Page 47 of The Secrets of Dragonfly Lodge
‘Oh, private thoughts. Not very interesting. Salt and vinegar, yum.’
When he smiled back, his brown eyes narrowed, slight crow’s feet crinkling. He’d taken the trouble to shave this evening and his deep blue shirt suited his dark hair and tan. She watched him split open the crisp packet and push it between them, took a crisp and sipped her drink, then sat back, wondering warily if this really was just a friendly drink or whether he had an agenda.
The former, it seemed, though he genuinely wanted to know how she thought his grandmother was. ‘She’s frailer,’ he said, in a worried tone. ‘This injury has knocked the stuffing out of her. And the dizziness. That’s not good.’
‘Obviously I didn’t know her properly before, Aaron. She’s still herself, isn’t she?’
‘Very much so. Stubborn as a mule!’ His eyes shone. ‘Lets Lauren do the minimum and is commendably strict with my daughter. Told Livy she can watch television for an hour, then it’s upstairs to bed. And Livy’s quite happy with that. Funny, she plays up with me like anything!’
‘Winds you round her little finger, right?’ Stef grinned.
‘She tries to.’ His expression was soft.
‘I can see you’re mad about her. She’s a lovely girl.’
He sighed. ‘She is, but she’s had a bum deal with the divorce, being shifted from pillar to post. Crystal… well, I don’t like to say this… she adores her but treats her like a little adult. You know, lets her stay up and mix with bohemian friends, rarely says no to her. It’s one of the things we argued about when we were married. I was too old-school apparently.’
Stef nodded. ‘Not having kids, it’s difficult for me to comment. My sister’s twins are gorgeous but they give her the runaround. They’ve got each other, you see, so if one is up to mischief the other joins in.’
‘They do the twin thing! Do they have their own language?’
‘I don’t think so, but they seem to know each other’s thoughts. They’re coming tomorrow, actually. D’you think we should get them together with Livy or are they a bit young for her? They’re four years old.’
‘We could try. She doesn’t know any kids round here so it’s a bit lonely for her.’
‘Well then, would you like to ask—’ She stopped, taken by surprise at how naturally they’d been conversing.
‘Is there something wrong?’
She shook her head, then laughed. ‘Quite the opposite. You…’ She hesitated, trying to find the words. ‘You’re different this evening, if you don’t mind me saying. Nicer.’
‘Ah!’ He sat back in his chair and sighed. ‘I’ve been a bit of a bastard, haven’t I? And you’ve been so kind to Nancy. I don’t know where to put myself. Still, you can’t blame me for taking care of her. I don’t like what you’re doing.’ His tone was casual, but was there a hint of something harder?
‘What I’m doing?’ she echoed, trying to gauge his mood.
‘You’re trying to get her to trust you.’
That glint of steel. She breathed.
‘She wants to talk to me, Aaron. And once I hear all she has to say, I’ll make a judgement. I won’t reveal anything that would mean she gets hurt. Why would I do that?’
‘Because it’s your job. Journalism, writing exposés. That last book of yours, the trouble it caused. It’s my job, too. I’m a documentary film-maker. I know the importance of a good story and getting to the truth behind it.’
She sighed. ‘Convince me, Aaron. I don’t understand what you’re talking about here. What is Nancy’s great secret that you’re so worried I’ll write about?’
‘Keep your voice down,’ he whispered, glancing around. No one else, however, appeared to be listening. ‘Look, I don’t know the details, but it’s partly to do with an old relationship she had.’
‘With whom?’ Stef’s eyes widened in surprise. She waited, but he only sighed.
‘Listen, I’ll get us more drinks first.’ He waved away her offer to pay, pushing back his chair.
When he returned with fresh drinks, she saw a different Aaron again, one concerned and anxious. He smoothed back his hair, then took a long draught of beer.
‘Nancy hasn’t said much about her relationships,’ she said to encourage him, ‘or indeed about her marriage. I know she had a child. Obviously.’
‘My mother. Sadly, she and Nancy don’t see much of each other.’
‘Are they estranged?’
