‘For someone who was weeping at the bedside of an old woman you’re hardly even related to, you’ve got quite a cob on,’ said Roy as they walked.
‘Because I care about Amy, it doesn’t mean I’m soft,’ she said.
‘I just wonder why you care about a woman who’s days away from death? Is it because you think you might inherit her farm?’
‘I think it’s blatantly obvious that’s why youdon’tcare about her. She’s worth so much more to you dead!’
He shrugged.
To Fran’s relief, it was Roy’s car she saw, slightly askew in the corner of the hospital car park.
They were just turning out of the town when Fran saw Megan walking along holding bags from the town’s dress shop. To her surprise and irritation, Roy pulled up.
‘Hey, Megan!’
‘Roy!’ Megan leant in and kissed Roy’s cheek through the window of the car.
Theyobviously knew each other well.
‘Hello, Megan,’ said Fran, trying to keep her voice neutral.
‘Oh, Fran, I didn’t expect to see you there.’
‘Roy’s giving me a lift back from the hospital. Amy’s there, not very well.’
‘That’s kind of him,’ said Megan. ‘And I hoped we’d see you in the pub?’
Fran was surprised. She didn’t think Megan was a pub kind of person. She’d be more into cocktail places, or wine bars. But maybe Megan was a regular down at the Wheatsheaf, or whichever of the town’s pubs Roy frequented.
‘I might be down later, but I’m rather under the cosh here.’ He jerked a thumb in Fran’s direction. ‘Madam might want me to run another errand for her.’
‘Right now “Madam” just wants to get home. It’s been a very long day,’ said Fran.
‘And a long night too, I reckon,’ said Roy.
He was about to expound on what she might have been doing when Megan broke in. ‘So what’s wrong with Amy?’ she asked Fran.
‘She has an infection. She was a bit better when we left her though.’
‘I think it’s cruel to keep old people alive beyond their natural lifetimes,’ said Roy. ‘We put down animals when they’re in that state.’
‘Amy is not “alive beyond her natural lifetime”,’ said Fran firmly. ‘She could live for many more years yet.’
‘Yeah,but in what state?’ said Roy. ‘She’s already losing her marbles. We don’t want a mad old biddy in an expensive care home.’
‘Roy? Could we just go home? Nice to see you, Megan.’
Unfortunately Roy didn’t pick up his clue to drive off.
‘Have you seen much of Antony lately?’ Megan asked, still leaning through Roy’s window.
‘Seeing him? She only spent the night with him. Dunno if the old lady would like to come and find out her beloved cousin is “sleeping with the enemy”.’ He waggled his fingers to indicate inverted commas as he spoke.
Fran wanted to groan but managed to keep it internal. ‘Oh, Roy! Can you stop harping on? I want to get home. I’m sure Megan will save you a seat at the pub.’
Megan, who’d been doing a fairly good impression of a friendly person, suddenly tightened her mouth. ‘Is this true?’
‘I’m not answerable to you, or to anyone. My business is my business,’ said Fran, exasperated.
