Page 71 of For Love or Money
‘I want to take Lesley for a walk,’ he said, ‘show her around a bit.’
‘Okay, see you back at the house later.’
Lesley sank back against the cushioned seat as she watched Rafe skipping lithely up the steps to the promenade.
‘Well, what do you make of all that?’ Al asked, once his cousins were out of earshot.
‘I can’t believe Rafe actually tried to pay Stella off!’
‘I know.’ Al grinned, rolling his eyes. ‘Sometimes I think he’s really let Mr Darcy go to his head.’ He called over a waiter and ordered another couple of drinks.
‘This is the life.’ Lesley sighed, tilting her face to the sun and closing her eyes. ‘I’m really glad I came.’
‘Me too. And Stella looked very happy to see you,’ he said, smiling at her.
‘Yeah.’ She thought of the way Stella had pounced on her almost desperately as soon as she arrived. ‘I’d say she was feeling a bit out of it with your lot, and is glad to have another outsider around.’
‘Probably,’ Al said.
‘Well, it’s all grist to the mill if it makes her glom onto me.’
23
After another drink, Al took her on a short, leisurely walk along the seafront, admiring the miles of pebbly beach and glistening water.
She was starving by the time they got back to the house, and was glad to find Jane and Joy in the kitchen preparing dinner. Stella was hovering uncertainly in the door from the garden.
‘Um ... should I make something separate for me and Peter?’ she asked, watching anxiously as Jane poured olive oil into a large pan.
‘No, don’t worry,’ Joy said, turning to her with a smile. ‘We’ve got it covered.’
‘We’ll do our best not to kill Peter,’ Jane said, looking at Stella over the top of her glasses. ‘However tempting it might be,’ she added.
Stella gave her a shaky smile. ‘Maybe I should—’
‘Don’t mind her,’ Joy said. ‘We’re having baked mullet, ratatouille and boulangère potatoes. There’s nothing there he can’t eat, is there?’
‘No,’ Stella said, her features relaxing. ‘That’s perfect.’
‘You just relax and enjoy yourself. We don’t want you to spend your whole holiday cooking.’
‘Thanks, Joy.’
‘Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble,’ Jane whispered, stirring a pot as Stella disappeared back to the patio.
Joy chuckled, shaking her head admonishingly.
‘Shit-stirring already?’ Al said to Jane.
‘I’m behaving impeccably, aren’t I, Joy?’
‘She’s actually been very good,’ Joy said. ‘Practically saintly.’
‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ Jane said.
‘Go on out and have a drink,’ Joy told them. ‘We’ll join you shortly.’
Out on the terrace, Scott was engrossed in a copy ofFifty Shades of Grey. Lesley hoped he wasn’t looking there for insights into the female mind.
