“What do you mean, ‘if’?” Seph said. “You’ve managed to get someone to agree to put up with all your shit and I’m by far a better proposition than you.”
“There’s always mail order,” Claire said. “Or we could re-establish the idea of a dowry and just make it something that is attached to the male in return for taking him off the family’s hands.”
We all laughed, including Seph, who was fairly used to being the target for the banter that usually flowed. Then the conversations continued, along with the beer and the whisky and the wine. Jackson and Vanessa slipped off to bed before midnight, claiming tiredness. Max pulled out the cards and decided to teach Claire’s friend, Sophie, poker of the non-strip variety, which became fairly serious once Sophie and Amelie claimed an early start and went to bed, leaving just me, Claire, Max and Seph, after Grant and Marie had disappeared.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, unusual for this time of night as I had it set so that it would only alert me if it was from certain people. I checked it, knowing that Claire would comment and saw a text from Nick.
Nick:We need to talk re: Katie’s situation in the morning and get more security set up here and at the big house. I don’t think she’s been paranoid having seen her emails and some anonymous texts.
I exhaled a long sigh and glanced at Claire who was laughing at something Max had said.
Me:You still happy to have her there with the kids?
Nick:Think she’s better here than anywhere else. Moved her into the room next to mine rather than the one one the other side of cottage. Garry’s coming over tomorrow to help install cameras, sensors and alarms. Will speak to Grant in the morning about doing the same on that place.
Me:If you’re sure?
Nick:If I didn’t think I could protect her and the girls I’d sort out a safe house. Did a bit of intelligence on the ex and called in a couple of favours. This guy’s all nice and charitable on the surface but there’s a fuck ton of crap beneath him.
Me:Okay. Give me the details tomorrow. I’ll be over early.
Nick:Don’t bring Claire. Not yet.
Me: Why?
Nick:There’s some stuff Katie’s told me that she doesn’t want Claire to know yet. See you in the morning.
I put my phone away seeing Claire glaring at me, the game of cards over. “It was Nick,” I said, holding her eyes with mine.
“Is everything okay?” she said. “You sure it wasn’t your latest hook-up asking for a booty call?”
“Unfortunately no,” I said, noticing the slight scowl that appeared on her face and enjoying it immensely. “Nick’s having one of our employees bring some extra alarms over for the cottage tomorrow.”
Max stacked the cards and stood up. “Okay. Whatever you do to the cottage replicate at Claire’s apartment and mine. Jackson’s too. We’ll discuss it further on Monday. I’m off to bed – practice stag day to prepare for.”
“Don’t let Vanessa hear you say that, otherwise it won’t just be Jackson’s balls she’s got in a cabinet,” Seph said, looking from me to Claire and back. “I’m off to bed too.”
“You mean you’re off to watch porn,” Max said, leaving the room. “Just keep the volume down. The wall between your room and mine isn’t that thick.”
Seph looked at his feet and shook his head. “’Night,” he muttered and strolled off behind Max, leaving me with Claire.
She sat on the sofa and pulled a throw over her, her eyes already half shut.
“Why don’t you go to bed?” I said. “You look tired.”
She gave me a weak smile. “I am. It’s been a busy week and I know it’s only going to get busier. Is Katie alright?”
I moved to sit next to her, pulling her feet up onto my lap. She opened her mouth to protest and then kicked me slightly in the thigh. I laughed quietly, tucking the throw around her and feeling a sense of victory when she stretched then relaxed. “She’s fine. I think her and Nick have spent the night talking. She seems to have confided in him.” I dug my fingers into her feet through the blanket, hitting pressure points.
“You’re going to make me fall asleep,” she said quietly.
The house suddenly felt silent, as if we were the only two people in it. Someone, probably Marie, had turned off most of the lights already.
“Is there anything I need to know?” she asked. “If Nick’s bringing more security equipment in he must be fairly worried.”
“I think he is, but not enough to have her not stay with him and the twins,” I said, continuing to massage her feet. “You did the right thing bringing her here.”
Her eyelids dropped for more than a few seconds, then opened slightly. I laughed, knowing that when she fell asleep she would be almost immovable. “K,” she said, her words slurred by sleep. “You okay about us both being in Oxford tomorrow? As in together. At the same time?”
