Page 77 of Lessons in Life

‘My background?’

‘How’ve you ended up here in Beddingfield.’

‘I sometimes wonder.’ Lisa smiled. ‘No, it’s wrong of me to say that. My husband and I came across the village by chance. I loved it…’ She shrugged. ‘Had my girls here and been here ever since.’

‘You have a husband?’ Kamran Sattar’s eyes held her own. ‘Still?’

‘Actually, that’s a moot point. I’veneverhad a husband…’ Lisa broke off as a tall, toned blonde in shocking pink appeared beside them.

‘Ah, caught you! Coffee, Kamran! I thought we’d decided to cut it out?’ The girl, arms folded, glanced from Kamran before focusing on Lisa.

‘We all fall off the wagon sometimes, Tamsin.’ He smiled, standing and stretching. ‘Lisa, thanks for the company. I enjoyed our chat.’ He held Lisa’s eye for longer than was probably necessary, and she felt her heart skip a beat. This man was so gorgeous. Her pleasure in his company was dented only when she heard Tamsin laugh affectedly. ‘Kamran, I never had you down as fancying older women!’ And with a hand on his backside, she laid claim to him by kissing his cheek proprietorially.

25

ROBYN

‘I’m not convinced we should just be turning up like this,’ Jess said for at least the tenth time since we’d set off. ‘I mean, what’s the likelihood that the Foleys are still going to be here anyway? Still actually alive? They must be knocking on now, the pair of them. And it’s eight o’clock already. Old people go to bed early. We should have left it until the weekend.’

‘Mum has suddenly got a bee in her bonnet about this; wants to uncover her past, to find out more about the porphyria. And so do I,’ I added. ‘Jo at school got so excited about doing Mum’s history,’ I said. ‘She’s spent the past few evenings at her computer until two in the morning apparently, searching and researching.’

‘She must be mad.’ Jess pulled a face. ‘And then up and teaching history to your horrible St Mede’s kids after just four or five hours’ sleep? What’s she charging you for all this?’

‘Mates’ rates. She says it’s totally addictive: you get taken down one route and then another opens.’

‘Right.’ Jess didn’t appear overly interested in the intricacies of family history, parish records, electoral rolls and Ancestory.co.uk. Instead, she said, ‘So, Robyn, you’ve kept pretty quiet about you and Fabian after this Alex Brookfield woman appeared out of the woodwork?’

‘Fabian and I are being polite and skirting round each other. I do blame him, Jess, for not telling me about Alexandra. That he was practically engaged to her until two months before we met. If you must know, I’m furious that he kept her from me. I feel there’s a side to him I just don’t know.’

‘And you told him all about Mason? That you’d had a couple of months’ fling with him?’

‘Yes, he knew about Mason.’

‘You actually told him?’

I hesitated. ‘Sort of.’

‘Sort of?’ Jess turned from concentrating on the road ahead through the now foggy darkness. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Can you watch the road?’ I tutted. ‘I just said Mason and I had become good friends during what had been an extremely difficult time in my life.’

‘You didn’t mention the sex, then?’

‘Why would I?’

‘Maybe the same reason Fabian didn’t tell you about this Alexandra woman?’ Jess gave me one of her speciality looks.

‘Bit different.’

‘Oh?’

‘He was with her two years, Jess. Mason and I were friends for two months.’

‘Enough already with the “friends”.’ Jess, stopped at a red light, air-quoted the words. ‘You were in a sexual relationship with Mason. With your headteacher. So don’t go all Julie Andrews on me now.’

‘It’s Fabian’s bloody family again…’ I started.

‘You’re not with his family, Robyn. You’re with Fabian, And Fabian’s fabulous.’

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