She took Bryony’s hand. ‘You can go around in circles about the rights and wrongs of it until you’re demented. But I am glad that I accepted this stuff on your behalf. So you’ve got something worth having.’
‘And can I sell it?’ Bryony frowned again.
‘You can do anything you please with it.’
‘Does Dad know I’ve got it? That it was left to me?’
Diane hesitated. ‘No. It was between me and Freddy.’
Bryony nodded slowly. ‘So you didn’t trust him, either?’
Diane flushed. ‘Apparently not.’
‘You kept this a secret from him like he kept his money a secret from you?’
Something shifted unpleasantly inside. ‘I suppose I did,’ she said, slowly. ‘I’m not as blameless as I like to think, am I?’
‘I don’t know.’ Bryony frowned as she wound the rope of gold into a spiral like a snail’s shell. ‘It all depends on motive. You acted to protect what was mine. I’m so angry at Dad.’ Bryony turned to the enamelled locket and touched the curl of hair. ‘But there’s something inside me that makes me want to forgive him.’ She shut the locket and sniffed.
‘He loves you very much. But he’s a very complex character and trusts nobody else’s judgement.’
‘Control freak.’
‘A bit.’
Bryony stood a silver-and-jet bangle up and rolled it from side to side. ‘Can I ask you something else, even if it might hurt you?’
Through the glass aperture in the oven door the curry bubbled and the spicy smell began to fill the room. It was past time to put the rice on but Diane didn’t want to break the spell by leaving the conversation now. ‘Yes, ask,’ she said, softly.
‘Do you think he’s got a woman?’ Bryony blinked.
Diane felt sadness settle over them both like a sootfall. ‘He did have. He says it’s all over.’
Bryony flashed a look of horror at her mother and then concentrated fiercely on rolling the bangle. ‘Don’t youmind?’
‘Not now.’
Bryony propped her head on her hand and sighed. ‘Are you just being, like, really forgiving? Or don’t you care?’
The kitchen seemed to be getting hotter and hotter. Diane wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She felt as she used to when her father found her out in some childish misdemeanour and she had to face his questions. ‘What happens between me and your father doesn’t affect how we feel about you –’
‘I know you both love me. I’m asking you whether your feelings for Dad are so crappy that you don’t care if he’s cheating on you?’ A tear rolled off the end of Bryony’s nose and onto the table. ‘I’m sorry, but it’s really,reallyimportant to me. It’s not as if I’m a kid any more, but –’
Aching for her daughter, Diane struggled to be diplomatic. ‘At the moment, it’s difficult to feel about him as I once did.’Please don’t ask me ifI’vecheated onhim. ‘We’ve each done things that the other sees as hurtful and selfish. It’s all to do with money. And family. And principles. And who thinks which is most important. But that’s not to say that we won’t get over this.’
‘You’re not planning to leave him?’
Oh James. ‘No immediate plans.’
Bryony stood another bangle up. It was of dark yellow gold and in the shape of bamboo. Diane remembered her grandmother wearing it. It had come from Malaya. Tears dropped off Bryony’s chin. Her voice broke. ‘I still love him.’
‘Of course you do.’ Diane slid her arms around the warm, quivering body of her daughter. ‘I know this is all hard for you.’
Sobs began to escape. ‘When I decided to come home, I was, like, coming home to be safe. I could bear it that Inacio had turned out to be a married bastard who’d seen me as a stupid little girl he could amuse himself with. I could cope with being pregnant, because I was coming home. I knew Dad was in hospital, but I thought he’d soon be out – ’
‘And nothing too bad could happen while you’re with me and Dad? That’s all still true, darling. Still true. You’re safe here. I love you. And Dad does, too. We’ve always kept you safe.’
‘And what about the baby?’
