‘And the girls.’
‘Not really needed. They’re pretty sensible.’
‘I’m here to collect Tasha who, as we both know, is less than sensible.’
Don’t react, Jules said to herself. There’s a lot you could say, but it’s not your place.
‘I think they’re upstairs chilling out.’
‘You think? You don’t know?’
‘I haven’t got trackers on them although I don’t think Tasha is expecting you.’
‘No, she’s not, but it’s time she came home. She’s been here all afternoon. A bit like you, by the looks of things.’
‘I haven’t been here long at all.’
She really didn’t need to explain herself. Why had she said that?
‘Of course you haven’t,’ Christabel replied with a not-so-sweet smile. ‘Did you walk? I didn’t notice a car. I can give you a ride back if you like.’
‘My mother dropped me off and is picking me up later.’
Christabel wasn’t to know that only half of that sentence was true. She glanced down at the pond where the fish were still scuffling over the last crumbs of food and Morwenna was washing her face.
‘Lance built that pond for Sarah, you know.’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘There’s a lot you don’t know about Lance.’
Jules squared her shoulders. This was becoming tiresome.
‘I expect there is. We’ve only just met.’
‘Sarah used to sit by this pond when she was ill. She was the love of Lance’s life. He’ll never remarry.’ She cast Jules a sly glance. ‘May have the odd bit of fun. I mean, you can’t expect him to be completely celibate, can you?’
Jules didn’t deign that comment with a reply. She wanted to reach out and touch the back of one of those solid garden chairs for support, but they were too far away.
‘He’s that rare specimen – a one-woman man in the long term. And Sarah, lucky thing, was that woman.’
‘Not that lucky,’ Jules shot back, ‘because she died.’
‘No, obviously that was unfortunate.’
Jules felt a torrent of anger rise inside her.
‘I think it was more than unfortunate. It was tragic. She left two small children.’
Christabel looked taken aback by Jules’s ferocity.
‘Perhaps I didn’t express myself as well as I could have done.’
‘Christabel, I think you pick your words very carefully and are capable of expressing yourself more than adequately if you choose. Whatisthe point you’re trying to make here?’
Christabel lifted her chin.
‘There’s no need to be so antagonistic. I’m only thinking of you. A lot of women come to the pottery and end up swooning over Lance. A woman likes a man who is creative, doesn’t she?’ She sent Jules a conspiratorial glance as if they were in league together. ‘I was just trying to warn you that if you have any designs…’
