Lavender Lane (Larch Tree Lane #4)

Chapter Seventeen

Sean had to use his satnav to find out how to get to where Arthur Keevil lived, so thank goodness for its help.

When he knocked on the door of what he and the satnav both agreed was the correct house it was opened by a woman of his own age, perhaps a little younger.

He introduced himself and mentioned the phone call, repeating that he needed to see Arthur Keevil.

‘Oh yes. You phoned a short time ago. Gramps and Mum are in the sitting room.’

‘I need to speak to your grandad privately. This is rather important business .’ That was a sort of password mentioned in the notes and she clearly recognised it as such.

‘Ah. Come in, then.’ She held the door open, yelling, ‘Gramps, it’s for you. Shall I bring your visitor through? He says it’s rather important business .’

‘Yes, please, love.’

When Sean followed her into the sitting room, an old guy looked up from a big sofa he was sharing with a younger woman and studied him carefully before smiling and gesturing to a chair. ‘Come in and sit down, lad. How can I help you? You didn’t mention specifics on the phone.’

It was a long time since anyone had called him ‘lad’. Sean gave him the required second phrase, glanced at the woman sitting next to him and said, ‘Perhaps you and I should speak privately about this, Mr Keevil?’

‘No need. My daughter is fully involved in all this sort of activity and, in fact, Jane will be taking over my role when I drop off my perch.’

His daughter made a tutting noise at this last phrase and shook her forefinger warningly at him, but he only grinned at her. ‘ Anno domini comes to us all, love. Face it.’

‘No, thank you. And I’d rather you didn’t, either.’

So Sean explained to them both that he and Nina were in the process of making the convalescent facility fully operative again. ‘So we need to make Lavender Lane look like a genuine convalescent home as quickly as possible, maybe put in a couple of so-called patients till we get some real ones. It’s apparently been done before in order to protect someone. The thing is, the next special patient is due to arrive soon.’

The old man’s triumphant smile at his daughter made him suddenly appear like a lively young lad to whom nature had given a wrinkled face and silver hair in error.

‘I like to make myself useful,’ he said cheerfully. ‘And isn’t that good timing, Jane lass? You might have tried to hide it from me but you and your two lasses really would like to go to your cousin’s wedding and now we’ve found a place that’ll look after my physical needs while you all do that.’

‘I still don’t like to leave you, Dad. If trouble’s brewing I’d rather be within reach.’

‘Get away with you! I’ll be well looked after at the Lane.’ He turned back to Sean. ‘Will you be taking Ben Thorson to stay there as well?’

‘I hope so. He’s next on my list to ask and he used to be part of your monthly meet-up group, didn’t he?’

‘He did indeed. So there you are, my girl. I’ll even have some pleasant company for the whole time I’m there. Did you say you were called Sean, lad?’

‘Yes.’

‘We were told someone with that name would be getting involved.’ He chuckled at his visitor’s look of surprise. ‘Oh, we still keep an eye on our little valley and we have our own connections with the authorities.’

Knowing the calibre of the people involved, Sean wasn’t surprised by this.

‘Good. We all keep our eyes open, just like folk did in the old days. And things would be better if neighbours still looked after one another. Ben’s great-grandson has a couple of his friends who keep watch with him sometimes. He’s a very capable young chap, Norry is, and has some equally clever friends.’ He chuckled. ‘The two youngsters who’re currently helping him are a lad and lass, who can look as if they’re having a cuddle or two if they want to stop and observe something. I sometimes think they’re not watching anything, just making an excuse for a bit of cuddling. And who’s to blame them? You’re only young once, aren’t you?’

Jane gave Sean a very direct look. ‘You’ll keep a careful eye on Pop, then, while he’s staying with you? And protect him in any way necessary?’

‘With my life, if I have to. You have my word. Our country is already deeply indebted to you, Arthur.’

The old man flushed and waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. ‘No need to waste any young lives on me, lad. I’m old enough to be at the tail end of my life whatever either of us does. However, this discussion has decided a little dilemma I’ve been having: whether to bring my little automatic friend with me this time as I did on my last special outing a few years ago. Can’t be too careful, can we?’

‘Dad! I thought you’d got rid of that gun years ago!’ Jane glanced uncomfortably at Sean. ‘It’s not licensed. It’s the one his father brought home from the Second World War.’

Arthur’s voice was as calm as ever. ‘No use a chap in my situation having a gun unless it’s available to use when genuine danger threatens.’

Sean couldn’t prevent a quick smile. ‘I didn’t hear you say that, and make sure you keep it hidden while you’re with us so that I shan’t actually see anything.’

The smile had vanished suddenly from Arthur’s face. ‘It’ll stay hidden unless I need to use it, and my judgement will be as good as yours about whether that’s necessary. I’m sure I’ll still be a good shot. I think you’re right to call me and Ben in. We’ll be able to have one of our little gatherings again, and we’ll all enjoy that.’ He looked thoughtful for a moment then added, ‘And it wouldn’t hurt to invite Prue Gillings to have a little stay there with us, either. She’s good to have around if there’s trouble and if there isn’t any, she’s fun to be with.’

Sean looked at them both and saw that Jane was still looking at her father anxiously. ‘Be reassured, Ms Keevil, that although none of us like guns, my colleagues and I will be equipped to protect your father and his friends in any way needed.’

‘Or we’ll protect you. So there you are, then, love.’ Arthur smiled gently, looking perfectly comfortable and happy in spite of the seriousness of what they might or might not be facing. ‘But we’ve had more success with simple solutions.’

‘Now,’ Arthur said complacently. ‘When do you want me to move in and set up a smokescreen, lad?’

‘I thought an ambulance might be sent tomorrow afternoon to bring you to Lavender Lane. We’re still getting the place cleaned and ready for use again.’

‘Good idea to send an ambulance. That way the whole town will know about me going there for a short stay and if we have any unwanted visitors, they won’t need to poke around too much to find out.’

‘I doubt there will be any. But we’re taking precautions just in case.’

‘Always best to be prepared. How about the doctor comes to see me an’ Jane tomorrow morning then recommends I come for a short stay with you to give her a respite from caring for me.’

His cheerful expression faded for a moment as he muttered, ‘Actually, it won’t hurt for her to have a break and a bit of fun at that wedding. However hard you try to keep as fit and well as possible, old age can make you dependent on others in some ways, so my lass really does deserve a break.’

Jane reached out to squeeze his hand. ‘I’m happy to look after you, Dad. You know I am. You’re good company and I truly admire what you’ve done with your life.’

Sean gave the old man a moment or two to get over his upset feelings at needing help in his daily life.

When Arthur looked calmer, Sean said, ‘We’ll send the doctor to call before we bring you in. Good idea to say it’s your daughter who needs a rest.’

Arthur took a few deep breaths and relaxed a little, then gave a sudden wry smile as he added, ‘Whatever else, it’ll be fun seeing the others. And since we’re all restricted to one or at most two glasses of wine, you make sure you get some really good stuff in.’

Fun! And he really meant it. Sean looked at them, trying not to show how amazing he thought both Arthur and his daughter were. Who’d have believed that such ordinary-looking people as this man in his late eighties and a gentle-looking and rather dowdy woman in her sixties could be genuine heroes who had saved lives in their time and were still serving their country in minor ways?

‘I’ll go and call on Ben now, and then your friend Prue, if you’ll kindly give me her address and phone her to let her know I’m coming.’

Armed with that information, he let the satnav guide him to another cottage a short distance away and held a similar conversation with Ben Thorson, who was even older than his friend Arthur and looked more frail physically. He might need to use a wheelchair for longer distances, but once they started chatting it was immediately clear that he was just as alert as ever mentally, with a quirky sense of humour that had Sean chuckling a few times.

Ben’s great-grandson Norry joined them and the lad’s affection for the old man was heart-warming to see, as was the fact that though he might be young, he clearly took after the old man, and came over as intelligent and caring about his fellow human beings. ‘Wise beyond his years’ was a phrase that came to mind and he seemed likely to be a future leader in this community. You could sometimes tell.

‘When do you want me to bring Gramps across to the Lane?’ Norry asked. ‘And do you want me to do it openly or unobtrusively?’

‘Arthur Keevil is coming here in a very visible ambulance, but I think it might be better if you brought Ben to move in quietly during the evening afterwards. You don’t need to hide it but act as if his stay was expected. The cottages will be ready for occupation by then and a few people are bound to notice them both moving in. Unless you have any better ideas?’

Ben frowned and looked at Norry. ‘What do you think, lad?’

‘I think that’ll work well. I can bring Gramps in my van. It’s already adapted to take a wheelchair and people know that I sleep here at the house now in case I’m needed. I can let the word slip out afterwards that he’s going into Lavender Lane for some proper care after a small health setback but he’s fine now.’

Sean considered this. ‘Good idea. Oh, and Arthur’s suggested I contact Prue Gillings and ask her to join us at the Lane as well. Is that all right with you, Ben?’

‘I shall enjoy her company. She always used to join us when these were regular outings and she’s great fun to spend time with. She’s also the best shot of the three of us.’

‘Does that mean she’ll be bringing a weapon too?’

‘It never hurts to be prepared, does it? And if everything stays peaceful, as is likely, we’ll have a very pleasant time together at your expense. We’d like to start doing that regularly again.’

Norry hesitated, then cleared his throat to get their attention and said, ‘There’s just one other detail I should mention. I’ll need my friend Rahim to come along and help me with Gramps, if that’s all right. There’s not only the wheelchair but the luggage to be taken into the cottage. Gramps isn’t much good at walking these days and you can trust Rahim. He’s a good sort and helps me out regularly.’

‘Who is he exactly?’

Ben took over. ‘He’s from a new valley family and they’ve proved themselves decent and useful a time or two already. It’ll be easy for you to check them out, if you have any doubts, Sean. Or you can take my word for it. I too trust their lad. He’s another good ’un.’

‘I’m sure I can rely on your judgement absolutely.’ If Ben trusted this Rahim, could be useful to work with. The old man had been a noted figure locally in his time, leader of this small and unofficial but occasionally useful arm of government security. And he’d headed one or two trips to other countries as well. People would follow his lead in who they accepted in the community.

‘I can stay at Lavender Lane and help look after Gramps, if you like?’ Norry offered. ‘I’ve not got a steady job because I don’t like answering to idiots and this would be something different and interesting to do. I can keep up with my online stuff anywhere without anyone else knowing where I am. It earns me some useful regular money.’

‘It’ll be useful training to have him there,’ Ben said quietly. ‘He’s definitely one of the people who’ll take over from our lot one day in keeping an eye on our valley.’

Sean smiled at the bright-eyed young chap. ‘It’ll be good to have you around, Norry, and I don’t think we employ any idiots so I reckon you’ll enjoy the company at the Lane.’

‘The lad will enjoy the library at the big house too, if you don’t mind him using it,’ Ben said.

‘No worries about that. He’ll be welcome to borrow books.’

‘He and I will both enjoy seeing what else is available there to feed our minds. Libraries are wonderful places and, thank goodness, my body might be failing but my brain is still a pleasure to me and an excellent tool.’

Sean didn’t say it but he reckoned Ben and Arthur had some of the sharpest minds he’d ever encountered.

‘Will tomorrow, just after midnight, suit you as a time to arrive?’

‘We’ll be there,’ Norry promised. ‘Then Rahim can walk home and I’ll keep the van in case of an emergency.’

‘Do we need to provide carers for the others?’ Sean asked.

Ben shook his head. ‘No. They’ll see to that themselves. Staying at the Lane always used to make a pleasant change for me and my friends. It’ll be wonderful to start doing it again. We’ve always got on well.’