Friday 9 July 6:40 am Ward 407 University College Hospital

Peter

He had decided to go back to Canterbury and to take his mother for the weekend. She was fragile and worried and needed a break. Her relationship with his brother was always marginal and Peter sensed that Tommy was withdrawing further from his family since Judith had returned home to Yorkshire.

He slipped in to tell his brother but was appalled to find him sleeping peacefully beside Barbara. "What the hell is going on? We made it perfectly clear that we don't approve of you trying to take advantage of Tommy you gold digging whore! You might worship him but he's not for the likes of you. You'd never make him happy."

Peter heard his brother's alarms go off and a nurse came running. Barbara jumped from the bed and yelled at him, "it's not like that!"

"I don't care what you think. I have to protect our family." He saw the pain on his brother's face. It was obvious that Tommy loved her. Good, see how you like having someone you love ripped away! Peter stormed from the room.

Barbara

She woke to the ravings of Peter. Did he just call me a gold digging whore? She almost fell off the bed in her haste to stand. She looked guiltily at Tommy. Last night she had been happy. She had believed that together they could conquer his injuries and the future. Now Peter was accusing her of trying to trap him.

"It's not like that!" she almost screamed at him.

"I don't care what you think. I have to protect our family." She watched in dismay as Peter flounced from the room. She could see that very little of this was about her; it was all about the bad blood and bitterness that flowed through the Lynley relationships.

She turned back to Tommy. "I'm sorry Sir, I should go."

Tommy blinked once and extended his hand. Kathy rushed past her and killed the alarm then checked him over. Barbara stood waiting, wondering what to do. When Kathy left, she walked over to his bed. She accepted his hand and squeezed back in response to his gesture. She leant over and kissed him softly on his cheek. "Sorry Sir, I didn't mean to come between you and your family." Barbara fled the room. She could not look back at him or her resolve would fail.

Tommy

Tommy had not slept as well for years. Barbara's loyalty, and dare he think love, gave him strength. He had a hard, uncertain road ahead but he had renewed confidence that everything would be fine. His left hand was almost normal and he had reasonable movement in his right. His ankle was healing and the doctors thought at worst any limp would be slight and probably disappear within a year. The only real concern was whether or not he would be able to talk again. He hoped so. He only needed to say four words, 'I love you Barbara.'

He woke to yelling. Peter was ranting and accusing Barbara. She leapt up too quickly for him to wrap his arms around her and let both she and Peter know that if it were a choice between her and his family, there was no contest. Barbara had proved time and again that she was there for him.

Alarms beeped and Peter rushed out of the ward. Barbara had taken his hand and he thought she understood when she kissed his cheek. He smiled at her but she did not make eye contact. "Sorry Sir, I didn't mean to come between you and your family."

He watched helplessly as she walked out of his room and possibly his life. No! Come back Barbara!

Tuesday 28 July Noon Howenstowe

Tommy

He looked around his bedroom despondently. This was where his family planned to confine him until he improved or died. After that traumatic morning when Barbara had left him Tommy had withdrawn from everything. They had transferred him to the Rehab ward but he had stubbornly refused to co-operate with any of the activities. He had refused to eat or wash and the doctors had been forced to reattach his drips to give him nutrition and keep him hydrated. Three times he had ripped them out until they had used restraints to tie him to the bed.

His mother and Peter had visited. He had clamped his eyes shut and refused to communicate with them. Judith had come down to see him and had asked him directly if he was in love with Barbara. He had kept blinking until she had gently laid her hand on his shoulder. "Okay Tommy, I understand. I'll do what I can."

For the next few days he had been hopeful but Barbara had not appeared. Then one night Judith had sat on the edge of his bed, held his hand and told him that she had visited Barbara to ask her to come and see him. Barbara had refused. Judith tried to explain but Tommy stopped listening. How could he even know whether Judith had seen her? He no longer trusted anyone. The one person he knew he could trust had abandoned him. He could understand her reasoning. She was an honourable person and he knew that she had his best interests at heart. But if you knew how I felt you'd know you mean more to me than anyone!

Despite his understanding a slow burning resentment began to fester. Barbara had abandoned him when he most needed her. If she truly loved him she would have stood up to his family.

Kathy

When she had accepted Lady Asherton's lucrative offer to nurse Lord Asherton she had thought of a stately pile in beautiful surroundings but she not expected the tension that inhabited every corner of the house. Tommy co-operated with her ministrations but she thought it was only because he felt sorry for her and did not want to create more problems than necessary. He was maudlin and sulky but she could understand why and her heart went out to him when he would sit by the window and stare out at the long winding driveway as if he was expecting that at any moment Barbara would drive down it.

She had been ringing Barbara every day to let her know what was happening. She was honest, hoping that one day her love for Tommy would overcome her belief that she was doing the right thing for him 'in the long run'. Several times Kathy had wanted to scream that there was no long run if he did not survive the short run! Every day she watched Tommy dying and with each phone call she heard Barbara slowly wither.

Dorothy

Tommy's mother paced the large reception room at the front of her home. She had badly misunderstood her son and his relationship with Barbara. Even at the time she knew she should have gone looking for Barbara when she failed to visit Tommy after Peter's meltdown. She had seen how it had affected her son but she had been upset by the discovery of his will the night before. She had not searched for it but she had to keep the estate running and so had been sorting papers in the study of his London house. Tommy had willed the house to Barbara when he made a new testament after Helen died. Dorothy had been shocked. At the time it had seemed disrespectful to Helen and Dorothy had easily believed Peter's assertion about Barbara being out for his money. In the weeks since she had had far too much time to reflect. Barbara was not after his money, she loved him and would still love him if he were penniless. If she had been a gold digger she would have stayed and tried to divide Tommy from his family. Leaving had told Dorothy that she respected them and wanted only what was best for him. Ironically seeing how her son had behaved and how he had lost his will to live Dorothy understood that Barbara was the one person who could reach him.

The phone rang and Dorothy jumped. "Lady Asherton speaking...oh Sir David...what's wrong?"

Tuesday 28 July 12:30pm Assistant Commissioner Hillier's office

Hillier

Sir David had spoken to his old friend Dorothy not long after Barbara had requested leave. At first he had assumed it had been to spend more time with Lynley but he had soon been informed that Peter had accused Barbara of an inappropriate relationship with him. Barbara had left and not returned.

Hillier was not concerned by confirmation of their relationship. It had been widely known that they were virtually inseparable. He had seen the way they looked at each other when the other one was not looking. Hillier had always assumed that one day they would be standing over a body, look up and catch each other's look and that would be the end of the most successful detective partnership in The Met and the beginning of a powerful personal partnership.

Barbara had been back a few days but looked dreadful. He wondered if she had slept at all during the last three weeks. "Ah, Sergeant Havers. I have some disturbing news."

Barbara turned white and sank into the chair by his desk. Oh dear God, she thinks he's died. "DI Lynley is fine," he said hurriedly, "it's Millan. He's escaped while they were transporting him to prison."

"Oh." Now Haver's face was flushed. Hillier could not read what was going through his mind.

"I'm concerned that he might try to get to Lynley. I've arranged for the Cornwall boys to post guards on the house but I am sending you and Nkata down to stay with him. I want one of you with him around the clock."

Havers paused and seemed to be considering her response. Lynley had been good for her tact over time. "Sir, I can't I'm sorry. There were some family issues and I will not be welcome there."

"On the contrary Havers. When I informed Lady Asherton she insisted I send you."

Barbara frowned. "I doubt that."

"I think her words were 'no one would protect my son better. She'd die before she'd let anyone harm him.' And I agree."

Hillier was shocked by her reply. It was not what she said but the fact she had voiced it to him knowing what it could mean for her career.

Barbara

The last three weeks had been hell. Almost every day she had gone to the hospital determined to visit Tommy but only once had she made it inside the front door. When Judith had come to see her Barbara had put on a tough front and had refused to admit she loved him. "He's like a brother to me," she had insisted, "that's why I want him to make peace with his family." She could tell Judith had seen straight through her.

Kathy had tracked her down and explained they were moving him to Cornwall. Barbara had been devastated to hear that Tommy was fading away. "He's pining for you," the nurse had told her, "come down and see him. He's stopped listening to anyone else."

Barbara has refused but each day Kathy rang and it seemed he was slipping further. Barbara was now longer certain about anything but she had decided to drive down at the weekend and try to see him. Somehow she would find the strength to confront his family. She had failed him. She had thought she was helping but she knew she had to go to him.

Now she had been summoned to see Hillier; that was never good. He wasted no time. "Ah, Sergeant Havers. I have some disturbing news."

Barbara felt her legs turn to jelly and she collapsed into a chair. I'm too late! "DI Lynley is fine." She looked up relieved but puzzled. As Hillier relayed the threat to Tommy Barbara's mind raced. She wanted to go to him but Hillier had to be told about his family and their resentment of her. Unbelievably Hillier was trying to convince her that his mother would accept her. "I doubt that."

His reply shocked her but it was true. "I love him," she said simply no longer caring if it was inappropriate.