James lifted his head. His leg hurt and he could see that blood was beginning to pour and seep into his moleskin trousers, leaving a dark-red pool on the white of the stony road. ‘Madge, Madge!’ he yelled as he dragged himself across to her, every inch of road being more painful than the first. His face and arms became peppered with grit and stones as he pulled himself over to where Madge lay, and he realized that he must have broken his leg, as he pulled at the body of his love. He looked at the twisted scarf and the once-beautiful face of the carefree woman who had been so full of life until a few minutes before. Now she was covered with blood, bashed and torn as the bike pulled her underneath it.

‘What have I done? I knew you shouldn’t have got on it – you knew I was worried about your skirts. Why didn’t you think to secure your scarf?’ He sobbed and then winced in pain. The two loves of his life lay broken and exposed on the wild fellside, with the sun glistening on Madge’s blonde hair and on the gleaming metal bike frame. James lay back and looked up at the sky. His head felt faint and his stomach was nauseous. God, what had he done? How was he ever going to live with himself? And how would he explain Madge’s death to Isabelle? She’d never understand, and he knew she would never, ever forgive him.

13

13

‘Dr Burrows has gone. He’s happy with your progress.’ Isabelle pulled the morning room’s door to and sat down next to James. She glanced at him, sitting upright in his invalid chair, and breathed in deeply. She couldn’t bear the sight of him at the moment; he’d bought shame on her family and, most of all, to her. They were the talk of the community.

James looked at Isabelle. She had hardly spoken to him since the afternoon the Bradley brothers had carried him into Windfell, after finding him unconscious and Madge dead and broken on the road at Buckhaw Brow.

‘Isabelle, I’m sorry. How many times have I to tell you that I’m sorry?’ James held out his hand for her to hold.

‘Sorry – you’re sorry. Sorry that you were found out, and that Madge Burton is dead because of your unfaithfulness. That’s all you are sorry about. I should throw you out, along with that awful machine, but I’ve to think of our family. So just be grateful that you still have a roof over your head and that I’m even talking to you.’ She glared at him.