HARRIET
Half an hour before Sabine arrived, Harriet pulled the quiche out of the Aga. A simple green salad was in the olive bowl and a bottle of prosecco was chilling in the fridge. The sun had disappeared over the hills but the evening air was still warm enough to eat supper outside on the small terrace with its view up river.
Frank was away overnight on business so when Sabine had rung and asked could she come out after the evening boat trip had left, Harriet had said, ‘Of course. Come for supper.’ A girly chat with Sabine was just what she needed to lift her spirits. Since talking to Ellie about the past, all she could think of was how badly she’d handled things. How differently she should have done things. Both now and in the past when all she’d wanted to do was to shield and protect Ellie.
She’d hoped Ellie would join them for supper but that had proved to be a forlorn hope.
‘I’ll just have a sandwich. I’ve printed out a copy of Amy’s unfinished manuscript and I was hoping to read through it this evening. Then I need to start to do some more research into Vanessa Harford. See if I can find where she is these days. Wouldn’t say no to a glass of prosecco though.’
Harriet flinched inwardly at the mention of Vanessa Harford, but said nothing. In one way it was a relief that Ellie was being so open about her need to find the woman, in another way she so wished this search wasn’t happening.
She was out on the terrace, placing a couple of late flowering roses in the centre of the table, when Sabine arrived.
‘Lemon cheesecake for dessert,’ Sabine said, handing her a cake box.
‘Thanks. Sit down and I’ll fetch the rest of the food and bubbles.’
‘We celebrating something?’ Sabine asked as Harriet poured them each a glass.
Harriet shook her head. ‘No. I just like it as a summer drink. Santé.’
‘Somebody’s been busy in the garden,’ Sabine said, looking around. ‘It’s almost back to Amy’s standard.’
‘Thanks to Frank, really. He’s done the heavy stuff and I’ve done the weeding and replanting.’
‘We had some good parties here, didn’t we?’ Sabine said. ‘Nice to think we will again.’ She glanced at Harriet. ‘You are staying, aren’t you? It hasn’t been difficult returning, has it?’
‘Much easier than I expected,’ Harriet said.
‘Told you. Most locals have short memories. Besides, these days, people aren’t easily scandalised. They accept things with a shrug and move on to their own concerns. Nobody’s batted an eyelid at Johnnie suddenly acquiring a daughter.’
‘How do you feel about that?’
‘I’m an auntie which I adore. I love Carla as much as Johnnie does. Of course there are bound to be problems, especially when Johnnie has to work but we’ll manage.’
‘He’s lucky to have you. It’s not easy being a single parent,’ Harriet said. ‘As both of us know.’
‘You talked to Ellie yet?’
‘Yes.’ Harriet shrugged as Sabine waited for her to say more.
‘She’s now hell-bent on finding Vanessa and any siblings the woman and Oscar may have provided her with.’
‘Only natural she’d be curious.’
‘Doesn’t stop it hurting though. I admit I was wrong not telling her the truth years ago and I truly regret denying Amy a place in our lives. But what if Ellie discovers another family out there somewhere? One she prefers. Wants to get close to? I don’t think I could bear that.’
Sabine reached out and held Harriet’s hand. ‘I’m sure that isn’t going to happen. Ellie knows how much you and Frank love her – she won’t dismiss thirty years of happy family life in favour of … in favour of embracing a wicked stepmother.’
‘Here’s hoping you’re right.’ Harriet pushed the quiche towards Sabine. ‘Help yourself to a slice.’
‘I had dinner with Owen the other evening,’ Sabine said. ‘He asked me to marry him again.’
‘This time you said yes?’
Sabine shook her head. ‘No. Actually, that’s not true. I didn’t give him an answer at all. I was too stunned when he told me he’s always known about Reid. That I was wasting my life waiting for him to come back.’
‘Did you tell him about the phone call?’
‘Yes.’
Both women were quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts. It was Harriet who broke the silence.
‘You should marry him, you know. He’s always loved you. He’d never let you down.’
‘I know, I know,’ Sabine said. ‘He’s been in my life forever as a friend and I can’t imagine a life without him in it. But if I married him and it didn’t work, I’d be responsible for hurting one of the best people in my life. I’ve never wanted to take that risk.’ She drained her glass.
‘I suppose we’re too old to go the “friends with benefits” route?’
Harriet choked on a lettuce leaf. ‘Too old? Never. You could always suggest it, but my money is on Owen turning you down. It’ll be marriage or nothing with him.’
Sabine sighed. ‘Think you’re right. He’s old fashioned like that.’