Buying the Virgin novel Chapter 95

MICHAEL

“Charlotte, you don’t have to do this.”

“I think I do.”

I hold her hand as we stand together at the demolished site of the old Blessingmoors institution. Now a wasteland of rubble awaiting redevelopment in the new City Project, the only pointers to the old buildings are the road layout and a few hard to identify pillars and gateposts. Nonetheless, we believe we are standing on what was once the threshold of the Blessingmoors building.

Charlotte is pale, even more so than usual, and her hand, as I hold it, is clammy. James is here, his face a mask, as he stands, hands in pockets, simply watching, but his eyes follow her everywhere as she steps over the rubble.

The others; Haswell, Stanton, and a variety of investigators in white paper coveralls, also stand by, watching.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I just don’t recognise any of it. There’s nothing here to recognise.”

“Perhaps with your eyes closed?” I suggest. “Start at some known point and see if you can walk in the dark? Keep hold of my hand. I won’t let you stumble.”

She doesn’t speak, simply nodding as she licks her dry lips. She turns to Haswell. “This was the front entrance?”

“Yes.”

Then, closing her eyes, gripping my hand tightly, “I’ll try. I was smaller then, of course. And it was a long time ago.”

Stepping forward. “There were three steps, up into the hallway.” I steady her as she walks.

She continues. “There was a door here.” She indicates ahead. “Then a corridor and another door.” Eyes still closed, she opens invisible doors, walking through unseen halls.

She waves to one side. “That’s a staircase, up to the dorms.” Stanton is beside us now, examining some old document. I glance at him, not liking to ask. He holds up the sheet; a tattered floor plan. As Charlotte speaks, he is comparing her words with the plan, nodding agreement.

We walk a little further. She indicates the other way. That’s the corridor to the kitchens. Two of the cellars came off from there. I think one was an old coal cellar. The other was just general storage.”

Stanton nods. “Yes, we know about those.”

She hesitates, her face churning.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can smell it…. It’s got to be just in my head, but I can smell the place.”

“What does it smell of?”

“….. dust, the children, disinfectant, cabbage…. I don’t know. It’s just how it smelled. I’d never thought about it before, but it feels like….” She pauses, swallowing hard.

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

“Want to take a break?”

“No. I want to do this.”

We keep walking. Everyone is with us now, walking quietly behind us as Charlotte continues her blind walk in the dark.

She waves vaguely ahead of her. The main stairs were here. Upstairs was the staff area, where they lived. I was never up there. I think they had bedrooms and a common room, but I never saw it.” Then she veers to one side. “But there was another door here, by the side of the stairs.”

Stanton looks puzzled, looking at his plan. “Are you sure of that, Charlotte? It shows a blank wall here.”

She nods, vigorously. “I’m sure. The door was sort of under the stairs. You would only see it if you knew it was there. But it led to another cellar, the one they used as a punishment room.”

“Alright,” says Stanton. “You’ve done enough.” Then he turns to me. “Get her out of here.” Waving over to the white coveralled technicians. “Geophys, over here.”

I pull Charlotte away, nodding James to join us. “C’mon, we’re leaving.”

Charlotte resists. “You’re not staying here,” I say. Still, she hesitates. “Charlotte, I’ll drag you off if I have to. You’re not staying here.”

“And I’ll help him,” says James.

Reluctantly, she comes with us.

“Let’s go to the Centre,” I say. “You can have a swim, and I’ll give you a massage.”

Finally, she nods, really looking as though she agrees.

“I’ll join you in a while,” says James. “I want a word with Haswell and Stanton.”

*****

Ten minutes later, I lead Charlotte by the hand into the Centre; it’s time the staff met my fiancée. If nothing else, it might persuade Tracy to stop making cows eyes at me. She was never in with a chance, and lately, she’s been a bloody nuisance.