Page 5 of A Summer Scandal

‘It seems that my gran,Monica, owned a Victorian pier on the south coast. Grandpa never sold it on after she died, and now he’s left it to me.’

Simon shook his head, as if he didn’t want the information to lodge itself in there permanently.

‘Okay.’ He drew the word out in a way that said:You’ll have to tell me more, I’m not sure where this is going yet.

‘And there’s an apartment with it too.’

He nodded slowly. ‘So, you’ve inherited an old pier and a flat in a place we’ve never heard of down on the south coast.’

‘Yes,’ Violet said. ‘Mum thought it had all been sold off years ago. It’s come as a real shock to her.’

‘I can imagine.’ He looked at his shoes. ‘Is this why we’re not up in the house drinking champagne? I brought some, your mum put it in the fridge.’

Violet flinched, wishing her parents hadn’t needed to be involved. ‘Yes, I guess it is. I was going to tell you about it last night, but you kind of took me by surprise when you …’ her eyes moved to the small red velvet box on the window ledge ‘when you proposed.’

‘I have to say, you didn’t seem quite as thrilled as I’d expected.’

He couldn’t have handed her a clearer cue. Violet felt her heart start to rush, panicky now the moment was here.

‘It was a shock,’ she said, trying to be diplomatic. ‘Marriage is a big step …’

‘One everyone takes,’ he said, reasonable.

‘Not everyone,’ she frowned. ‘But that’s not it. I just feel … Simon, I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I’m ready for marriage yet.’

His brows dropped into a V. ‘But you … you said yes. You definitely said yes. I was down on one knee, and you said you’d marry me. That’s not the kind of thing I could have got wrong, Violet. The waiter shook my hand.’

He didn’t pause for breath as the implications of Violet’s words sank in.

‘I know I did. I said yes, because I didn’t want to say no in front of everyone.’

‘So you said yes out of pity?’

He looked offended now. ‘No! No … it wasn’t pity, honestly. I’m not saying I never want to get married, Simon, just not yet. I don’t feel …’ She trailed off, because the words in her head were too stark to say out loud.I don’t feel sure you’re the man I want to marry.

‘You don’t feel what? Like you love me enough?’

His uncharacteristic bluntness surprised her, and her faltering response probably made him wish he hadn’t asked.

‘I don’t know. I’m sorry Simon, but I honestly don’t know. All I know is that my heart didn’t jump for joy when you asked me, and it should have.’

His brows were so low now they had merged into one dark line across his creased forehead.

‘This isn’tWuthering Heights, Violet,’ he said, almost patronising. ‘We’re normal people living normal lives.’

She looked down at her lime-green-and-navy-polka-dot polished toes. He couldn’t have said anything less inspiring if he’d tried.

‘I’m going to Swallow Beach.’

Simon breathed in and out, slow and steady. ‘Of course. You’ll need to go to make arrangements to sell it.’

Violet shook her head. ‘No, that’s not what I’m going to do.’ Her forthright words surprised herself; up until that point she hadn’t been sure what she wanted. But hearing Simon pretty much tell her what to do crystallised it for her. ‘I’m going to go and stay there for a while.’

‘What?’ His eyebrows shot up. ‘When? For how long?’

She paused. ‘I don’t know. Soon. Next week, maybe.’

He looked at the wooden rafters, thinking. ‘I’m due seven days’ annual leave. I’ll take you. We can have a holiday. Shame to use my leave so early in the year, mind.’

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