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‘I rang the bank. The cheques were made out to some woman. I hadn’t even noticed. Six thousand pounds. I should do my banking more often, shouldn’t I?’
Marielle remained impassive.
‘Other things had gone missing too when I looked around. I didn’t want to believe it. I’m not trying to use any of this to excuse myself, but I thought I’d tell you anyway. The police came to arrest him this morning. He hadn’t a clue it was coming. Quite the floorshow for the neighbours.’
Hence the swollen eyes, thought Sabrina, but no, what had been going on in Cilla’s life over the past days wasn’t an excuse for what she’d thrown at Marielle yesterday.
Cilla left a silence, maybe for an entirely justifiedI told you so, a gloat, a laugh of ridicule, but Marielle was above that. She just let the silence linger until Cilla was ready to break it.
‘What happened was all my fault and I promise you, it just happened the one time. Roy was having a fling with a barmaid. I was upset, I cried on Sal’s shoulder, one thing led to another. Both of us were disgusted with ourselves afterwards. And yes, it was as base and vulgar as it sounds. I was ashamed because I’d committed adultery, I’d lost my moral high ground, but Sal was completely beside himself at what he’d done. I know you had a new start when you left Italy and he felt he’d smashed it up. He told me how much he loved you and begged me not to say anything. I swore to him that I’d never hold it over him, he had nothing to worry about. Felicity couldn’t have been anyone else’s but I said shewas Roy’s and he wasn’t around to disprove it, seeing as he died not even knowing I was pregnant. Sal once asked me outright if Felicity was his and I lied and told him absolutely not. He loved her because she was family, but he never knew she was his daughter.’
Cilla placed her hand flat on her Bible then and said, ‘I swear that everything I’ve told you is the absolute truth. I haven’t dressed it up, I haven’t taken anything away. That’s how it happened and I could not be more sorry. I’m sure that if a psychiatrist had a good look in my head they’d find some very errant wiring in there. I’ve always wanted to be better than everyone else, but as you can see, I’ve never managed it.’
Cilla was crying, real tears. Marielle knew they were genuine because they were just rolling out of her eyes; she wasn’t drawing attention to them, hiccupping sobs, artfully dabbing her cheeks. She picked up the Bible, put it in her handbag and took out a folded tissue.
‘I’m going to tell Felicity now. I wish I didn’t have to.’
‘It’s her truth to know,’ said Marielle.
‘As if she doesn’t hate me enough.’
‘She doesn’t hate you, you silly woman,’ said Marielle. ‘But make yourself a little bit easier for her to love. You have to try before it’s too late.’
Cilla nodded and then put the tissue down on the table.
‘I said I didn’t want to come empty-handed. These aren’t mine. I should never have had them. I’m sorry.’
She walked out before Marielle had the chance to get up and see what she’d left. Inside the tissue were Marielle’s mother’s engagement and wedding rings.
Chapter 46
LOST AND FOUND
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Polly Pocket, last seen March 20, of Penistown Barnsley, S Yorkshire. Saturday. Contact Christ Barrett. LF28
Found in Lower Poppleton wood, Thursday 29 June, large blue parrot, yellow detail around eyes. Friendly, affectionate, says a lot of swear words. Being presently cared for by person with lots of parrot experience but owner must be worried. LF29
Lost tabby cat, Brightside, Sheffield. No teeth, has limp, only one eye (left), right ear half-missing, tail broken at end. Answers to the name Lucky. LF30
Lost, Wednesday 28 June, blue parrot, yellow around eyes, Lower Poppleton, York. Very friendly and dearly missed. Large reward for return. Please contact, Reverend Robert Marlow, Church of St Francis, Lower Poppleton. LF31
Looking to find the family and friends of Sinitta Hanson who has been in Shoresend/Slattercove since mid May. Please contact Mrs Marielle Bonetti. LF32
Chapter 47
There was a weird vibe at work the next morning when Sabrina arrived with her copy of theDaily Trumpetto check the entry. Teddy was on the phone to them when she walked in, shouting at someone down the phone about getting something so important so wrong. It didn’t sound like him and she knew he was stressed. And Flick was playing at being normal. She smiled as she said good morning but there was something off about her.
‘Have you seen the lost and found page?’ she asked.
‘Not yet,’ replied Sabrina.
‘I wouldn’t get your hopes up. They’ve really cocked it up. Unless you’re a parrot, then you’ve got a great chance of being reunited with your family.’
‘GOODBYE.’ Teddy ended his call and let rip a string of Italian words that might have given the foul-mouthed parrot a run for its money. ‘They’re running a corrected piece on Wednesday, if they have the room. They better have the room.’ He looked enraged but as he passed Flick, he squeezed her shoulder tenderly. Sabrina read from the gesture that they’d spoken; that they knew they were more closely related than they thought they were.
‘We get to keep you for a bit longer,’ said Flick. She smiled but Teddy’s touch of affection had weakened her frail composure and she strutted off in the direction of the office before emotion overtook her.
Sabrina wasn’t sure if she was supposed to know or not so she kept her head down, scrubbed, mopped and wiped. Then just after Niccolo and Roberto had arrived for their shift, Teddy left the kitchen, stood in the middle of the restaurant and clapped his hands.
