‘Yes, of course. I’ll drop you home, then come back for the others. By the shrieks and giggles, I’d say there’ll be fine here for a while. It wasn’t the most sensible idea, you know, going swimming after you’ve all been drinking.’
‘I know, sorry.’
‘Don’t say sorry, Liv. You’re a grown woman who can do what she wants, I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you.’ Seb leaned forward, kissed me, then took my hand and led me to the quad bike. Unlike our first trip, this time I relished the feeling of my arms around his waist, feeling safe so long as he was with me.
Seb dropped me at the farmhouse, swapped the quad bike for the Land Rover, and turned straight back to find the others. I crept into our bedroom to check on Bertie, then went downstairs to wait for the others to return. I’d agreed with Seb that we wouldn’t say anything to the others about the intruder tonight. It would be a shame to spoil Harry’s birthday, and given how much they’d had to drink, goodness knows how Harry and Maggie would react. But first thing in the morning, Seb would have a good look around the grounds, and promised to get to the bottom of things.
Chapter Thirty-Five
All week I’d felt like I was being watched. It could have been my mind playing tricks, but whether on my early morning swim, on the school run, during my meetings with Seb or when I was working in the shop, it felt as though someone was there, just out of sight. A couple of times I thought I saw a shadow, or glimpsed a boot, but it could have been a trick of the mind.
It was coming to the end of my shift when the bell rang on the shop door. ‘Be with you in a minute,’ I said, reaching up to replenish the cough and cold medicine on the top shelf behind the counter.
Beryl appeared beside me, two cups of coffee in her hands. ‘She doesn’t look like the usual type we get in here,’ she whispered, jerking her head toward the door.
I turned to look at the mystery customer and dropped the boxes of flu relief I’d been holding.
‘Hello, Olivia.’
‘Marion? What are you doing here?’
‘Who’s this then?’ asked Beryl.
‘My m… my soon to be ex mother-in-law.’
‘Oh, I see.’
‘Olivia, I wondered if we could have a little chat? In private.’
‘Use my flat if you like,’ said Beryl.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes, go on up. Help yourself to tea for your guest. Here’s your coffee,’ she said, handing me a cup.
We climbed the stairs to Beryl’s flat. I’d only been up once or twice and wondered what Marion would make of the chintzy furniture and surfaces crammed with photos of Beryl’s grandchildren.
‘Take a seat,’ I said, as Marion followed me into the living room. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’
‘No,’ said Marion, scrunching her nose, as though she thought drinking from one of Beryl’s cups would poison her.
‘What is it you wanted to see me about?’
‘It’s about this foolish notion you have that you’re going to divorce my son.’
‘Marion, it’s not a foolish notion, and besides, Rob agreed to it. We’ve filled out all the forms online, now we’re just waiting for the twenty week cooling-off period to be up.’
Marion huffed and pulled a large brown envelope out of her bag.
‘What’s that?’
Marion drummed her fingers against the envelope. ‘A few things have come to my attention that I’ve found very alarming.’
‘Sorry, I don’t understand?’
Slowly, Marion peeled open the envelope and pulled out what looked like a stack of photographs. ‘The way you’ve been conducting yourself lately, Olivia, is most concerning. We feel it would be in Bertie’s best interest if he came to live with us.’
I spat out my coffee, spurting brown liquid all over Beryl’s soft furnishings. ‘Are you joking? Is this some weird practical joke?’
