Page 73 of Love, Accidentally

Silence falls as I digest this information and Will concentrates on navigating us safely out of the town. This is the first time I’ve been in his car, and I’m relieved to see that he’s a careful driver. I treat far too many traffic accident victims to appreciate gung-ho driving.

‘Will?’ I ask once we’re out on to the dual carriageway. ‘Don’t you think it’s odd that she just happens to be in the country on the very weekend that your dad decides to give her namesake its maiden flight?’

‘I thought that too, so I cornered Dad while she was using the loo, and he admitted that he’d planned the whole inaugural flight to be this weekend specifically because she was going to be around. That’s why he was so obsessive about the weather and everything with boring Bernard last night, because he was terrified the conditions wouldn’t be right.’

‘I know I told you to back off, but I’m starting to wonder if you were right and there’s more to this than meets the eye. I thought you said your dad hadn’t mentioned her since they met for a drink.’

‘Me too, and he hasn’t. That’s why I want to ask you a favour.’

‘Uh-oh.’

‘I was wondering if you could perhaps sound her out a bit. You know, woman to woman. Find out what she thinks is going to happen.’

‘I’m not sure, Will. Your dad won’t thank us if he thinks we’re interfering.’

‘Given how much he’s tried to interfere in my life since I moved back, I don’t think he’s got much of a leg to stand on there.’

‘Even still…’

‘I’m not suggesting the whole shine-a-light-in-her-eyes-style interrogation. Just, you know, if the opportunity arises to talk about Dad.’

‘You mean you want me to engineer the opportunity.’

‘I never said that.’

‘It’s what you meant though.’

He does at least have the grace to look guilty. ‘If you were able to find anything out, I’d be grateful. No pressure.’

‘Fine. I’m not promising anything though.’

‘Thanks, Tilly. I owe you one.’

I turn to him and smile. ‘After Mike and Sarah’s performance just now, we’re probably quits.’

30

Flying club turns out to be even more bleak than I feared. Any hopes I might have harboured about there maybe being a clubhouse or somewhere that I could go to escape the biting cold are dashed; it’s literally a field with a load of cars parked at one end and a gaggle of people and various model aircraft at the other. There isn’t even a van selling hot drinks.

‘I’ve brought a thermos of coffee,’ Will tells me, correctly picking up on my facial expression. ‘Just let me know when you need some.’

‘Thanks.’ Although there’s no wind to speak of, the cold air seems to find its way under my coat within moments of me getting out of the car, and I shiver. So much for ‘warm but sexy’; I’m already wishing I’d gone for full-on thermals.

‘There’s Dad and Bernard,’ Will observes as we make our way towards the group at the other end of the field. ‘Let’s go and say hello.’

I’ve kind of got used to the size of Jonathan’s helicopter during Will’s and my visits to the workshop, but seeing it among the other remote-controlled aircraft here really brings home how massive it is again. It must be at least three times the size of the next largest, and most of the others look tiny in comparison. Jonathan and another man that I assume is Bernard are fussing over it, watched by a woman with a slightly bemused expression on her face.

‘I guess that’s Australian Audrey,’ I murmur to Will as we get closer.

‘Yup.’

None of them have noticed our approach, so I take the opportunity to study her. She’s pretty much as Will described. Unlike me, she seems to be dressed for the weather, in fleece-lined boots and a thick coat that reaches almost to the ground. Her dark hair is just visible below the Russian-style fur hat that I’m instantly envious of.

‘How’s it going?’ Will asks Jonathan once the initial greetings are over and we’ve all been introduced to each other.

‘Good, I think. We’re just waiting for the 3D flyers to finish and then we’ll see about starting her up,’ Jonathan tells him, indicating a man a short distance away.

‘Is that helicopter supposed to be doing that?’ I ask. I may not know anything about these things, but the machine currently in the sky is jerking around as if there’s something seriously wrong with it.

---