by Anna Jacobs
‘Politeness doesn’t work with him anyway,’ Kit said bitterly. ‘He only sees what he wants and doesn’t mind who he tramples on to get it.’ He turned to his wife. ‘I hope you like the sound of Australia, Mags darling, because what he did today only makes me all the more eager to go there.’
Simone liked the loving way he spoke to his wife, as well as his open expression. ‘Do you want a coffee while we chat?’
‘No, thank you. Mags is on an early lunch hour so we have to be quick.’
‘Sit down then and ask away. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.’
They asked all the usual questions as if it was a colony on the moon. How did you deal with hot weather? What sort of social life was there? Mags wanted to know what the houses were like. She was tired of living in a flat, it seemed, however conveniently situated.
As the conversation continued, Simone could tell that Kit was nothing like his father. Well, the way he smiled lovingly at his wife had told her that right from the beginning and the way he truly listened to what she told him only confirmed it. As for Mags, she was a delightful, lively person with a gurgling laugh. The two of them would probably fit in well in their age group in Western Australia.
Once she felt fairly sure she’d got their measure, Simone offered to introduce them to her daughters and their families in Perth and they eagerly accepted. They were about the same age, she’d guess.
In the end, she asked, ‘What makes you hesitate to go to Australia, Mags?’
‘The fact that I’d have to give up my job.’
‘What do you do?’
‘I’m in IT. I know it’s supposed to be easy to find jobs in my area, but I really like the project I’m working on at the moment and I get on well with my colleagues.’
She mimed holding her nose because of a bad smell and added, ‘Mr Slimey has changed my mind today, though. Now, what I want more than anything is to get away from him and never live anywhere near him again.’ She turned to her husband. ‘I think you should take the job offer, love. And if we like it, we might even stay there. If we’re allowed, that is.’
He let out a happy yell, pulled her towards him and plonked a smacking big kiss on each of her cheeks, then on her lips. ‘I’ll do all I can to make sure you don’t regret it, my darling.’
It was lovely to see them together, Simone thought, and waited quietly for them to turn back to her. Who’d have thought that man could have produced such a nice son?
Seething with fury, Lance walked across to the hotel, unable to believe how that ghastly woman had just treated him. Did she know nothing about good manners? Clearly not.
And his son had let her get away with it. If Kit had any family loyalty, he’d have left in support of his father. Well, he was going to regret that, by hell he was! There would be a way to teach him a sharp lesson. There was always a way.
But he’d not regret it as much as that woman. She was going to be sorry she’d come to England to try to steal the inheritance that rightfully belonged to Lance.
He smiled at one thing. He’d fooled his son again and been able to come here with them. And his daughter-in-law hadn’t been able to prevent it. Not the brightest spark in the fire, Mags. Her company must be employing some real thickos, if they’d promoted a woman like her. Well, fancy promoting a woman anyway. Didn’t they have any good men? Political correctness had gone too far, much too far.
He’d been amazed a couple of years ago when Kit turned up with Mags and introduced her as his wife. He’d said they didn’t want a fussy wedding but why the hell had they got married so secretly? She must have pretended to be pregnant. Women still did that, however liberated they claimed to be.
It was letting the side down to bring such a woman into the family. Not only ugly but brought up by a single mother who didn’t even have her own house to leave them one day. With his good looks, Kit should have waited and found a woman with money and good family connections to help mend the Pennertons’ fortunes. As Lance had told him several times.
Things had to be worse financially at Pennerton House than Henrietta would admit, damn her, or she’d not be planning to hand it over to the National Trust. If she wanted to hand it to anyone, she should hand it to him.
He stood in front of the hotel, scowling at the row of houses with more new homes being built at the far end. It was the longest street and this place was in the middle of nowhere. How the hell was he going to get home? There would be no public transport out here and a taxi would cost a fortune. Unfortunately Lady Luck hadn’t been on his side and he was short of money this week. He’d even hit his credit card limit.
He’d have to go and beg for help from Henrietta. She’d told him last time there would be no more money from her and he was to consider that he’d had all his inheritance in advance. Ha! She’d said that before and he’d always managed to charm some more cash out of her. He’d find a way to do it again.
He still had to get home today, though. He wondered if Kit would simply drive past him if he stood near the hotel entrance and pretended to thumb a lift? Surely not? He’d have to try it. He was too old to hitch-hike.
How long would those two spend with that woman? He glanced at his watch. He’d have time for a quick drink, surely? After that, he’d have to go and wait near the entrance to the car park to waylay Kit.
He didn’t think his son would have the nerve to drive straight past him. Mags might, the hard-faced bitch, but not his soft touch of a son.
He sorted through the change in his pockets. He’d have to limit his drink to a measly half-pint of beer, not his usual tipple. And he had to make it last for half an hour while he flicked through a crumpled newspaper someone had left lying around because there was no one to chat to in the bar at this time of day. The guy behind it was busy stacking up the shelves and hardly looked at him.
After half an hour had passed Lance walked outside again, moving slowly across the nearly empty car park to wait near the exit to the road. Good thing it wasn’t a hot day. It was muggy, though. He wiped his forehead. Weather like this always gave him a headache.
So did spending time with his damned daughter-in-law. And he’d have to be polite to her on the way back. That would make the headache worse.
As they drove away from the house after their talk, Mags said suddenly, ‘There’s your father. I bet he’s going to have the cheek to try for a lift back with us. Don’t stop for him! Leave him there. For once, let him face the consequences of trying to trick people.’
Kit slowed down at the near end of the car park. ‘I can’t do that this time. We did bring him here, after all. Why did you even mention our visit to him, Mags?’
‘I met him in the car park at work when I nipped down to get my sunglasses.’
‘What was he doing there?’
‘Who knows? That didn’t occur to me till afterwards. I assumed at the time he was going to see someone in the building. There are people coming and going all the time in a ten-storey building. I tried to get away with a quick hello but he was in affable mode and fooled me … again. He asked if I’d met the long-lost Aussie relative and I said I was going to do that later this morning. You know how information just seems to slip out when you talk to him.’
‘Don’t I just! I’ve always been glad he mostly didn’t pay me much attention when I was a kid. No wonder Mum left him.’
‘How a man like him fathered a son as nice as you, I’ll never understand.’
He’d often wondered how he came to have such a father. He gestured to Lance, who was still standing waiting, staring across at them with a near-pleading expression on his face. ‘I’ll have to give him a lift back.’
‘You’re too soft-hearted. Don’t chat to him. He’ll try to worm out what Simone told us. Not that she told us any of her family secrets, but still, it’s none of his business. And don’t tell him we will be agreeing to go to Australia. I want to just vanish. End of.’
‘I’m happy to keep quiet. I don’t want to speak to hi
m at all.’ He set off across the car park, muttering, ‘How does he manage to upset so many people?’
‘It’s his one skill.’
At last! Lance watched Kit’s car set off again and come towards him through the hotel car park. They must have been discussing their visit. He’d like to hear how it went.
As he’d expected, when he stuck out his thumb, his son stopped the car.
‘Can I get a lift back with you, Kit? I, um, forgot my credit card, so I’ve no way of getting home again if you don’t take me. After all, you did bring me here.’
Mags scowled at him from the front passenger seat, but he ignored her and concentrated on his son. He saw by his change of expression that Kit was going to do it.
‘Get in, then.’
‘Thank you.’
As they drove along, Lance couldn’t resist asking, ‘Have a nice time with Mrs Dumbo Down Under, did you?’
‘You’d better speak politely about her if you want to stay in this car,’ Mags said sharply. ‘She’s a very nice person. Actually, I’d be happiest if you kept quiet altogether from now on if you want to travel in a car with me. You never have anything positive to say about anything.’
So Lance didn’t speak, though only because he desperately needed this lift. Hen-pecked, his son was, which meant he’d do as Mags said if she demanded he chuck his father out of the car.
When they got to his block of flats, Kit still didn’t say anything to him.
‘Thanks for bringing me back, son. See you soon.’ Lance waited for a reply but none came so he sighed and got out. He was tempted to leave the car door open but it would be stupid to anger them further, so he closed it quietly and walked towards the entrance to the building.
He stopped when he was inside and out of their sight. They hadn’t set off yet. What were they doing?
He watched them sit talking for a few moments, then drive away again. He could tell they’d been arguing. There was no mistaking the body language, hands waving, heads wagging.
Good. He wished they’d argue themselves out of the marriage altogether.
After Lance got out of their car, Mags and Kit watched him stand, look back at them for a few moments, then turn and walk into the block of flats.
Kit didn’t set off immediately. ‘You did mean what you said, didn’t you, Mags?’
‘About what?’
‘About us going to Australia.’
‘Yes. It’s the best way I can think of to get away from him.’
‘I agree.’ He gave her a high five and she slapped his hand then shoved him in the shoulder, so he did the same to her.
‘Stop grinning!’ she said.
‘I can’t help it. I really, really want to go to Australia. I’ve always liked the sound of it, ever since we studied it at school. And with my mother and stepfather living mainly in Spain, there’s nothing much to keep me here. Except you.’
He glanced sideways and said quietly, ‘There’s still time to change your mind if it’s too much to ask, though. Your happiness is more important than anything else to me, as I hope you know.’
‘I meant it, darling. We might try for a baby while we’re there. It’d fit in quite well, don’t you think?’
‘Brilliant idea! A little girl who looks just like you.’
‘Our baby had better not take after its grandfather, though.’
‘We won’t let him.’
‘Or her.’
She laughed and added provocatively, ‘Or them. You do know that twins run in my family?’
‘If they’re all like you, I don’t mind having triplets.’
She shuddered. ‘That’d be a step too far, thank you very much.’ Then she smiled at him in that special way she had as she added, ‘I do love you, darling.’
Chapter Eighteen
After her guests had left, Simone sat down to eat some lunch, smiling as she thought about the meeting. Kit and Mags’ love for one another had shone out so clearly. She’d really enjoyed helping them. How could Kit be so utterly different from his father?
She felt a small surge of pride at the way she’d refused point-blank to let Lance come into her house. Her friend Libby would be proud of her. She was making progress in one of the main outcomes she wanted from this stay overseas: learning to stand on her own feet and say no, even to people she loved.
Her husband would have thought it very bad manners to treat Lance like that and would have winced at what she’d said. She’d never heard Harvey speak sharply to anyone, whether they deserved it or not. He hadn’t been demonstrative in public like Kit, either, but he had been loving in private, as well as steady and dependable, always there when she needed him.
Had he been too protective of her? Yes, maybe. And she’d settled down too easily into a quiet life. Libby had frequently pointed both those facts out to her over the years. But it had been a very pleasant and stress-free way of life. Simone had always asked her what was wrong with that. After all, Harvey hadn’t been a control freak, just a very caring person whose home was his castle.
She still missed having someone to love as much as she missed being loved by him. Maybe that was why she’d rushed into a relationship with rat man. She shuddered at the memory. That had been a horrendous mistake and she’d vowed afterwards never even to think of marrying again.
And now? Well, she was definitely attracted to Russ, she admitted to herself, and the more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. He seemed to return her feelings, too. How would it work out with a man like him if she let things go further? He was very different from her late husband and yet she was quite sure he faced the world just as honestly, treating other people just as decently. Two very important qualities, in her opinion.
She’d been thinking about him and the possibilities of a relationship during the night, one of the reasons she’d slept so badly. She’d come to the reluctant conclusion that she shouldn’t let herself get too deeply involved. His life was firmly based in England, not only for the small birds and animals which he loved and about which he seemed to be an amazing expert, but for his increasing success as a television presenter, and the good he did by communicating a love of the countryside to other people. Not just the countryside but the often hidden urban wildlife habitats.
The trouble was, her life was just as firmly based in Australia, because no way was she prepared to leave her family for ever to move to the other side of the planet. She might not want to attend school concerts and she definitely wasn’t going to do that again. She was even able to smile at that memory now. But she did want to be there with her daughters and grandchildren to celebrate birthdays, Christmases and other happy family events.
So the sensible thing was not to let anything serious get started between her and Russ. He was too nice a person for a mere holiday fling and anyway, she didn’t do flings.
Life didn’t always give you what you wanted and as you grew older, there were other things to worry about than yourself. Responsibilities. Family ties. Even when your children left home and started their own families, you still felt emotional responsibilities towards them, wanted to stay attached, for lack of a better word.
Russ didn’t seem to be nearly as close to his family, though he’d helped his half-sister when she needed him. He’d mentioned a brother once or twice but not said much about him, let alone spoken of nephews and nieces.
What’s more, with a job like his, Russ would be away from home as much as he’d be there. Another problem for her. You got used to being lonely when your life partner died, but she didn’t think she could get used to an on-again, off-again relationship with a man who hopped round the world for a living.
So that was that. She was going to be sensible. Absolutely.
Did that mean she should stop working for Russ?
No, that would be a step too far. She’d loved this morning’s outing and apart from needing company and something to occupy her time, she now wanted to learn more about the little animals and birds who shared this
part of the planet.
She tidied up the kitchen and went next door to find out whether he needed her that afternoon, fixing a calm expression firmly to her face as she rang his doorbell. Well, she hoped she looked calm.
When she obeyed a yell to come in, Simone found Russ sitting amid utter chaos, eyes on the computer screen. He didn’t even stop to say hi, so she went across to see what was so absorbing. He seemed to be editing his takes from their early morning walk.
He pointed to the screen. ‘You know, you’re very photogenic.’
‘Am I? That’s nice.’ She changed the subject, not wanting to get too personal, frowning as she looked round the office. ‘Did you just dump everything when you got back today? And before that?’
‘What? Oh.’ He followed her gaze. ‘I suppose so. I was excited about what I filmed this morning, wanted to see how it had turned out.’ He grinned. ‘You don’t cope well with compliments, do you? You changed the subject when I said you were photogenic, but you are, not just slightly but extremely photogenic. Doesn’t that please you?’
She shrugged. ‘I’m a practical sort of person, not into glamour and – and such frivolities. You asked me to work for you.’ She gestured around them. ‘I can’t do that if there’s nowhere for me to work.’
He looked round the room again, seeming surprised to see no other desk in the room. ‘Ah. Yes, I see.’
‘You need to buy some office furniture as a priority but instead, you’ve dived into working on the new series. I bet things will just get worse as you grow more absorbed in it, so if you want my help, it really would be better to get things organised before you start, Russ.’
He gave her a rueful smile, took his fingers off the computer keyboard and leant back, rolling his shoulders. ‘I don’t suppose I can pay you to do that as part of your job?’
‘I would if I could but only you know what sort of cupboards and desks you’ll need long-term. I’m just going to be a temporary employee. When the Dittons come back, I’ll go home to Australia. So, you need to buy furniture you will be comfortable with.’ She gestured around them again. ‘This is a big space, so I presume you were expecting to need it all.’
