"Who was that?" asked a male voice behind the glass panel.

"A nice lady, I mean a proper Lady, who offered to get me a choccie croissant."

"Slut, I wouldn't touch my foreskin for anyone."

"You idiot, it's forelock, you'd touch your foreskin at any opportunity."

Easy As Falling Over A Bonz.
by Angharad.
part 200-15.

I stood outside the hospital knowing that support was on its way, and that in a sense, that support was as much for me as Stella, at least until we knew she was alright.

I went back inside to look for a tea or coffee machine.

"Any news on Stella Cameron?" I asked the nurse I saw coming from the treatment area.

"And you are?" she looked me up and down.

"Her sister in law." Okay it was a fib, but a necessary one.

"She's gone down to theatre."

"Oh!" Was that good or bad?

"She won't be back for a while and I suspect she'll be taken up to a gynae ward."

"Do I have time to get a cuppa?"

"Good lord yes, use the cafeteria it's much nicer." She gave me directions.

I went to the reception desk. "If Lord Cameron or Lord Stanebury ask for me, could you say I went for a cuppa."

"Who are you?"

"Cathy."

"What no princess or majesty?"

"The two people I mentioned are hurrying here as we speak. My sister in law, Lady Stella Cameron is down in theatre having emergency surgery. I'm not messing about, but in bringing her in here I missed my breakfast."

"Okay Lady Catherine, I'll make sure they get the message if you're not back."

"Thank you very much, would you like me to bring you back anything?"

"Oh wow, a chocolate croissant if they have any left."

"If they have one, you shall get it."

"Thanks Lady Catherine."

"You're most welcome."

"Who was that?" asked a male voice behind the glass panel.

"A nice lady, I mean a proper Lady, who offered to get me a choccie croissant."

"Slut, I wouldn't touch my foreskin for anyone."

"You idiot, it's forelock, you'd touch your foreskin at any opportunity."

I chuckled as I walked up to the cafeteria. I thought I'd have an hour if not a little longer. All I needed was about fifteen minutes.
I got myself a cuppa and some toast, a croissant for the girl in reception and a bottle of water for later plus some chocolate and a pack of sandwiches. This could be a long haul.

I was back to 'Ac-Em' in about twenty minutes. I gave the girl her croissant. She did offer to pay, but as I may need another favour, it was worth the one pound fifty it cost.

I went and sat in reception and checked my mobile. No news.

I tried to think positive thoughts of my relationship with Stella. She was a lovely person and although she had a wicked side, she was a genuinely kind and compassionate woman. I loved her to bits, like a real sister. If anything happened to her I would be very upset, it would be like losing a sister.

I suspected Tom would have to stay at home for his fence repairs, either that or cancel it. I tried his home number and he answered it. I brought him up to speed and he conveyed his horror at what had happened and wished her a speedy recovery. I asked him to keep confidential anything he might have heard this morning.

"Me, I'm an old man, didn't hear anything."

"Thanks Tom, I don't know when I'll be back."

"You have your key?"

"Yes I do."

"Fine, if I'm not here you can let yourself in."

"I'll try and sort out the mess on the bed, when I get there."

"All done and dusted, there's a new mattress on its way and the bedding is in the machine drying."

"I'm impressed," I said genuinely.

"Why, I'm quite independent, just lazy when I can get someone half my age to do it instead, especially when they have as pretty a bum as yours."

"I shall pretend I didn't hear that sexist remark," I said blushing.

"Want me to repeat it?" he laughed.

"No thank you, you dirty old man." He just laughed at my reply and I rang off.

Finally Simon and Henry walked in together. I stood up and they each hugged me. I looked at my watch. "You did really well to get here this quickly."

"We hired a chopper, how is she?" asked Henry.

"Last I heard she was in theatre."

"What happened?"

"She haemorrhaged from down below."

"Why?" he asked shaking his head.

"It can happen, spontaneous miscarriage all sorts of things." I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't want to lie to him nor betray Stella's confidence in me. Caught between a rock and a hard place again, I felt I should be used to it, but I wasn't.

"You women have such complicated bodies," Henry shook his head, "I wonder if there's any more news." He strode over to reception and asked.

I stood with Simon who had his hand around my waist. "You going to tell me what really happened?"

"I just did, I found her in bed unconscious in a pool of blood which was apparently coming from her genital area."

He gave me an unconvinced look, then shook his head.

I watched Henry talking to some doctor who had come out to him. They shook hands and he came back to us.

"She's still in theatre. A massive bleed from her womb."

"And?" said Simon.

"It's touch and go."

I hugged Simon and felt uncontrollable tears force themselves out of my eyes. It seemed all wrong, rotten people never had anything happen to them, it was always the nice people. How could I believe in a God who let this sort of thing happen? Then I thought about Marguerite, she was no one's fool and if she believed in something, maybe I should think again about it, or perhaps talk to her sometime. For the moment, I was a captive of my emotions and having Simon there meant I could be the weak woman and let them rip.

Henry had got them to call his mobile when Stella was out of surgery, and we were able to retire to the cafeteria and have some coffee. We were there an hour when his phone spluttered into life. Our stomachs flipped, but it was Monica asking how Stella was.

Simon went and got more coffees and cakes. Another hour passed. I was practically asleep. Henry's phone bleeped again and this time it was the hospital. She was being moved to ICU, we could see her in an hour or so.

She was still alive, so far so good.

"If she pulls through, I'll give them a cheque for something they need in this department." Henry pledged to us as witnesses.

"Doesn't that depend on Russian mafia and associated nasty types?" I asked.

"I think I'll be alright," said Henry.

"What was all that that Simon said on TV the other night, money laundering etc.?" I asked.

"Let's go for a walk and I'll tell you," said Henry.

We walked around the grounds and he spun me a story about a hostile takeover bid. The group were actually crooks but were trying to do it in a surreptitious way.

The publicity I could give was negative so the bidders were trying to defame the Cameron family and undermine their position on the board by exposing me. So that was genuine enough. However, it all went wrong for them because the publicity was about them not just me. So I was actually providing the family and the bank with a sympathy vote. It had backfired.

Trading had ceased days before as in accordance with the law, or should have done as the bidders were trying to acquire shares illegally. That put them in a unfortunate position because the bank found out about it and notified the Financial Services Authority (FSA) who then started to investigate the bid.

Who broke up the cottage? Probably the same lot looking to incriminate or find any compromising material they could. There was nothing to find. I suspected that Henry would sail close to the wind now and again, but wouldn't be stupid enough to leave the evidence anywhere it could be found. As a banker he was a professional crook.

"So what was said on the telly was rubbish?" I asked.

"Oh no, it was quite correct except in some aspects of emphasis." Said Henry smiling at Simon. "See he is of use occasionally."

"Gee thanks Dad!" Simon shook his head.

"Come on let's go and see my girl," Henry strode off towards ICU.

We found Stella attached to all sorts of machines and drips, Simon went and kissed her and told her he was there, he made me do the same. Then we left while Henry went and sat alongside her.

"Let's give him some space with her, then if he sheds a tear, no one will see it."

I wasn't sorry, I was terrified for Stella, she was still very ill and being connected to all those things didn't reduce my fears. They might have even made them greater, like something out of a science fiction film, Dr Who or some other nonsense, except this was real.

Simon held me tight as we walked. I looked up at him and I could see tears in his eyes too. I steered us to a relatively private spot and told him it was okay to cry.