by Jill Mansell
‘Why?’ Lena’s perfectly groomed eyebrows rose. ‘Because I want to make sure he’s all right. I was talking about the situation last night, and my friend said I should check up on him regularly. Otherwise who’s to say the cat hasn’t died and you’re just pretending he’s still alive so you can carry on living here rent-free?’
At a guess, the ‘friend’ was Giles. ‘Except I’d never do that,’ said Flo.
‘Wouldn’t you?’ said Lena, who evidently would. ‘You’re looking a bit nervous.’
Was it any wonder? Flo moved to one side, gesturing for her to go through into the living room. ‘I’m not nervous. And Jeremy isn’t dead. He’s right here.’
Jeremy hadn’t moved; he was still sitting on the sofa where Zander had placed him. He submitted impassively to Lena’s beady gaze and twitched his whiskers when she reached out to stroke him.
Clearly disappointed that he was looking so well, Lena said, ‘He’s quite thin.’
‘He’s always been thin. His weight hasn’t changed. The vet checked him over a couple of weeks ago,’ said Flo. ‘He’s fine.’
‘Anyway, from now on, I’m going to be coming over and checking up on him every couple of weeks.’
‘Not a problem.’ It might be a problem, but Flo shrugged, outwardly unconcerned.
‘And if he does get ill, you have to do the right thing by him. No ridiculous treatments keeping him alive just so you can stay here longer. If the cat’s suffering, he needs to be put to sleep. Otherwise it’s just cruel.’
Such compassion and concern for a helpless animal. Flo nodded and said, ‘I know, don’t worry. Anyway, it’ll be up to the vet, not me.’
‘God, they’re even worse.’ Lena grimaced. ‘All they care about is getting you to spend as much money as possible . . . they’ll do anything to keep an animal hanging on. I went out with a vet once. Complete sadist.’
Tempting though it was to comment that Lena wasn’t having much luck with men, Flo didn’t say it. Hopeful that the inspection was now over, she moved back towards the door. ‘Well, now that you’ve seen him . . .’
‘Not so fast. I haven’t finished yet. There’s something else I need to ask you.’ Lena stood with her hands on her narrow hips. ‘Have you seen my brother recently?’
Bugger.
‘No.’
‘Been in touch in any way? On the phone, perhaps?’
Flo shook her head. ‘No. Why?’
‘He doesn’t approve of Giles and Giles hasn’t done anything to deserve it. He says he’s heard things about him, but he won’t tell me what those things are or who they came from.’ Lena’s gaze was unwavering. ‘And I’ve asked everyone else I know, but they’ve all said it’s nothing to do with them. Which makes me wonder if the spiteful bad-mouthing came from you.’
How could such a nice brother have such an awful sister?
‘Well it didn’t,’ said Flo. ‘So you’re just going to have to ask around a bit more. But you heard what he did to that homeless man.’ It was no good, she simply had to try and get through to Lena. ‘It wasn’t kind, was it? You could see why your brother might worry about you getting involved with someone who’s capable of doing something like that.’
‘Oh my God, are you ever going to stop banging on about it? The boys were out having a bit of fun! It was just a joke! Giles is really nice and I really like him, OK? He’s the best boyfriend I’ve had in years and I just want us to be happy together. Is that too much to ask?’
Feeling a tiny bit sorry for her, Flo said, ‘Well, if he’s nice, I’m sure he’ll be able to win your brother round.’
‘Except Zander won’t let him stay at the flat.’ Lena exhaled, visibly annoyed. ‘Which is kind of inconvenient, not to mention bloody unfair.’
‘Well, it’s his flat. I suppose it’s up to him. Can’t you stay at Giles’s place?’ Flo knew that Zander had been under pressure to allow Giles to spend a few nights a week at the flat.
‘But it’s so selfish. And no, I can’t stay at Giles’s place.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because his wife wouldn’t like it.’ Lena gestured with exasperation. ‘OK, happy now? You made me say it. And no, I’m not a marriage wrecker; they broke up months ago.’
‘They’re still living together?’
‘No, they’re not. But she’s directly opposite his mother’s house, because the property belongs to the family . . . you know, part of the estate. And Giles is living with his mother, who’s being completely unreasonable and refusing to let him take me there because she’s trying to force him to get back together with his wife. And she’s just a spiteful bitch who won’t move out because she’s happy in the family home with the kids, living the life of Riley and bleeding her husband dry.’
Wow, it had all come tumbling out. A wife and kids.
‘Gosh,’ said Flo. ‘Couldn’t he rent a flat, move in there?’ This was, after all, the man who had set fire to a fifty-pound note purely for entertainment purposes. Because it was fun.
‘No, he can’t, because she’s making him pay for everything . . . and I mean everything. Horse-riding lessons for his daughter,’ Lena spat. ‘Guitar tuition for the son. Even a skiing holiday, can you believe it? Money money money . . . I swear to God that woman’s doing it on purpose, taking him for everything she can get.’ She spread her arms in despair. ‘So you can see how unfair it all is. Giles’s hideous wife is living in his house, you’re here living in my flat . . . my God, is it any wonder I’m stressed out?’
The brief silence following this tirade was broken by a sneeze. And it hadn’t come from anyone in the living room.
‘You’ve got someone here,’ said Lena.
Flo nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Hiding a man in your room?’
‘I wouldn’t call it hiding.’
‘So you’ve got yourself a boyfriend.’ Lena’s ice-blue eyes narrowed. ‘He’d better not be living here. That’s not allowed.’
‘He doesn’t live here,’ said Flo. ‘I promise.’
‘Well, anyway, I’m off. No wonder you weren’t dressed when I rang the doorbell. It’s all right for some people.’ Her tone was pointed as they left the living room. Out in the hallway, she paused beside the kitchen, then turned to look at Flo.
‘Have you been honest with me?’
‘Yes.’ Flo nodded.
Lena’s jaw was taut. ‘Hmm.’
Chapter 26
‘Phew.’ Flo threw open the bedroom door. ‘I thought she was going to come bursting in here.’
‘Me too. I can’t believe I sneezed.’ Zander shook his head. ‘I’d make a rubbish secret agent.’
Back in the kitchen, they began frying bacon and tomatoes. Flo told him about his sister’s grievances and Giles’s wife and children.
‘Why am I not surprised? What a mess. Lena never does anything the easy way.’
Five minutes later, Zander’s phone rang. He looked at the screen and sighed. ‘Oh God, what now?’
Flo, standing beside him, didn’t need it to be on speakerphone to hear Lena’s voice, shrill with panic.
‘Zander? Zander! I just got home and someone’s smashed in the front door . . . there’s glass everywhere and loads of stuff’s gone . . .’
‘Fuck.’ Zander went pale. ‘OK, wait outside, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in two minutes.’
He raced down to the ground floor, pulled open the front door and stopped dead in his tracks. Flo, at the top of the stairs, heard him say, ‘Oh, fuck,’ for the second time.
‘Well, quite,’ retorted Lena, pushing past him and stomping back up the staircase so ferociously it was a wonder her spiked heels didn’t go through the wood.
Which might have held her there and proven useful, to be honest.
Instead, Flo found herself on the receiving end of an arctic glare.
God, Lena was good at that.
Behind her, Zander said, ‘So I take it the flat hasn’t been broken into.’
‘Of course it
hasn’t. I lied. Seems to be a lot of it about.’ Lena was still gazing fixedly at Flo. ‘My word, you’re a sly one, aren’t you? More than my brother realises, that’s for sure. I know exactly what you’re up to.’
‘Lena, stop it. Flo hasn’t done anything wrong.’
‘Trust me, you don’t have a clue.’ Pointing at Flo, Lena said triumphantly, ‘And that trashy friend of yours in the restaurant? I knew she was lying, too. As if her kids would ever have names like that.’
OK, this conversation was in danger of veering in an embarrassing direction . . .
Zander was getting annoyed now. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Ah, didn’t she mention that bit to you? You’ve got yourself involved with a real player now. It’s all planned out in advance, you know. She’s going to marry you.’
Zander, understandably, looked pretty stunned. ‘What?’
And there it was. Flo’s toes were tightly curled under with mortification. ‘It was a joke . . .’
‘Didn’t sound like a joke to me. You’d clearly discussed it with your friends. The tarty one said When you marry Zander, as if it was all decided.’
Had Annie really come out with those exact words? Flo couldn’t remember, but she definitely knew she’d gone bright red. And all she could do – again – was protest, ‘She was joking.’
‘Sure, you can keep saying that. But I was there.’ Turning her attention back to her brother, Lena went on, ‘Trust me, they were serious. If you believe her, you’re an idiot. She wants this flat for herself and she’ll stop at nothing to get it.’
Exasperated, Flo said, ‘You seriously think I’d marry someone for a flat?’
‘Why not? I bet you can’t believe your luck, throwing yourself at my brother and actually managing to get him interested. Next thing we know, you’ll have accidentally got yourself knocked up. By the time he’s bored with you, it’ll be too late, you’ll have your legal rights. And that’s it, bang goes this flat. My brother wouldn’t think of this, but I do, because I’m smart and I know what women are like.’
Women like Giles’s wife, presumably.
‘OK, that’s enough,’ said Zander. ‘You have to leave now.’
‘You’re so gullible.’ Lena’s words dripped with derision. ‘And she’s not too bright either. Have either of you even worked out how I knew it was you hiding in the bedroom?’
This was greeted with silence. Evidently delighted, Lena said smugly, ‘See? You have no idea. Maybe I shouldn’t tell you.’
OK, talk about frustrating.
‘Really not bothered.’ Shaking his head, Zander turned away.
‘You’re dying to know,’ Lena jeered.
Flo, who definitely was, forced herself not to ask.
‘You didn’t know for sure.’ Zander’s tone was dismissive. ‘It was just a lucky guess. Off you go.’
Lena turned and stalked towards the stairs. In the hallway, she halted and looked at them.
‘In there.’ Unable to resist it, she pointed through the half-open kitchen door. ‘Next time, you might want to hide the tin.’
And with a satisfied smirk, she headed back down the stairs.
Once the front door had slammed shut, Zander clasped his hands together behind his head and closed his eyes. A few moments later he said, ‘Now you start to see what my sister’s like.’
‘Well, I kind of already knew,’ said Flo.
‘I’m warning you now, she’s going to get worse.’
‘She was right about the tin, though.’ In the kitchen, Flo picked up the printed silver canister of Lost Malawi tea from the Rare Tea Company. This was Zander’s favourite blend; he ordered a regular supply online and had brought this tin over with him the other evening. ‘Dead giveaway. Didn’t even occur to me to hide it. All my fault.’
‘Or mine, for being fussy about what I drink.’
Flo tried to smile, because last week she’d teased him about his inability to tolerate the ordinary tea bags she used. But the elephant was right there in the room between them and she needed to address it.
‘Look, you have to believe me. Lena’s wrong about what she overheard at the restaurant.’
Zander wanted to trust her, she could tell, but there was a wary expression in his blue eyes.
‘Your friend didn’t say it?’
‘Well, she kind of said it. But it was only a joke, I promise. I definitely haven’t hatched an evil plan to get pregnant, force you to marry me, then divorce you and live happily ever after in this flat.’
‘Right. Well, that’s a relief.’ He nodded briefly, then put his arm around her shoulders. ‘Anyway, not a great start to the day. Shall we change the subject?’
‘Might be an idea,’ said Flo.
But as the day wore on, although Lena wasn’t mentioned again, the elephant remained indelibly in the room, and Flo knew that a tiny percentage of Zander’s brain was wondering if what his sister had told him might contain an element of truth.
* * *
Dearest Rose,
I do love your way of answering questions. Hopefully you’ll be able to help me with mine.
Here are my three things:
I was born and raised in Wolverhampton.
My hobbies are cake-making and gardening.
If that makes me sound incredibly dull, I used to work as an acrobat in a travelling circus. (I’m sixty-five and can still walk a tightrope!)
Now, here we go with my story. My husband died ten years ago. We were very happy together and I never imagined I’d meet – or even want to meet – anyone else.
But by some miracle, it happened eighteen months ago, and honestly, it’s been so wonderful I can’t tell you. His name is Bill, he’s sixty-eight, also a widower, and he feels like my soulmate. We love each other’s company and would like to move in together, maybe even get married.
Now for the problem – Bill’s son and daughter. Basically, I’ve tried my best, but they disapprove of everything about me. They have money and I don’t. I live in a council flat and speak with a Wolverhampton accent. To add insult to injury (apparently!), my name is Tracey.
Bill is wealthy and well-spoken. He loves me but he loves his children too. Nothing I do will ever alter their low opinion of me – they’re appalled by his choice and convinced I’m only interested in their father for his money. I’m not; I just wish they could be happy for us. But it’s not going to happen, and worrying about it isn’t helping Bill’s health. (I should say, he has already made a will leaving everything to them, but they are convinced that I’ll persuade him to write another without letting them know. Even though I would never dream of doing that!)
I hate being the cause of such conflict. For his sake, should I walk away and leave Bill and his children in peace? If you think so, Rose, I will do it.
Dear Tracey,
Your letter almost moved me to tears. Your personality shines out, you are clearly a lovely person and you and Bill deserve to be happy together. Listen, you aren’t the cause of the conflict; his children are. How would they feel if Bill told them he didn’t approve of their choice of spouse and demanded they end their relationships? Would they do as he asked, do you think? Of course not!
I’m touched that you have asked me to decide your future. Please don’t walk away from Bill and a relationship that has brought you both so much unexpected happiness. Carry on seeing each other, move in together, get married if that’s what you want. If his children refuse to be civil to you, just don’t see them. Of course they’re concerned about their father, but they need to learn that in this case they really don’t need to be.
I think you should show this web page to Bill. Then I think he should show it to his children. When they see that you were concerned enough about their father to end the relationship, I hope they’ll come to their senses and realise how incredibly lucky he’s been to find someone as loving and unselfish as you.
I’m sure anyone reading this will be wishing you all the luck in the world. And
please do let us know how you get on. We’ll all want to know!
Hallie uploaded the post and closed her laptop. There, done. It was one o’clock, and Bea would be arriving at any minute to take her to the pub. By this evening, plenty of people would have read Tracey’s letter and sent encouraging replies of their own; she would look at them when she came back and put the best online.
If anyone deserved a bit of happiness, it was Tracey and Bill.
Chapter 27
Now that they were into April, the number of tourists visiting Carranford was increasing by the day. There were plenty of people enjoying the sunshine, sitting at tables outside the pub. With morning surgery finally finished – and with his stomach rumbling for the last hour of it – Luke had come over to the White Hart for some long-overdue lunch.
And there were Hallie and Bea, deep in conversation at one of the tables. Waiting for them to spot him and wave, Luke was taken aback when he saw the expression on Hallie’s face. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and as he watched, she surreptitiously wiped them with the loose sleeve of her pale denim shirt. Bea, murmuring something in her ear, briefly put her arm around her thin shoulders and gave her a hug.
They hadn’t seen him. Luke headed on into the bar. What had that been about? Something to do with Nick, maybe? He hadn’t asked Hallie about him, but the knowledge of Nick’s visit – minus clothes – continued to haunt his thoughts. Hallie had mentioned the visit but not the lurid details. Those had remained private, between her and the ex-boyfriend who years ago had broken her heart.
Had he done it again now?
Or had someone else?
Luke ordered cottage pie and an orange juice, then carried his drink outside. Yes, he wanted to know why Hallie was upset. No, he wasn’t going to pry.
There were no empty tables, but Hallie and Bea were occupying one with two spare seats. This time they spotted him, and Bea, seeing him hesitate, called out, ‘Over here, join us.’
He sat next to Bea and across the table from Hallie, whose eyes were now dry but still pink-tinged.
‘Everything OK?’ That was as much as he would say; if she didn’t want to tell him, that was up to her.
