‘Oh great, so now I’m the one who’s moving out.’
Her mother sighed.
Realizing that venting at her mother this way was doing neither of them any good, Joely took a calming sip of wine, and attempted to start again. ‘So what happened with Martha? Do you know?’
‘All I can tell you is what Holly told me, that he’s an effing idiot who was led by his … Actually, her language is too colourful for me to repeat. However, she did say that her father told her to ask you why things went wrong.’
Joely’s mouth fell open as an uncomfortable heat spread through her. But Callum didn’t know what she was hiding, he couldn’t, and besides he was the one at fault here. ‘So he’s blaming me for him going off with my best friend?’
‘I don’t know what he’s doing, but you have to admit, Joely, that there are always two sides to a story and now we know that Callum has his.’
*
Later, sitting opposite Edward Martin in the Bistro – a quaint little place set back from the harbour with shiny brass rails and cosy booths – Joely was doing her best to put the conversation with her mother out of her mind. In fact, rather than deal with it, she’d spent the time waiting for Edward wondering about the other story occupying her world right now and how Sir might tell his side of it if he had the chance.
She wondered if he was still alive, and if so, where he might be. And did he have any idea he was being written about? What would it do to him and his family once the memoir was published? Was Freda protecting them with pseudonyms, or was Michaels their actual name?
‘I’m ready to accept,’ Edward said, after ordering the wine, ‘that I might not be the most fascinating company, but in my defence you haven’t given me much of a chance yet.’
Joely had to smile. ‘Sorry, just a few things going round in my head, nothing to do with you. In fact, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.’
His eyes lit up in a way that made her laugh. ‘Freda’s always so secretive,’ he said, ‘that I’m amazed you even knew I existed. Or maybe you didn’t until you heard I was coming.’
‘I knew,’ she assured him. ‘Not that she told me anything about you. Brenda was more forthcoming, she says you’re very easy-going and you remind her of Cary Grant.’
His laugh was one of true amusement. ‘Tell any of my children that and they’ll say Cary who? and probably think it’s a girl.’ He leaned in conspiratorially, ‘I think everyone under forty reminds Brenda of Cary Grant and I don’t have the heart to tell her I’m past it.’
Chuckling, Joely said, ‘How many children do you have?’
‘Three. Two sons with my first wife, aged seventeen and fourteen, and a little cracker of a nine-year-old daughter with my second wife. None with my third wife, but as we’ve recently embarked on an amicable split I’m not expecting any from that quarter to add to the number.’
Joely’s eyes were wide. ‘You’ve had three wives,’ she cried in amazement. Definitely a playboy and quite possibly a serial adulterer.
Appearing perplexed, he said, ‘Do you think I might not be cut out for marriage? That’s what each of them has told me and I’m beginning to think they could be right.’
‘I think there’s a very good chance of it,’ Joely informed him drolly, and felt more than a little relieved that he definitely wasn’t her type. The last thing she needed right now was to be struggling with an attachment to a very handsome, but clearly totally untrustworthy womanizer.
On the other hand, introducing him to Callum could be fun.
Immediately the thought occurred to her she felt her smile fade – did she really think she’d get some pleasure out of hurting him?
After sampling the wine and approving it, Edward waited for their glasses to be filled and proposed a toast. ‘To you,’ he declared, ‘and I hope whatever’s bothering you can be quickly resolved.’
Surprised, she said, ‘What makes you say that?’
‘It’s in your eyes. They’re very expressive, and perhaps because my aunt happened to mention that you’re on the rebound. I’m sorry about that.’
Joely had to smile. ‘It’s hardly your fault, and I’m not sure I’d call it the rebound, although I’ve no idea what else to call it. It’s complicated and I’d rather not talk about it if you don’t mind.’
‘Not a bit. Why don’t we choose what we’re going to eat and then you can tell me all about this memoir.’
Realizing he was baiting her, Joely shot him a look and turned to the menu.
After they’d ordered – pork medallions for him while Joely went for the mushroom stroganoff – he sat back in his chair and regarded her with frank interest. Before he could speak she said,
‘It’s no good, I’m not going to betray her confidence …’
‘I don’t expect you to. I’d simply like to be assured that she’s not writing herself into some kind of trouble.’
Joely screwed up her nose. ‘It’s hard to give you that assurance when I’ve no idea if the names she’s using are real – apart from her own – and I’ve yet to find out why she feels the need to do this.’
‘Have you asked her?’
‘She says she wants to put the record straight – and even if I knew what about I wouldn’t tell you because I’ve signed an agreement.’
He weighed the answer, and said, ‘So is it about Doddoe? Her husband. He was a terrible philanderer, you know. That’s an old-fashioned word, isn’t it, but it certainly suits him.’
‘No, it’s not about him. It’s something that happened when she was much younger … Now, that’s all I’m saying. Let’s talk some more about you and all your marriages …’
‘I’m sure you’re much more interesting.’
‘Not true. I’ve only tied the knot once, and actually I’m still married, I just don’t know for how much longer.’
‘Do you have children?’
‘A daughter who’ll be sixteen in a couple of months. I found out shortly before coming here this evening that she and her father have moved back into the family home.’
‘Which means they must have moved out at some point. Will they be staying once you return?’
‘Holly will, I’m sure, but as for Callum …’ She sighed and took another sip of wine. ‘He left me not long before Christmas to be with my best friend.’
‘Ouch.’
She nodded. ‘Apparently it hasn’t worked out for them so …’ She threw out a hand. ‘I’ve no idea where we’re supposed to go from here, but he’s somehow made my mother believe that our break-up is partly my fault.’
He frowned. ‘Mm, not very chivalrous, considering what he did.’
She didn’t meet his eyes as she said, ‘No, it isn’t.’
His scrutiny was making her uncomfortable now, although he’d have no way of knowing what she was hiding, what she couldn’t even bring herself to put into thoughts, never mind words.
‘I have an aunt who’s very big on protecting secrets,’ he reminded her, ‘and I have no problem with it. I get that some are better left untold, while others can do a whole lot of good if they come out. I guess you know which category yours falls into.’