‘You tell me.’
Lysander huffed a sigh. ‘If you must know, I wanted to know if you thought I’d given them the story on Rory Flannagan.’
‘Did you?’
‘No! That was the whole point of me asking her. It’s important that you believe me.’
Tania didn’t speak, instead she folded defensive arms across her body as Lysander fidgeted.
‘You need to believe me,’ he repeated.
‘Do you understand how important this is?’ she said.
‘Of course I do, that’s why I’m asking.’
‘No. I don’t mean whether or not I believeyou, you donkey. This time it really matters. It’s not just about you and me, and your ridiculous point scoring. This time the stakes are much higher for Rory and his wife. Lysander, there’s a baby …’
There was a pause, time in which Rose became aware of her own breath, how loud it seemed as she watched the two siblings absorb what Tania had just said.
Eventually, he shook his head. ‘It wasn’t me. Genuinely wasn’t. I swear.’
Another pause, punctuated by Tania drawing in a deep breath. She gave a single nod. ‘So whyareyou here?’ Her voice had softened, even if by only a fraction.
‘I got offered a job. The pay is ridiculously good– good enough for me not to turn it down.’
‘You said all that, but I don’t buy it, Donkey. I know you, and I also know your work ethic. Or rather your lack of one. Why aren’t you partying in LA, or even spending the holidays with Father and Brigitte? You never work if there’s something more fun to do.’
Rose strained to hear, but Lysander didn’t reply. The pause in the conversation was punctuated by a log popping and clunking in the burner, making Rose startle.
‘I need the money.’ Barely more than a whisper.
‘You … you what?’ Tania sounded incredulous. ‘You were one of the highest grossing models in the world last year. What are you talking about?’
Another pause. ‘I have some expensive habits.’
‘Is itthatout of control?’ For the first time in the conversation, there was a hint of concern in Tania’s voice.
Lysander cleared his throat. ‘It does appear to be a rather slippery slope.’
Rose sighed, leaning against the banister. Lysander had started dabbling in drugs while they were all still at school. She remembered him being hysterically amused by the shape of a carved newel post at the base of a staircase after someone had smuggled in some dodgy mushrooms. He’d rolled his own spliffs, taken pills. Just experimenting, he said. Nothing heavy, nothing hard. He had it all under control, he’d said. Until he didn’t, and he was pretending he could stop taking the cocaine whenever he wanted to.
‘I’ve tried to cut down, but things are spiralling. And it’s not just that. Money seems to have a way of doing a disappearing act on me.’
‘What have you done with it all?’ Tania’s voice remained soft, and in the subdued light, Rose could see her reach out a hand, squeezing Lysander’s arm.
‘Oh, I don’t know. Renting a penthouse suite in LA doesn’t come cheap, nor do charter jets. Hiring restaurants for an evening out with friends is surprisingly costly. And the parties are expensive. Legendary though, I’ll have you know …’
‘I wouldn’t know, Sander. You’ve never invited me.’
‘Haven’t I?’ Lysander sounded unsure. ‘I thought I had. Thought you’d just not bothered to reply. Anyway, it’s all getting too much, it’s getting away from me. Add to that the pressures I face … You have no idea.’
Tania pulled in a breath, the softness from a moment ago gone as she said, ‘Can’t Daddy Dearest bail you out?’
‘The old man appears to have pulled up the drawbridge in that respect. Although I’m not sure it’s all his doing. I think Mother might have finally had enough. I did call her a freeze-dried Barbie last time I saw her.’
‘Freeze-dried Barbie?’ Tania laughed. ‘I like that.’
Lysander chuckled too, then said, ‘Do you remember that year we were here, and she had that horrific pink shiny foil ski suit? The one with real fur at the collar and cuffs. Matching gloves?’
