Sarah glanced at him, and nodded. “It’s true, I do owe you. I went to Angela’s house in the afternoon. I told you I had to work on Saturday morning. She didn’t open the door, so I found my key in my bag and went inside. I was terrified when I found Angela on the sitting room floor. She was unconscious, and there was blood everywhere. She had been beaten, she was bleeding and her face was a mess.” Tears started again, and Patrick endeavored to calm her.

Blackie cried, “I can’t believe ye think I would hurt a woman!” He was again suddenly angry, and had to take hold of his flaring emotions.

“Finish this story, please, Sarah,” Patrick murmured in a kind and encouraging voice.

Taking several deep breaths, Sarah nodded. “I got an ambulance and she was taken to Harrogate Hospital. I stayed with her all Saturday and Sunday. She did eventually regain consciousness. She was able to talk to me. When I asked her who had done this to her, she said it was Barry Simmonds, a man she went to dinner with a few times last year. She broke off with him, and he left Harrogate.…”

There was a pause, and she added, “But he came back. Obviously.”

“And yet ye didn’t believe her,” Blackie said in a harsh voice, his glance reproachful.

“I just thought she was protecting you because Barry had gone to London. To a new job…” Sarah did not finish her sentence, looked somewhat woebegone, and a little guilty.

Patrick, always the peacemaker, gave Sarah an encouraging look. “How is Angela now? How long did you stay with her?”

“I left the hospital around twelve o’clock today, got back to Leeds and came home.” Tears began to trickle down her cheeks, and she was unable to speak.

Neither Patrick nor Blackie said a word. They waited until the tears stopped and she patted her eyes with her handkerchief.

“But she has recovered, or rather is recovering, isn’t she?” Patrick let his steady gaze rest on Sarah, aware that things were not right with her. “She is on the mend, surely?”

“From the beating, yes, and the cuts and bruises have been properly treated.” Sarah cleared her throat several times, and finished a little unsteadily, “However, during her general examination, the doctors found a lump on the side of her stomach. Angela has cancer.”

Patrick and Blackie were stunned, and it was Blackie who got up and went to Sarah, put his arms around her. “I’m so terribly sorry to hear this, and I will help ye any way I can.” He kept calm, but he was reeling from shock, and filled with worry for Angela.

Patrick also stood. “I’ll go and put the kettle on, and make a pot of tea. Then we can talk a bit longer. I, too, will help you, Sarah, and help Angela as well.”