Ten minutes later they were both sitting at the kitchen table, Pippa asked, ‘How are you feeling after that interview?’ She knew it was probably the only thing on Theo’s mind.
Before he could answer, her phone buzzed with a text from her dad.
I see the Horace Vale interview was not without incident.
Pippa quickly flicked over to her news app. Horace Vale was everywhere. She pressed play on the first video and the newsreader’s voice rang out, calm but with that undercurrent of excitement they usually reserved for celebrity scandals.
‘Social media is abuzz this afternoon after an extraordinary scene at Puffin Island’s Horology Convention. For the first time in decades, reclusive clockmaker Horace Vale gave a rare interview, which was conducted by Dr Theo Blake, one of the leading authorities in the field. But the event took a dramatic turn when a member of the audience interrupted with accusations that the famous partnership between the Vale Brothers ended in more than just creative differences.’
The screen flashed with shaky phone footage from the hall. Sebastian, red-faced, was shown shouting out mid-interview, his voice carrying over the stunned crowd.
‘You blamed an innocent man for your own indiscretions, which led him to be an outcast for the rest of his life, and Walter didn’t agree with how you handled things. Wasn’t that the real reason the partnership broke down? You pinned that evidence on him, knowing he was keeping the biggest secret of all for you. You just wanted him silenced. You made him the scapegoat. You should be ashamed!’
Back in the studio, the presenter leaned slightly forward, eyebrow arched for maximum intrigue.
‘Mr Vale denied the allegations, and the accuser, identified as luxury watch-seller Sebastian Worthington-Frost, was escorted from the convention by the local police. Vale went on to finish the interview, which concluded with a standing ovation. Still, questions are being asked tonight about the true reason for the breakdown of the Vale Brothers’ legendary partnership.’
Pippa turned the volume down and looked at Theo. ‘This will open a right can of worms.’
‘What do you think Sebastian knows? Has he said anything to you? I don’t trust that man.’
‘I promise you, he hasn’t said anything to me.’
‘We could do a little bit of digging, but that might mean having a conversation with the man and I don’t really want anything to do with him.’
‘What is it between you two? Has something happened since university?’
Theo looked uncomfortable, and skilfully diverted the conversation.
‘There must be other ways we could solve the riddle he was alluding to.’
Pippa liked the way he said ‘we’.
‘We could call ourselves…’ She paused, a glint in her eye.‘Tick & Tock Investigations?’
Theo gave her a dry smile. ‘I was thinking something slightly more academic.’
‘Fine. Chime & Reason,’ she suggested.
He laughed. ‘Better. I know he’s disliked me from the first moment he set eyes on me at university, and he’s proved time and again to have no moral compass.’
‘Whatever is bugging Sebastian, fuel may have been added to the fire when he discovered that your grandfather was Vale’s apprentice. He won’t have liked that.’
‘That’s also one of the reasons I kept that bit of information to myself. He always had it in for me. He’s always made me anxious. He gunned for me in every debate, went up against me for every research grant, even went for the same jobs as me at university. He’s always been there, in the wings.’ He looked at Pippa. ‘What is it about me that people don’t like?’
She felt puzzled. ‘What do you mean?’
He glanced away. ‘You and Sebastian seemed to team up on things at university. I always felt like… the outsider. Like no matter how hard I worked, I’d never be enough.’
Pippa swallowed. It was a complete shock to hear that Theo felt that way, and she instantly felt guilty. He’d always seemed so self-assured and full of confidence, and never appeared to struggle academically.
‘I’m sorry I made you feel like that.’
‘Apology accepted, but why did it always seem that you didn’t like me?’ His voice was gentle but direct. ‘What did I do to make you– both of you– react to me that way? After all, we were all passionate about clocks.’
She swallowed. ‘It’s what you said about me, during that dinner party– that I didn’t belong at Cambridge. I worked my backside off to get there, and in that first week you judged me without even getting to know me, and I have to admit… that hurt more than a little.’
Theo frowned, looking genuinely puzzled. ‘I wouldn’t have said that. In fact I know I didn’t say that. Why would I havesaid that? Why didn’t you talk to me about it? Where did that even come from?’
