Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 810 by Angharad

“Has no one ever told you about me?” I asked Hilary, who was a little subdued by my revelations about the children and my religious beliefs.

“Only insofar as you were Simon’s partner and were marrying him and that you had three children, which he’d taken as his own. I believe I heard you were a teacher or scientist.”

“Well all of that is true. I’m a scientist and teacher, I lecture in ecology–I’m a field biologist by training and inclination, with a special interest in mammals, especially dormice.”

“Oh my goodness, it’s you, isn’t it?” She said bringing her hands up to cover her mouth.

“Sorry, but you have me at a disadvantage,” I informed her and felt a little embarrassed. A number of scenarios flashed though my cognitive processes, not least some article or television piece which would suddenly make me a pervert or the antichrist or both.

“The dormouse film, that was you, wasn’t it?” She seemed excited at her discovery.

“The one on BBC the other month, yes, that was my film.”

“You presented it so well.”

“I wrote, produced, edited and directed it as well.”

“My goodness, you are a clever girl. Wait until George finds out, he was most impressed with it. You didn’t do the camera work as well?”

“No, nor the sound, I left that to the experts.”

“And you’re not?”

“On dormice, perhaps, on the rest of it–definitely no.”

“She’s an expert on surveys, tae,” said a familiar baritone voice.

“Well, I would expect a proud father to advertise her success.”

“Hilary, she is very guid at whit she does, and richt noo, that’s being a mither tae three damaged wee lassies.”

I felt my cheeks burning. Then I noticed my three wains weren’t in sight any more. “Excuse me, I’d better find the girls.” I trotted out through the conservatory as quickly as I could. Then across the lawn and I was running almost flat out, whilst calling the girl’s names.

I heard barking and a moment later Kiki came running towards me, yelping in pleasure, so I thought, then I noticed the lead still attached to her collar. She ran up to me, she had what looked like injuries to her face and she was limping.

What on earth had happened? I carried on calling the girls and running in the direction from whence the dog had come. I felt frantic–at the same time trying to tell myself, there was probably a natural explanation other than something bad happened. Spaniels don’t always look where they’re going and trees and walls tend to hurt when you run into them. I was desperately hoping that was what had happened.

Gee whiz, I’d only just go them back, don’t say they were gone again. I ran even faster, wishing I was in trousers not a skirt and boots. Then I spotted it and screamed–Trish’s dormouse toy. She’d been holding it when she went outside. I’d almost commented on it, but then perhaps wondered if it was some form of comfort blanket. I knew she wouldn’t leave that behind easily.

Tears were running down my face as I ran around in circles, I saw two men running towards me–“What’s up?” called one of them.

“My children, they’ve disappeared.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, and the dog is hurt.”

“Okay,” he pulled out his mobile and dialled, “We’ve got a situation.” By this time the second man was with us.

“Do you know which way they went?”

“No,” my throat was hoarse from shouting and crying. He looked at the dog, who was wary of the stranger.

“Looks like she could have been kicked.”

“Please help me find them,” I pleaded with them.

“Don’t worry ma’am, we aim to do just that.”

Moments later a car arrived and Kiki and I were shoved into it and taken back to the house. As we arrived, all the men were either running around or getting into cars and in the distance I could hear sirens and then a helicopter. Yet with all this technology and manpower, it was my fault–I should have been with them, not bathing in compliments from Lady Edwards. I should have been with them–this was my fault–again. I felt like killing myself.

By the time I got into the house I was close to hysterical and I was half carried and half dragged up to bedroom and told to lie on the bed. I protested and something was jabbed in my arm–I swore at them, accusing them of all being in on it and I don’t remember anything else.

When I awoke, it was dark and my head felt quite muzzy–like a bucket which had been hit with a heavy hammer and was still vibrating. It took me a moment to work out where I was and why my throat felt so dry. Then I remembered and I felt sick and hopeless. I should let the children go, assuming they find them in one piece–please God–they needed someone who was more competent than I appeared to be. Someone who wasn’t so up her own arse, that they could actually spend time with the girls, looking after them not their career. I was too selfish and immature to be a mother. If the truth was known, I probably needed one as much as they did.

I lay there weeping–where could they be? The whole point of being here was it was considered safe–was it an underestimate of our enemy? Had Simon or I not actually dumped our trackers, or did they follow the car that picked us up?

The door opened and in slipped Hilary. “How do you feel?”

“Dreadful, I’m a complete failure–I just want to die.”

“It was my fault, I detained you from going with them.”

“No, it was me, I’m responsible for them, I should have been with them.”

“We can’t find any evidence of anyone taking them,” she said brushing my hair from my face.

“I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to them.”

“Nor I, I bear some of the blame, too.” She absently stroked my forehead which was so relaxing, I just wanted to sleep, protected by this older woman–a mother substitute? “Would you like some tea, I’ve found the Lady Grey.”

“Thank you, that would be really nice, my throat is quite dry.”

“I’ll get some sent up. If we hear anything, I’ll let you know immediately.”

“Please do, whatever it is.”

“Very well.”

“Where’s Simon?”

“He’s out with all the men searching the estate–the problem is it covers a few square miles.”

“But you had a helicopter, I heard it.”

“The police, they’ve been very helpful. Just rest, when we bring them back, you’ll have a lot to do.”

“Please,” I said and felt my eyes swollen with tears.

“We’ll find them, don’t you worry, you just rest and I’ll bring up some tea quite shortly.”

I drifted off to sleep and dreamt all sorts of awful things, mostly related to the girls but not always so. I dreamt I was with Kiki and we were being hunted by helicopter. It was so real I could hear the rotor blades swishing and see the brightness of the searchlights on the machine.

I awoke with a start, the helicopter was outside, I could hear it, plainly. I jumped out of bed and nearly fell over, my head and feet didn’t seem connected. I staggered to the window and the helicopter blades were just stopping and an ambulance was racing towards the house, blue lights flashing–I was out and down the stairs in half a second.

“Where are they?” I shouted at the first person I saw.

He looked exhausted and just pointed at the drawing room where’d we’d been united earlier. I charged inside it and there were my three girls. I screamed and fainted.