‘That’s nice. I’m missing you, too.’ She thought of her bedroom, her bed still unmade, and how lovely it would have been to go back there with William.
‘Um – you’ll probably be a bit annoyed but I couldn’t help investigating that Leo Simmons. I did it the other day, after I saw him with you at Helena’s show.’
‘Oh?’ Gilly was apprehensive. She didn’t want William to think that Leo was a close friend,especially not after what her guest had said about him being a ‘shower’.
‘Apparently he hasn’t paid the rent on that fancy house he lives in for a couple of months. I found out from a client of mine.’
‘Goodness! Well, that does rather explain one or two things.’
‘Care to enlighten me?’
‘Yes, but not over the phone.’ She paused, not wanting to seem pushy. ‘Would you like to come here for supper tonight?’
‘I’d love to. But do I have to wait until suppertime? Could I come after work? I’d bring some work with me and stay out of your way until it’s time to eat.’
‘That would be lovely! What’s your favourite pudding? I’m only asking about pudding because I don’t want to spoil you too much.’
‘Crumble for me, always crumble.’
‘Excellent!’ She paused and then rushed on. ‘I can’t wait to see you again, William!’
‘Nor me!’
It took them a long time to end the call but afterwards Gilly found she’d stopped worrying about seeming too forward. She realised she felt completely confident that William loved her and wouldn’t let her down.
Chapter Twenty-five
Helena came through the back door as usual, eager to see her mother. She was looking forward to a bath and some telly and an early night in her own bedroom while Jago was out. But her mother wasn’t alone. In fact, as Helena looked around her she instantly spotted things were not as she expected. The little table by the window in the kitchen was covered by a cloth and there were candles. Sitting at it, now half rising from his seat was – her accountant? Really? Did they make house calls? Was her mother’s financial state so bad that he needed to come round after office hours?
Her mother was greeting her, making welcoming noises, although Helena began to realise she was far from welcome and that she really shouldn’t have turned up without warning.
‘Oh, Mum, I’m so sorry! I’ll go away again. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Jago’s watching something over at his friend’s house so I thought I’d come and have a bath. I really should have asked.’
She felt overcome with embarrassment although at least this time there were no flashbacks to when she and her mother nearly got killed on the road.
‘Darling, don’t be silly,’ said Gilly. ‘You know you’re always welcome. Have you eaten?’
‘If not, I recommend the crumble, it really is delicious,’ said William.
‘Mum is really good at crumbles,’ said Helena, trying not to look hostile. She didn’t feel hostile at all, but after her reaction to Leo she worried that her mother would assume she hated anyone Gilly went out with. Or had an intimate little supper in the kitchen with, even.
‘And cakes!’ said William. ‘She made me the most amazing birthday cake, a bird’s-eye view of the landscape with a glider hovering over it.’
‘Oh, I saw the cake!’ said Helena, privately cross with herself for not asking at the time who it was for. ‘It was brilliant! It actually inspired a wall hanging I’m doing for a big show.’
‘Why don’t you sit down and have some crumble and a glass of wine and tell us about it?’ said Gilly.
Helena realised her mother was constitutionally incapable of turning away a potentially hungry person. Cooking and feeding people was so important to Gilly that Helena wondered if it was a way of compensating for her unhappy marriage and subsequent divorce.
‘I’ll just have a quick bath if that’s OK?’
‘I made a spare crumble for you anyway,’ said Gilly.
‘Oh, Mum! You’re so kind!’
‘I know Jago likes my cooking,’ said Gilly as if achieving this situation was somehow challenging.
‘Who wouldn’t?’ said William.
