Kate's Progress (28 page)

But he continued, sounding more comfortable, ‘It’s not a popular view, least of all with Jack himself, but I’m convinced he’s still in love with his ex-wife.’

Well, what had she expected?
Fool
, she berated herself.

‘I think it’s a large part of his trouble, why he can’t settle to anything,’ he went on.

‘And how does she feel?’ she asked in a remarkably steady voice.

‘I’m not sure. You might have a chance to judge for yourself this weekend. It’s Jack’s weekend to have Theo, so she’ll drop him off, and I dare say she’ll stop for a chat and a cup of tea, so you might see her.’

‘I’m looking forward to meeting Theo,’ she said.

‘He’s a great kid,’ said Ed with enthusiasm. ‘You’ll love him. It’s nice that you get on so well with Jocasta, too.’

‘I love her. She’s a hoot,’ Kate said.

‘She needs someone like you – an older sister, if you like, someone she can look up to as well as confide in. Camilla’s—’ He stopped, probably loyalty kicking in again. ‘I don’t think girls ever confide in their mothers, do they?’

‘You’re asking the wrong person. I had all the sisters I needed. But I’d be happy to be hers. As to Theo – I’ve been putting in some good practice with my next-door-neighbour’s six year old, so I’m about up to GCSE level with little boys. Does Theo like Power Rangers?’

‘I think he’s more of a Thomas the Tank Engine man.’

‘I can do Thomas,’ Kate assured him gravely. ‘And I’ve majored in Postman Pat.’

The almost-smile was there again. It seemed to warm him, talking with her about his family. Perhaps there weren’t many people he could. Except –
what about Banker Lady
? the thought came to her like a cold breeze down the back of the neck.

She had to know. Not that there was any chance for her, but she wanted to know if he was happy, or was in process of becoming happy. So after a pause she said, ‘Tell me about your firm in London.’

He explained to her what a procurement consultancy did, and it sounded complicated but, she could see, necessary to modern big business. ‘We’re small, but getting a good reputation. It’s an area that’s expanding rapidly.’

‘And it helps support the estate?’

‘Cash income,’ he said. ‘Sometimes you can’t do without it.’

‘But you must be sad that it takes you away from here,’ she tried. ‘I don’t suppose you like London all that much – or is there something about it you enjoy?’

It didn’t work. He shrugged. ‘It’s a necessary evil,’ he said. ‘And I’m pretty much my own boss – I can come home at short notice if I’m needed. What I’m hoping to do is build up the firm until it attracts a takeover offer from one of the big agencies, then I can bring the money back and stay here. Perhaps just do the odd consult when it suits me.’

‘So you don’t want to leave London completely. I mean, never go back?’

He gave her an odd look. ‘Do you?’ he asked. ‘I thought when I first saw you that you were a complete cosmopolitanite, but you seem to have settled into this place like a native. Are you meaning to settle here, or are you going back?’

‘I haven’t decided,’ she hedged, and felt a bit glum. She hadn’t found out a thing about Banker Woman. If she existed, Ed-in-the-City was out of bounds. And if she didn’t, he’d come and live permanently here, and Ed-in-the-country would be out of reach.

They both lapsed into silence after that, busy with their own thoughts, and though it was a friendly silence, the sort of silence that only people at ease with each other can have, it didn’t satisfy Kate. He had reminded her that her time here was finite. Well, she had better get on and enjoy it as much as possible. She leaned back against the wall and half closed her eyes so she could look at him under her eyelashes. He was big and strong and dark, but more than that he was so
real
, as if he sucked some power or essence from this place which illuminated him more than anyone else. She saw vividly for the first time that it would be more than a shame if the estate failed and had to be sold – it would be a crime against nature. He and the land belonged to each other. She thought, when the time came, she would try to sell Little’s back to him, even if it meant forgoing any profit. She didn’t think she could ever now sell it to a stranger for a holiday cottage. It would just feel wrong.

It was quiet in the garden, with only the sound of the occasional passing car to disturb them. The dogs had stopped running about and were flopped on their sides in the sunshine, at peace with life, and bumblebees were working the snapdragons, slipping in and backing out industriously, humming like well-tuned engines. Ed was leaning back now too, and his hand was resting on the bench beside hers. It took all her will-power not to slide hers along a fraction so that they touched.

At last he stirred. ‘God, I was almost asleep.’

‘Me too,’ she lied. ‘It’s very peaceful here.’

‘It is. But though I hate to break up the party, I do have some work to do.’

‘Me too,’ she said again. She stretched luxuriously. ‘Thanks for lunch.’

He gave a quirk of the lips. ‘Not quite in the same league as the Blue Ball or the Ship,’ he said.

She turned to face him, so that he would believe her. ‘This is a different world, and much more real. I’ve enjoyed it so much.’

He looked at her gravely. ‘Yes, I have, too.’ But he seemed thoughtful. She was afraid she had sounded too eager and scared him.
Back off, girl
.

‘Would you look at those dogs,’ she said, standing up. ‘Will we have to carry them home?’

They didn’t talk much on the walk home, but it was not an uncomfortable silence. If she had alarmed him, he seemed to have got over it. When they did talk, it was like old friends – or old acquaintances, at least.

At the house, they unclipped the dogs, he took over the leads, and said, ‘Thanks for helping me walk them.’

‘It was a pleasure. Thanks for lunch.’

‘Are you up for another practice tomorrow?’

‘You bet. At the Ordes’ again?’

‘No, I think we should do some gallops and some hill work. Can you be here at ten? No, make it ten thirty, I’ve got some phone calls to make. You’re taking the riding clothes back with you?’

‘Yes, they’re in my car.’

‘Good. Well – tomorrow then? We’ll just have a couple of hours – what time did Camilla invite you for?’

‘She said teatime. I suppose that’s four, four thirty-ish?’

He nodded. ‘So that’ll give you time to go home after the ride.’

‘And clean up and pack a bag,’ she agreed.

‘Right. Tomorrow, then.’ He had been looking directly into her eyes; now he broke the contact quite abruptly and walked off. She turned the other way, towards her car. He was no flirt, that was for sure. People like Jack – like Mark – all smiles and easy kisses – were much easier to get on with. That was why idiots like her fell for them, over and over again. But no more. Once you’d met the real thing, you couldn’t be fooled again.

And much good would it do her!

She was too restless to stay home for what was left of the afternoon, so she drove into Taunton to B&Q to buy things she was going to need next week, and window locks, and four heavy-duty bolts, one for the top and bottom of each of her doors. The front door was only on a Yale which a child could slip, and the back door had an old basic lock-plate which she felt could be shouldered in. It was not pleasant to be thinking of locks and bolts in a peaceful place like this; but even in Eden, once you had spotted the serpent’s trail, you couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there.

She got home and was unpacking her goodies when Dommie bounced in. ‘Where’ve you been? I got home from school but you weren’t here. I got a star for my English test. I can spell shark and aircraft and all the months except Janry and Febry. I got a goal in football. Jason picked his scab off and it bled again.’

‘It sounds like a full, rich day,’ Kate said. ‘I had a full, rich day, too.’

Dommie, the centre of his own universe, wasn’t interested in that. He grabbed her hand. ‘Come on,’ he said, tugging her towards the door. ‘I’ll draw you a picture of a frog turning into a prince, but you have to do the horse cos I can’t do horses.’

‘Hold on, scout. Isn’t it about your teatime?’

He stopped, scowled a moment, and then it cleared. ‘Mummy says,’ he chanted in the sing-song of the remembered message, ‘would you like to come and eat with us? She sent me when she heard your car.’

‘That’s very kind,’ Kate began, thinking of refusing.

‘It’s steak an’ kiddly pie,’ he added, ‘so you’ve
got
to.’

‘I quite see that,’ she said gravely. ‘Who can say no to a kiddly? Lead on, captain.’ Suddenly she felt the last thing she wanted to do was to stay in alone. She was tired and a bit stiff and just slightly low, and an evening with Kay and Darren in front of the telly was all she asked of life. She took Dommie’s appallingly sticky little paw in hers and let him tow her away.

When they got back from the ride the next day, they rode in through the main gates, and Kate said at once, ‘Whoo, nice car!’

It was a silver Mercedes sports car with black leather interior. The smell of exhaust on the air proved it had just arrived.

‘It’s an SL five hundred,’ Ed said automatically. He sounded distant, and she saw he was frowning. He slipped down from the saddle, so Kate followed suit, and was a little surprised when he thrust Gracie’s reins into her hands and walked away.

‘Whose is it?’ she said, but he didn’t seem to have heard her. She walked after him, leading the horses, who dragged a little.
This is the wrong way – stables are in that direction
.

Before Ed reached the car, the driver’s door swung open and a three-inch heel and a long, long leg emerged, followed sinuously by a body that unfurled itself into a tall woman in a tight-skirted, pinstriped suit over a white silk blouse, a woman with a high-cheekboned face, perfectly made-up, and thick, glossy black hair done up in a chignon behind. Everything about her exuded wealth, power, and being at the peak of the social mountain.

‘Edward,
darling
,’ she said in an American accent, holding out both hands. ‘Surprised to see me?’

‘Very surprised,’ he said woodenly. ‘What are you doing here?’

He didn’t move to take her hands, so she grabbed his instead, pulled him to her, and kissed him on both cheeks and then lightly on the lips. Foolishly, Kate felt herself bristle.

‘I thought you were in New York,’ he said, freeing himself.

‘I was, but they had a particular job that needed doing in London so I took the opportunity of a little vacation. I knew it was your bank holiday this weekend, so I thought I’d find you down here.’

‘You didn’t think of telephoning first? We have a houseful.’

‘Great, you know I love parties! I checked with your office and they said you’d taken most of the week off, so you’re obviously taking a vacation too. So I thought I’d drive down and surprise you. What a place! It was really hard to find. Talk about back of beyond!’

‘Well, I don’t know where we’ll put you,’ Ed said, a little fretfully.

She gave him a reproachful smile. ‘Sweetheart, I’ll throw in with you, what did you think? I don’t mind being a little cramped. God,’ she added with a laugh, ‘I’m used to it in England – except in my own apartment. As you know.’

Her eyes slid past him to Kate, and gave her a quick appraisal that was like being stripped and sanded down. It didn’t seem as if Kate had impressed her much. She raised and pressed her plip key and the boot sprang open like a crocodile’s mouth, revealing some very expensive-looking grey leather luggage packed inside. She gave Kate the sort of full but utterly professional smile you give a waiter or bellhop. ‘Have my bags taken up to Mr Blackmore’s room, when you’ve finished with the horses,’ she said.

Ed’s ears went a bit red. ‘This is a friend, Addison. Allow me to introduce you. Kate, this is Addison Bruckmeyer; Addison, Kate Jennings.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ Addison said. ‘Edward’s never mentioned you. He and I were very close in London.
Very
close.’

Kate mumbled something awkwardly about being ‘new on the scene’. She was in a mild state of shock.

In a magnificent gesture, Addison reached behind her head, removed a single clip, gave one shake and released her hair to tumble in spectacular fashion about her shoulders. It was black as ink and as glossy as a shampoo ad, and made her eyes look as green as a cat’s. It was a mesmerizing piece of theatre. Kate had never seen it done better – and she’d been in PR, hanging around models and actresses.

‘Now, you will be a sweetie and take the horses away, won’t you?’ Addison continued. ‘Edward and I have such a lot to catch up on.’ She slipped her hand through his arm and drew him close. ‘And find someone to take my bags up afterwards. You are a lamb!’

She turned towards the house, drawing Ed with her. He gave one glance back over his shoulder, but whether of entreaty or apology or whatever else, she couldn’t tell, because it was too brief. Addison was as tall as him, and evidently very strong. Kate watched her lithe figure, with its mane of shiny Indian-black hair, and thought Ed didn’t have much of a chance.

If he even wanted a chance.

She was pretty sure she had the answer to most of her questions about Banker Lady now.

She went home feeling low, in two minds whether to go back at all. She couldn’t pit her shrimpy little flat-chested bod against Venus as sculpted by a Greek master, her current jobless status against Addison’s obviously glittering career, her one pleasant pub lunch with Ed against months of being ‘very close’. It wasn’t a fair fight. In fact, she had no reason to believe it was a fight at all. When had Ed ever given her the idea he’d welcome the chance to get closer to her? It was all on her side. She’d do better to get out now, before she had her heart broken again – and this time by someone who wasn’t meaning to, who was no ultimately forgettable Mr Shallow, like Mark.

She let herself in through her front door, and knew something was wrong even before her eyes registered it. Beyond her knocked-through arch she could see that the back door was open – perhaps it was the difference in the light and air pressure that had immediately alerted her senses. Closer to hand there was something black on the newly-papered bit of living room wall.