Page 114 of The Honeymoon Affair

‘It wouldn’t have mattered if we’d been in a good place ourselves at the time.’

‘Huh,’ she says. ‘As far as I’m concerned, Charles was being a selfish pig. You had a little flirty thing that didn’t come to anything. He should have cut you some slack.’

‘I’m not sure I would have cut him any in the same circumstances.’

‘Of course you would. Anyhow, regardless of the past, when it comes to the present you need to remember that you’re an independent woman. Like me. We deserve to work hard, enjoy our triumphs and be supported. And that support should come not just when Charles or some other man has time for it, but always.’

‘Goodness,’ I say. ‘You’re totally embracing your inner feminist today.’

‘Possibly.’ She smiles. ‘And you’re possibly better off without my brother, even if I’m not so sure he’s better off without you.’

‘Who knows?’ I shrug, then glance up at the study window of Riverside Lodge. The light is still glowing. I tell Ellis that I hope he’s working right now.

‘I texted him a short time ago,’ she says. ‘He’s expecting me. I have to warn you, Ariel. We’re going to meet her. The fiancée.’

‘You and Charles? Now?’

‘No. Me and Mum. On Saturday night. He’s invited us to dinner.’

‘I hope your mother likes her better than she liked me.’

‘Mum respected you,’ Ellis tells me. ‘That’s far more important than liking you.’

She might be right about that.

Chapter 31

Iseult

You can fix anything but a blank page.

Nora Roberts

Steve is staying with me until his parents return. I can’t turn him out of the house when he needs help to do even the simplest of tasks, and although I’m out at work during the day, at least I’m there at night to look after him. Also, I asked Trisha Castle next door if she’d mind popping in from time to time, and she was delighted to help out.

Charles asks if Steve couldn’t book himself into a nursing home for a few days.

‘Even if we could find one at short notice, I doubt very much he could afford it,’ I say when he calls me to say this. I’m doing some form-filling so welcome the distraction, even though I don’t really want to talk about Steve again.

‘Doesn’t he have health insurance?’ Charles asks.

‘I don’t know.’

‘You were going to marry him and you don’t even know if he has health insurance?’

‘I don’t know if you have it either,’ I point out.

‘I do.’

‘Oh good. Because it’s a deal-breaker, you know.’ I make a face at the phone. It’s a voice call, so he doesn’t see it.

‘I’m sorry,’ says Charles. ‘I’m pissed off because our night was ruined, and you’re saying that freeloader will be with you for a while, and I’m betting you won’t be able to come over to me because you’ll be looking after him.’

‘It’s only a few days,’ I say. ‘Then I’m all yours again.’

‘It’s as well that I love you.’

‘What’s not to love?’

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