Part 10

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Neal felt as if all he did was eat and sleep. He had been in Peter and El's house for the past 2 days but he could barely remember any of it. El brought food to his room and Peter brought his pills. On the third day he was beginning to feel better. El came in with his breakfast and set it on his bed. "I'd like to get up today, can I have a shower?"

"I'll let you get up but you can have a bath," El said.

"I'd.."

"A bath Neal."

"Okay," he said.

When he'd finished eating Peter came in. "I've run a bath for you. I'll help you through."

Neal slowly got up. Peter put his arm around his waist. "You certainly need a bath," he said wrinkling his nose."

"Thanks for that Peter." Peter came in. "I can do this."

"I'll help you in then I'll go but," and he looked into Neal's eyes, "I want you to call when you are ready to get out. No trying to get up on your own."

"Fine," Neal answered determined that there was no way he was going to call Peter.

Neal blushed bright red as he stripped and got into the bath. He was glad Peter didn't make any comment. Neal felt so much better. The water felt great. "You okay?" Peter shouted from the other side of the door.

"I'm fine. I just want to sit in the water and relax."

"Ten minutes," Peter said.

Neal scowled. He heard Peter leave and slowly pushed himself up. He managed to swing his legs out. He sat on the toilet and dried himself.

The door opened to a very angry Peter," What did I tell you?"

"Peter I…"

"Don't try to justify what you did. What if you'd slipped and hit your head?"

"Worried about the mess in your bathroom?" Neal quipped. When he looked at Peter he realised he'd said the wrong thing. Peter looked as if he was about to explode.

"Mess? Do you think that's all I'm worried about?" If Neal could have run he would. Peter took a step towards him and pulled him up off the seat. The towel around his waist fell to the ground.

"Peter!" he squealed. Peter delivered four hard swats to his backside. "Ow!" Neal shouted. "Damn it Peter that hurt."

Peter bent down and picked up the towel. "It was meant to. You disobey me again and you will regret it."

He helped Neal dress and then helped him back to his room. "El will bring your breakfast up to you."

"I'd like to go down stairs. I feel trapped up here."

Peter looked down at him as he lay on the bed. "After breakfast," he said.

Peter went downstairs. "How could you?" El said.

"What?"

"I heard."

"He deserved it. He could have hurt himself if he'd fallen."

"I know. I'll take his breakfast to him."

Neal went red as El entered. "You heard?" he asked. She nodded. "This is so embarrassing."

"It would have been worse if you'd fallen."

"Sorry."

"Eat up."

Peter came up and handed him his tablets. "Can I go downstairs?" Neal asked.

"After you've eaten," Peter said.

"I feel much better," Neal said.

"And you look better. You can come down and sit on the sofa. But no further," El said.

Neal quickly palmed the tablets. He hated feeling so tired and was determined that he didn't need to take the tablets any more. He put his hand to his mouth and pretended to swallow them.

Neal felt much better sitting on the sofa. Satch came and sat beside him. He clapped the dog's back and tickled his ears. As a child he had always wanted a dog like Satch. "Do you want a book to read or you can turn the TV on?"

"Have you got any art books?"

"Of course," El said handing him a few books.

Neal only managed a couple of pages before his eyes closed. "He looks so young," El said.

"Asleep is the only time I can guarantee he's not in trouble," Peter said.

El laughed.

Neal woke up about an hour later, he had hoped not taking the tablets would stop him from sleeping as much.

He looked at the book again. He loved looking at great pictures. He analysed how they mixed the paints to produce the different colours. He also looked at the brush strokes.

"If I find a copy of one of those paintings I'll know it's yours," Peter said.

Neal looked up at Peter. "I just love working out how they made them. I've always done that."

Peter handed him a cup of coffee," Not as good as June's but the best I can do."

Neal took a sip," I can live with it."

"You okay?" Peter asked.

"Yes." He put his hand out and touched his forehead.

"You're a bit hot."

"I'm fine, stop fussing. Take Satch for a walk."

Peter took Satch out. Neal stood up. "Where are you going?" El asked.

"Toilet," Neal replied. "You're not thinking of taking me, are you?" he joked.

"No," El said. "I'll make us some lunch."

Neal had to sit down when he got in. He felt a bit dizzy.

By the time he made it back down El had lunch ready. "Looks good," he said.

The sweat was breaking out on his forehead as he sat down. El set his tablets down beside his plate. It made it easier for him to palm them and pretend he'd swallowed them.

Peter came in.

Neal ate as much as he could but he didn't feel very hungry. "Are you tired?" Peter asked.

"Yes. I think I'll go back to bed." Peter looked at him suspiciously. This was not like Neal. "You complain when I don't tell you I'm tired," Neal complained seeing the look.

Peter helped him back to his room. He helped him back onto the bed. "You feel warm," he said.

"Stop fussing," he said. "I've just overdone it."

Neal was glad that the sheets felt so cool. Peter and El kept the house far too warm.

Neal couldn't believe it when he woke up. He was no longer in El and Peter's spare room. He was lying on a small cot bed in their room in the castle. He was back. He looked over at the bed. El and Peter were still asleep. He got up quietly and went down to the barn. He sat beside the dogs. He picked up Kell.

He hugged the puppy to him and Kell licked his nose. He laughed.

He heard two people come in and he stood up. The two grooms brought out some of the horses and started to brush them. One of the horses neighed loudly. "He's beautiful," Neal said.

"He is your grandfather's horse, he's called Midnight."

"I can see why, he's so black." Neal put his hand out.

"Don't, he'll take your fingers off. Only His Grace can ride him."

Johnny came running into the barn. "Neal, your father is looking for you."

Neal put Kell back in the barn and ran off with Johnny.

When they entered all the family was sitting round the table. Neal sat down between Peter and El. "Where were you?"

"I went to see Kell."

"Next time tell me where you are going."

"Okay. Your horse is beautiful, Grandfather. "

"You saw Midnight?" John asked.

"Yes, the grooms were brushing him."

"Can we go riding?" Johnny asked.

"Not today Johnny," his father said. "You have to go to the schoolroom today. Father Michael will be waiting for you."

"But Papa!" Johnny protested.

"No."

"Take Neal with you," Peter said.

"I don't want…" Neal said.

"Now!" Peter said. "You can make up for all the time you've missed with Father Jerome."

"Come on," Johnny said.

He led Neal out of the room. "You want to go to the schoolroom?" Neal asked.

"No but my Papa will be angry if I don't go."

"Do you always do what he says?"

"No but he gets really angry if I disobey him."

"Don't you just want to do what you want for a day even if it does get you into trouble? Like you did on the hunt."

"That didn't end well," Johnny said.

"We'll be together. What do you think?"

Johnny so wanted Neal to like him that he agreed. "Okay."

"You get some food from the kitchen and I'll get my bow and arrows."

Soon they were in the stables. Johnny saddled his horse and Neal got his ready. Neal looked longingly at Midnight. He would love to ride that horse.

"Neal, you can't," Johnny said.

"What?"

"You know what. Grandfather will be furious."

"If I'm going to be in trouble anyway I might as well do it." Johnny looked horrified. Neal went over to Midnight and rubbed his nose. The horse snorted into his hand. Neal got his saddle off his own horse and put it on Midnight. The horse stood quietly as Neal got him ready.

"He must like you, I've never seen him so quiet except with Grandfather."

They led the horses out avoiding as many people as they could. Neal was glad Johnny knew a way out that could avoid the main gate. "Grandfather had this smaller gate put in in case the castle was ever held under siege. There is a path that leads down to the woods."

They lead the horses down and then rode off. Midnight was a very strong horse and Neal was struggling to keep him under control. "We can go to the river," Johnny shouted. Both horses took off. Midnight loved to jump and flew over many of the obstacles in their path. Neal held on as best he could. The horses slowed down as they arrived at the river. Neal was glad to dismount. They tied the horses to a branch and sat down at the water's edge. "Midnight looked like he was flying," Johnny said in awe.

"He felt like it as well especially when he jumped that hedge," Neal said. No way was he going to admit that he had been frightened. Johnny set out the food and Neal cut two fishing poles. Soon Johnny had made a fire and they cooked the two fish they caught.

"It's beautiful here," Neal said.

"It's my favourite place," Johnny said. "Want me to show me a secret place?"

"Yes," Neal said.

He followed Johnny along the river bank. Then he led him up into the wood. He pulled back some branches and revealed a cave. "Uncle Stephen showed me where it was," he said. "No one else knows about it. It was his secret place."

"It's really big," Neal said. "Who put the chairs and tables here?"

"He did. He made a bed out of cut heather, it's at the back of the cave. It needs to be cleaned out and new heather put in. He liked to come here when he wanted to be on his own."

"I don't blame him," Neal said.

"We'd best go eat," Johnny said, "and then we have to go back." It was as they were walking back to the river bank that Johnny slipped. Neal swung his arm out to catch him but he couldn't grab him. Johnny fell into the river. It was running very fast and was carrying him off before Neal could do anything. He ran along the bank shouting Johnny's name. As he drew level with him he threw himself into the water. Neal was a strong swimmer but it took all his strength to swim out to Johnny and drag him to the bank. Both of them were exhausted. "Thank you Neal," Johnny said. "Where are the horses?"

"We've travelled further down the river, we'll have to walk back." They set off. Johnny started to shiver. "You okay?"

"Cold," Johnny said. Neal took off his jacket and wrapped it round his shoulders. "Thanks."

By the time they got back it had started to get dark. The fire had gone out and the horses were gone. "Damn!" Neal said "We'd best start walking."

"I'm really cold," Johnny said. Neal bent down and grabbed the rug that they'd brought with them to sit on. He wrapped it around Johnny's shoulders. "What about you?" he asked.

"I'm okay." Neal picked up his bow and arrows and they set off.