‘I expect they’re trying to get to the bottom of this case,’ Zoe said after a pause.
‘There is no case,’ Billie said. ‘Not yet, is there? She’s spending a lot of time on something she hasn’t even been hired for yet.’
‘Your dad isn’t paying her for her time so far?’
‘I doubt it – he can’t afford to. I bet she costs loads.’
‘Yes, but surely she’s not doing it for nothing?’
‘I don’t know. I asked him how much it was because I was going to do some research to save him the money – I mean, how hard can it be to find out what he needs to know about it? Anyway, he said I didn’t need to worry because he hadn’t paid her anything.’
‘It seems unlikely she’d do all this for free – are you sure?’
Billie put the butter back in the fridge and let the door slam shut. ‘That’s what he said.’
Zoe paused again, and this time when she spoke, she instantly regretted it. ‘Your dad used to go out with her?’
‘Probably. He hasn’t said as much to me, but I get the idea they were a thing once. God knows how that worked. She’s not his type at all.’
‘Do you know much about her?’ Zoe asked. She wasn’t about to make herself sound batty by admitting she’d googled Virginia’s law firm. What she’d read had filled her with even greater dread. The woman was a shining success story – gorgeous, qualified to the hilt, talented, sharp-minded…and even played a major role in raising money for a local charity that helped domestic violence victims. She couldn’t have been a more perfect specimen of womanhood. And Zoe couldn’t have felt more inadequate in the face of such wonder.
‘As much as I want to. I’m sure she’s fine, but…’ Billie shrugged as she bit into her sandwich. ‘I don’t know,’ she continued through a mouthful of bread. ‘There’s something about her. She’s too…perfect.’
‘That’s not a bad thing.’
‘Come on…’ Billie eyed her with a wry smile. ‘You think so too.’
‘I agree she’s annoyingly perfect and makes the rest of womankind look bad, but I don’t see that as the worst thing someone could be. Anyway, I’m sure it’s not how it looks. Even the most perfect of us have our flaws and hang-ups.’
‘I guess…Anyway, are you staying? I didn’t expect you’d be home at this time.’
Zoe was beginning to wish she hadn’t come home. She was beginning to wish she hadn’t just witnessed Alex being so agreeable and so obviously making an effort for Virginia, when he’d been happy to be his grotty self for her earlier. It led her to the conclusion that he was either far too desperate to impress his sexy ex, or he’d been exaggerating how ill he was to Zoe, and neither of those scenarios were exactly endearing him to her at that moment, especially given the fragile state she was in.
‘I only called in because I was at Daffodil anyway, and I thought I’d pop across to see how everyone is doing here. I was worried, especially when your dad had a fever this morning. But I can see you’re all doing fine, so…’
‘Thank God you haven’t caught it,’ Billie said.
‘There’s time,’ Zoe replied as she picked up her coat. ‘I wouldn’t count any chickens yet.’
‘Where have you been?’
Zoe hurried through to her office. ‘I’m sorry, I had to make an emergency visit and…’ She decided the rest was best kept to herself. She’d lost track of time, and even without the dizzy spell at Daffodil Farm, she would have been late back because she’d been distracted by what was going on at Hilltop, and now she was annoyed at herself for it. But being annoyed wasn’t helping anyone, and on top of her niggling worries about her own healthand what it all meant for her future, there was a danger she wouldn’t focus on her work in the way she ought to, and not focusing meant mistakes.
‘Do you need me to cancel someone from your afternoon?—’
‘I’m here. It’s fine, Lavender. No need to do anything of the kind.’
‘All right, keep your knickers on. I only asked…’
Zoe rushed down the corridor, feeling anything but calm and focused, despite her best intentions. And she was worried too. Her latest episode had rattled her. It was one thing having a funny turn at home but quite another to have it while she was working, and to have caused so much damage in the process. She was suddenly vulnerable in a way she’d never been before. What if it happened again in even worse circumstances? What if shehadbeen driving, or attending a birth, or even the only midwife at a home birth? What if she’d been walking Grizzle, holding Louisa…what if she’d been holding any of the babies in her care?
If she’d been tempted to shirk the question before, she realised as she logged in to her computer that today at Daffodil Farm had changed everything. Ignoring it put more than just her at risk.
As soon as she’d switched everything on, she phoned through to reception.
‘You’re lucky,’ Lavender said as she picked up. ‘Your two thirty isn’t here yet.’
‘Is Simon free?’
