Mary Brock Jones by A Heart Divided Page A

on with it, then,” was all he could say.
    Nessa looked up, startled, and for an instant, hope blazed in him as he caught the look of stunned loss and pleading in her eyes. “You have a lot to sort out,” he said gently. Then couldn’t help adding, “If I may, I will see you again before you leave.”
    “Oh, yes, please, if you would.” Then he saw her realise what she had said. Her mouth tightened into its company smile. “It is good of you to take so much trouble. Thank you for your help here.”
    “It was nothing,” he grated, then marched away before he did anything else stupid. Like get down on his knees and beg her to come home with him.
    Nessa watched his tall figure stride up the road and knew that once again she was losing a pillar she longed to lean on. If only. But her life was set, and it was not for her to complain. Philip stood beside her, watching John Reid with a jaundiced eye. Nessa took one look at his face and hurried off herself to Mrs Johnston’s. Listening to more complaints from Philip was beyond her just now.
    It was bad enough having to tell the Johnstons of the sudden change of plans. Mina was more upset than Nessa expected, with loud lamentations at her news. Nessa said nothing to stop her, her face frozen and guilt in her heart. Fortunately, Mina saw the trouble in Nessa’s face and quickly stopped complaining, putting back her shoulders and turning to her equally upset children. “Shush up there, young ones. People come and they go. It’s the way of these parts. That don’t mean they stop being friends.” She whirled round and glared at Nessa. “And don’t you forget that, young lady. If ever you need someone, Mina and Jack Johnston are here for you.”
    Nessa could have wept at the solid understanding in the older woman’s face.
    Mina squeezed her shoulder gently then discarded such nonsense and hustled them all to sit down to breakfast.
    “What we all need is a good meal to stop all this bellyaching,” she said.
    Afterwards, she bossed the children into clearing up while she helped Nessa gather her things together and simultaneously cleaned up Philip’s wounds.
    One look at the large bruises starting to mar his torso and Mina said best leave this to her. “That boy won’t want a sister mothering over him,” she said quietly to Nessa as she gathered her bandages together. “He’s been beat up pretty bad. Should by rights stay here a day to mend, but ain’t much hope of that. Not once a boy gets an idea in his head. Now, you just go along with Georgie to close up that shop of yours and leave your brother to me.”
    “How bad?”
    “Don’t worry yourself none. He’s hurt, but he can travel. You’ll need to manage him, like, when he gets tetchy with being worn out and all, but he won’t come to harm. His pride’s the worst hurt he took.”
    Nessa studied Philip’s face, saw the white fury and exhaustion beneath the carefully held muscles, then the look of relief when she agreed to go. It was against all her instincts, but she nodded. Mina followed her out the door.
    “It’s for the best, dearie. Young men can be like a proud young colt. That boy needs to drop his head and rest a bit, but he won’t in front of you. Yes, I know you’ve been doctoring his hurts since he was a bittie wee snapper, and from what I see of you and him, right well too; but he’s growing up now and needs to be starting to do for himself. Leave him to me this time. Take your time sorting yourself out, and I’ll make sure he takes a wee sleep. That poor body of his surely needs one.”
    She didn’t like it, but Nessa was forced to give way. Mina had the right of it this time. Since their father’s death, Philip had seen himself as the man of the family, thrusting away her beloved little boy and growing up before her eyes. She had learned to manage him discreetly. It didn’t stop her wanting to mother him, and the short glimpse had told her far more than words. She left the cottage,