Page 105 of Calling Frank O'Hare

‘Ellen didn’t think the money did her any good whatsoever. She wanted better for Robyn. She’s left something in trust for her but she won’t get it until she’s thirty. She was very keen not to have her young life spoiled by wealth. You know it will all come to Robyn eventually, the Montague money. She’s the last in line.’

‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,’ said Frank. There was always the chance that old lady Montague would leave everything to the National Trust or something. Not for philanthropic reasons, obviously. More to make a point about how disappointed she was in her children and their choices.

68

Oldest and dearest friends

Two things happened not long after Ellen died. The first was that sour-faced old Mrs Montague finally popped her clogs. Out of respect for Gavin, Frank and Robyn went to the funeral but it was fair to say, no tears were shed by either of them. The old woman would have expected nothing less.

The second was a happier occasion. Gavin and Roger got married. At the wedding, they spoke about adopting. They were probably too old for it really but Gavin, with his connections, could arrange anything. During the reception, Gavin told him he’d found out that Ellen had been seeing a psychiatrist towards the end of her life. Frank had asked him about Ellen being bipolar. Gavin had been as surprised as Benoit had been. He’d suggested something closer to borderline personality disorder. Apparently, that was what the doctors at the Richmond Park suspected all those years ago. If only Frank had listened to the experts instead of Ellen, he could have spared her and others years of suffering. The guilt of that still haunted him.

He hadn’t seen Gavin since that day, but Robyn gave him updates every now and then. He and Roger did manage to adopt three children and, judging by the reports from Rob, all five were happy and thriving. Of course, that meant Rob was no longer the sole heir to the Montagues’ estate which was a definite plus in Frank’s eyes. It was a shame he’d lost touch with Gavin. He really should do something about that.

He opened the living room curtains and saw Finn’s campervan parked up on the road outside the house. He had a headache and it felt like a badger had scraped its arse along his tongue, but the sight of Finn’s van lifted his spirits. Fred, his other loyal friend, was at his side. He put his fingers behind the dog’s right ear and scratched it. ‘Come on and meet Cousin Finn. You’re gonna love him.’

Frank tapped on the campervan window and heard the sound of movement coming from inside. A bleary-eyed Finn slid the door open. ‘Morning. I got here early and didn’t want to disturb you.’

‘Have you had any sleep?’

‘Yeah. A couple of hours in the motorway services and the same after I arrived. I’m grand. Martin inside?’

‘Still in bed. I think. Shit, I haven’t checked.’ He looked up at the closed curtains in one of the spare rooms. He wouldn’t do it again, would he? At that moment Martin drew the curtains open and Frank’s heartbeat slowed down to its normal pace.

Finn put his hand on Frank’s back. ‘It’s gonna be okay, FB. We’re gonna sort this. Now, who’s this fine-looking fella?’ He crouched down and petted Fred who was loving the extra attention.

‘This is my main man, Fred. You go inside and help yourself to whatever you want. I have to pop next door to see Netta before she goes to work.’

Netta was already up. ‘How did it go last night?’

Frank thought of him and Martin girl-slapping each other and rolling around the floor. Thank Christ she wasn’t there to see that. ‘It was revealing.’

‘That sounds ominous.’

‘That’s not an entirely incorrect description. Finn’s arrived.’

‘Cousin Finn?’ The fact that she took great delight every time she used Finn’s full title had not escaped Frank.

‘The one and only. I just wanted to apologise again for last night. And for Martin turning up. And for this whole mess. It’s really–’

‘Interesting. It’s really interesting. To me anyway. I’d like to know more.’

‘Oh.’ He wasn’t expecting that. She’d stumped him.

‘Perhaps we can talk about it soon?’

‘Yes. There’s quite a lot.’ He left it at that. No need to say any more. Although there was that thing they’d promised each other about no secrets. Should he? Could he? He would. ‘I haven’t been entirely open with you.’ He held his breath and waited for his admission to sink in.

She smiled. ‘I know.’

He hadn’t been expecting that either. ‘You do?’

‘Yes. It’s all right. I don’t mind.’

‘You don’t?’ he said, although he wasn’t sure what it was exactly that she didn’t mind. He just hoped it had nothing to do with Doogie Chambers.

She shook her head. ‘I don’t. But I have to go to work. We’ve got a big order to get out this morning. Let’s talk about it when things have calmed down.’

‘Of course. When things have calmed down. Shouldn’t be long now.’

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