Page 36 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘Oh.’ Mum’s expression is now one of concern. ‘Are you absolutely sure?’
‘Of course I’m sure. I found them in bed together at a party! I think that’s proof enough!’
Mum nods. ‘Fair enough, then.’
I’m about to turn and leave, but I can’t help myself. ‘Why did you ask if I was absolutely sure?’
‘No reason.’
‘Mum?’
Mum sighs. ‘It’s just you seem to use that excuse quite a lot when you break up with your boyfriends.’
‘What do you meanthat excuse?’
‘That they’ve cheated on you.’
‘Do I?’
Mum nods.
‘Perhaps I’m just unlucky, then?’ I say quickly. ‘Look, I appreciate your concern, Mum, really I do, for both my feeding habits and my love life. But I can assure you I’m absolutely fine on both counts.’
Mum just nods in that way mums do when they think they know best but don’t want to tell you so.
‘I’ll be back later. I said I’d meet up with Claire this afternoon and catch up on all her news before Saturday.’
‘Ah, lovely. She must be so excited. Do you know Jonathan well? I’ve seen him about the town, but I don’t know much about him and his family.’
‘Not really.’ I wonder why Mum is asking this. ‘I met him at Easter when I was here. Why?’
‘Oh, no reason. Now you get off and enjoy yourself.’
‘Right . . . OK, I’ll call you if I think I might be late back. Is there still a phone box on the harbour?’
‘Yes, but it’s quite often out of order now. They really should get a more reliable one installed. What if people need to call someone while they’re out?’
‘They’ll probably phase all phone boxes out if mobile phones take off,’ I tell her. ‘From the things I’ve read, they reckon we’ll all be carrying them soon.’
‘Nonsense,’ Mum says. ‘Who would want to carry one of those brick-like things around with them all day? It would be ridiculously heavy.’
I’m about to inform her that the yuppie-style phones she’s referring to are already getting smaller and much more common, and it’s not only city workers carrying them now either, but I know it’s not worth it. Mum has never been one for technology.
‘I think they have a public phone in the Merry Mermaid if you need to call us,’ Mum suggests.
‘Great. Is the pub still owned by the Matthews family?’ I ask casually.
‘Yes, Helen and Don still run it.’
‘What about their son . . . is he still at university in Cambridge?’
‘You mean Rob?’ Mum gives me a knowing look. ‘I think he is. To be honest, I don’t have much to do with Helen now she’s not a member of the Women’s Guild. Why don’t you ask Claire; I think they kept in touch. He’ll be at the wedding, won’t he?’
‘I have no idea.’ I shrug innocently. ‘Right, I’ll be off. See you later.’
‘Bye, love, have fun with Claire. Just like the old days, eh?’
‘Perhaps,’ I say to Mum. ‘Or perhaps not,’ I mutter under my breath as I leave the house.
