Clara cleared her throat, and I glanced over at her. Her lips were pressed together with just the corners turned up as she suppressed a smile, and her eyes were twinkling behind her glasses. It was the first time I’d seen her genuinely amused, and she looked so uncommonly pretty that I almost started choking again.
“What Oz is trying to say is that they’re rehearsing forSweeney Toddat school,” she said in a soft voice. My eyebrows went up in surprise.
“Sweeney Todd? As in,The Demon Barber of Fleet Street?” I said in genuine disbelief. “They’re performingthatat my son’sprep school?”
Clara gave a helpless shrug. “Lily’s a bit… alternative. To be honest, it was that orChicagoand I’m not quite sure that Molton Prep was ready for those themes just yet.”
“And yet they’re ready for cannibalism?” I asked.
“They bake people into pies, Daddy. It’s bloody brilliant,” Ozzie put in. “Margot’s Sweeney Todd, and I’m like hervery firstvictim.”
“Well, there’s typecasting for you,” I muttered into my pasta. “Margot must be the most bloodthirsty child I’ve ever encountered.”
“She’s actually really gentle and empathic, but––” Clara broke off at my raised eyebrow.
“Last month, Margot Harding beat up no fewer than three other children,” I told her something she already knew.
“Those boys were bullies!” shouted Ozzie. “They had it coming.”
“Ozzie, love,” said Clara quietly. “Nobodyhas it coming.” She paused. “But those boysweretwice Margot’s size, and theywerebullying Henry Moretti, so…”
“Ahh, right,” I said slowly. “Henry...” I chuckled. “I wonder what Felix thought about his son being defended by a tiny little girl in the year below him.”
“I think Mr Moretti is glad that those little sh...” Clara broke off and her face went pink. “I mean, those little scallywags were dealt with.”
I tilted my head to the side as I looked at her.
“Is that so? You seem to feel quite strongly on the subject, Clara.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but Clara’s face went even redder.
“I just don’t like bullies,” she whispered.
There was silence for a moment as the heaviness of herwords seemed to take up physical space in the room. I cleared my throat.
“So, when am I going to be watching this violent extravaganza of, hopefully,fakeblood and cannibalism?”
The atmosphere lightened, and Clara smiled again. This time, there were actual teeth showing. Her eyes were sparkling, and she went from just pretty to almost breathtakingly beautiful as she explained the bizarre theatrical plans at Molton Prep.
I decided then and there that I was coming home early much more often from then on – and making Clara smile would be my new favourite pastime.
Chapter 12
I’m not scared for me
Clara
“You can’t go back there,”Lily said as we cleared up the glue and glitter from today’s effort at set design. I’m not sure any other production ofSweeney Toddhad ever involved quite so much glitter, but Molton Prep’s version was certainly going to have its own unique vibe.
“Lily, I can’t stay with you any longer. It’s been well over a month now. House guests are like fish – they stink after three days. I must positively reek now.” I chuckled, but then Lily’s hand closed over mine, and when I looked up at her face, I could see she wasn’t finding anything funny.
“You’re welcome to stay as long as you need, Clara,” she said, her expression deadly serious.
I sighed. “I know, hun, and I’m seriously grateful, but honestly, I’m pretty sure the flat is okay now.”
“Pretty sure isn’t good enough,” Lily said, giving my hand a squeeze. She swallowed before her next words and I watched in horror as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m scared.” She was whispering now and I felt a huge surge of guilt. Iwas putting Lily in an impossible situation. Of course she was scared.
“That’s exactly why I should move out, Lils,” I said softly. “I don’t want you scared in your own home. I should never have come to stay with you in the first place, but I?—”
