‘What?’ He turns to her now, appalled. ‘Wow, I mean I know the budget’s a bit tight but I always thought it was a drop in the ocean for Tobias Woolf.’
She shakes her head.
‘I’ve heard him on the phone to his accountant, in his study at home. When Mum’s out and he doesn’t think anyone else can hear him.’
‘Quite the little eavesdropper aren’t you?’
She shrugs.
‘Knowledge is power, as they say.’
‘He’ll be insured though.’
‘I expect so. Yes, he must be. But they’ve had to remortgage our home in London to help pay for all of this. School and uni fees don’t come cheap either. But Dad believes this place is the perfect investment and he’ll make his money back three times over when they eventually sell it.’
‘I don’t know that your mum will ever want to do that. She already seems quite attached to the idea of settling down here.’
‘She’s clueless. Never worries about where the money’s coming from. Just lets my father pay for it all.’
‘That’s a little harsh.’
Bella rolls her eyes at him. ‘Oh don’t fall for the dippy-hippy act. Look, I love my mum but she wouldn’t last five minutes on her own in the real world. She’s just like my brother; too soft, too idealistic.’ She takes the bottle back from him and swallows a swig before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. ‘Thankfully I’ve inherited my dad’s head for business and I don’t intend to be financially reliant on anyone.’
He nods thoughtfully, pursing his lips.
‘Fair enough. Well, we’d better be getting you back to the hotel. I don’t want to be in trouble with the big bad Woolfs.’ He stands now, inching his way back along the platform towards the open window and Bella follows him reluctantly. She wobbles, the alcohol or the fresh air going to her head suddenly. He reaches out a hand to steady her. ‘Watch your step,’ he says into the night.
She looks at him and grins.
‘Oh, I will. Don’t worry about me.’
THURSDAY
19
Olivia shunts back her chair a little until it is completely under the parasol and looks across at the manicured gardens from behind her sunglasses. It is nine in the morning and the sun is already high in the sky, beating down on the grass and ornamental bushes, which are looking parched despite the many sprinklers deployed by the hotel. Beside her, Tobias signals to a passing waiter that he has finished, the remains of a cooked breakfast congealing on his plate. How he can eat like that in this heat is beyond her.
Opposite them both, Marcus helps himself to another cup of black coffee. He is staying down in the resort for the next few days to keep this crucial part of the renovation on track. Tobias had insisted, even speaking to the management in order to find a spare room for him in their own hotel. She’s not sure exactly which room he’s staying in, or what he did last night. But she notices he looks tired this morning, hiding behind his shades, his hand shaking as he lifts the cafetière to top himself up. Is he hungover, she wonders? Or is this a symptom of some other stress? He seems to find it difficult to meet her eye today, although it’s always hard to feel truly relaxed in front of others. Not that her husband ever notices anything, he is so blithely unaware.
Tobias swallows the last of his orange juice – a paltry concession to health – and claps his hands together with finality. Olivia’s shoulders rise a fraction, in spite of herself.
‘Time to go,’ he declares, looking around the table as though they are all following some unspoken schedule.
‘Where?’ asks Olivia.
‘To the site, of course.’
He turns to Marcus, prompting him.
‘Really?’ she asks. ‘Is that necessary? I can’t help feeling you’ll be more of a hindrance than a help.’
She sees Marcus smile as he turns towards the gardens to disguise it.
‘Bill promised me his electrician would have the first fix in place by today. I want to make sure they’re getting the boards up, some plaster on, maybe even start splashing some paint on the walls by the end of the week. I thought you’d like to see some real progress made before we leave this time.’
‘Yes, yes, I know. But they have their instructions. I’m not sure what Marcus can do at this stage.’
Tobias looks between the two of them.
