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They both started to laugh, but their hearts weren’t in it.
‘I’m sorry about everything that’s happened. It can’t have been easy for you these past few weeks. I hope it’s helped having Rachel around.’
‘It’s not been easy, but I’ve learnt a lot, about other people and about myself; about life, too. I’ve learnt that if you love someone, you have to tell them. Because one day they might not be there any more and you’ll regret that there were things you wanted to say to them and didn’t.’
‘Good advice.’
Diana nudged him. ‘Ask her to dance before Adam monopolises her for the rest of the night.’
She knew she wasn’t being entirely altruistic. She wanted to monopolise Adam herself; in fact, as the music stopped, she knew that now was the time to break up their little party.
‘Come on, let’s go over. Besides, I’ve just had a phone call and I’ve got something to tell her.’
51
Rachel needed to think, and inside the Deacons’ barn wasn’t the place for it. The music was loud and her head was spinning. A few sips of Pimm’s and a sneaky half a lager did that to you when you had been on the wagon for three years.
She went outside, listening to the strains of ‘Come on Eileen’ fade into the background, and sat down on a stone wall. It was almost eleven o’clock and pitch black, with just a thin crescent moon spilling watery light over the village. Lighting a cigarette, she blew a perfect smoke ring, watching it float off into the air then disappear like the tiny feathery seeds on a dandelion clock.
‘Can I bum a cigarette?’
She swivelled as she heard the voice behind her.
‘Dexy’s not doing it for you?’ she said, smiling softly at Adam.
‘Just needed a cig. Thought I should come out here before I set fire to a hay bale. So how’s your friend Ross? I heard Diana say they had caught the muggers.’
She nodded. ‘The cop in Jamaica just called me, and Ross is out of a coma, so things are getting better.’
‘When are you going back? I assume you’re not on Liam’s morning flight to Bangkok.’
‘I’ve not tied everything up here yet.’
‘Or perhaps you’re not missing Thailand as much as you thought you would.’
‘I do miss it. I miss the green water, the smell of the breeze. I miss my clients, I miss my life.’
‘I know how you feel. Neither here nor there. I’ve made six transatlantic flights in four weeks.’
‘Bravo, you’ve beaten me. I’ve only managed four and a rather nice helicopter flight to Jersey.’
She blew another smoke ring.
‘That was pretty good.’
‘You have a go.’
‘I can blow a smoke ring. I had a very misspent youth.’
‘All right, let’s see who can blow the longest chain of them . . .’
‘Hang on, you started before me.’
‘Stop it,’ she said, almost choking.
Adam snorted with laughter and pushed her off the wall, and soon they were giggling so hard they didn’t hear the footsteps behind them.
‘Rachel, I’m going.’
