‘Victor managed to glue most of that china in the end, so I hope you weren’t worrying about it. Only I know what you’re like.’
‘Oh…’ Zoe glanced at Billie, trying to work out if anyone had told her about the incident with the display cabinet. It didn’t seem so, though she did pay attention now. ‘That’s good. I was going to ask…well, I was going to ask about the damage. I’m sorry I didn’t have time when it happened.’
‘You were in no state to worry about our silly old cups,’ Corrine said. ‘I’m not surprised it was the last thing on your mind. Are you feeling better now? It wasn’t that bug everyone else has, was it?’
‘I don’t think so. At least I’m fine now.’
‘That’s good. Victor, do you want me to butter that last crust for you?’
‘What’s this?’ Billie asked.
‘It’s nothing,’ Zoe said. ‘Could you pass me the lemonade? It’s lovely, Corrine. It’s all lovely, the stew especially.’
‘I had the beef in the freezer.’
‘And she always makes too much,’ Victor added. ‘And our Penny has so much of Corrine’s stew in her freezer already there’s no point in taking the spare over to her. Will you take some for Alex? Unless he’s coming over when he’s finished with his woman?’
‘I don’t know what he’s planning to do,’ Zoe said, trying not to sound aggrieved but failing. ‘I didn’t get a chance to ask him.’
‘I doubt it,’ Billie said. ‘Virginia goes on a bit when she starts talking about law.’
Zoe wanted to laugh like a kid on the playground hearing another kid make fun of a teacher, but she resisted the temptation.
‘Alex tells me she’s very good,’ Victor said. ‘Must be costing him a pretty penny. He must be taking this business very seriously.’
‘She’s doing it for free,’ Billie said. ‘They’re old friends or something.’
‘Lucky for him then,’ Victor said.
Billie turned to Zoe. ‘Did Dad show you the letter? I wanted to read it, but he said there was no point. Sometimes he forgets I’m not a ten-year-old anymore.’
‘I’m sure he didn’t want you to worry about it.’
‘Well, I worry more about what I don’t know than what I do. So you saw what was in it?’
‘I did, but I don’t really know what much of it means. Only that the man who was injured says he won’t be able to do his job in the future and he wants to be compensated for loss of earnings and trauma and that sort of thing.’
‘There’d be trauma if I ever met him again,’ Billie said savagely. ‘He can’t do his job? Then get another one. There must be a million jobs you can do sitting down.’
Zoe shrugged. ‘I don’t suppose we know the full story. He must have enough of a case to persuade a solicitor to send the letter.’
‘Don’t you believe that,’ Victor said. ‘Pay a solicitor enough and they’ll send any daft letter to anyone.’
‘I don’t know any solicitors, and I’ve never had much cause to use one…apart from my divorce and when we bought our house in Manchester, so I can’t comment either way.’
‘We’ve had our fair share of run-ins with them over the years, haven’t we, Cor?’
‘That we have,’ Corrine agreed. ‘Although,’ she added hurriedly, ‘I’m sure Alex’s friend is not one of those ones.’
Zoe undid the top buttons of her blouse, dreading the rush of heat and anxiety that she already knew was coming. Not now, not here, when everyone would see and everyone would ask. She dragged in a breath, waiting for the wave to hit.
‘I… I need to use the bathroom…Won’t be a minute…’
And she rushed out before anyone was able to comment.
In the bathroom, she kicked off her boots to let the cold of the tiles seep through her socks then leaned over the sink and splashed her face with ice-cold water.
As she tried to control her racing pulse, she looked in the mirror to see her cheeks were aflame and her neck was glistening with sweat. There was no way it would have gone unnoticed. She couldn’t go on like this and keep it a secret.
