Chapter 57

James was shocked! Abby gone? Where? Why? His first thought was that she had somehow found out what happened to her mother? The second thought dismissed that idea. He knew that Sam would not say anything, and Woody after keeping this secret for over thirty years was unlikely break another promise after only a few hours. It could not be that. He looked around seeking Sam, if anyone knew it would be Sam. Abby would confide in him, wouldn't she? Sam was not there. He was sitting at home watching the television. Mavis couldn't understand why he was there and not at the Inn as usual. She had asked him in an oblique way and had an oblique answer, so she tackled him head on.

"Why are you here this evening? Most unusual for you." Sam ruminated, trying to find the right words to answer her. He decided to elicit Mavis'support, but without telling her the complete truth.

"Abby has gone."

"What?" He looked at his wife, confirming the news.

"Abby packed her case and left this afternoon." He stopped himself from saying that it was because of her and Mary's gossip.

"Is she coming back?" Mavis was extremely worried. Sam shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I saw her leave and all she said was that she was going off. I asked her where and for how long but she didn't answer, just drove off towards Paverton. She didn't look happy." Mavis immediately phoned Mary, who didn't know any more than Sam.

"I caught sight of her putting her case in the car, and she was away before I could get out to ask what she was doing. She had left a cheque for her account on the bar for me. Paid up everything. There's some of her clothes still in the room, but in her note she said she would send for them later. Mr. James was just here, and he seemed most upset about it." Mavis decided on some action.

"Mary. I am coming up. We'll go through everything she has left to see if there is something that will tell us what she is about." Not for one moment did Mavis consider that she would be invading Abby's privacy.

Mavis rarely drove although she had a licence. This was important so she borrowed Sam's Land Rover and drove to the Inn. As she did another Land Rover passed her going in the opposite direction. She was so concerned that she didn't realise it was Mr. James, nor did he notice that it was Sam's Land Rover that was travelling towards the Inn. James had tried Abby's mobile phone five times, it rang and rang without answer, and Abby would appear to have turned the message service off. Sam sat counting the minutes. He knew that Mr. James would arrive very shortly. He got up and put the kettle on. Perhaps he would need some tea, and was quite sure that Mr. James would also.

James did arrive very shortly, just as the kettle boiled. Sam let him in, James was breathless and flustered.

"You look as if you could do with a cup of tea, Mr. James."

"Abby's gone."

"Yes, I know, but would you like a cup of tea?"

"Abby's left."

"Well I want some tea anyway, so I'll pour one for you."

"Sam, this is important. Abby's gone away."

"Yes I know, Mr. James. Mavis was just on the phone to Mary, and I heard."

"You see to be remarkably calm about it."

"What's to get all hot and bothered about? If she's gone, she's gone. It's sad, but it's her decision. If she comes back, it's her decision as well. So sit down and drink the tea."

"But why?"

"Why? Because I have just made it."

"No, Sam. Why has Abby gone?" Sam looked at James and answered him.

"Mr. James. You of all people should understand why." He replied witheringly. James was shocked into silence. Then said feebly.

"But I haven't done anything, or said anything."

"Exactly, Mr. James. I told you only a few days ago, that your lack of action would send Abby away, and now it would appear that you have succeeded. Well done!"

James sat miserably. He didn't taste the tea, it was just warm liquid trickling over his tongue and slipping down to his stomach, where it joined the growing knot that his stomach had become. After a while he roused himself to ask Sam.

"Do you know where she's gone?"

"Why would I know that? I didn't even know she had gone until a few moments ago." A little lie, but Mr. James would not know that. He went on. "I don't know if it would help but perhaps you could have a look around her office. Possibly she has left something lying around that would give some indication. If I know Abby, she will not have gone without making arrangements. See if she has left a clue."

"Yes. That's right. She would do that. Let's go now."

"Oh no, Mr. James. I could not do that. It would be wrong for me to go looking around her personal things. But you as her landlord so to speak can. You'll have to do it yourself." James converted himself from abject misery into the man of action.

"Right. I'll go and do that now. I'll let you know if I find anything." James got up to leave.

"Aren't you going to finish your tea?" Asked Sam. James didn't hear him.

Sam heard the Land Rover start and the scrubbing tyres as James viciously let in the clutch. He pulled out his mobile phone and searched the memory and dialled the number.

"Hello Sam." Abby's voice held a hint of amusement.

"He's on his way to your office as we speak, Abby. Will it be easy for him to find?"

"No, Sam. He will have to search quite thoroughly. If I made it too easy, he may suspect a conspiracy." Sam laughed.

"Well it is a conspiracy, really. But you're right."

"He's called about five times, you know."

"I'm not surprised, Abby. He's frantic."

"Good." There was silence for a moment. "I am doing the right thing, aren't I, Sam."

"Yes, Abby. If you had seen him here, you would not doubt his feelings for you. The man just needs a kick to make him do something. He'll find you. I'll know when he sets off and I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Sam. How was Mavis?"

"Mavis and Mary will be ransacking your room as we speak. Now if I know those two, they will put everything away tidily, and do a lot of washing and ironing for you. Serves then right! I got so angry with the pair of them, all their manoeuvrings and plots. Now take care, Abby. I'll phone whenever I can without being overheard." Sam was well aware of the irony; it was he and Abby who were making plots at the moment.

"Ok, Sam. I owe you a drink."

At the Combe Inn, Mary and Mavis had finished their search, and found nothing to suggest why Abby had left, or where she had gone. They now sat in the lounge with their heads together, examining the likely implications raised by Abby's departure. As in all such pubs, where the same clientele would gather invariably most evenings there was an undercurrent of concern. It was not about who was there, but rather who was not. The fevered quiet conversation that Mary and Mavis were having sparked interest, and the absences were noted. So at least three new rumours for the valley were born, to be digested, rejected and resurrected over the course of the next few days.

James had started his investigation in the Estate office. At first he felt guilt for this. Reasoning that this was now Abby's office and that he shouldn't be going through her papers. If he had realised that Abby had anticipated this and had not left anything too personal for him to find it would have made him feel better. James would not know this until Abby and Sam's plan had either succeeded or collapsed irretrievably. There was little pattern to his search and as a result he found nothing that evening. He retired to eat a late hasty meal before taking to his bed. It was not a comfortable night for him. The meal eaten quickly lay heavily on a stomach that was already uneasy and his mind, full of dismay and anger at the situation would not allow sleep. Even the bed reminded him of what he had had lost, as every time he turned over Abby's perfume, her invisible presence, teased his nostrils. It did have one benefit though. At some time an insidious thought crept into his head that he was the sole cause of this discomfort. He mentally kicked himself for not having the courage to declare his feelings to Abby. If he had done that Abby would either have accepted him or not. If she had rejected him he would at least know why she had gone away, misery would have been his world for a long time, but at least he would know. If she had accepted him ... well happy would be the least adjective to describe his life.