Page 75 of The Lie
She nodded, giving nothing away. ‘So when do you go?’
‘Couple of days.’ He stood up. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here.’
Romy got out of bed in silence and picked up her blue dressing gown from the chair in the corner, sliding it over her naked body. She walked around the bed and stood close to him, arms akimbo, looking up into his face. He detected a new confidence in her eyes as he waited for her to speak.
‘Are youreallytelling me, Robert Fincham, after what happened last night, that you’re going to walk out of here and never see me again?’ Her expression was not bewildered or questioning, but fierce in a way he’d never seen before.
When he didn’t immediately answer, she said, less certainly this time, a tremor in her voice, ‘Areyou?’
He didn’t have to think. ‘No. No, I’m not.’ He pulled her close, smoothing his hand down the contours of her body through the silky rayon of her dressing gown.
Later they were back on the sofa, his arm around her shoulders, two mugs of tea cooling on the table in front of them. Romy had told him what James had said about Michael, the night he’d assaulted Grace, about Michael’s reaction, about her own feelings for her husband now.
‘Nell knew,’ Finch began, when she ground to a halt.
Romy looked uncomfortable. ‘James said.’
‘She didn’t believe Grace.’
‘Oh. Poor girl.’
‘Nell wasn’t in full possession of the facts, so I’m not really judging her. But it’s one of the reasons Grace didn’t tell Sam till the other day … I never knew about Nell and James.’
They fell silent.
‘There’s always stuff we don’t tell.’
‘I suppose.’ He shook his head in bewilderment. ‘I’d always thought Nell was the most honest woman alive.’
‘It was before you met. Maybe she thought you didn’t need to know.’
Silence fell, as they were both dragged reluctantly back into the past.
Finch turned to look down at her. ‘What about us, Romy? Where do we go from here?’ She didn’t answer immediately and he went on, ‘The situation with Grace. When she’s had the right help and feels better, I hope the two of you …’
Romy pulled away from him and sat hunched forward, her elbows on her knees. He put his hand tentatively on her back, but she gave an almost imperceptible twitch and he removed it.
When she turned, her face was resigned. ‘You just have to do what you have to do, Finch.’
She got up, but he grabbed her hand, wouldn’t let go as he also rose from the cushions and took her other hand, forcing her to meet his eye.
‘I won’t lose you again, Romy. I couldn’t bear to. But Grace is in such a fragile state at the moment. I can’t let her down.’
Romy eyed him. Then her face broke into a grin. ‘This is exactly like listening to myself, persuading you how much Michael needed me.’
Finch laughed. ‘And, like you, I don’t feel I have a choice.’
‘Will you tell Grace about us? If we keep in touch?’
He shrugged. ‘Probably not right now.’
They regarded each other in silence.
‘Well, we both have stuff to do,’ Romy said, her voice firm. ‘I need to sort my life out – Michael nearly finished me. You need to sort out Grace.’
They gazed at each other in silence, Finch feeling his heart contract at the thought of leaving her. ‘I know we have to do this,’ he said, ‘but it feels really hard.’ He stepped closer, his arms going round her and drawing her to him. ‘I’m going to miss you so much.’
She reached up and kissed him, her mouth warm on his, and so familiar – like a beautiful memory. ‘À bientôt,’ she whispered.
