‘What should I say?’
‘I don’t know…Ask what time he’s due back so we know what to do about dinner.’
‘Is that really what you want me to ask?’
Zoe paused. It wasn’t. What she really needed to know was why he’d suddenly raced off to Nottingham. Especially given he’d seen Virginia the previous evening and that she’d driven back a matter of hours before he’d followed.
‘Yes,’ she replied finally. ‘It’s odd for him to dash off like that, and it would be handy to know when he’ll be back, won’t it? Are you OK there on your own?’
‘Of course I am,’ Billie said in the exasperated tone she reserved for when she thought Zoe was fretting unnecessarily. Which seemed to be a lot these days. ‘It’s not like I’ve never been in the house alone before.’
‘Sorry. I meant with the campsite being occupied.’
‘I don’t see what that’s got to do with anything. They’re doing their own thing over there, and Dad has kept out of it this time, so nobody has been near the house since they arrived.’
‘You’re still planning to see Maisie?’
‘If Victor can give me a lift. I could walk, but I don’t have the energy today.’
You and me both…
‘Right then. I’ll see you later.’
‘Do you want me to text Dad about dinner or not?’
‘No,’ Zoe decided. ‘We won’t disturb him if he’s seeing someone.’
There had been no word from Alex by the time Zoe left work, and Zoe was more jittery about it than ever. She was driving throughthe village when she noticed Billie come out of the shop. She pulled over and opened the window.
‘Need a lift back up the hill?’ she asked, resolving not to bring up Alex’s absence and her worries about it for fear it might alarm Billie unnecessarily.
‘That’s good timing,’ Billie said, taking Louisa out of the pushchair.
Zoe killed the engine and loaded the buggy into the car while Billie fastened Louisa into the car seat and then got in herself.
‘You saw Maisie?’ Zoe restarted the engine.
Billie nodded.
‘How is she?’
‘Same as always. I think Ezraisdeaf. Maisie does too. He doesn’t notice, no matter how much noise you make, not like Louisa does, but he’s fascinated when you show him something in front of his face, so he’s smart enough.’
‘I suppose she’ll have an official verdict soon,’ Zoe said. ‘The sooner the better, so the clinic can start to put help in place for them.’
‘She says Fern heard from the council about their house. They might be able to have it next month if they want it. Maisie’s getting nervous about it now, though. She didn’t seem as keen as she was, and she hasn’t told her mum yet.’
‘You think she’ll get cold feet?’
‘She might. She’s not very brave really. Not with stuff like that.’
‘If you ask me, she’s braver than anyone gives her credit for.’
‘She must be, living with that lot. Her mum looks at me like I just threw up on her shoes.’
‘She looks at me like that too. I wonder if it’s her default expression.’
To her surprise, Billie let out a laugh. It wasn’t often Zoe heard Billie laugh and certainly not at one of her jokes.
