Page 41 of For Love or Money
‘Peter was indeed a terrible man,’ Jane said. ‘But he wasmyterrible man.’
‘Well, you’ll have to get over it,’ Al said briskly. ‘You’ve got to come to Nice. Dad and Joy would miss you – we all would. And how do you think Scott and Rafe would feel?’
‘They’re not children anymore. They’ll be fine.’
‘But it won’t be the same.’
‘No, it won’t be the same. But maybe we’ll all just have to get used to things being different now.’
When they had finished eating, Liam cleared their plates and poured the rest of the wine. He returned just as Lesley and Al were draining their glasses.
‘Now, what’ll ye have?’ he asked, rubbing his hands. ‘Another bottle? Or will you go on to something else?’
‘Oh, nothing else for me, thanks,’ Jane said, lifting her almost empty glass. ‘I’ll go as soon as I’ve finished this. I need an early night. But you two go ahead,’ she added to Lesley and Al.
‘Jack wants to buy you all a drink,’ Liam leaned down and murmured in her ear, nodding to a stout man leaning against the bar, who raised his pint in salute.
‘Oh.’ Jane waved to him and mouthed her thanks. ‘Well, I do need to keep a clear head for the morning,’ she said to Liam. ‘But I suppose one more won’t hurt. I’ll have a Bailey’s, please.’
Lesley ordered the same and Al asked for brandy.
‘So, what’s she like, then?’ Jane asked Al when Liam had brought their drinks.
‘Who?’
‘The Queen of Sheba, who do you think? Peter’s child bride. This Stella.’
‘She’s not exactly a child.’
‘Not far off, from what I’ve heard. Young enough to bePeter’schild at any rate. Anyway, you haven’t answered my question.’
Al threw Lesley a ‘help me out here’ look.
‘You’ve met her too, then?’ Jane asked Lesley. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve been double-dating with your uncle,’ she said to Al.
‘Well, we did all meet up for lunch the other day. I thought it would be good for Lesley to get the measure of her. She’s got good instincts about people.’
‘And what did you think, Lesley?’
‘She’s ... very tall.’ She took a sip of her Bailey’s. ‘Good at meditation,’ she added.
‘That’s it?’
‘She’s hard to get a handle on. But she was very evasive about her background, wasn’t she, Al?’
‘She wouldn’t even tell us where she was from originally. She’s definitely hiding something.’
‘She’s not on any social media,’ Lesley added.
‘And Peter doesn’t seem to know any more about her than we do.’
‘And I suppose Peter’s madly in love?’ Jane said bitterly. ‘Too bloody besotted to see straight.’
Al shrugged. ‘He’s infatuated with her, I suppose. You know what he’s like.’
‘He’s been infatuated with lots of people. He never married any of them before. What makes this woman different to all his other flings?’
‘Timing?’ Al said. ‘He proposed to her in a panic right after his heart attack. Maybe he’s painted himself into a corner and now he feels he has to do the right thing.’
