Page 81 of Oz
“Weren’t they the instructions for dealing with Medusa?”
Silas laughs loudly. “She’d have been nagging Medusa about being too kind and friendly to visitors.”
Ivo snorts and, grabbing Henry’s hand, he tugs him out of the marquee. I stare after them. “They really are a beautiful-looking couple.”
Silas twists to face me. “Are you okay?” he asks, pushing my hair back off my hot forehead. “You look a bit stressed. I’m so sorry I haven’t been around.”
“I’m fine.” I grab his hand and drop a kiss on it. “And how could you help? You’ve been so busy since we got back from London and Theo went ill.” He hasn’t been home each night until after two, and he’s back out again at nine the next morning. “When this is done I want you to take a few days off,” I say sternly. “You’ll be making yourself ill the way you’re going on.”
“I can’t take time off,” he immediately and predictably argues. “I’m needed.”
“Not half as much as you think,” I say patiently. “You have an overexaggerated sense of importance.” He laughs and I carry on. “The world will get on fine if you spend a few days in bed.”
“Will you be in it? Because you could really do with some time off too,” he whispers, dropping a light kiss on my lips and then coming back for a deeper one.
“Of course.” I lean into him, chasing his mouth until a cough makes us move apart.
“Sorry,” Henry says, looking slightly flustered. He shoots me a look which seems to combine approval and happiness. Then he blinks and the freaked-out look reappears. “Did you say that Mother was coming tomorrow and she’d only maybe be staying if she felt like it and we couldn’t shove her into the boot of a car in time?”
Silas slings an arm over my shoulder and tugs me into his side. “I did. Why?”
“Because she’s outside ordering the distribution of her luggage.”
“You’re fucking joking,” Silas explodes.
“It’s not a joking matter,” Henry says primly. “Mr Peters, the taxi driver, does not look happy to have become an Ashworth servant. I don’t think it was in his job description.”
“Shit!” Silas breathes, and I feel nerves take root and explode in my stomach like ugly butterflies. He turns to me. “Come on. Meet her and get it over with. It probably won’t hurt too much.”
“It probably will,” Henry says glumly.
When we get outside it’s to find a taxi parked slightly askew on the drive. An extremely disgruntled man is staggering towards the main entrance carrying a load of bags and being directed by a very beautiful woman.
I stare at her from my vantage position slightly behind the brothers. I now see where Silas’s looks come from. She has black hair, greying slightly, cut in a very elegant bob. Dressed in a pale blue dress, she’s a picture of cool English beauty.
Silas moves towards her and after being shoved by Ivo, Henry follows, directing a glare at his unrepentant boyfriend as he goes. I look at Ivo.
“Aren’t you family? Shouldn’t you be joining the welcoming committee?”
“I’m luckily from the side of the family they like to pretend didn’t exist.” He grins at me. “My mother and Olivia never got on. Fucking hated each other, in fact, because of a difference in opinion.”
“What was that?” I ask curiously.
“Their mother felt all the family money belonged to her. So did mine.”
I laugh involuntarily. The sound carries on the air, and I’m horrified to see it interrupt the hushed and slightly irritated family discussion going on. Olivia’s head swings our way and she raises her hand in a very regal gesture.
“Shit,” Ivo sighs. “We’ve been summoned.” He turns to me. “Whatever you do, don’t take any notice of her. She’s a shitty person and she was a shitty mother. Her words carry no weight.”
I stare at him. “Well, that was honest.”
He grins, the smile lighting up his face and making him startlingly beautiful. “Okay, let’s do it.”
I fall into step next to him as we approach the car. The three people turn to watch us. Henry immediately holds out his hand to Ivo, who takes it and goes to stand next to him. Olivia sighs heavily, a frown on her face. “Ivo,” she says coolly. “Still around?”
Ivo smiles. “Yes, still here, Olivia. How lovely to see you. Two years has been too long. Let’s not leave it that long next time.”
“Of course,” she says distantly, turning to face me and missing Ivo’s aside of, “Let’s leave it a lot longer.”
