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It seemed a little late to be asking that now Liam knew and was angry enough with her and the Eppings to head straight for Belinda’s house.
‘Of course I can,’ said Nessa, wrinkling her forehead. ‘Working in Shelley’s, you wouldn’t believe all the things I hear about people in this village and keep quiet about. For example, Seth had a fling years ago with a woman in Bailey’s Ford, Felicia in Dolphin Cottage likes to do her housework totally naked, and newsagent Colin wears a hairpiece, and I’ve never told anyone.’
The fact that Nessa was telling her right now was disconcerting but Rosie felt too wretched to care. Cecilia had threatened to sue if her husband’s reputation was tarnished – whether she could or not, Rosie wasn’t sure. But his reputation was pretty much shot to pieces around here anyway. And it would take a huge hit when locals discovered he was about to destroy Liam’s farm.
‘Don’t tell me if you don’t want to,’ said Nessa.
‘I do want to.’ Rosie took a deep breath. ‘Liam thinks I deliberately sacrificed his farm to save Driftwood House.’
‘But that’s mad. It was Epping’s decision. Why would he listen to you?’
‘Because I’m pretty sure I’m his daughter.’
‘Yeah, of course you are, and Daddy always does what his darling daughter wants.’ Nessa’s laugh died when she caught sight of Rosie’s face. ‘Good grief, you really are his daughter.’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘When did you find… I mean, how did you… what the actual…?’
‘I found information in the attic at Driftwood House while I was clearing things out.’
‘Didn’t your mother ever say anything about it?’
‘No. All my life I thought that David was my dad. Hewasmy dad, as far as I was concerned, and I don’t suppose she knew how to tell me otherwise.’
‘She must have thought she’d have the time to work it out.’
‘Then time ran out.’
Nessa shook her head. ‘Sofia and Charles Epping, getting it on – that is, like, blowing my freakin’ mind.’
‘Tell me about it,’ said Rosie, glumly.
‘So have you told him that he’s the daddy?’
Rosie nodded.
‘And?’
‘He’s not interested in finding out for sure, and his wife almost ran me off the premises. But that’s fine. I don’t want to see either of them ever again.’
‘That’s rough.’ Nessa patted Rosie’s arm. ‘Did he mention anything about Meadowsweet Farm?’
‘Nothing, and I never meant for this to happen.’
‘I know that, but what a mess!’ Nessa continued patting Rosie’s arm as though she was a child. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of her watch. ‘Look at the time! We’d better get a move on if you’re still planning on catching that flight. What are you going to do?’
Rosie closed her eyes. That was the big question.
For goodness’ sake, he was going to fall if he didn’t watch out. His body would hurtle through space and plunge into the sea that was pounding the rocks below. Right now, he didn’t much care. But faithful Billy might jump into the waves to try to save him.
Liam slowed his pace and tried to slow his breathing. His lungs felt as though they might explode. Or was it his heart?
‘I’m an idiot!’ he said out loud. Such an idiot to drop his guard and trust someone again. He was such a terrible judge of character. Deanna had fooled him, and Rosie had done the same. When her guesthouse plan had failed she’d sold him down the river to Charles Epping and sacrificed his farm for Driftwood House – a house she’d never live in because she’d be hundreds of miles away in a different country.
He stopped completely and drew in a deep breath of fresh salty air. The sea stretched out before him and there, to his right, he could make out Meadowsweet Farm near the cove, and the land that would soon no longer be his to work.
In the end, all of his sacrifices had been for nothing. He’d appeal to the Eppings of course, but he couldn’t possibly compete with their own flesh and blood. Like father, like daughter.
It was hard to reconcile that Rosie was so closely related to such a cold, uncaring man, and he wondered how long she’d suspected that Charles could be her father. How long she’d lied to him by acting as if everything was normal when it was anything but.
