Espresso Tales

Gordon said. “If you’re going to make allegations like that, then presumably you have some basis for them. Tell me, what is it?

What evidence do you have? Or do you just throw things like that – insulting things – throw them about on the basis of suspicion or, and I’m sorry to say this, jealousy?”

Matthew thought. What evidence did he have? Now that he thought of it, none at all. So what was it? And at that point he realised that the reason why he took this view was simple. It was simple, but true. Janis did not love his father. You can tell when somebody loves another. It shows in the eyes; the attitude. There was none of that feeling in this case, thought Matthew. Any overt signs of affection on her part just did not seem to ring true. She was a gold-digger; it was obvious, and yet his poor father, infatuated because an attractive younger woman had shown an interest in him, simply could not see what her real motive was.

Matthew wondered whether he should tell his father this. It was a hard thing for anybody to hear – that love was unreciprocated. Many people would simply not believe that if they heard it. And yet, his father was an adult (offspring often have to remind themselves of that hard fact) and could not be protected from uncomfortable knowledge. So he looked at his father, met his gaze, and said: “Dad, she doesn’t love you. I can tell.”

At first, Gordon did nothing. He stared at his son, as if uncomprehending, and then reached for his coffee cup and took a sip of his espresso. He’s struggling, thought Matthew.

He’s struggling with his dented pride (poor man) and with his amour-propre. This is very painful. This is very hard.

“So,” said Gordon quietly. “So she doesn’t love me, you say.”

Matthew nodded. “She doesn’t love you.”

“And so when I asked her to marry me,” went on Gordon,

“and she accepted – that meant nothing, did it?”

Matthew sighed. “You’ve gone and proposed?” he asked. “Oh, Dad, Dad, Dad! You’re making a big mistake. Mega-disaster all round. Oh, no, no, no!”

“Give me your evidence,” said Gordon grimly. “Give me one Janis Exposed

325

single shred of evidence you have that she doesn’t love me. Show me. Just show me.”

“But can’t you see?” said Matthew, raising his voice. “Can’t you see that there’ll be no evidence as such? You sense these things. You know them. You can’t necessarily find any evidence.”

Gordon held up a hand to stop his son. “Right,” he said.

“You’ve said enough as far as I’m concerned. You’ve insulted the woman I love. I’m not going to stand for it, Matthew. I’m just not.”

“I’m only trying to help you,” protested Matthew. He reached out to touch his father, but Gordon sat back, out of reach.

“Look,” went on Matthew. “Try to think. Have you told her about your money? Did she ask you?”

“I’ve spoken to her,” said Gordon. “She raised it with me.”

Matthew’s eyes widened. “She raised it?” he asked. “She did?”

“That’s correct,” said Gordon. “She asked me some fairly searching questions. And I gave her perfectly frank answers.”

“Well, there you are!” cried Matthew. “It’s just exactly as I said. She’s interested in getting her hands on your cash. It’s glaringly obvious.”

Gordon shook his head. “You stupid boy,” he said. “Sorry, but that’s what you are, Matthew. She raised the issue because she wanted to talk to me about divesting myself of a large part of it.”

“To her, I suppose,” observed Matthew wryly. “Great tactic.”

“No,” said Gordon patiently. “You’re one hundred per cent wrong there, Matthew. You see, Janis has persuaded me to set up a charitable fund. I thought I might set one up for golfers in distress. Then she has urged me to transfer a considerable amount of money to you, as it happens. She’s suggested that I should, in fact, give away about seven million. Three to the fund and four to you.”

Matthew was silent. He stared at his father. And then he bit his lip.

“Yes,” said Gordon. “Do you know, when you were a wee boy you used to bite your lip like that whenever you were in the wrong over something. You just bit your lip.

326 Big Lou

“And I see you doing it right now. It’s funny, isn’t it? – how we keep these little mannerisms over the years.”

“Dad,” Matthew began. “I didn’t . . .”

“No,” said Gordon, “you didn’t know. Well, as they say, ye ken noo.”

“Yes,” said Matthew. “I ken noo.”

“And can you think of any reason,” Gordon asked, “why I should not reverse my decision to transfer that money to you?

After all, you have such a low opinion of my fiancee. I wouldn’t want to force a decision of hers upon you, would I?”

“I’m sorry,” said Matthew. “I really am. I’m sorry.”

Gordon stared at his son. My son has never been a liar, he said to himself. He has been lazy, maybe, and a bit