Part Six   "Stormy times"

 

 
Wednesday 14th January 2015
 

Tammy woke suddenly as there was a crash outside her window, she pulled back the curtain but couldn't see a thing. A glance at her clock confirmed that dawn was still two hours away so she decided not to worry.

A second crash, louder than the first, actually shook the house. Outside her room she could see the hallway light come on so grabbed a gown, slipped her feet into a pair of soft mules and opened her bedroom door. Her father and Louise were similarly dressed - if you ignored the fluffy slippers.

"Go back to bed, Tammy."

"Not likely, until I know what that was."

"A tree came down, the first noise was probably a branch."

"So it's windy?"

"Yes, it's not far off hurricane strength."

"I'm supposed to be going into town this morning."

"That isn't going to happen, regardless of what it's for."

"Oh."

"Look, it's only six so go back to bed. I have to check with the estates team as they're out there securing anything vulnerable."

Tammy nodded and went back into her room. She quickly sent Sarah a text explaining that she couldn't go to the bank with her. A reply was received a minute later.

The street's a mess so I couldn't get the car out right now. Check the travel news

Tammy grabbed her tablet and slid back into bed. The BBC travel news reported trees down, vehicles overturned, roads closed, schools closed and more. It was looking like a duvet day but what about school?

At six thirty a simple text message came in from the school.

Day students are not to attend school today

She put her phone and tablet on the bedside cabinet, pulled the duvet up and made herself comfortable.

Her mobile rang a minute later, it was Angela.

"What?"

"Did you get permission?"

"No, and how could I given that it's the middle of the night?"

"Well, you'll just have to come to school then."

"I won't, you should know that."

"Tammy, that's not funny."

"Didn't you get the message?"

"What message?"

"School's closed to day students."

"No, am I supposed to?"

"Have you given your mobile number to Mrs Adams?"

"No."

"Well that's why. Email it to her."

"I don't have the school email addresses."

"Look, go back to bed, I'm grabbing another hour. Bye."

Tammy stabbed the button to end the call and tried to get comfortable again but failed. Fifteen minutes later she dragged herself into the shower.

***

Everyone seemed to arrive for breakfast at seven thirty. Richard had plainly been outside although Tammy doubted he had showered beforehand and Elsie, sat at the table in a gown, looked as if she hadn't slept very well.

It was still dark outside but light from the dining room showed some destruction from the severe winds that had started overnight. The branches of several of the nearby trees were moving around alarmingly whilst fencing and a small shed had been flattened. It looked like the open fire in the sitting room would have a supply of wood for some time.

Thomas entered the room.

"Excuse me Ma'am, sir, ladies, but it appears we have lost our telephone lines."

"Thank you Thomas." He was dismissed. "Richard, do you think you can get hold of BT for me? The account information is in the study."

"Of course, Elsie."

"Tammy, could you let Joan know that we have a communication problem."

"Yes, Elsie."

"Louise, could you check the drive is clear and the state of the main road please."

"Certainly."

Everyone was heading off with their allotted task, although Tammy suddenly realised that Michael was missing, again. Regardless, she made her way back to her room where she had left her mobile.

"Hi Tammy."

"Hi Joan, Elsie's asked me to let you know our phones aren't working."

"Thanks, have you let Angela know as she's indoors?"

"No, aren't you?"

"I'm in the school, most of the staff couldn't get here and they didn't have enough to cover the day. I'm in Janet's office handling the phones."

There's a ringing in the background.

"Got to go, bye."

Tammy quickly sent Angela a text checking she was alright, her reply only took a minute.

It's alright for you, someone will do your lunch but I have to do my own

Tammy smiled; now that Joan was back at work, after many years as a housewife, there would be times when Angela had to cope for herself. Tammy herself had been in that position when in Enfield during the school holidays when both of her parents would be out. Her father would have been at work, whether in London or another European capital, whilst her mother would be enjoying herself somewhere else. You appreciate quickly that if you don't want to go hungry, or rely on microwave meals, you learn to cook.

Tammy paused for a moment, was there a possibility that she too would become a housewife one day?

She absent-mindedly fired up her laptop before remembering that they had no connection to the outside world. Realising that her phone had internet access she connected it to her laptop and managed to download her emails. It was dreadfully slow, however, trying to browse web pages was rather like filling a kettle from a dripping tap.

She gave up, grabbed a swimsuit and a towel, before making her way to the indoor pool a few minutes later.

"Hi Tammy." She was a little surprised as she was hanging up her towel.

"Oh, hello Louise. I'm not used to finding anyone down here."

"I'm not surprised as no-one told me about the pool until I'd been here about ten days."

"Sorry, but I thought dad would have said something seeing as he arranged everything else."

"Never mind, I usually grab a swim after you go off to school so I know the pool's going to be free."

"So I'm the intruder today?" Tammy put her hands on her hips.

"Don't just stand there, get in!"

It wasn't just a case of mucking around in the water, Louise had Tammy doing aerobics as well. In fact it seemed to be a full body workout and Tammy was exhausted by the end.

"You need to get into better shape, Tammy."

"I thought I was."

"Your stamina needs working on, aerobics is a great way of improving that."

"Shame we won't have a pool in the new place, if we move there."

"Your father seems to be interested in putting one in."

"Where?"

"In the barn, as well as some gym kit."

"Interesting but I'm going up for a nice long shower."

"Don't forget to rinse off here first."

***

After showering and dressing Tammy went down to the house library. This wasn't a separate room but a wall of bookcases in the sitting room. She was pleased to find the fiction was organised alphabetically by author, it took a simple find to put a copy of Macbeth in her hands.

"Did you find what you were looking for, dear?"

"Yes, Elsie."

"I would hazard a guess that you needed the Scottish Play so you can learn your lines."

"Yes, but if we had the internet up and running I would download a copy into my tablet."

"That book you're holding is nearly one hundred years old and is full of history, I don't know of any iPad or tablet that could claim even a decade's history."

"True, but it's something else to carry around."

"Why this fascination with carrying everything around? Leave it in your room and read a few scenes at a time. Casting isn't until Saturday and you have three months to learn the play. There is no need to rush, Tammy dear."

"I suppose so."

"Come and sit with me, we don't get too much time alone."

Tammy shifted to the armchair next to Elsie, facing the roaring fire.

"I miss our chats, Elsie."

"Once you were back at school full-time that was bound to happen."

"I realise, but it means I'm not involved in everything so much now."

"Perhaps you were over-involved sometimes and just need to calm down?"

"Maybe, but things just sort-of happen to me."

"In which case, if you're not the cause then you're definitely a catalyst."

"I remember Joan saying that about me."

"She was defending you against Jill Davison if I remember correctly."

"Yes, we were in this room too."

"Now, promise me that whatever else happens you will study well, do your revision and give the exams your best effort."

"I will Elsie, but you're making me worried."

"Tammy, you should have learned by now that nothing is definite nor permanent in this world. Things change, people come and go. That's the way life works."

"Elsie, something is wrong; please tell me."

"The biopsies weren't clear."

"Oh, what does that mean?"

"I have to have a second mastectomy and I will need chemotherapy, although they will try radiotherapy first."

"When do you go back to hospital?"

"In the morning and I could be there for over a week."

Tammy stepped over to Elsie and reached down to give her a hug. This was not the same Elsie who had welcomed Tammy into her house the previous November, this Elsie was weaker and looked older by several years. Tammy's eyes welled up.

"Elsie, if there was anything I could do?"

"Tammy, the doctors are doing what they can but some of this is my own stupid bloody fault for not going to the screening sessions. Promise me, young lady, that when you are called up for screening, you'll go."

"Yes, Elsie, I promise."

"Good, equally I can promise you that I am not going to let this beat me."

"Thank you."

"Now, if the roads are clear, we'll have the Smalls over for dinner this evening."

"Do you want me to warn Joan?"

"No, I'll do it. Did you manage to reach her?"

"Yes, she's at the school looking after the phones."

"That's useful."

***

The phone lines were restored late afternoon but that gave Tammy time to read Act 1 of the play before the twenty first century demands started coming in. First was an email from John Hibbert.

From: John Hibbert
To: Tammy Smart
Date: 14th January 2015 11:04
Subject: News
 
Hi Tammy,
 
It's rather a boring day today. Officially the school's not closed so it's standard dress code but every lesson for the sixth form is a study period. Lower down in the school they're getting by with whatever teachers are available. I must be nuts but I went down to the school library to get a copy of Macbeth out and spent hours reading it.
 
There's a rumour that Miss Stewart has been suspended but no-one seems to know anything, nor even where the rumour started. Have you heard anything?
 
Tanya's mum has invited me to stay the weekend so I'll be going down there after school on Friday, did you want to meet up somewhere? I've also been told that she'll give me a decent haircut before the audition.
 
See you tomorrow,
John

Then a message from Tanya

Friday night is party night. Come to our house at eight.

Tammy knew she would need transport but figured that could wait a day or so. She started going through her social media messages before checking the website of the local paper. One headline grabbed her attention.
 

Teacher Arrested After Bribery Claim

A teacher was arrested today by police investigating a bribery allegation at a hotel in Thurso. Police are giving few details at present but it is believed that the teacher, who is from Inverness, works at a school in the Thurso area. A second person has also been arrested and investigations are ongoing.

Tammy printed the article off and emailed a link to the article to John Hibbert then sent the same email to Angela. She picked up her printed copy and walked out of her room, finding a gaggle of people in the hallway below. Apart from Joan and Angela, the Head Dr McIntosh and his wife Anne had also arrived.

Seeing that even Angela was dressed for dinner, Tammy shot back to her room and quickly found a long navy skirt and white blouse. A dab of perfume and a check in the mirror then she could head downstairs, clutching the folded printout.

Tammy had assumed that the head was present because of Yvonne Stewart but this was not the case. Steven McIntosh is Elsie's brother so was invited over prior to her hospital appointment the following day. What concerned Tammy the most, however, was seeing another man arrive close to eight that evening with a briefcase. He joined Elsie, the Head and Richard in the study.

"He's Elsie's solicitor, Tammy."

"Oh, thank you Mrs McIntosh."

"Please, call me Anne when none of the boys are around."

"I'll try to remember."

"Now, did you get the permission sorted out for the play?"

"Mr Thompson confused me, I never knew I needed permission."

"But it's done, good, you'll make a lovely Lady Macbeth."

"The auditions are on Saturday, I can't know that I have the part yet."

"Just turn up, that will be enough."

The solicitor left after fifteen minutes and everyone else was out of the study a little while after that. Nothing was said about why they were in there and Tammy was none the wiser about Yvonne's situation.

Once she was in her room Tammy read a few more scenes then put the book down before falling asleep.