‘With people you barely know. You can fool them, Jools, but you can’t fool me. Idoknow you, whether you like it or not. I know you’re clever, and witty, and fun, but I also know that you’re sweet.’
Juliet scoffed, but Martha continued, ‘Yes, you are. You’ve been badly hurt, but you mustn’t scar over too much. Tough isn’t you.’
‘Maybe, maybe not, but it’s working for me now. Please, Martha, just let it go. I’m doing okay, big sister.’
Martha shook her head.
‘If you say so. Now come on, we’ve got to get to this meeting soon, and I’d rather not turn up in pyjamas, although you could pull it off in that gorgeous dress.’
Juliet stood up.
‘I think I’d look better for a shower and change of clothes. See you just before half past?’
As they left the room, Juliet decided not to go upstairs immediately. Instead, she pulled on a light jacket and stepped out of the front door into the sweet May morning air. Turning left, she walked through an untended yew arch into what had once been the formal gardens, but now carried the same air of general dilapidation as, she had to admit, did the rest of the house. She stepped carefully in her black velvet shoes over the cracked paving stones that led through two small circular areas, enclosed with more overgrown hedges, until she arrived at a place she had loved since she was small. It was a hexagonal space, with yew on one side while the rest was walled. Espaliered apple trees roamed across all these walls and had just come into blossom. A small fountain should have bubbled in the middle, but now the pool lay damp and mossy. A stone bench stood at one end and Juliet sat down, closed her eyes and took a deep breath, glad of the peace after last night’s party and before the meeting that was due to take place.
A moment later, inevitably, the phone she had pushed into her jacket pocket chimed. Almost reluctantly, but unable to resist attending to it, she flicked the screen into life, where she found nothing more exciting than an email from her local health food shop, offering fifteen per cent off nuts and seedsuntil Monday. She had no idea how she had come to be on their mailing list, but they were one of her most faithful correspondents. Maybe she should start visiting; a healthy lifestyle felt appealing given her sorry state that morning. Nevertheless, she hit ‘delete’ and then started flicking through her photos from the night before.
‘Ha!’ she said out loud, as she looked at the first one. ‘You didn’t see that coming.’ She continued scrolling. ‘Oh, I didn’t realise Soph had come! Oh, Dad, those cocktails looked good, but they really were dangerous.’
She would have continued dissecting the photos if a movement by the archway entrance hadn’t caught her eye.
‘Hello!’ she said. ‘Is someone there?’
A man appeared in the doorway, a slight smile on his face.
She jumped slightly and lost her grip on her phone, which slipped out of her hand. She grabbed for it a couple of times, but it bounced further out of her grasp and slithered away down her skirt to the floor. As she leant forward to retrieve the damn thing, her head spun, and she clutched it and her treacherous phone at the same time.
Praying she wasn’t going to be sick, she slowly straightened up and forced her eyes to focus on the man, whose eyebrows had shot upwards at her antics.
‘Are you all right?’ he said, in an accented voice, tinged with humour. ‘I’m sorry, I did not mean to disturb you.’
The man was a complete stranger, but undeniably handsome in a rather lived-in way, with his shaggy hair and humorous face with its wide mouth and brown eyes. Juliet knew that she must look completely mad, sitting on a bench, alone, wearing last night’s dress with dishevelled hair and a face most likely smeared with mascara, whilst babbling away to herself. She was, unusually for her, thrown, and this made her speak more sharply than she had meant to.
‘Who are you? This is private property.’
The man came a few steps closer, his smile broadening, and Juliet started to panic, wondering if he was going to hurt her. God knows, since the time Toby had lost his temper and grabbed her, his hand raised as if he was going to hit her, she was wary of it ever happening again. The man seemed to sense her fear and stopped, holding up both his hands.
‘I’m sorry,’ he repeated. ‘Please, let me explain. My name is Léo Brodeur.’ He pronounced itLay-o, in the French manner, which explained the accent. ‘I am staying here, working with Sylvia to open a cookery school. I had come out on this lovely morning to collect some apple blossom for a recipe we are developing.’
Relief washed over Juliet.
‘Oh, of course, yes, Aunt Sylvia did tell me. I’m Juliet.’
He beamed now.
‘Ah, the sister who lives in London and draws such witty cartoons for the newspapers.Enchanté.’
Juliet gave a small smile, and he continued.
‘Some birthday flowers arrived at the house for you this morning – is today the actual day?’
She stiffened. Did he know that she had asked Sylvia to throw them away? Was she going to have to explain that they were from her horrible ex-boyfriend, and even the thought of them made her feel sick? Her eyes darted around the garden as she tried to think what she should say next, without telling this stranger her private business. But then she looked back at Léo and saw no malice or nosiness.Breathe, she told herself.It’s an innocent comment, he’s not trying to trip you up, and he’ll think you’re mad if you start rambling on about a bunch of flowers. Forget the flowers.She forced a smile and spoke casually.
‘Mmm, yes, it’s my birthday today, but we thought Saturday was a better day for the party.’
He nodded.
‘Oui, it was quite the party last night, was it not? I helped Sylvia with some of the food, but I do not think you remember seeing me.’
