evening anyway.’

‘Thanks so much,’ Daisy said gratefully.

‘And I’ll see you all in the morning,’ Zach added. ‘Try not to worry, and try not to blame yourselves. I know it’s easier said than done, believe me, but the truth is, this was Isobel’s doing, no one else’s. Now we must focus on helping Noah recover, both physically and mentally.’

‘And thank God that he’s found Daisy,’ Bluebell added fondly, patting Daisy on the shoulder. ‘You’re a dark horse, missy, but I’m bloody glad you and Noah are together. He’s going to need you.’

‘The Lord,’ said Zach, ‘moves in mysterious ways.’

‘You’re not wrong there, vicar,’ Dolly said with a wink. ‘Someone ought to tip Him off about Google Maps.’