Page 67 of Never Too Late
‘Oh… I’ve… erm… no idea how much it is.’ Her voice was low in reply. This wasn’t a place where –quelle horreur– prices were discussed, or even mentioned.
‘Doesn’t matter.’ He flashed her a grin and my mum spidey sense prickled. As too, it appeared, did Gabby’s very recently acquired auntie spidey sense. Her narrowed eyes locked onto Frank’s face. Tomas got there before both of us, standing just that little bit taller next to my daughter.
‘Don’t even think about it, Francis.’
Frank held out his hands. ‘What?’
‘Why don’t I take you round and you can make your own decision?’ Gabby said, linking her arm through his, steel wrapped in silk. Frank was going, whether he wanted to or not.
‘Summer’s Blissisn’t for sale,’ Tomas stated as Gabby made to steer Frank away. By the brief look that passed between the siblings, this was new information to her.
‘It’s a special piece,’ his sister seamlessly picked up the thread. ‘It was sold prior to the exhibition.’
‘So how come it’s still on display?’ Frank might act the playboy but there was clearly an astute mind behind the façade and he’d picked up that something was going on.
‘Oh, darling,’ Gabby said, looking up at him under her lashes. ‘You of all people know how this works. Sometimes, one receives an offer they just can’t turn down.’ She offered an innocent look, all raised brows and big eyes, which was anything but. And Frank knew it.
‘Nicely played, Gabs. OK, so show me the ones I am allowed to buy.’
‘Bien sur! With pleasure. Shall we get another drink on the way?’
Sash was watching, adoration clear on her face.
‘She’s amazing!’ she breathed when they were out of earshot.
Tomas nodded.
‘I can see why you asked her to be your agent,’ my daughter continued.
His laugh surprised both of us, and the serious expression transformed back into the one I’d been used to. Older, a few more lines but no less handsome for that. Perhaps even more so. ‘I wish I could claim that honour.’
‘I don’t understand. I thought Gabbywasyour agent.’ Sash looked at me for confirmation and we both looked back at Tomas.
‘She is, and for that I am enormously grateful but her taking that position was most certainly nothing to do with me. Having taken over the running of the vineyard?—’
‘Gabby runs the vineyard?’
‘Not now. She used to, once it was obvious that it was not my forte. Now it’s run by my godson, Benoit.’ He peered over the heads of the assembled guests, taller than many of them. ‘He should be here anytime.’ Turning back to us, he continued. ‘Once Gabby took over the vinery, she told me to go and paint. I already felt a bit of a failure, so to me, this didn’t seem the best idea.’
‘Why not?’ Sasha asked, forgetting for a moment that she’d yet to forgive him.
‘Honestly?’ he asked her.
Caught up in the story, she nodded, urging him on.
‘At the time, it just felt like something else I could fail at.’
‘But Gabby believed in you.’
He smiled down at my daughter. ‘She did. I’m extremely lucky in that respect. My sister has always had more confidence in my abilities than I have.’
‘And now?’
‘Now?’
Sasha indicated the swanky surroundings, the rich and beautiful drifting around, admiring the artwork. You could almost smell the wealth.
‘Now I feel very fortunate to be in this position but there are still days when I feel like I’ll never sell another painting.’
