Page 65 of The Diary at the Last House Before the Sea

‘Or I’ll make you.’

‘You and whose army?’ Bartie sneered, still holding on tightly to her arm.

‘Just me,’ said River, his voice low and controlled.

‘Are you going to fight with me?’

Bartie sounded amused, and Clara noticed the muscles in River’s jaw tighten.

‘I’d rather not but I will if I have to.’

‘You were always sweet on Clara but I’m afraid she was always far more interested in me – still is. Is that why you’re coming to her rescue? So you can play the big saviour and hope she’ll overlook what an idiot you are and swoon in your arms?’

Clara had heard enough. She aimed a kick at Bartie’s shin and wrenched her arm free.

‘Ow!’ he complained, bending over to rub his leg. ‘What did you do that for?’

‘To shut you up, mainly, and I don’t want any fighting.’

‘There wouldn’t have been any,’ replied Bartie sulkily, sounding like a teenager again. ‘Honestly, River, this is all nothing but a misunderstanding. Clara’s got the wrong end of the stick and now she’s trying to cause trouble. I’ve had enough and I’m going back to the manor. Are you coming?’

‘No,’ said River.

Bartie hesitated. ‘I think you should come back with me.’

‘I’m not going anywhere with you.’

River sat down on the wall where Clara had been sitting watching the sunset only ten minutes earlier. But a lot had changed since then.

‘Right. Suit yourself, then.’ Bartie looked at Clara through the deepening gloom and said quietly: ‘Have a think about what I suggested. You know it makes sense.’

‘When did he become such an arse?’ asked River as Bartie vanished into the darkness.

Clara sat down beside River on the wall that was rapidly cooling now the sun had dipped below the horizon. ‘I’m beginning to think he always was.’

‘But what’s he so uptight about?’

‘I overheard him and Hannah, his developer contact who’s actually a girlfriend, at the pub this afternoon.’

Clara outlined what she’d heard while River listened in silence, his face in profile as he stared out to sea. The water, no longer on fire from the sun’s setting rays, was changing from silver to blue-black.

‘I was going to tell you and Geoffrey first thing tomorrow morning,’ she said, after relating the whole tale, ‘but I was ambushed by Bartie out here and then you came along.’

River squeezed his hands into fists. ‘I knew I didn’t much like him but I kept telling myself that I was being unfair. He’s my cousin and we go back a long way. I know he can be arrogant and annoying at times, but I never thought he’d try to screw over my father, who’s always been good to him.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘My father needs to know but I’ll have to tell him tomorrow. He’s exhausted after Hannah’s visit and told me he was heading for bed early. Will you come with me first thing tomorrow morning to break the news?’

‘Of course I will.’

‘Thanks.’ River glanced round at Clara. ‘What did Bartie mean when he said “have a think about what I suggested” as he left?’

‘He suggested that I keep quiet and go along with his and Hannah’s plan and, in return, he’d cut me into his commission from the sale. But I could never deceive you or your father like that. You have to believe me.’

River caught her gaze and held it. ‘Of course I believe you. I’d trust you with my life, Clara.’

‘Yet you cut me out of your life as soon as you reached Australia.’

She wanted to add: Even after you’d kissed me, but the words remained unspoken. Today had already been enough of a blow to her self-confidence without factoring into the mix a kiss apparently so dreadful and regretted that the kisser had felt it best to erase the kissee from his life completely.

She probably shouldn’t have said anything at all to River about their estrangement. Not when he was reeling from Bartie’s deception. But it had been an upsetting day and she didn’t feel particularly in control right now.

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