Chapter 28
Rufus dissimulato
'It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time.
Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.'
By Wayne Dyer
Ruth's mobile rings, like an old fashion telephone ringer, during their conversation in the lounge as the three women, were finishing the snack of fresh fruit and vegetable slices Martin had made that morning. The freshly brewed tea, their second pot of the morning, was an organic mixture especially purchased for Louisa's pregnancy.
Looking down at her phone, Ruth announces, "I need to answer this call."
"Go use Martin's study, Ruth, next door on the right down the hall."
Joan and Louisa continued searching on her computer for possible people Margaret might know and use for whatever plan she has concocted. They had narrowed their list down by using the society pages of the London Times, The Guardian, and The Sun trying to find any connections with Cornwall.
"I hope that isn't her work calling negating her leave, I like having her around," Joan mummers more to herself than to Louisa.
"Do you think they will?"
"The administration board isn't happy with her right now. She said there weren't any new inmates assigned to her before she left and her current patients are stable so I'm not sure what they want. She seems happy here and I notice she is doing research and has spoken to different publishing companies about a possible book. Not that Ruth has said anything more on the subject," Joan finishes her ramble.
"I know Martin loves having you both around this past month. I like having Ruth here too," Louisa says and then jesters at the computer screen. A name from the list finally makes a connection in their search with Margaret.
"We can't do any more until Ruth comes back into the room, so show me what you found for the babies."
Around fifteen minutes later Ruth walks into the room to the sound of hemming and hawing with a giggle fitted in between words that sounded like 'Martin'. Joan is the first to notice Ruth in the doorframe with a sly grin set on her face.
"I know that look, spit it out. Who was the call from?"
"That was Alistair returning my call. Do you remember the court injunction he put in place? He reminded me that it only pertained to London while Martin was there and not Portween. While he and I caught up on other estate issues, his aid was in contact with the authorities here in Cornwall. Alistair said it may take the rest of today and tomorrow before it is issued and distributed to the local authorities but I believe we have cooked Margaret's goose if she tries to contact Martin."
"You're saying if Margaret comes to the village, to our home, or Martin's surgery she will be breaking the law?"
"She needs to be informed first and if she ignores it and continues to come to your home, the surgery, or the farm she can be arrested, that is if Martin or you, decides to press charges.
ME/LE
She walks along one of the smaller side streets on her mission to reach Roscarrock Hill, the surgery location, before anyone sees her. 'How could one call it a street, this is an alley, a car wouldn't fit through here.' She has only a short amount of time before her meeting up at the pub and departure back to the cottage. She veers left, stepping down a small grade of a hill, before crossing another alley and down a few more steps until she finally finds the road she needs. 'Almost there,' she says to herself as she turns right and immediately left to the long climb up the road to the surgery.
"Why do these people live here? We had to park so far away; I'm too old for this kind of a hike," she mutters to no one.
Now she knows why she received the strange look when she mentioned she wanted to walk the coastal path. These damn hills will be the death of her. Her progress slows a bit at the steepness of her out-of-shape body as it complains. She stops suddenly as the sound of people laughing very close to her and panic sets in. She turns away from the sound, pretending to be interested in the waves crashing on the cliffs. The sudden realization of the sound of people laughing and talking is coming from the break in the wall; 'Oh, yes, the restaurant that overlooks the Platt'.
Almost there, she giggles to herself and nobody has noticed me. Slowly she looks in the front windows, but nobody is visible. She tries the doorknob, unlocked; she turns it further to open the door. As she steps across the threshold she notices an envelope fall onto the ground and decides to pick it up.
Stepping in further she picks up the sound of a young woman's voice coming from the other side of the room, 'I wonder if that is that young tart that Martin is in a relationship with' she thinks. She takes a glance around and she notices the receptionist's desk is unoccupied, maybe that is the voice she heard.
A few more steps and she is standing at the desk and can see him sitting at his desk in his office writing. Taking a few more steps towards the open office door, he continues to write, unaware of her presence. She lays the envelope on the desk as she walks by it. Finally, he looks up, turns his head towards the open door and their eyes meet. The look of shock on his face, then slowly turns to anger.
"What are you doing here?" I growl in anger.
I would recognize her anywhere; her angular face and eyes make her familiar. I see her hair, this past year has grown longer, and not her usual spikey style, the blond color also is different, almost like she is hiding her true self.
She hasn't responded as yet when I hear Morweena's voice.
"The surgery is closed, if you want an appointment for tomorrow, just give me a moment and I can see what is available," Morweena announces as she exits the kitchen with two mugs of tea.
'Where did he find this motley clothed teenager in tights?' she asks nobody in particular.
Morweena continues into my consulting room and places the mug of tea on the desk before turning to the visitor.
"She won't need an appointment. Please call Louisa and explain I will be late, and then you can go home early. Lock the door on your way out and I will see you tomorrow."
I slide the medical record back into its sleeve and place it on top of the stack of finished records, and return my eyes once again to her face. At the sound of the door closing behind Morweena, I repeat my question.
"What are you doing here?"
"I thought we could talk, settle a few things," she says.
"There's nothing to settle, just tell me what you want, Now, Edith."
ME/LE
Morweena picks up her bag, turns the computer off, and notices a stray envelope on her desk as she closes the appointment book. Trying to remember if it was there when she left to make tea and is sure it was not; that is the woman from quiz night that knew the Shakespeare question. Quickly gathering the envelope, and bag, Morweena made a quick exit with the decision to talk to Louisa instead of calling.
Morweena pedals as quickly as she could up the hill to the Doc's house, upon her arrival she notices Joan's truck is also parked in the drive. She leans her bike against the house wall and knocks harder than normal. The door slams open, startling Morweena and with large round eyes she holds up the envelope and stutters out,
"I just found this on my desk and there is a woman at the surgery making the Doc sound angry."
Joan pulls the young woman in by the arm and tows her down the hall to the kitchen where Louisa and Ruth are chopping up vegetables in preparation for dinner.
Turning to see who was at the door Louisa is surprised to see her husband's receptionist,
"Morweena, is there a problem?"
Now that she is facing Louisa the request to inform Louisa of his tardiness comes back to the front of her thoughts,
"Sort of… The Doc is running late… a woman showed up without an appointment and the Doc asked me to call you and explain…"
"Thank you, Morweena, but why didn't you call?"
"Hmmm… I found this," she says as she holds up the envelope. "And… Louisa… the woman looks familiar and the Doc looked angry when he saw her."
Louisa was startled with thoughts that the woman could be Margaret. Looks first at Joan then turns to look at Ruth, lost in what to do if it is Martin's mother; knowing what her words are capable of doing to her husband.
"Describer her," Ruth requests.
"She looks young but older than Louisa."
Turning first to Joan then Ruth, she says, "She was at quiz night. She answered the Shakespeare question. Louisa, she was at the table with Melanie."
"At least it isn't Margaret," Joan says.
ME/LE
Meanwhile back at the surgery. I am watching this woman as she stands in the doorframe to my consulting room, as I decide if I want to hear her explain her past year in confinement at the hospital as her mind and body detox. During her explanation, all her excuses, not once taking responsibility for her actions by taking all those drugs and destroying our personal life during medical school but she says we need to continue where we left off twenty years ago.
"Where we left off? What do you mean?"
"We were in love Martin, and when you decided not to go to Canada with me… I was heartbroken."
"My decision was easy when your betrayal became apparent. You accepted my ring knowing you were leaving in a few short months. You aborted my child without telling me and laughed in my face when you let it slip that you took care of that problem."
'Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens', came a muttering appraisal of our history from her lips.*
"When you returned last year I was tempted only because of our previous relationship; let me emphasize tempted, but all the heartbreaking memories put an end to my temptation. Louisa's appearance at my backdoor only prompted me to act more quickly…"
Edith starts to interrupt but I end her words by standing and slamming my large hands upon my desk.
"No, Edith, nothing will make me change my mind. I made my decision, more than a year ago; I love Louisa, not you, and that is why I married her. She has given me more in just a short time than anyone in my entire life. You threw my heart in the trash bin twenty years ago. Now leave, or I will call PC Penhale and have you recommitted permanently."
Shocked that she didn't get her way, Edith starts to turn away but stops and turns with a sly smile playing across her face.
"I don't know why, but 'women in a hair salon share their deepest secrets', she says. A few weeks back when I was given a twenty-four-hour pass with supervision, my first, I went to a hair salon in Truro and who do I see one chair over..."* She stops for just a moment to ensure I am listening. "Your mother was discussing her terrible son who left her penniless with the stylist."
With that said she turns laughing loudly and continues to the door to leave.
ME/LE
Back at the house, Louisa finally makes the connection; the disguise of long blonde hair, the London accent from what Morweena could tell, the physical description from Ruth, the woman was Edith. But how did she know Melanie?
"I understood that she was a friend of Melanie's college friend from Delabole. Lori and Melanie went to London to study and Lori has a job for the term break. I thought the two women were in medical training or something from what Melanie said."
"Louisa, why don't you call Melanie and find out what you can," suggests Ruth.
Louisa returns to the kitchen a few minutes later after speaking with Melanie.
"Melanie and her friend Lori are waiting for Lori's friend at the pub. Her description matches what you described Ruth. The friend's name is Edith and is currently walking the coastal path according to Lori. When she returns from her walk, they plan to head back to Lori's cottage near Delabole."
"Joan, please drive me up to the surgery. You know what Edith looks like and if she is at the surgery I don't want to go alone."
"Do you think it wise to go and confront her?" asks Ruth.
"With Joan with me I should be fine, but it is Martin I'm worried about," Louisa says as she slips her hair into a ponytail.
Ruth gives Joan that look and Joan a nod knowing what her sister is thinking. "Let's go, Louisa."
As the two women go out the door, Ruth turns to Morweena, "What is PC Penhale's number" she asks as she pulls out her phone.
ME/LE
Joan parks next to the Lexus at the surgery, helping Louisa out of the truck, they make their way up to the surgery door. The sound of devilish laughter stalls their entrance for a moment, and then the sound of a racing vehicle up Roscarrock Hill slows Louisa's hand from touching the door knob again. The vehicle slams to a stop in front of the surgery just as the door swings open to reveal a startled Edith when she sees Louisa, Joan, and the Portwenn Constable.
"What are you doing here?" Louisa asks a stunned Edith.
"What can't I visit the doctor for my medical complaint?" Edith replies as her eyes slide down Louisa's body and stop at her pregnant midsection. "Don't you do anything but get pregnant?" she says snidely.
Louisa didn't respond but Joan did, in her usual way, "She would if Marty kept his hands and other things off her."
"Joan," blurts Louisa embarrassed with the innuendo.
"What do we have here?" asks PC Penhale. "I was not informed that you were given written permission to enter this village, Ms. Montgomery. I just got off the phone with your doctor and they are upset with you and I am to take you into custody until they can locate your custodian."
The look on Edith's face was pure fear. "I didn't do anything wrong except take a wrong turn on that path and ended up here in this god-forsaken fish-hole village. I needed help finding the path and recognized Doctor Ellingham's house and asked for directions."
"Is that correct, Doctor Ellingham?"
No one but Joe noticed that I had walked up behind Edith. I had to make a decision quickly; did I want Edith to lose her freedom or allow her to deceive the truth?
"PC Penhale, do your duty per the request of the medical facility where Ms. Montgomery is currently a resident. I will make inquiries with them for any future action needed."
"Joe, try the pub, you might find her custodian there with Melanie Gibson. I understand she was to meet up with a woman named Lori and together they were heading to her cottage in Delabole," Louisa informed everyone.
"Edith, don't cause a scene. Just go with PC Penhale or I will have you arrested," I advised.
Edith looks at me and then towards Louisa before she allows Joe to put in his vehicle. As she enters the back and before Penhale closes the door she yelled out,
"Heartbreak wanders throughout the body – it's lack of oxygen to the soul, a chain dragging from the mind, a poisoning of the blood, a sorrowful symphony drowning out all else." *
"What does that mean, Doc?"
"Penhale, just do your job."
As Penhale's vehicle moves slowly down the hill, Edith's face could be seen plastered at the rear window, I turn away to look at Louisa, pulling her into a hug for all to see, especially Edith. I kissed the top of Louisa's head and then motioned for the two to step inside. I closed the door behind them as I heard Joan's remark.
"Those drugs she took for so long have corrupted her mind."
"Joan, in her mind, Edith is in love with someone that is not in love with her and she can't accept it. I find it sad," Louisa says as she looks at me.
ME/LE
The evening meal is quieter than normal, even Phillip seems to understand that his daddy needs to reflect on the day. We returned home, with Louisa and Joan going to the kitchen to help Ruth, as Joan knew her sister couldn't cook unless it was to open a can of soup. I made my way to my study to make the phone calls that needed to be completed. Edith continues to need medical help and should not be allowed to travel unrestricted like today. What would have happened if she came upon Louisa on one of her daily walks? In her condition, I fear thinking about it.
After our meal; "Martin, please give Phillip his bath while we clean up the kitchen. I'll be up to help with his bedtime story when he is ready," Louisa says as she hugs me from behind and finishes with a kiss on my temple.
I look over at a messy Phillip that is in dire need of a thorough washing from his pureed peach sauce on the fresh berries we had for dessert. He spread most of it into his hair and I expect to find some in his ears as a dollop drips from his ear lobe. He gives me a cheeky grin when I ask him if he wants a bath. Louisa hands me a wet cloth and I try to clean off as much of the orange mess before I pull his bib off and allow him to escape. Joan helps, removing his bib as I clean his hands. I station myself behind his chair as she releases his tray. I grab him from behind, lift him under his arms, and carry a giggling squirming boy to our shower upstairs for a daddy-son shower. I need our bonding time together, a desperate need tonight for my soul.
By the time Louisa makes her way to Phillip's room, I have him in his pajamas and he is selecting his book.
"Joan and Ruth just left. Ruth will see you tomorrow with a message from Alistair," she says as she wraps her arms around my shoulders. After planting a kiss on my cheek she asks, "How are you doing?"
"Let's get Phillip settled for the night and then we can talk."
It took two readings of the 'There's a Dragon in Your Book' before Phillip fell asleep.* I kiss my son's forehead after tucking him in then stand and gaze at him as my mind swirls from the day's revelation. His and Louisa's arrival a year and a half ago changed my whole world and today I appreciated them more than anything.
I feel the soft tug on my arm, looking at the small delicate hand firmly wrapped around my wrist, I raise my eyes to see the most beautiful face with green eyes filled with love for me and easily follow her out of our son's room. She takes me down the hall to our room and even though it is quite early in the evening I follow without question. She leads us to a huge overstuffed chair and silently requests I sit upon it and then slips herself on my lap. Slowly she unbuttons a few buttons on my shirt, before slipping her hand in, lightly touching my chest, her lips gently kissing my neck, and face all the while. I pull away for an instant and passionately give my wife a deep and loving kiss. We pull our lips apart just enough to get much-needed air into our lungs when Louisa says,
"I told you, we could enjoy ourselves."
I am surprised by her expressive look and words before I realize her movement on my lap as she purposely moves to straddle my lap, as difficult as that can be at twenty-four weeks pregnant. She smoothed her hands down my face with a gentle-like massage as she coaxed my head back to rest firmly on the back cushion. She repeats the motion as she leans into me, her mouth within inches of my ear,
"Martin, I love you."
My eyes flutter open, there is a mixture of reverence and wonder about how this woman always shows me the sincerity of her love.
I pull her as tightly as I can to me and kiss her lips tenderly. She moves to mold herself with me. Our mouths move slowly and deliberately in a sensual dance for some time. I could taste her desire as she deepens the passion of her kiss.
We sat, cuddled together, enjoying our peaceful moment of contentment. When Louisa's eyes start to droop, very carefully I scoop her up and move us to the bed. Once she is comfortable, I collapsed onto the bed and cuddle up close. Sleep claims me immediately, the emotional stress of the day finally succumbs me into a deep slumber with my dreams of our more passivate nights filling my mind.
ME/LE
Phillip woke with his usual noisy talking; it seems each day he adds to his vocabulary and this morning he loudly is expressing himself to his purple dinosaur, to what I have not quite understood. I walk into his room with my usual greeting,
"Good morning, Phillip, did you sleep well."
Waving his purple dinosaur at me, he says, "dwagon."
"Yes, Phillip, but that is not a dragon. It is a dinosaur."
"Dwagon!"
At that moment Louisa walks into the room and places her hand on my arm.
"Phillip, do you like dragons?"
"Yish" and he nods his head and points again to his dinosaur.
"Then daddy and mummy need to find you a dragon."
I look over to Louisa, as I start to say… She places a finger across my lips and then leans up and kisses me.
"It's the book Martin, he loves when we read it and maybe we should buy him a dragon that looks like the picture in the book."
I have nothing to say, whatever they want is fine if it makes everyone happy.
ME/LE
During a break between patients I look at the internet for a dragon in the toy store in Truro, thinking when we finish with her appointment at the end of the week, we can stop in and buy a dragon.
The morning patients seem to be all on time and require no major medical care but common sense, follow my directions and stop putting grease, tar, and other stupid items onto their open cuts and burns.
Morweena knocks on my door in the middle of my last patient morning examination,
"Doc, PC Penhale called in an emergency; a tourist has fallen on the rocks and is bleeding. He will pick you up and drive you to the location. He doesn't think your car can make it."
"Reschedule Mrs." … Morweena interrupts as I can't remember the name of my hypertensive patient.
"Mrs. Rowe, when you are ready, I'll set you up with an appointment," Morweena says and then leaves closing the door behind her.
I pick up my bag and walk into the reception area to ask how long I need to wait on Penhale when the door bursts open and the other half of the dynamic duo steps in.
"Ready, Doc?"
"Yes, lead the way," I say.
PC Penhale as usual is very excited by another emergency; he quickly puts his vehicle in reverse to head down the hill backward when suddenly he turns into the small area next to my car, luckily not hitting it, and speedily heads down the road towards the opposite side of the village. He stops just as expeditiously near a low rocky area near the water outside of the village. As I exit the vehicle, rubbing my shoulder where he has come in contact with the metal of the doorframe, Penhale explains the accident.
"It seems the husband was making a video of the surrounding area with his wife as the star," he says while rolling his eyes. "He was walking backward among the rocks, slipped on a seaweed-covered rock, fell backward. There is lots of blood on the back of his head and he is complaining of pins and needles, up and down his legs. I didn't move him and I didn't let anyone else move him. I remember that teacher friend of Louisa slipping down by the Platt and the guys saying something about pins and needles and carrying her up to Louisa's on some driftwood," he says before taking a large breath and starting again. "The wife keeps saying something foreign-sounding so I made sure I explained to her loud and clear not to move him."
The woman is squeezing her husband's hand tightly, tears are rolling down her face, all the while she is mummers something I can't quite make out.
"Penhale, did you call for an ambulance," I ask as I quickly pulled on my gloves and start ripping open packages of dressings to clean up the blood so I can make out his injuries. "Penhale put on some gloves; I will need your help while I examine him."
Penhale pulls out a pair of my medical gloves and with great difficulty pulls them on.
"Doc, how do you do this…?" He rips a hole on his first try and finally can pull one glove on.
"Stop, don't destroy any more," I say as I grab his gloved hand and place it over the stack of dressing. "Hold these just like this," I show him as I hold his hand over the dressing.
I pull out my light and shine it into my patient's eyes, one at a time, as I look for his pupils to react. My decision to move him is made by my patient when he rolls to his side to vomit. I hold him on his side as he regurgitates his last meal over Penhale's shoes.
"Ohhh, Doc!"
"Keep the pressure on the dressing, Penhale," I warn as I continue to hold my patient on his side to keep him from blocking his airway. When he finally is done, I take the time to examine his back where the shirt is torn and blood is soaking around the torn fabric. I apply a few wads of dressing to the wound, stopping the blood for a closer examination. The laceration is deep and jagged from the impact of the fall and will need suturing.
"Joe, how long did they say it would be for the ambulance to arrive?"
"I called on my way to pick you up, should be anytime now."
I grab the wife's hand and place it over the dressing on her husband's back.
"Hold it."
My patient is dazed from the head injury but the blood is slowing from the wound, his back laceration will also need sutures.
In the background, I hear the sound of the ambulance as it rounds the curve just down the coast from us. I need to finish my examination. I pull out the sphygmomanometer from my case and affix the device to the man's arm. As the emergency medical technicians arrive with the gurney I finish the examination.
"The patient; is a middle-aged man. BP is one-hundred-thirty over eighty-seven. Pupils are constricted. There is a laceration and hematoma to the back of the skull causing a possible retro-orbital hematoma.* He has vomited and is dazed from the head injury. He has a deep, jagged laceration at the T-seven. The patient complained of sharp pains in both legs. "
"Thanks, Doc, we'll take it from here."
The medical technicians quickly move in and work setting up the patient with fluids, and clean dressings, and with our help, the man is maneuvered onto a backboard.
I gather up my medical bag and Joe drives me back to the surgery. Just another day like any other for this GP; I close my eyes and rest my head against the headrest, the exhaustion is like a blow to my nervous system as I come down from the adrenaline rush of the emergency, I find Penhale tapping my arm to wake me upon our arrival to the surgery.
"We're here Doc."
"Thank you, Penhale… the woman was speaking Finnish. 'Oh Kulta' means Oh Love. She was concerned for her husband," I say. After clearing my throat I add, "And Joe, thank you for your help with Ms. Montgomery the other day."
"Just doing my job, Doc, anytime you need my help, you have it."
I walk back into the surgery; the reception area is empty except for Morweena. She walks behind me but veers towards the kitchen as I walk into my consulting room.
"I'll fix you some tea and explain the rescheduling of appointments for the rest of the day," she calls out.
ME/LE
Louisa and the aunts spend the afternoon going over Joan's information regarding the possible location of where Margaret could be staying. The name of an old friend, now retired and living ninety-five kilometers south in Mousehole* was their only clue. Fred Jenkins was a medical school classmate of Christopher's and visited the farm a few times. His family originated from Cornwall so the aunts weren't surprised he retired near his birthplace.
"Fred visited with Christopher and Margaret in the early years of their marriage; Christopher was playing matchmaker for Ruth," Joan continues to say. "But Fred had eyes for Margaret."
Joan watches Ruth as she rolls her eyes.
"There was a rumor that Margaret and Fred had affair a year or so after Martin was born," Ruth adds.
"When his parents lasted visited, Joan, you remember the ploy to get Martin's money, Martin mentioned a nasty comment his mother made about wasting forty years of her life for nothing since Christopher was now broke, and she added her own bitterness towards Martin as well. All because his father never looked at her like the woman he married. She said they were always touching but after her pregnancy, Christopher only viewed her as a mother and didn't want anything to do with her."
"No, he was too busy having affairs of his own with women like that Dawn Hudson, who had a son not long after Marty was born."
"Don't forget the surgical nurse he had an affair with and these are just the women we know about."
"Let's just hope that the authorities deliver the injunction and Joe sees Margaret before she can contact Martin," Joan adds.
"Maybe we should visit PC Penhale tomorrow and provide some background on Margaret. Make his job easier," Ruth suggests.
"I can't go tomorrow; I have my check-up tomorrow with Doctor Gee. I do think it is important that Joe knows the story and maybe he can contact the civil parish authorities there and talk to Fred Jenkins," Louisa suggests.
ME/LE
I walk in the kitchen door later than usual, the emergency and the rearranged appointments making a mess of my afternoon so I come home more tired than usual. I look to see what Joan has cooked to ensure the meal fits Louisa's diet.
"We've been waiting for you, Marty. What with the incident with Edith yesterday we forgot to tell you that Morweena found another envelope with a note."
"When did she find the note, she didn't say anything," I ask with the tiredness vanishing from my body.
"When she came yesterday to tell us about your unexpected visitor, she handed Joan the envelope," Ruth says.
"Is it Shakespeare's quote again?"
"Yes, here it is," Louisa responds as she hands over the note.
I read the note first to myself and then again out loud.
'Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love.'
"She has no idea who left it?" I ask.
"All she said was it wasn't on her desk when she went to the kitchen to make the tea but on her desk, after you told her to call Louisa and go home for the day," Ruth explains.
"The only person it could be then is Edith."
"We thought the same thing. Louisa called Melanie so she could ask her friend if Edith had been in the village before since the envelopes weren't posted so they had to be hand-delivered. Melanie will call when she finds out."
"Then we are at another dead end unless you believe my secret admirer is Melanie and she will supply us with an incorrect assumption," Ruth points out.
In the quiet kitchen, there are two sounds, my son using his spoon to bang loudly on his tray for our attention and the buzz of my mobile. Regrettably, I have to answer my mobile and my son will more than likely not receive his father's attention before he goes to sleep tonight.
"Ellingham," I announce loudly.
End of Chapter
The title: Rufus dissimulato is Latin for Redhead in Disguise.
*J.R.R. Tolkien, 'Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship in the Ring'
* 'Women in a hair salon share their deepest secrets', a quote from Penelope Cruz during an interview for a fashion magazine.
* 'Heartbreak wanders throughout the body – it's lack of oxygen to the soul, a chain fragging from the mind, a poisoning of the blood, a sorrowful symphony drowning out all else.' Written by Terri Guillemets
* 'A Dragon in Your Book' cute baby dragon has hatched inside your book! A fun interactive read-aloud in the Who's in Your Book Series by Tom Fletcher
*Pupils in a brain injury may become constricted because of swelling in the brain. An injury to the head may also cause the eyes to become partially or completely obstructed. This is referred to as a retro-orbital hematoma. A retro-orbital hematoma usually causes a mild headache and is usually not serious. However, sometimes the condition can lead to a serious condition called a subdural hematoma. This is a slow-growing collection of blood in the space between the brain and the surface of the skull. Medical information from .com
*Jenkins – derived from John; Jenkins originated from Cornwall. This surname refers to 'God has graced me with a son'
*Mousehole: pronounced Mowzell is a village and fishing port in Cornwall. It is approximately 4km south of Penzance on the shore of Mount's Bay. 95km/59mles is about 1.5 hours' drive to Portween