‘Thank you for being so understanding. You see far more of Gilly than Martin does. Don’t you mind about it?’
Helena shook her head. ‘I was with Mum during the divorce. And before that, I saw how vile my dad could be to her. Martin never saw it. I think maybe Dad behaved a bit better when he was around. Whatever, Martin and Dad are quite close. I don’t really have much to do with my dad.’
‘Are you sad about that?’
‘I’m sad my dad wasn’t different but I seem to manage OK without one.’
‘I won’t ever be a father to you,’ said William. ‘But if you ever need help with anything – anythingyou need advice about – I’d be more than happy to give it a go.’
‘That’s very kind.’
‘Only please don’t ask me anything that involves being fatherly. But I’m good on tax, not too bad on cars, and can find my way round a computer if I have to.’
Helena smiled. ‘I’ll bear that in mind. It’s a very nice offer.’
‘Not at all. I know how much Gilly values your opinion. It’s important for me to get on your good side.’
Now she laughed. ‘You’re already on my good side. And I’ll see what I can do about Martin.’
‘There are some things you may not know. Martin and Cressida tried to set Gilly up with a man—’
‘Leo. Yes, I know. What they didn’t know – nor did Mum – was that he was the man who nearly killed me and Mum in a car when I was a teenager.’ She fiddled with her hair for a second or two. Then she flung her plait over her shoulder. ‘I don’t know if Mum’s told you, but I have this weird thing – I can recognise people and remember who they are. I can also do it if only a bit of them is on show, like in a photograph.’ She sighed. ‘It’s not always a great talent to have, to be honest.’
‘Gilly did mention it. Which makes Martin’s dislike of me a bit ironic.’
‘I know! And they were dead set on Mum selling her house so she could move into a nasty little annexe and look after their daughter. Outrageous!’
William nodded. ‘Just to be clear, I have a house of my own. I have absolutely no interest in your mother’s property. I showed her my house, which is nice and in the very best area …’ He smiled. ‘She obviously liked it but I could tell she didn’t want to live there. But if she wanted, I would sell it and buy somewhere more rural we could live in together.’
‘But she didn’t want that either?’
‘Not really.’
‘But if you sold both properties you could buy a mansion!’ said Helena.
‘Martin would really love that,’ said William. ‘Us having exactly the sort of property he wanted …’ He paused. ‘And I don’t think Gilly would.’
‘No, she wouldn’t,’ said Helena. ‘And you don’t mind her having the B & B?’
‘Not if it makes her happy, no.’
For William it was obviously as simple as that.
Chapter Thirty-six
Helena arranged to meet Martin near his office after work the next day. It had taken a little persuasion to get him to see her and he was late. Helena tried not to be annoyed but he always had thought his time was more precious than hers. But she smiled and got up and kissed him when he appeared. He accepted her hug but he didn’t return it. Helena realised he probably knew why she was there and wasn’t happy about it.
‘I think I can guess what this is about,’ said Martin.
‘Oh?’
‘Mum sent you to try to convince me that it’s OK to have another man moving in with her. But it’s not OK.’
‘First, Mum didn’t send me. I don’t suppose she knows we’re meeting and, second, I’m not trying to convince you of anything.’ This was a small untruth but she allowed it. Martin wasn’t going to change his mind easily, if at all.
‘Oh?’
Helena flirted with the idea of telling him this meeting was all her idea but decided life was complicated enough without lying. ‘Well, actually, I am going to try to talk you round to the idea of Mum and William living in the house together. And William asked me.’
