‘Lina’s not responsible for that young girl being upstairs in our bedroom, Jack,’ I point out angrily. ‘Surely you’re not blaming her for that?’
He runs a hand over the back of his neck. ‘No, I’m not. It looked bad. I should have thought. I didn’t. I’m sorry.’
‘And Evie’s reaction?’ I push him, making sure to keep my voice low. ‘It was extreme, worryingly so. The police might even have been involved. They might still.’
I see a flash of panic in Jack’s eyes. ‘Do you think Imogen will tell her parents?’ he asks.
‘I don’t know. Possibly not, since she was in our bedroom and she admitted that she shouldn’t have been.’ I let that hang for a second. ‘Why did Evie warn you to stop encouraging her?’ I ask, because it’s quite clear that Evie did think he was leading her on in some way.
‘I’m notencouragingher.’ He looks shocked. ‘I’ve only ever seen her in Evie’s company. I have no idea?—’
‘Apart from tonight,’ I point out.
‘I just didn’t think it through.’ He sighs tiredly.
I take a moment. ‘I’ve noticed you exchanging smiles with her. Evie has too,’ I tell him, because he needs to be aware that she has.
He looks astonished at that. ‘Am I supposed to not smile then? Ignore her?’
‘She clearly thinks you like her.’
‘Jesus.’ He shakes his head. ‘If my smiling at her is deemed to be encouraging her, Kara, I really don’t know what to say. If I intended to encourage anything, it was their friendship. Evie doesn’t make friends easily and… I obviously got things wrong. Sent out the wrong signals.’
‘Evie certainly seems to think so, judging by her reaction,’ I remind him. ‘Has she acted this way before?’
‘She’s emotionally fragile, Kara. Isn’t she bound to be?’ Jack looks at me beseechingly. ‘She still has questions about her mother’s death. Questions I simply don’t have the answers to. And then along comes Lina, manoeuvring her way into her life and filling her head with nonsense, blaming me. Don’t you think that’s going to screw her up emotionally?’
He’s looking at me for understanding, and I do understand, up to a point. She’d lost her mother at a time when she needed her most. At her age, she’ll be going through all sorts of physical and mental changes. She’ll have body-image and self-esteem issues, made worse by social media. Her friendships will be incredibly important to her, particularly if she doesn’t make friends easily. This falling-out with Imogen is bound to have a backlash at school, which won’t help her state of mind. Even given all of this, though, her outburst had been so aggressive.
‘Hasshe done this before?’ I ask him again. ‘I need to know if I’m going to be of any help to her.’
‘She’s still struggling with losing hermother.’ His voice is filled with frustration. ‘She’s sixteen. Her mood’s bound to be all over the place,’ he goes on, echoing my own thoughts. ‘Yes, she’s been volatile. I’m sure Lina’s influence is what kicked this all off, though.’
I resist commenting that he’s also been emotionally volatile since Lina appeared. Now isn’t the time to bring that into the mix. ‘You don’t think it was finding Imogen in our bedroom, then? She was bound to be shocked, wondering why she would be in there when the two of you were here on your own. As am I,’ I add, watching him carefully. ‘I’m sorry, but despite your explanations, I’m struggling to believe your judgement could be so off.’
His jaw tightens. ‘I see,’ he says tersely.
‘Didyou have an affair when you were married?’ I ask him, because I have to.
His reply is swift and vehement. ‘No, Kara. I didnot. You’re being sucked in by Lina too, aren’t you?’ he says, almost an accusation. ‘Do you think I’m having an affair with Imogen? I mean,really?’
He stares at me with a mixture of hurt and incredulity, and I swallow back my own hurt. How is it that I feel the one under attack suddenly? In the wrong for asking him, when surely I shouldn’t be?
‘Lina isconfused,’ he points out, his frustration growing. ‘Getting things muddled. You said so yourself.’
‘She’s not the only one,’ I respond, tears rising, part from bewilderment and exhaustion, part from disappointment. Everything was so perfect. I’m having his baby. A new life growing inside me. My love for this child is already so fierce it scares me. I ache to feel the soft warmth of his small body nestled close to mine. I never thought I would find happiness again. I was convinced I didn’t deserve it. I thought that by some miracle I had. With Jack. Now it all seems to be evaporating. Is it me? My hormones at play? AmIoverreacting?
‘Oh, Christ, Kara, please don’t cry.’ He obviously realises how upset I am. ‘I didn’t mean to snap. I?—’
I press a hand against his chest, stopping him as he moves towards me. ‘Were you married before Natalia?’ I ask, searching his face. I’m actively looking for the lies in his eyes, I realise, and my heart drops. I have to be able to trust him. If I can’t, then I can’t be with him. Where does that leave our child?
Jack looks astonished. ‘She’sconfused,’ he repeats. ‘She was talking about her own husband.Hewas married before. According to Natalia, he cheated on Lina. Numerous times. He…’ He stops, wiping his hand over his face, now clearly exasperated.
I hesitate, but I have to ask. I have to see his reaction. ‘What about the bruises Lina spoke of?’ I study him carefully. ‘Thebroken arm.DidNatalia sustain those injuries while she was with you?’
Jack says nothing, simply stares at me for a long moment. Then, ‘Do you think I’m capable of violence, Kara?’ he asks quietly.
‘No, I…’ I falter. ‘I didn’t say I thought you were. I just…’
