‘Oh, hello.’
‘Hi, Dad.’ Zoe hesitated, and then leaned in to kiss his cheek. ‘How’s it going?’
‘All right,’ he said carefully.
There was something in the air between them that hadn’t been there before. It made Zoe sad, but she hoped, one day, they’d be able to clear it. She was willing to do her part; it was a question of how willing her dad was and – more importantly – Chantal.
‘Need a hand?’ she asked.
‘I don’t think so. Chantal can’t do much, of course, but I’ve broken the back of it. I drove most of it back last night. Thought it would make it easier for today. Just got a few more bits to load onto the van, and then I’ll go over to give Victor the keys.’ Shoving his hands in his pockets, he grimaced. ‘I suppose your mother is loving this. I’m getting my just deserts and all that.’
‘She knows, but I didn’t tell her. And if the conversation I’ve just had is anything to go by, she won’t be as bothered as you think.’
‘Why would you say that?’
‘Let’s just say she’s met someone and leave it at that.’
He gave a tight smile. ‘Has she? I’m glad. She never deserved to be unhappy.’
‘No, she didn’t.’
‘I suppose everyone thinks we’re getting our just deserts, getting kicked out of here.’
‘I think,’ Zoe said carefully, deciding that there was no point in pussyfooting around the issue now, ‘it’s Lennon everyone has a problem with, not you.’
‘Don’t know why…’ Her dad scratched the back of his neck. ‘Lennon’s done nothing bad…apart from that fight, and there’s two sides to every story.’
‘Dad, why are you still defending him?’
‘Chantal’s ever so upset you know.’
‘I’m sorry about that. It was nobody’s intention to upset her. I do like Chantal, you know. I never had a problem with her.’
‘I know, love. Between you and me, I think she got carried away with the idea of countryside living. I don’t—Ah, here she is!’
Whatever he’d been about to say was cut short by Chantal herself coming out of the house with a shopping bag. ‘This is all the scourers and cleaning things from under the sink,’ she said, handing the bag to Nigel. Then she looked at Zoe with a tight smile. ‘Come to say goodbye?’
‘Don’t say it like that,’ Zoe said.
‘I’m not…You’re right. If it sounded arsy, I didn’t mean it to. I’m OK with moving out. I know I was upset before, but frankly it’s too quiet here for me. I think I need all the things going on in the city.’
‘It takes some adjustment, and it’s not for everyone.’ Zoe glanced at her dad, wondering if he’d add anything, but he simply shoved his hands back into his pockets and watched them.
‘We could have stayed,’ Chantal said. ‘Victor told us we could after Lennon went. But that’s the other thing…Lennon needs someone to look out for him. I can’t do that from here.’
Zoe tried not to frown. Lennon was quite capable of looking out for himself. Unless by ‘looking out’ Chantal meant someonehad to keep him from getting into trouble of his own making. That she fully agreed with.
‘I know you’ve only been here a short while,’ Zoe said, ‘but it will be weird walking past Kestrel Cottage and you not being there.’
‘At least it’s empty in case you need to move back in, eh?’
Zoe stared at Chantal, surprised by her statement. Did it look like her relationship with Alex wasn’t going to last? Or was it just a mean little dig, a hope that it wouldn’t?
‘I’d better get on if we’re going to be on the road before lunch,’ Nigel said.
Chantal nodded and then turned to Zoe. ‘Thanks for coming to see us off.’
‘You’ll stay in touch, won’t you?’ Zoe asked. ‘And remember, if you need any advice about the pregnancy?—’
