Part Twenty Seven   "Leanne & Julie"

 
 
Sunday 8th February
 

Tammy had to take one of the antibiotic pills every six hours according to the printed label, which meant she was seeing Leanne many many times a day over the weekend. Tammy told everyone she could take the pills by herself but often had to be reminded whether it was day or night as she was prone to becoming confused every so often.

The weekend seemed to drag at times, but flew past at other times. Tammy now had access to her tablet and laptop but remained sleepy throughout the day so was checking social media and the news sporadically. Her room was also now looking like a florists.

To make up a little for her lack of mobility, Tammy was sent a link to the new security system at Dunbankin, accessed through a webpage using two levels of security. This enabled her to see what was going on out the front and just inside the front-door, but access to the yard and inside cameras were blocked, a temporary fault her father had explained. She left this running on her laptop whilst using her tablet for browsing, between naps.

She'd been allowed down to dinner on Saturday night when all the Smarts, Smalls and McPhersons available were present. Elsie proposed a toast to 'new beginnings' but Tammy wasn't allowed anywhere near the red wine. Angela was worried that she might catch the infection despite being told she was safe from harm. Promises were made after dinner to relay news from the school but Tammy retired before Angela had even started her tales.

The next time she ventured out of her room was Sunday lunchtime, after accepting help from Leanne with her shower. Only Elsie was otherwise left in the house. They used the tiny breakfast room.

"I feel so useless Elsie."

"Don't, don't even think like that. You couldn't help it and even the doctors don't know how long you've had the infection. It does explain a few things, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

"So, lay back and relax."

"I don't like to impose on anyone, and does Leanne ever get time off?"

"She does, but she volunteered to help look after you."

"I thought she was moving over to Dunbankin?"

"She will, but her accommodation won't be ready before Tuesday or Wednesday and I reckon you'll be here until then as well, then she'll take some time off. In the meantime, her sister Julie is helping with the domestic duties but isn't cooking in the evening until Leanne's there."

"So we'll eat together here tonight?"

"Yes, hopefully the boys will have put the road through by tomorrow so any driving or walking is off the highway."

"A cut-through between the properties?"

"Yes, seeing as they adjoin it made sense. A phone link will run alongside the new road so we won't use up an outside line calling each-other."

"That makes sense." Tammy yawned.

"Back up you go, have a nap and maybe you could have a swim?"

"That would be nice."

"I'll let Leanne know."

***

Tammy made it down to the basement pool around four and was surprised to see Leanne in a swimsuit.

"Madam suggested that you might need help in the water so I was told to enjoy the pool too."

"Well, enjoy!" Tammy stepped into the pool, not initially having enough energy to jump or dive. What was evident though was that Tammy needed to loosen up as her muscles were tight. After half an hour, however, she was ready to get out having bounced a ball around the pool with Leanne.

"Step under the shower Miss, it will be easier here, I brought your shampoo and body wash with me."

Tammy did as asked and shed her swimsuit as she had done many times before. What surprised her was to see Leanne removing her own suit and waiting to use the single shower rose whilst Tammy showered.

To help speed things along, Leanne offered to wash Tammy's hair and make certain all the shampoo was rinsed out before holding a towel open for her. Leanne quickly showered herself and wrapped another towel around her own body.

"Let's get you upstairs, Miss."

Once Tammy had reached her own room, Leanne laid out clean knickers and nightie before going off to her quarters. She was back, dressed, before Tammy had finished drying her hair.

"Did you want to lay on your bed, Miss?"

"Yes, if I get in I might be too comfortable and fall asleep."

Leanne handed her a gown before leaving Tammy's room. Despite best intentions Tammy dozed until near six when the phone rang.

"How are you, petal?"

"Better, Dad, I had a swim earlier."

"I hope you weren't down there on your own?"

"No, Leanne came in the pool with me. Are you downstairs?"

"No, over at Dunbankin testing the telephone connection, we'll be over shortly for dinner."

"Okay, I'll be down."

"Joan's found something interesting for you."

"Thanks."

***

The 'something interesting' was a mild understatement.

"Have you used the place?"

"Yes, Joan, after the first rehearsal for Macbeth, a group of us went there including Angela, Tanya, John and some of the others."

"Did anyone report being ill?"

"No."

"What did you all have?"

"Most had chicken or cheese, I had tuna mayo, oh shit."

"We need to find out what was in that tuna, one of us can contact Health Protection Scotland tomorrow and let them know where to find your blood tests."

"Sure, but why me, and why my gonads?"

"Some interaction with the blockers, perhaps? I am guessing, by the way, as I have no real idea."

Angela obviously heard the comment about blockers and asked if she should stop taking them.

"Not without talking to a doctor. Get a blood test if you're unsure."

 
Monday 9th February
 

Tammy swam again after breakfast with Leanne and seemed to have more stamina. She'd also been trusted to take her overnight pills without the chambermaid's reminders.

"Will you be getting dressed today, Miss?"

Tammy was drying her hair. "I'm not sure, I might have a nap now."

"Very good, Miss, I'll inform Madam McPherson."

Tammy first pottered around social media before realising that most of her friends would be in school or college. By ten thirty she was yawning uncontrollably so put the technology down and dozed off.

She awoke nearly two hours later somewhat refreshed and feeling that she had some zest. Tammy walked down to the sitting room, finding it empty, but nearly walked into Thomas on the way out.

"Good morning Miss, Madam McPherson is in town at the moment."

"Thank you, could I have a coffee and the Scotsman please?"

"I'll fetch them."

So she was, effectively, alone in this great house. A minute later she was scanning the newspaper for any relevant articles:

So, no connection to Yvonne? Was she just supplying tittle-tattle? Some of the parents of St Andrews students were military or diplomatic officers, others were in international business, others were just wealthy; they needed to be given the scale of the school fees. These parents were potentially rich pickings for the gossip mags and some of the European scandalsheets didn't worry about printing such trivia as the names and locations of kids in order to target the parents.

She was in it for the money, as was the kid in the pharmacy - the weak link in the medical supply chain.

Tammy went back to her room for a wee, finding the phone ringing.

"What are you doing for lunch?"

"I don't know."

"Well, get dressed and I'll be over shortly to pick you up."

"Okay, Dad."

***

The first surprise was seeing a pair of golf carts by the stables.

"You can use these between the house here and Dunbankin, even if you're on your own."

"Great."

"Get behind the wheel and see how it goes, but check it's not plugged into a charging socket first."

Richard had deliberately hooked this one up to the supply so Tammy could see how to remove the heavy duty connector. She moved away, unsure of the fierce acceleration, her father laughed.

"It gets me as well, or at least it used to."

The route was down the left side of the house towards the summerhouse then a left turn onto a new gravel path that came out behind the barn, two charging points were fitted into a side wall under a canopy.

"You said you were improving the electrical supply to the barn but never mentioned this!"

"I know, I have to keep one or two surprises, don't I?"

"Are these connected to the solar panels?"

"Yes, the panels will charge heavy duty batteries which, in turn, will charge the carts."

"So low running costs?"

"Yes, come inside."

They stepped in through the former scullery where coats and outdoor footwear would now be left to dry before walking through into the house. Tammy was amazed at the difference but insisted on checking the kitchen early on.

"Hi Tammy."

"Hi Julie."

"You look a little different from when I first met you at that hen party."

"Oh, a little older and a little wiser!"

"I've been hearing all sorts of stories about you from Cathy."

"Lies, all lies!"

Richard coughed, "come on Tammy."

"Wait dad, Julie, what's for lunch?"

"How about a tuna mayo jacket?"

"I'd rather not, I'm sure Dad'll explain."

"Okay, will a mushroom omelette do?"

"Perfect."

"There are some fresh rolls in the Aga."

"Home-made?"

"Of course, now out of my kitchen!"

Richard was not impressed as they walked towards the study.

"She's staff, not family."

"Dad, I've known her socially and through Elsie's family so it kind of destroys that idea, plus I've seen her sister Leanne naked now."

"When?"

"This morning after we swam. That changes things doesn't it?"

"I suppose so."

"Look, whilst Elsie has always worked in a formal way I'd rather we were kinder to the staff, even if that means Julie telling me off sometimes."

"I'll talk to Joan, but I know Angela is having trouble adjusting to having staff available."

They walked to the study door and Richard punched in a code to release the door. He closed the door again.

"Now you try, the code is 82669, can you guess why?"

It took her a minute. "Isn't that a risk?"

"We'll change it every month. Open the door."

In the study Tammy could first see a leather-topped desk, on top of it were Richard's laptop and a phone.

"Isn't that the desk from the Enfield house?"

"Yes, I couldn't resist it."

There was a matching chair, Tammy sank into it.

"How old is this?"

"Forty or fifty years old, it belonged to your grandfather."

Elsewhere in the room was an atypical filing cabinet, an all-in-one printer/fax/scanner and the new safe.

"Where's this special phone?"

"Due here after lunch, I suggested putting it back so you could be shown how to use it at the same time."

"Just the two of us?"

"Yes, but we need to ask some questions."

The phone rang, Tammy hesitated then picked it up.

"Lunch is served."

***

Tammy was feeling beat and said she wanted to go to her room. She'd had a hand in choosing the furniture and fabrics but was still impressed. "It's beautiful!"

On a small desk sat her laptop, tablet and her own printer, Leanne was putting Tammy's clothes into the wardrobes.

"I won't be a moment, Miss."

"leanne, please stop that now!"

"I'm sorry, Miss, I'll come back later."

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way. Please call me Tammy and drop the Miss-this and Miss-that when we're in this house, we're not at the McPherson's now."

"Yes, Miss, er, Tammy."

"That's better. Check with your sister if you need guidance as she's already thrown me out of the kitchen this morning."

"She told me." Leanne giggled.

The en suite was compact and appeared to have been formerly a storeroom that previously opened onto the landing. Nevertheless there was sufficient space for the usual items. It had been fitted out as a wet room so there wasn't a door as such on the shower.

"I need to go back to collect the rest of your things, it will be all finished by teatime."

"Thank you Leanne." Tammy walked over and kissed her, Leanne smiled and left the room as Tammy blushed profusely. Strangely, she was no longer tired.

***

The tour finished in the lounge where Julie served them coffee.

"Richard, I've prepared dinner and put it in the slow oven, someone just needs to cook the vegetables."

"Thanks Julie, are you off?"

"Yes, I'll be back tomorrow morning again as Leanne's now taking a few days off, when's her flat going to be ready?"

"It should be finished tomorrow."

"I know she'll love it."

There was a bell at the front door, Julie went to open it.

"Hello, is Mr Smart here?"

"Yes, who shall I say is calling?"

"I'm Jimmy Ruddle, Security Service Security Directorate."

"Security what, oh never mind, please come in."

"I'll fetch some equipment from my car first."

Jimmy was back two minutes later laden with a bag and a non-descript box. He asked if they could go into the study and closed the door behind them.

"Right, I'm Jimmy Ruddle and I'm here to install your secure phone. How much have you been told?"

Richard first, "not too much and I'm not really clear on why we need it, although my daughter knows a little more."

"Heather Young told me over dinner that she'd like me to call her on it."

"She told me that she also asked you if want to do work experience in Cornwall, it's a lovely cottage by the way."

"You've been there?"

"Twice. Now, the first thing I need to do is to sweep the premises."

"Do you need anything?"

"Coffee, white with one sugar."

"Tammy?"

"What Dad?"

"The staff have gone for the day, go make Mr Ruddle a coffee."

"Yes, Dad."

***

Tammy hadn't expected a two hour training session on how to use a phone, after the security guy had spent an hour checking around the house and outbuildings.

"What are you looking for?" Asked Tammy, suspecting James Bond's 'Q' would appear at any time.

"Bugs, to put it mildly. You've just bought the house and had no control over the premises until two weeks ago, or so. Without a working alarm system even that two weeks would allow many opportunities for something to be installed."

"But I'm at school, so's Angela, Dad is a retired banker and mum's working at our school. Why would anyone bug us?"

"Let's see, apart from being attacked by terrorists you have recently had dinner with a Security Service employee who would like to talk to you from time to time, do you think that's about knitting or TV soap operas?"

"No."

"Neither would any of the nasty people in this world, they'll see that you have access to some interesting people and that makes you a target. A little common sense will deal with many threats but you can't even rely on phone calls being secure, hence this phone."

"Is it GCHQ and NSA approved?"

"Yes."

"I was joking."

"I wasn't."