‘And you’ve seen him, have you? I mean, has he spoken to you?’
‘Yes.’
‘How about Red, you’ve seen him too?’
‘We met up for a drink last week at the Prince of Wales.’
‘Oh, you did? So he’s well enough to go drinking in pubs, is he?’ Maura raised her eyebrows. ‘He’s probably not even ill, it’s just another of his stories.’
‘Trust me, he’s ill.’
‘Well just try not to have anything to do with them. I’m sure they’re only back to cause trouble. And why on earth is Shay staying at the hotel anyway? Why would he even want to do that?’
‘Because he can,’ said Didi. ‘Mum, he’s rich.’
‘Hmph. Well I suppose these things happen. Those king prawns look delicious.’
They looked like king prawns. Didi said, ‘I mean, seriously rich. He invented Fait, the dating app, and just sold the company for, like, zillions. I asked him if he could afford to buy the hotel outright if he wanted, and he said he could.’
She watched as this information sank in. At length, her mother said, ‘And is that his plan?’
‘Pretty sure it isn’t. It’s our hotel, Mum. He can’t buy something that’s not for sale.’
‘Good. Well, I suppose he always was a smart boy.’
Didi shook her head. ‘He never did have anything to do with what happened.’
‘Is that what he told you? Well, he’s bound to say that, isn’t he?’
‘He would never have done anything like that, you know he wouldn’t.’
‘And yet he upped and disappeared.’ Her mother shrugged. ‘And no one else was ever caught. Anyway, never mind all that now. The best thing you can do is just keep well away from the pair of them. I know you were keen on Shay back when it happened, but that’s all in the past. You’ve got Aaron, you’ve got this little beauty’ – she tapped Didi’s engagement ring – ‘and five months from now, you’ll be married!’
Lunch over, Maura took out a credit card and said, ‘My treat.’ She skimmed over the itemised bill, then looked up.
‘Oh dear, excuse me?’ She beckoned the young waitress over. ‘I’m sorry, this isn’t right.’
Didi winced inwardly; after years of working in the industry, she had a Pavlovian reaction to customers’ complaints. It was even more awkward when the person doing the complaining was your own mother.
Maura tapped the bill and said briskly, ‘You’ve made a mistake here, charged us twenty-three pounds for the wine when it should have been thirty-two.’
‘Oh gosh, I’m so sorry about that, thank you for noticing.’
‘You also forgot to charge for the asparagus and the wild mushrooms, so you need to redo the bill.’
Blushing and stammering, the waitress did as she was told. When the amended bill had been paid, she said, ‘Thanks again. Not many people would have done what you did.’
‘Darling, don’t mention it. I wouldn’t have wanted you to get into trouble. We’ve had a wonderful lunch and that’s the important thing. Me and my girl,’ Maura gave Didi’s hand a squeeze, ‘having a perfect day out together.’
Chapter 13
Rosa was waiting in line at the post office to send a just-finished doll off to Connecticut when a voice behind her said, ‘Hello there, how’s that knee of yours? Better, I hope?’
It was Benny Colette, clutching a couple of small packages of his own. Rosa beamed. ‘Much better, thanks. It was sore for a few days, but all mended now. Thank you for coming to the rescue when you did.’
‘Not that I did much, but glad to hear you’ve recovered. That’s a big old parcel you’ve got there. If it’s heavy, want me to carry it for you while we’re queuing?’
‘I’m fine, it doesn’t weigh much. I make dolls,’ Rosa explained, puffing a strand of hair away from her cheek. ‘This one’s off to its new home in America.’ The hair was still there, so she transferred the package to one arm and used the free hand to clear it. Sitting waiting for her a couple of metres away, Red was observing the exchange with amusement.
Benny said, ‘Well that’s a coincidence.’
‘What? Don’t tell me you make dolls too.’ She laughed. ‘Because I won’t believe it.’
‘I don’t. I just noticed your bracelet. Let’s have another look?’
Feeling her cheeks heat up, Rosa raised her arm again and Benny studied it more closely.
‘Mouse . . . parrot . . . Eiffel Tower . . . little dog . . . yes, all the same charms, isn’t that amazing? Last week our gardener found a bracelet exactly like this in our back garden.’
‘Oh.’ Her mouth was dry, she knew she was blushing, and her brain, caught off guard, couldn’t work out what to say without landing her in a world of trouble. ‘Well, this is . . . um, mine.’
‘Sorry, I’m an idiot, of course they’re the same.’ Benny shook his head. ‘I was thinking the charms had been chosen separately, but it must just be the way the bracelets are made and sold in the shop.’
The perfect solution. Relieved, she exclaimed, ‘Yes, that’s it, they all have the same charms!’
‘Well it looks very nice anyway.’
‘Thank you.’ Hooray, she could breathe again.
‘Time for the lass to set off on her big adventure,’ said Benny.
Rosa was so steeped in guilt that for a split second she thought he meant it was time for her to climb over the high stone wall into his garden. But Benny was pointing to the cashier waiting behind the glass.
‘He’s ready to take your parcel off you, send that doll on her way.’
‘Yes,’ she said faintly. ‘Thank you.’
Five minutes later, with the parcel dispatched, Rosa said goodbye to Benny and left the post office with Red. As soon as they were safely out of earshot, he said, ‘Well that was educational.’
Her heart sank. ‘Was it?’
‘You lied to him.’ Red tilted his head and gave her a side-on speculative look. ‘And you gave up the opportunity to get your two-hundred-pound bracelet back. I’m just wondering why you’d choose to do that.’
It was no good, she was going to have to confess. She took a deep breath. ‘OK, you really want to know? Joe’s ashes are scattered under his favourite tree in Benny’s back garden. If I’d known we were going to have to sell the house, I’d never have done it. But I didn’t know until afterwards and by then it was too late.’ She paused, fiddling with the strap of her bag over her shoulder. ‘I wrote to the new owners, Benny and Ingrid, asking if I could possibly be allowed to . . . you know, occasionally visit the tree, because I missed Joe so much and it was the only place I could feel properly close to him. But the solicitors wrote back and said it wasn’t possible. I mean, I suppose it sounded a bit pathetic. And I’m sure they’ve forgotten all about it by now. So anyway . . . Oh, don’t laugh at me.’
‘Hey, I’m on your side.’ His eyes were bright. ‘I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you. Go on, tell me the rest.’