Page 59 of The Runaway Wives

Dee tapped her fingers on the table as she considered this. ‘Do you think he’s doing this to improve his public image or because he genuinely wants to help?’

Kenny frowned. ‘I’ve no idea. Does it matter?’

‘It could be important. In my experience people who have something to gain will put in more of an effort than people who don’t.’

Kenny leaned back in his chair, a slow smile playing on his lips. ‘Good point. And I’m guessing that you are very apt at dealing with business people who have something to gain?’

Dee levelled her gaze at him. ‘I’ve been involved in a lot of fundraising. The people who have given the most generously tend to fall in a few groups.’ She counted them off on her fingers. ‘Those who want to avoid paying tax so will give to charity instead to improve their public image, those who are trying to sweeten people up so that they can avoid protests against something they are planning to do, and those who are genuinely altruistic and want to pay back to society or – in the case of a medical charity – have lost someone to the disease the charity represents.’

‘That certainly makes sense. I think our backer wants to get the community on board before he goes ahead with his next development.’

‘Have you any idea what he’s planning?’

Kenny looked guilty and suddenly she knew.

‘He’s in charge of the harbour development, isn’t he?’

Kenny’s face said it all.

‘Yes. He’s planning on building a deluxe shopping mall, with top class restaurants and shops, as it’s on the outskirts of the village it should bring a lot of trade into the village too and jobs for local people,’ Kenny explained.

‘And will wipe out the natural beauty, plus bring in thousands of extra holidaymakers, which will push up the house prices even more and drive out the locals.’

Kenny nodded. ‘True. Glenn is up in arms about it, as you know, and I doubt he will agree to us accepting the money. A couple of the others might not either, as a matter of principle.’

Dee quirked her eyebrow. ‘How do you feel about it?’ It would be interesting to see what take Kenny had on this.

‘To be honest, I don’t know what to do. We’ve been fighting this development for a while, but I think we’re onto a lost cause.’ He scratched his cheek. ‘The money the developer is offering to put into the Artists’ Studios is a large amount. It will allow us to finish the refurbishments and let out the studios at a reasonable price. But…’ He raised his eyes to hers and she could see the concern in them. ‘Are we selling out the village to make our dream come true?’

She could see his dilemma. ‘Are you going to tell the others?’

‘Eventually. I wanted to discuss it with you first, get your take on it. You’re level-headed and don’t have a personal interest like the rest of us, so might be able to see it all a bit more clearly.’

‘What’s this businessman’s name?’ Dee asked.

‘Gordon Frost,’ Kenny told her.

‘Gordon Frost.’ Dee repeated in disbelief.

Kenny’s eyebrows knitted together and stared at her. ‘Do you know him?’

‘I did. A long time ago,’ she replied, her mind going back to that last encounter. Fancy Gordon being behind the harbour development plan. He had moved away to Exeter years ago, after discovering that Nigel and Gordon’s wife, Lydia, had been having an affair. Gordon had said at the time that he and Lydia had a marriage in name only, and that he’d been more hurt by Nigel’s betrayal than Lydia’s.

Should she have left Nigel then? She had certainly considered it, she had been devastated when she’d learnt about Nigel and Lydia’s affair, but the children had still been at school and she had been loath to disrupt their lives. So eventually she had forgiven Nigel, choosing to believe that it was a mad moment of temptation and it would never happen again.

Only it had. Several times.

It was no use bothering about it now, what was done was done, as her mother used to say.

‘What do you think?’ Kenny asked.

Dee’s mind was still going over her last encounter with Gordon and how much to tell Kenny. Just be truthful, she decided. You’re not responsible for what Nigel did. And Gordon isn’t responsible for Lydia’s actions. They had all been good friends before then, and she knew that Gordon cared about people, about the environment.

‘Actually, Gordon’s one of the good guys, although, yes, he’s in business to make money.’ Slowly she told Kenny about how Gordon was a client of Nigel’s and they’d been good friends, often going out for dinner together, then Gordon had discovered that Lydia and Nigel had been having an affair. ‘He pulled his business, threatened to destroy Nigel financially but when he found out that I was staying with Nigel he backed down, said he wouldn’t put me through any more distress. He and Lydia split up and he moved away.’

She could see that Kenny was mulling this over. ‘Do you think that if Gordon knows you’re involved, he wouldn’t back the Artists’ Studios?’

‘I don’t see why. He was always a fair man, and none of it was my fault. Actually, what I wanted to suggest was that I come with you when you have your meeting with him.’

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