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‘Oh, there’s only Joss, and a lady called Alice here at the moment.’
Thinking of Joss, Emily was hoping she could make it out of the front door without her mum finding out who she was going out with. She didn’t fancy the third degree about where she was going, or the possibility that Joss might overhear raised voices if she found out that that Emily was going out with him. Thinking of which, she said, ‘Clarissa, will you do me a favour? When you turn up tomorrow, if my mum asks, which I know she will, can you say I was at yours this evening?’
‘Sure – why?’
‘I don’t want my mum to find out about me and Joss at the moment. I know she doesn’t like him. I imagine it’s the age gap, and she’s said we don’t know anything about him.’
‘Well, I for one like him already.’
‘Why? You haven’t met him.’
‘Yes, but we have something in common already – you, my dear friend. I’m can’t wait to meet him – and the other guest. Perhaps I’ll find out a thing or two about them.’
Emily rolled her eyes when something occurred to her. ‘I hope you’re not staying here to write an article about the guest house – or more to the point, the guests.’
‘Whatever gave you that idea?’ said Clarissa innocently.
Emily shook her head from side to side. ‘Clarissa …’
‘Cross my heart – unless something really interesting came to light.’
‘Came to light?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. If I found out something about one of the guests that I thought would make a good story.’
‘Clarissa, you can’t go writing a news article about one of the guests.’
‘No, of course not. You’re right. I wouldn’t do that.’
Emily wasn’t sure she believed her. Clarissa told her she was looking for a news story. A big break that might catapult her into the big leagues. However, the idea didn’t trouble Emily. Clarissa could nose around all she wanted, but Emily couldn’t imagine there was anything remotely newsworthy about their current guests.
Chapter 19
‘That’s so kind of you, Gerald.’
‘Not at all. Where shall I put it?’
‘On the dressing table, if you wouldn’t mind.’ Alice stood by the door watching Gerald walk into her bedroom carrying a large tray. ‘I hope I haven’t inconvenienced you by deciding at the last minute that I’d rather eat dinner in my room than downstairs.’
‘Not at all,’ Gerald said again, his ears still burning; his wife was singing a different tune. They’d had words. Gerald didn’t see the problem. It just meant taking Alice’s meal up two flights of stairs. He got the feeling there was more to it than that, though. ‘What’s the problem?’ he’d asked.
‘You know what the problem is – her being here. I want her to leave.’ Anthea had put her hands on her hips. ‘Do you know what she’s doing back here after all these years?’
Gerald had pursed his lips, thinking,how the hell would I know?He’d said, ‘Look, probably like us, she’s had … well, I wouldn’t say misgivings, but I bet it’s played on her mind all these years.’
‘Played on her mind?’ Anthea had scoffed. ‘That’s one way of putting it.’
‘Did you recognise me, Gerald?’
The question snapped him back to the present.
Alice stared at him. She wasn’t surprised that Anthea hadn’t brought the tray up herself. She imagined she wanted her gone.
‘We have so many guests come and go over the years that, to be honest, no, I didn’t. Sorry.’ Just because he didn’t recognise her, it didn’t mean he didn’t remember her, though. How could he not?
He avoided eye contact. ‘Well, if that’s all, I’d, er, better go, there’s … um … lots to do.’ Gerald hot-footed it to the door. He lingered a moment, staring at her.
Their eyes locked, neither wanting to talk about what had happened at the guest house all those years earlier.
