Simone went home to find Russ’s car missing and a note from him shoved through her door in an envelope containing his door key. As she was opening it, her phone chimed and she saw that he was calling.
‘Sorry. Have to make this quick. I’m on my way to London.’
‘Goodness, that was sudden.’
‘Well, I mentioned to my agent that I’d put together a pilot episode, just a rough one, shot in the grounds of Pennerton House and she talked to the production people and they want to see it – and me. So I’m taking it to them personally, well, my agent and I are doing that together. They think it might make an extra mini-series, as well as the original series, you see. It’d give me a nice chunk of extra money. So I won’t be home tonight.’276
‘Oh. Well, it’s good news about the meeting, isn’t it?’
‘Yes. But not good news about missing you.’
She couldn’t keep the words back. ‘I’ll miss you, too.’
‘If you want to get on with some paperwork I’ve left my spare key.’
‘OK.’
Silence, then he asked, ‘How did you and Fern get on today? I didn’t like to interrupt your unpleasant job by phoning you there.’
‘I’d better tell you about the details in person. We found a couple of things that were useful but mostly all Lance owned was a load of rubbish. And Fern was right. That flat did feel creepy.’
‘Oh, heck, we’re nearly at the production offices already. I’ll have to go. I’ll call you tonight.’
She felt disappointed at having to say goodbye, which was stupid. She was used to being on her own, wasn’t she? She’d had four years of practice at that. She looked at the clock and did a quick calculation. Still time to ring the girls in Australia and have a quick chat. Neither of them went to bed early.
Why didn’t that make her feel more cheerful?
Because she was being stupid about Russ, that was why.
She was starting to realise how much she would miss him when she had to go home to Australia and her family.
Clo picked up the phone. ‘Hi, Ma.’
‘How are you, darling?’
‘Oh, you know. Pregnancy isn’t much fun. I get tired pretty quickly these days, then there’s all the housework to do after I get home.’277
‘I hope Bob is helping you more than he did last time.’
‘He didn’t need to then because you were here to help me.’
She sounded tearful but Simone wasn’t buying into any guilt about coming to England. Clo’s situation wasn’t her responsibility, even though she’d help them from time to time, naturally. She tried to speak cheerfully. ‘So Bob will have to step up to the mark more this time, won’t he?’
‘He’s busy at work and bringing stuff home as well. It’s an important project and he expects it to help him get a promotion. Can’t you come back earlier, Ma?’
‘No dear, sorry. I have my own life to lead, you know, and I’ve met a rather nice guy over here.’
‘What? Who is he? I hope he’s not after your money.’
‘Why should you think that? Do you think I’m stupid? I learnt my lesson about that from rat man, believe me.’
‘No, no. Of course I don’t think you’re stupid. Who is this guy, then?’
‘It’s the man I’m working for, the film-maker, so actually he’s better off financially than I am.’
‘Oh. I see. How old is he?’
‘About my age.’
‘I bet he’s divorced.’ Clo’s voice sounded sharp.
This was a very weird conversation. ‘What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘You and Dad were so happy together. You’d be taking a big risk getting together with a divorced man who’s failed at marriage once. And anyway, I need you far more than he does at the moment.’
‘I thought I made it plain before I left that it’s not my job to look after you, even during a pregnancy, Clo. It’s Bob’s responsibility. He is the father, after all.’278
‘Thanks for nothing.’ The phone cut off abruptly at the other end.
Simone was so shocked by this that she sat staring at the tiny screen for ages. Clearly her daughter really did expect her to give up her life to support them. She’d hoped they would be starting to grow used to managing without her. It seemed she was wrong.
She phoned Deb but got an engaged signal. What was the betting Clo had immediately called her sister?
Ten minutes later her phone chimed. She picked it up reluctantly after seeing her other daughter’s number. ‘Hi, Deb.’
‘I’ve just been speaking to Clo.’
‘Oh?’
‘I have to say I think you’re being absolutely selfish, Ma. She really needs you now and you’re only swanning around the UK. You could do that another time.’
‘I have a life of my own, something you two seem to forget, and if we’re being purely practical, it might have escaped your notice but I’ve swapped houses with the Dittons for about six months. So even if I wanted to return – which I don’t – I’ve nowhere to come back to.’
‘Oh, we noticed you’d gone all right. We’ve both needed your help, only you’ve not been around to give it.’
Simone gaped at the phone. Had she raised a pair of selfish monsters or what?
‘Is it right what Clo says: you’ve taken up with a guy?’
‘Yes.’
‘How could you do that to Dad?’
‘Your father’s been dead for four years. I’ve not done anything to him. I’m not quite in my dotage yet, so why shouldn’t I go out with a nice guy?’279
‘Because Dad should have been enough for you.’ Simone breathed deeply and before she could speak, Deb went on, ‘Anyway, Clo hasn’t told you but she’s not been at all well this time. The doctor’s told her to stop work only she won’t because there’s the mortgage to pay. She looks awful.’
‘Is Bob helping her?’
‘He’s useless in the house, you know he is.’
‘I know she’s never let him do much. She’s ridiculously fussy about doing things just so.’
‘She’s a brilliant housewife. You should—’
‘I’m not going to argue nor am I going to let you two run my life for your own convenience. Phone me when you’re calmer and can think about my side of things for a change.’ She ended the call.
She tried not to cry but she couldn’t help it.
Neither of her daughters phoned back to apologise.
When she realised they weren’t going to and they’d be in bed asleep by now, she cried some more.
Later, just as she was getting ready for bed herself, the phone rang. She rushed across the room to pick it up, only it wasn’t her daughters, of course it wasn’t at this time.
‘Hi, Simone. Russ here.’
She sniffed back tears. She wasn’t going to weep all over him. This was for her to sort out. ‘Hi, Russ.’ Damn! She’d let her voice wobble.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘N-nothing.’
His voice softened. ‘Tell me, love.’
‘I’ve just quarrelled with both my daughters. They think I should go home and take over their babysitting 280again, as well as doing some of Clo’s housekeeping.’
‘What?’
‘Clo’s pregnant and she’s not as well as she was with the other two. I think, no, I know I’ve spoilt them, letting them pile babysitting and other jobs on me. And – and they don’t approve of me getting myself a fellow.’
His voice was suddenly full of amusement. ‘Is that what I am? Your fellow?’
‘Yes.’ She was feeling better already, just having him to talk to. ‘Or we could say I’ve “picked up a clue” as my grandma used to call it.’
‘Oh, that’s a much cuter way of describing it. I’d really like to be your “clue”. Or your fellow. Or anything else you need me for. I’m very happy to hear you say that. You’ve been holding back on committing yourself to a relationship.’
‘Because I have to go back to Australia eventually. And your life is here.’
‘We’ll discuss that another time, face-to-face. Let’s stick with the good news now. Though you trumped mine by saying I was your clue.’
‘Stop going on about that, you idiot. What’s your good news.’
‘My other good news is that the TV people do want me to make a shorter series about the grounds of Pennerton House, a three-part one, with some shots inside the house to set the scene. They’re going to sort out the details of the contract with my agent.’
‘That’s marvellous. You’re doing so well, Russ. I’m proud of you.’
‘So you and I are going to be very busy once I get back.’281
They chatted for a while and when the call ended she went to bed smiling.
But during the night she woke up a couple of times and inevitably started worrying about her daughters again. What had made them so selfish? Or was Clo really ill? She never had been before, was usually what people called ‘disgustingly healthy’.
Worst of all, did they really expect her to spend the rest of her life serving them and retreating to her quiet cave when not needed?
No, even worse was why should they think their father would have hated her finding another man to love? She and Harvey had both told one another that if anything happened to them, they’d want the other to find someone else. If there was one thing they’d agreed about, it was that love was not exclusive, could always expand to include more people.
During her second wakeful period, it was a long time before she felt sleep winning over worrying, because she couldn’t work out whether to be angry with or worried about her daughters. Or both.
Angry probably came top. She had still not forgiven them for that holiday weekend when they’d left her alone each evening in the hotel bedroom babysitting their children while they ‘partied on’ as they called it. She told herself it wasn’t worth hanging on to, but it had seemed so utterly selfish.