Page 99

‘Yes.’

There was a pause during which Zennor’s stomach wouldn’t stop churning. Her mum seemed worryingly calm as if she was in shock. ‘I see. And how did you discover that?’

‘She told me. Matt knew as well. A couple of weeks before the wedding, Sybil saw Trev at a hotel. He was kissing a woman called Tara – his PA – in the doorway of a room. Their room.’

‘Oh my God. Why didn’t she tell you this before the wedding?’

‘Because – and I am so sorry …’ Zennor felt sick. ‘She was there with Dad.’

‘Ah …’ Her mother exhaled and tears glistened in her eyes. ‘Although I knew something had been going on between your father and Sybil, I didn’t know the detail about the hotel – or Trev also being there.’

Zennor rubbed her mum’s hand. ‘I am so sorry, Mum.’

She shook her head. ‘You mustn’t be sorry. It’s been a long time … and what hurts most is that you and Matt have been dragged into the whole horrible business. I’ve got over what Sybil did to me – believe me – but how could she do that to you?’

‘She didn’t have much choice. Trev was blackmailing her and Matt. He threatened to tell you and me about Dad and Sybil if Sybil let on that he’d been there with Tara. Matt found Sybil in a bad state one day at Rosemergy and she confessed everything to him but he didn’t dare speak up for fear of hurting everyone.’

‘Trev Jameson is a Grade A bastard!’ Her mum almost knocked her mug flying.

The gull flew off in alarm and Zennor stopped the mug from rolling off the table.

‘Sorry,’ her mum said.

‘Don’t be. Trev is all that and worse. He threatened Sybil and put Matt in a terrible position. Then Matt saw him kissing the waitress at the wedding and he couldn’t keep quiet any longer.’

Her mum grasped her arm. ‘You must never let that man near you again. Ever.’

‘Oh, don’t worry, I won’t. I went to see him before I picked you up from the station. I told him I wouldn’t be seeing him again. I think … he loved me but he’s the kind of person who has to own everything. He sees something or someone and he decides that he must battle for it and win at all costs.’

‘I’m sure he thinks he loves you in his own twisted, egocentric way.’ Her mum sniffed in disgust. ‘But what about Matt? He kept quiet about all this too. How do you feel about him? Or is that a question I can guess the answer to?’

Zennor leaned back in the chair and sighed heavily. ‘If you can guess, please tell me because I don’t know. I thought I did. I was sure that I … still loved him, that I always have – right up until I heard he’d kept so much from me. Now I don’t know if I can fully trust him. I want to forgive him. I know he’s always tried to do the right thing …’

‘Look, if you want to know what I think, I’ll say it.’

‘I do. I need to hear advice.’

‘I am shocked about the circumstances but even hearing about the hotel and what Sybil has done – I can’t hate her. Maybe I did for a time, but now? I – just don’t think it’s worth bearing a grudge forever.’

‘Really?’

‘My darling, I was devastated when your dad died. Of course I was. We didn’t have a perfect marriage but I still felt as if one half of me had been ripped away. I was angry that Sybil and your father marred those last few years.’

Zennor gulped back a sob. ‘Me too.’

‘But – and this is the most important thing to hold on to – I now have a very happy life with André. We’re so easy together, so at one in a way I could never have dreamed possible, so how can I keep hating Sybil and dwelling on the past? It will only spoil what I have now. Life is too short.’

‘I understand but I find it hard to accept that Dad wasn’t … I don’t know … a saint.’

‘No one is. Life’s too precious to waste it on regrets. Sybil is on her own and has lived with this for years. I don’t envy her.’

‘That’s very generous,’ Zennor muttered.

‘Only pragmatic. And you and she are very close. She stayed while I moved away – I feel guilty for that. We moved away and left you when we should have stayed to support you.’

‘I am an adult and I made my own way. I started the business. I made a new life.’

‘I know, and I’m so proud. Actually, I have some news I hope will help a little bit. André and I have decided to retire. We want to spend more time with each other and family – you. We were thinking of moving back to Cornwall. Not to St Ives so we won’t be in your pocket but maybe around Truro. It’s another reason I wanted to come back – to ask what you thought and see how I felt about Cornwall.’ She waved a hand over the view. ‘And despite all that’s happened, it’s still the most beautiful place. I think I could make new memories here, despite everything.’