Evie was so outraged she couldn’t speak for a few minutes. Eventually, she said breathlessly, “That’s a damned lie. I haven’t said a single word to Amelia about you. She’s making it all up.”
Evie had gone bright red with anger and was stumbling over her words, which as far as Liv was concerned made her look guilty as sin. She said coldly: “Shut the door on your way out and just leave me in peace.”
After Evie left, Liv sat on her hard couch mulling over her recent visits from two women who might look alike but had absolutely nothing in common. Which one of them was lying to her?
She knew Amelia’s type and considered her to be something of a kindred spirit, but that made her afraid of her. Amelia had threatened to destroy her sister and if Liv refused to help, she would bring her down too. This wasn’t an empty threat. Liv knew for sure that Amelia would go through with it.
But despite her fractured relationship with Evie, she knew her sister to be a decent woman. Was it really credible she would tell Amelia all of Liv’s secrets? Who was telling the truth? It felt as though neither of them could be trusted. What the hell was she going to do?
Meanwhile, a fuming Evie vowed to have it out with Amelia. She had caught her out in a bare-faced lie. She would never dream of talking about the terrible night to anyone outside of her close circle of friends, and especially not to Amelia of all people.
‘That sneaky two-faced weasel. I knew she’s up to something. I will bide my time until I get her on her own and then thrash things out. I won’t say anything to Freya and the others until I have all the evidence and information. I need to prove that she is a liar and we can send her packing.’
Evie desperately needed some time on her own to think about what to do next.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Kate’s House
Preparations were well underway for Freya’s big birthday party the following week, and the next day everyone gathered round at Kate’s house. They were all horrified at the online trolling Freya had received. She hadn’t left the house since, and Amelia had said she didn’t want any visitors.
Kate had said the best thing to do was carry on with the party plans and show Freya how much she was loved. Amelia told them all she hadn’t wanted to leave Freya on her own, saying “We really do need a big shop and I also have to collect some jewellery supplies for her as I think it would be good for her to get back to work, and we know how much she loves creating her earrings and bracelets.”
“That’s so kind of you,” said Maureen. “You’ve been an absolute treasure. Thanks for looking after Freya.”
Kate smiled at Amelia. “You get off now. It will take you all afternoon to get up to Birsay and over to Harray for Freya. We’ve got things under control here.”
When Amelia had left, Kate said, “She really has been such a great help, especially as Evie seems to have done a disappearing act.”
“I thought she would have been here today,” said Kate. “But never mind. There’s a lot to get through so we’d better get started.”
They had been hard at work ordering the decorations and amassing as much pink and silver as they could get their hands on. The Minion plates and glasses were all boxed up and everyone assured each other the yellow tablecloths were bright enough.
Delima had ordered fresh flowers for the centre of each table and was decorating the vases with stickers of Kylie Minogue in her ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ outfit, which was Freya’s favourite. Kate was packing little bags of silver and pink stars that would be scattered over all the tables, trying not to think about how long it was going to take to clear it all up.
The Minion cake and costume were safely in her kitchen alongside eight giant candles, one for each decade, otherwise, Kate had joked, eighty candles would have had the fire brigade on standby.
Jack had tried the Minion outfit on at home and made Ola giggle but terrified the life out of poor baby Hari, who had yelled his head off at the sight of his dad engulfed by a bright yellow monster. Delima had to make a few alterations to make the costume fit but declared it to be a triumph.
“I’d only do this for Freya,” Jack grumbled. “It’s boiling hot and I look like a right eejit.”
They had ordered jumbo bags of sweeties and helium balloons and Happy Birthday banners. “Christ,” said Patsy, “It’s going to look like a bunch of unicorns have thrown up in the hall. Have we gone over the top?”
Kate looked up from threading multi-coloured fairy lights through pink feather boas that were to be draped over chairs, and said, “This is Freya we are talking about. She will love it. And she needs cheering up. She’s been through such a lot.”
They all fell silent. Poor Freya had actually told Kate and Edwyn to cancel the party.
They’d talked her out of that, but it was shocking to see her so distraught.
Andrzej said he would go round and visit her to make sure she was OK. She had said she didn’t feel up to seeing anyone, but he couldn’t bear the thought of her being alone. He was furious about the online abuse and told Maureen that all he wanted was just five minutes in a room with the person who had started all the rumours. It took a lot to rile the big man, but any upset caused to the people he loved turned him from an amiable teddy into a ferocious grizzly bear.
Andrzej was appalled to see Freya sitting in her darkened kitchen with all the curtains drawn, wearing an old grey dressing gown. He didn’t even think she would have possessed such an ugly garment. She had a defeated look in her eyes that he had never seen before.
Andrzej sat down beside her, took her hand, and said, “Don’t let these bad creatures dim your light, Freya. They are not worth it.”
She’d glanced up at him briefly. Her expression was so hurt and she looked shrunken and defeated. “I know that, Andrzej. It’s just been such an awful shock. I genuinely haven’t thought about my life as Magnus for so long. No one ever mentions it anymore and I really believed I was accepted. I just feel as if everyone will look at me differently now, when I go out or into town and I couldn’t bear it.”
“But you are accepted, Freya. No one has paid any attention to these stupid lies.” He saw Freya’s chin wobble and went on, “I know you don’t feel like it now but this will blow over and these sad, sick people will find another target for their spite. Anyway, don’t you have an art class this afternoon for the kids? You should be getting yourself out of these drab rags and intosomething bright and beautiful and more like the Freya we all know and love.”
