‘That’s nice,’ Cherie said in a voice that suggested she didn’t really have an opinion on whether it was nice at all. ‘As long as it doesn’t have coriander in it. You did tell her I don’t eat coriander, didn’t you?’
‘It won’t have coriander in it, Mum.’
‘Remind me how old she is.’
‘Twenty-three. Twenty-four soon, actually.’
‘Oh yes, that’s right. The baby’s father was killed speeding, wasn’t he?’
‘Not speeding, no. He went off the road on a sharp bend. It’s a notorious accident blackspot – everyone who lives around there knows it.’
‘I expect he was taking it too fast, though.’
‘Well, the investigation was inconclusive on that point as far as I know.’ Zoe pursed her lips tight as she stared at the road ahead. ‘Alex and Billie choose to assume it was an accident. And if they say it was an accident and nobody’s fault, then it was.’
‘I didn’t mean to insinuate it was anyone’s fault. I was only pointing out what could have made him go off the road.’
‘They have red squirrels at Allan Bank,’ Zoe said, forcing a brighter tone.
‘I thought they were all gone now. You know, because the grey squirrels drove them out.’
‘It says on the website they have some. I think there are still places that have a small population.’
‘I don’t expect we’ll see any…not in this weather.’
‘I suppose they might be hibernating…It would be a shame not to see them – I was hoping to.’
‘Well, that’s life, isn’t it? You think you’re about to get something nice, and then you’re hit with the inevitable disappointment.’
‘Still, even if we don’t see any, the grounds are meant to be lovely. Like really stunning. And there’s this bit where the butlerused to live where you can go in and make your own hot drinks. I mean, that’s good, isn’t it? I don’t think it will rain, but if it does, we can cosy up in an armchair with a hot drink and we don’t have to pay for it.’
‘I would imagine we’ve paid for it in the price of the admission. The least they could do is give us a cup of tea.’
‘Still, you don’t get that everywhere, do you?’
‘That’s because everyone is out to get what they can.’
‘It costs a lot to keep these places open, though.’
‘Costs a lot to pay company directors too, letting them drive around in their Rolls-Royces, living in some country pile somewhere.’
Zoe let out a long breath with more force than she’d intended to. She’d been looking forward to seeing her mum, despite the circumstances that threatened to impact their relationship, and she still wanted to spend that time with her, but she was beginning to see that the day was going to be hard work.
As they arrived at the entrance to Allan Bank, Zoe was pleased to see her mum break into a smile.
‘Oh, thisdoeslook pretty!’
‘Doesn’t it?’ Zoe said as she searched for a parking spot. ‘If it’s a good day, I might see if Alex fancies coming another time. I might even join the National Trust – they’ve got loads of properties around here that I could visit.’
‘Surely you wouldn’t get enough use of it to make it worthwhile. You’re never free when I call.’
‘I mean…well, I know I’m busy, but I’d make time.’
‘I wouldn’t waste your money. You’re always telling me how busy you are, so I don’t see how that will change just because you fork out for a National Trust membership. Unless membershipincludes them doing your job for you so you can swan around their houses.’
Zoe couldn’t think of a reply and decided it wasn’t worth the bother. If her mum was having a dig, then she wasn’t going to rise to it. Sometimes – and she hated to admit it, even privately – she could see why her dad had left. Zoe loved her mum dearly, and most of the time she was kind and considerate, but if anyone could smother a pleasant meet-up with negativity, she could.
‘It’s a shame the flowers aren’t all out,’ Cherie continued. ‘I bet it looks wonderful in the summer.’
