Page 81 of A Good Heart is Hard to Find
‘He isn’t idiotic, and he’s probably being a lot of help. If you mean to take in the first visitors at Easter, you hardly have more than a few days left.’
‘No, and we’ve already got four bookings … maybe five. I’ve left it to Rosetta. It’s her affair, and she doesn’t seem to need my help now she’s got your brother.’
‘He’s very practical really. And you needn’t worry about him,because he never stays in one place long before he gets restless.’
‘So Rosetta’s going to have a broken heart as well?’
‘You can’t have it both ways,’ I pointed out. ‘Do you want him to go or stay? Not that it matters, because he’ll do exactly what he wants.’
‘I’ve noticed.’
‘Did Jason have your miniatures?’ I asked inconsequentially.
‘Yes, I’m going to put them up in here.’ He looked thoughtfullyat me. ‘And now that I’ve bared my soul in writing to you, are you at all likely to reciprocate and let me read the manuscript of your next epic, the one featuring the family pile?’
‘That fair play thing again,’ I said resignedly. ‘It’s nearly finished … I suppose I could run you off a copy before I send it in.’
‘Is it like your others?’
‘I don’t know – tell me when you’ve read it.’ Preferablywhen I’m out of the country.
The door opened and Eddie wandered in. ‘Hi, Cass. It’s dark in here, isn’t it?’
Funny I hadn’t noticed that while we were talking, but it was now pretty gloomy.
‘I’m going down to the cottage to get that screwdriver I left behind. Rosetta said you might want a lift home?’
‘There is a sign on the door to the west wing, saying “Private, Keep Out”,’ Dante observed.
‘Yes, I put it there,’ Eddie said, beaming at Dante like he was his dearest friend. ‘Coming, Cass?’
‘OK,’ I agreed, because I was feeling a bit limp. ‘If you don’t mind stopping off at Emlyn’s on the way? And I’ll let you have a copy of the manuscript when it’s finished, Dante.’
‘I can hardly wait.’
I checked his face for sarcasm, but it was back to inscrutable Prince of Darkness mode again.
But then, he had just rather bared his soul to me (and mine to him, to some extent) and so we’d probably never want to see each other again, as is the usual case with full and frank confessions.
He immediately proved me wrong.
‘If I go down to the pub tonight, will you be there?’ he asked.
‘No.’
‘Oh?’ he frowned. ‘I thought you went there most nights? What about Jason – will he be there?’
‘I have no idea,’ I said grandly. ‘And I will be at home, working. I am not a creature of totally predictable habits.’
‘Jason says you’re blowing hot and cold and driving him completely mad,’ Eddie intoned helpfully, as though the phrase was a mantra he’d been practising.
‘When? When did he say that?’ I demanded.
‘This morning?’ Eddie said vaguely. ‘I’ve been busy – think it was this morning.’
‘Just leave it at cold,’ Dante suggested.
‘I told you,’ I said with as much dignity as possible under the circumstances. ‘I’m getting a dog.’
‘Much safer,’ he agreed, and a sudden shadow seemed to cross his face.
‘Lurchers are good,’ Eddie suggested, leading the way out. The tattoo of Bob Marley on his shoulder blade peeped out at me over the straps of his overalls as he walked.
‘No woman,no cry,’ I admonished myself, severely.
