‘The what?’
Anna explained about the bright-purple and blue-metal art with the body of a Spitfire plane and moving butterfly wings.
‘Quirky. Anything else?’ asked Becs.
‘Not yet,’ she replied with a touch of regret, her attention caught by a row of beautiful nineteenth-century buildings with ornate stone scrolling around the windows. ‘What I have seen is beautiful, but I’m waiting ’til Steve comes out and then I thought we’d do some touristy things together. I’m going to book a boat tour and some other stuff.’
‘Lovely. I know he’s really missing you.’
‘Is he?’ asked Anna deliberately injecting her voice with a laugh.
‘Well, the rugby season is about to start, so at least you know he’s occupied. But the reason I rang you, as well as to find out how you’re getting on, is to let you know the good news. The company dividends were decided at the board meeting and we’re getting one this year! You’ll be getting a payout very soon, nice enough. Although there’ll be a bit of a delay because Peter Jones dropped down dead.’
‘No!’ Anna clutched the phone. The poor man had only been in his fifties.
‘Yes, it’s very sad. We’ve had to get new accountants, which Dad is in a right old tizz about. Honestly, he’s biting everyone’s head off every five minutes. He’s a nightmare.’
Anna raised her eyebrows but refrained from saying anything. Her uncle was probably more bothered about not receiving personal attention from Peter’s very attractive assistant, Annabel, with whom he lunched rather frequently.
‘Thanks for letting me know.’ This year’s meagre payment would be tucked away ready for when she broached setting up her own brewery line within the Talbot brewery to make a Czech-style craft beer.
‘Mum sends her love.’
‘How is she?’
Becs gave an audible sigh down the line. ‘Not happy. Dad’s got himself a newfriend.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be. I don’t know why she puts up with it.’
‘Hopefully it won’t last long.’
‘They never do,’ said Becs, resignation strong in her voice.
‘Give her my love. And to you.’
‘Will do. Thanks, Anna.’
‘You know where I am if you need to talk.’
Becs snorted with a mirthless laugh. ‘Thanks, honey. I think we’ve said it all a million times, but I appreciate it. I’d better go. Take care, speak soon.’
Anna put her phone away, wishing there was more she could do for her cousin. Her aunt and uncle’s marriage was a complete mystery, revolving around the constant cycle of Uncle Henry developing a flirtation with some woman, Aunt Hazel getting wind and furiously seeking the other woman out, putting the fear of God into her and seeing her off.
Anna thought of her own parents, who’d been the opposite and – what she now realised must be very rare – tactile with each other, communicative and open in their expressions of love. They’d been good friends, a team, whereas she thought of her aunt and uncle as individual members of the family team, often in competition with each other.
Anna saw that her stop was coming up and left the tram to walk to the apartment in the dying warmth of the day. As she mounted the first flight of steps in the apartment block, Michaela poked her head out of her front door.
‘Hi, Anna. How was your first week?’ Michaela’s genuine interest perked her up, and, thinking of Jakub at the brewery and how he reminded her of Ronnie, she immediately smiled. ‘It was good. Really good.’
‘That’s great. Would you like to come to the pub with us? We can celebrate the end of the week with beer and food. We have big news, too.’ Her elfin face glowed as if she wanted to burst with it.
Anna had spent the last couple of nights in her room and she really rather liked Michaela, so she nodded enthusiastically. ‘That would be lovely, thank you.’
‘Great. Come down at seven.’
With that she withdrew behind the door and Anna heard her gaily telling Jan something in rapid Czech before it shut. Anna paused for a moment, reflecting that Prague must be rubbing off on her; it was rare for her to accept a spontaneous invitation like that. Or maybe it was that she was sick of her bedroom walls and keeping out of Leo’s way. That frisson over the spaghetti bolognese had unsettled her.
