Wife And Mother Forever

‘Did I say something wrong?’ she asked, puzzled at the way he had suddenly closed a door on her in a manner that was uncannily similar to his son’s.

‘Not at all.’

‘Did I offend you, mentioning your mother?’

‘Of course not. There, everything’s switched off. By the way, I think it’s stopped raining.’

‘Of course. What did I tell you?’

He regarded her for a moment, taking in the impish gleam in her eyes, and unable to stop smiling at her.

‘Any minute now you’ll almost have me believing that you cast a magic spell,’ he said.

‘Maybe I did. I think I’ll just leave you to wonder about that. By the way, what about swimming trunks? I mean, if you weren’t expecting to stay-’

‘We do have them. I thought I might, just possibly, prevail on you.’

‘Hogwash!’ she said sternly. ‘Has anyone ever managed to turn you away at the door?’

‘The last man who tried was fending off my takeover bid.’

‘No guesses who won.’

‘Well,’ he said, considering, ‘I took him over, but he made me pay more than I’d meant to.’

She threw up her hands in mock horror. ‘Disaster!’

‘No, just something you have to be prepared for in business. You have to start out knowing what a thing is worth to you and how high you’re prepared to go. Winning at a cost is still winning.’

‘At any cost?’

‘That depends what you’re aiming to win. Only a few things are worth any cost.’

‘What are you aiming to win now?’

‘My son’s confidence-his trust-his love-at any cost.’

That surprised and silenced her. She had suspected it, but hearing him say it warned her that she had partly misread him. There was more to him than she had believed. It was becoming possible to like him.

Then he said, ‘But I need your help; that’s why I’m here. You’re vital if I’m to have any chance.’

And suddenly she was a pawn on his chessboard again, irritated into saying, ‘So you worked out the cost of working at half-speed for a few days and decided it was affordable. But where do I figure in your equation?’

‘I told you-vital.’

‘But supposing I come with a heavy cost?’ she fenced. She was beginning to find fencing with this man strangely exhilarating.

He raised an eyebrow.

‘If you do,’ he said with soft irony, ‘perhaps you should tell me now, so that I can make the necessary arrangements.’

‘Oh, get lost!’ she said, cheated of her victory. ‘I’m going to bed.’

CHAPTER FIVE

LOOKING out of her window next morning, Evie gave thanks that her reckless promise to Mark had been kept. It was a perfect day; the sun was riding high and making the waves glitter almost blindingly.

Mark was leaning out from the next window, beaming and making ecstatic thumbs up signs. She raised her own thumbs in return, laughing and enjoying his happiness.

Downstairs, she put on the kettle and began preparing breakfast. After a few minutes they both joined her. Evie stared at the sight of Justin in shorts and casual shirt.

She stared even more when he gave her a solemn bow, then glanced at his son, as if asking if he’d done it right. But Mark wasn’t satisfied.

‘Oh, mighty one!’ he cried, bowing low.

‘Mark insists that we do this,’ Justin explained. ‘He says you’re magic because you made the rain stop and the sun come out. So we must propitiate you, mighty one.’

To her delight he bowed again.

‘All right,’ she chuckled. ‘That’s enough grovelling-for today, anyway. Come and have breakfast.’

‘Can’t we go to the beach now?’ Mark begged.

‘Later, when the water’s had a chance to warm up a bit,’ she told him. ‘You’ve just recovered from a cold.’

‘And we should go out and buy some food first,’ Justin said.

Going around the local supermarket gave her another glimpse of his many facets. Not only could he cook but he also knew what to buy.

He had good legs too, she thought distractedly.

After filling the trolley Justin stopped by the wine shelves. ‘White or red?’

‘White, please,’ she said.

‘Can we go to the beach now?’ Mark asked plaintively as they drove home. ‘It’s ever so hot.’

‘We could make some sandwiches and take them with us,’ Evie said.

They agreed on that, packing up a picnic basket before setting off.

The road from the cottage to the beach was strewn with large rocks that had to be negotiated on foot. At the far end the sand spread out into an area of pure gold, stretching away to the sea. It was a small area, flanked on two sides by more rocks, which made it almost like a private beach.

Other holiday makers had been known to brave the rocks for a while, but the trouble of having to climb back over them to get an ice cream was a deterrent. Today they had the place to themselves.

Evie had changed, putting on her swimsuit beneath her clothes. She was a little troubled by that swimsuit. It was a bikini, chosen with Andrew in mind, and ideally she would not have worn it now. But she hadn’t thought of it until too late.

Well, it might be worse, she told herself. As bikinis go it’s fairly modest. Even the top is respectable, and I haven’t got much to display anyway. First time I’ve ever been glad of that.

They tucked into sandwiches and orange squash, but Mark ate very little.

‘You need more than that,’ Evie protested.

‘Nope,’ he said, shaking his head firmly. ‘’Cos otherwise you’ll say I mustn’t go swimming after a big meal. So I’ve only eaten a little meal, and I’m going now.’

Before they could stop him he jumped to his feet and shot away across the sands to plunge into the sea.

‘Let’s go,’ Justin said, pulling off his clothes and haring after his son.

Now there was no time to worry about revealing too much. Evie tore off her own clothes and sped after them, rejoicing in the wind whipping past her, the sun on her bare skin, and then the glorious moment of diving in.

She came up, looking around, then saw the two of them preparing to scoop up water and douse her with spray. She screamed and backed away, trying to fend them off. But they splashed her without mercy until she had to sink right under the surface to escape them.

‘I give in, I give in,’ she cried at last as they roared with laughter.

They splashed around together for a while, with Evie keeping in the background so that father and son could be together. At last Mark declared he was hungry.

‘Come and finish your lunch,’ Evie said.

‘OK.’

‘I’ll have a longer swim first,’ Justin said, and turned to head out to sea.

Back at base Evie and Mark dried themselves off and settled down on large towels.

‘I’m ever so glad we came,’ Mark confided. ‘So’s Dad.’

‘Did he tell you that?’

He shook his head, spraying crumbs.

‘Dad doesn’t say things like that,’ he said, when he could speak again. ‘But he’s cheerful. ’Spect it’s ’cos of you.’