Receiving no response, she soldiered on. She never had any trouble listening to the sound of her own voice.
‘You’re at the St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, just outside of Rushford. I’m Head of IT here and Deputy to Dr Bairstow, the Director. He sends his apologies for not being here. He is currently – indisposed.’
What did that mean? Was he dead? If he was – indisposed – then discounting the Time Police, that left her in charge, which was not good news. Not good news at all.
She continued. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to stare. You have to excuse me. You look very much like a friend of mine who died recently, and I’m still a little … what did you say your name was?’
When it became apparent I wasn’t going to reply, she said, ‘Do you understand me? Do you speak English? Repeating herself in French, German, and Spanish.
I remained silent in many languages.
She didn’t give up.
‘Can you tell me how you came by your injuries?’
Nope.
‘We don’t often have visitors here at St Mary’s. I hope they have made you comfortable?’
Silence.
‘You’ve received treatment here and we’re certainly happy for you to stay until you have recovered. However, there are some people who are anxious to speak to you about the man you were with – Leon Farrell? I wondered, if you’re still not feeling very well, would you prefer to speak to me?’
Not bloody likely.
She looked at me, expectantly.
I said nothing.
Suddenly, she leaned forwards and put her hand on my good one.
‘Please – tell me. Are you Max? Are you my friend? Why wouldn’t you tell me?’
Well, this was a bit of a turn-up. My identity was causing her some anxiety. In my world, Bitchface Barclay would have danced on my grave.
I’d like to be able to say that that was the moment when I had my first inkling, but I can’t. I was so confused by this new Barclay that my thoughts were flinging themselves all over the place. I held on to the one certainty in this new St Mary’s. Leon had told me to say nothing, so I said nothing.
‘Max? Please, please talk to me. Rumours are flying around St Mary’s. Everyone wants to know. Are you Madeleine Maxwell? Just nod.’
Again – not bloody likely.
She bit her lip. ‘Look, I’ve brought you something. I’ve brought you some chocolate. Your favourite.’
She placed two giant bars of chocolate in my lap.
This is how you’re trapped. The instinct is to say thank you. It’s hard-wired into most of us. We’re taught to respond appropriately. I so very nearly opened my mouth and said, ‘Thank you.’ I actually took the breath to speak but I lifted my eyes just that little bit too soon and, just for a moment, her face …
A second later and it was gone. I might have imagined it. I might have been allowing a bone-deep prejudice to get the better of me. She might simply have been screwing up her eyes against the bright sun. But she wasn’t. I’d seen it and she knew I’d seen it. This was no act of kindness. This was a trap. We regarded each other. No words were spoken. I had no idea of what sort of relationship she’d had with the other Maxwell, but I knew exactly how this one was going to go …
She smiled and leaned forwards. ‘You don’t look very comfortable at all. Let me rearrange your pillows.’
She stood up and pulled out a pillow from behind my head, holding it in both hands.
Hunter stuck her head around the door. ‘Anything?’
She plumped up the pillow, slipping it gently behind my head. ‘No. She can’t or won’t speak to me. Has she said anything at all to you?’
‘No, not a word. Not to anyone. Perhaps she can’t speak English.’
Barclay finished with the pillows, straightened, and said, ‘There. Is that more comfortable for you?’
They both looked at me. I could almost feel them willing me to speak.
Still not going to happen.
I turned my head and closed my eyes, hoping everyone would go away.
I heard the door close and opened them again.
Barclay still stood at the foot of the bed, full of sympathy and concern.
‘Remember, I’m never very far away.’
The guard came in as she went out.
I should think through what I’d just heard. This was not my world. I must not approach people and situations with preconceptions. It was important not to judge people by the standards of my own world. And that was another mistake because I must remember that this was my world now.
So far, I wasn’t enjoying it that much.
I spent the rest of the day with my eyes closed. I wasn’t asleep – just keeping the world at bay. I blessed Leon and his instructions to say nothing. It made life easy. I didn’t have to think of lies and then remember them (always a problem for me). I didn’t have to say anything.
It couldn’t last, of course. That evening, the Time Police turned up. Three of them. My guard left. I wasn’t happy to see him go.
Two stood by the door, casually menacing.